My name is Rachel.
If you're reading this, I assume you already know who I am, so my introduction will be brief. I am a first-year student at the University of British Columbia, and have been living away from home for exactly six days.
So ends the preface...
I plan to major in English Literature, Theatre, or both, so even though my entry has promised to 'set the stage', I shall now write out my situation rather like those book-reports that you write in elementary school, just to simplify matters!
Settings:
A medium-sized white house, just down the road from a large Baptist church, in the middle of an immigrant Vancouver neighbourhood.
A huge campus known as the University of British Columbia
The interiors of many crowded Vancouver buses
Characters:
Lori: The owner of aforementioned white house. Middle-aged, ESL teacher, cooks as a hobby. Says what she thinks. Always. A truly good person, and an unabashed character.
May-Ying (whose name I probably just horribly mangled): Eighteen years old, I believe. One of three exchange students living in Lori's basement. From Hong Kong. Studying Economics, Business, and Japanese at Langara College. Sweet, and speaks English very well, but homesick and expecting friends too soon. Her parents are so worried about her homesickness that they are contemplating moving her to a family from Hong Kong. (To which Lori and I respond: "...?")
Maggie: Nineteen next Tuesday. Exchange student from Taiwan, also in Lori's basement. Studying English at Vancouver Community College. Lovely, fun girl! Her English is not as good as May-Ying's, but she is learning very quickly. Wants to be a nurse.
Suelen: Twenty-eight years old, an exchange student from Brazil, and the third exchange-student tenant. Going to Pacific Language Institute to learn English. An absolute saint. Trained and worked as a veterinarian, saved up money to buy a car, then used it to come to Canada instead.
Beta and Mr. Fuzzy: The Fuzzers. Two white, fluffy, Bichon Frisees who belong to Lori. Still deciding if they are sweet and stupid, or one of the worst terrors the known world has ever faced. They are show-quality; Mr. Fuzzy has the necessary qualifications, but Beta (the girl) still has some way to go. They might breed later this year. Bad? Good? You be the judge...
Me: Well, you know.
Plot: We shall see....
It is very strange, being in a city where you know precious few people. Hurrying through the campus, I find that all the windows of people are closed. In Lethbridge I can walk up to a friend, know their names, what they enjoy, their sense of humour- I can know that they are a friend. Here, there is no such comfort. All I can see is their face. Curious, isn't it? You who are reading this, my friends from the 'good old days', know these inside things about me, at least a little bit, as I know yours; but now we cannot see each other's faces.
I will try to post about my classes, etc, throughout the week. Forgive the stilted description of this new life; I am trying to sketch a rough outline before beginning to colour!
I love you all and miss you. But here, and now, it is good. It really is.
Love,
Rachel
