To Do: Learn a few new languages
We are nearing the end of DAY 1 in Toronto! Today we moved in to our new apartment and tomorrow our stuff from Santa Cruz (in storage for 3 years) will arrive. We are beyond happy. The apartment is amazing - beautiful, nice furnishings, sunny - and better than I could've imagined.
It's noticeably different than moving to another part of the US. We are definitely in a different country. First thing this morning we went to Tim Hortons (the Canadian version of Dunkin' Donuts) and they asked me how I liked my tea. I was about to answer that I liked it at a medium brew before I realized she was asking if I wanted milk and/or sugar. "Oh! One milk, please." No one's ever asked me that before!
This afternoon we applied for our Ontario health insurance card (it won't kick-in for 90 days) and we went next door to a supermarket to get some basics. It was a Russian grocery! All the jars and boxes had the food description in Russian as well as English. The checker woman greeted us in Russian and we then proceeded to communicate in broken English and gestures. (We bought some potato pierogi and kefir in addition to some staples).
Back at home we took a walk to check out our new neighborhood, Corso Italia. Just a 10 minute walk away we found an amazing bakery. It's Portuguese and we had another inter-cultural exchange as we bought 3 mini-baguettes (rye, sourdough, potato) and a strawberry cheesecake tartlet. We turned around and walked east on St. Clair and found a few more small grocery markets, including one where the cashier spoke Italian (we bought cheese) and a Korean shop (plums and lettuce).
I was also thrilled to see TWO (not one but two) fabric stores within walking distance!
It was an exciting day. We keep reveling in our great apartment and the fun neighborhood. I'm going to have to learn a few phrases in Italian, Russian, and Portuguese to fit in...
I promise I'll post some photos soon. Tomorrow we'll feel a bit more moved in - tonight I drank a gin and tonic out of a random mug we happened to bring and Boyd cut the lime using the sharp part of a pair of nail clippers - so needless to say we are looking forward to kitchen utensils arriving soon.
It's noticeably different than moving to another part of the US. We are definitely in a different country. First thing this morning we went to Tim Hortons (the Canadian version of Dunkin' Donuts) and they asked me how I liked my tea. I was about to answer that I liked it at a medium brew before I realized she was asking if I wanted milk and/or sugar. "Oh! One milk, please." No one's ever asked me that before!
This afternoon we applied for our Ontario health insurance card (it won't kick-in for 90 days) and we went next door to a supermarket to get some basics. It was a Russian grocery! All the jars and boxes had the food description in Russian as well as English. The checker woman greeted us in Russian and we then proceeded to communicate in broken English and gestures. (We bought some potato pierogi and kefir in addition to some staples).
Back at home we took a walk to check out our new neighborhood, Corso Italia. Just a 10 minute walk away we found an amazing bakery. It's Portuguese and we had another inter-cultural exchange as we bought 3 mini-baguettes (rye, sourdough, potato) and a strawberry cheesecake tartlet. We turned around and walked east on St. Clair and found a few more small grocery markets, including one where the cashier spoke Italian (we bought cheese) and a Korean shop (plums and lettuce).
I was also thrilled to see TWO (not one but two) fabric stores within walking distance!
It was an exciting day. We keep reveling in our great apartment and the fun neighborhood. I'm going to have to learn a few phrases in Italian, Russian, and Portuguese to fit in...
I promise I'll post some photos soon. Tomorrow we'll feel a bit more moved in - tonight I drank a gin and tonic out of a random mug we happened to bring and Boyd cut the lime using the sharp part of a pair of nail clippers - so needless to say we are looking forward to kitchen utensils arriving soon.
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