"Tasting" the Canadian Exams

The study in the third week could be divided into two parts by the midterm exams. One is the preparation phase, the other is the recovery phase. Our feelings changed from the helplessness caused by the unfamiliarity with the test content and difficulty before Tuesday to the relief after the afternoon on that day. After experiencing the first exam in uOttawa and tasting the tests here and we will be more confident about the final exams next week. 

Different from Anthropology and Psychology which focus more on lectures, the English course centers more on practicing. In order to lighten the workload for us, the English teacher Marlene left some time in the class for us to do research and she walked around the classroom to offer answers for our questions. Our presentation skills have been improved greatly. Different from maladroitness of last week’s presentation, most of us tried to present ourselves without looking at the draft and used gestures and different intonations to make our presentation easier to understand. With the guidance of the teacher and the efforts we made, we are getting better and better. More and more students are willing to express themselves in class. At the same time the learning atmosphere is becoming more and more active every day. Although the journey has not yet ended, we are sure this summer will be a harvest.

Tasting the Canadian Foood 

In fact, the Canadian diet is not as poor as most people think, although it is relatively monotonous, but there are still some highlights. And our diet in Canada is more abundant than the locals. Regarding eating, here will introduce the restaurants and the DIY food by ourselves.

During the sharing session on the next day after our arrival in Canada, one of our senior students who are having clinical electives here recommended us a roadside hotdog stall, commonly known as "hot dog grandfather." Near noon every day, the old man will go to the intersection where the students pass the most, then open the fire oven, put the sausage on it, cut a few openings with a knife, and grill out the fat, until the sausage is slightly burnt, put the bread on the fire and bake for a few seconds, sandwich the sausage, a hot dog is ready. This is the first impression that the Canadian cuisine gives us.

We are also frequenters to some fast food restaurants. The most famous one in Canada is “Tim Hortons”, a fast food chain that makes burgers and coffee. Compared with Chinese ones, eggs and bacon are used a little more, but patties are used less. In addition, there are many fast food restaurants such as "3 Brothers" which have some local specialties, such as Canadian burritos. Although there are burritos in China as well, it is totally different. The Canadian burritos are boiled with beef or chicken, and some raw vegetables such as onions, lettuce, and tomatoes, then add some sauces, roll into the cake, and put it all over. Grilled on the iron plate, the flavor is very unique. 

In addition, there are many bars in Canada where regular meals are provided during the day. For example, our big chef, “Father and Son”, will provide brunch before 1 pm, with some sandwiches and burritos as the staples, and the fried potato as a side. The brunch is tastier than the domestic ones. The only downside is that you have to tip, 15% is the standard.

Finally, there is the high-end restaurants, such as a steakhouse called the KEG. The average cost per person is more than 50 Canadian dollars. The steak can be said to be crispy and tender, fat but not greasy, it is difficult to find such good steaks in China. In the store you can also have the whole grilled lobster, about 70 Canadian dollars. 

Let's talk about what we make by ourselves. In fact, there is a large public kitchen at 90U, and all the facilities are available. In addition to the gas oven, there is also a microwave oven in each room. In the morning, we can eat cereal milk, noodles or bread. We usually have fast food such as pasta, pizza, instant noodles and noodles at noon. If we have enough time in the evening, we will cook the dinner, pork, braised pork, curry chicken, Chongqing hot pot, fish-flavored eggplant, and all kinds of green vegetables. Overall, it is also a taste.

"Tasting" the Canadian Scenery

Of course, what cannot be missed in Canada is the Niagara Falls, taking advantage of the opportunity to visit Toronto, strolling around a big waterfall, and testing the waters for the students who will come next. Here’s the route: depart in the morning, take the Magabus for about two hours to Niagara Falls, then buy a Wego bus card, and you can visit the waterfall city all day long.

With the Wego green line and coming to the waterfall, the sound of the rumbling water gets louder and louder. We are shocked by the Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls, and we feel the flying water on the shore. Niagara Falls is a riverbed gorge on the Niagara River. The Niagara River connects the Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. The river is blue-green and extremely clear. The Niagara River is also the border between the United States and Canada. The west side is the province of Ontario, and the east side is Buffalo, the border city of New York. You can arrive there by driving from Rainbow Bridge.

Ascending the ship that will drive across the US-Canada border (the mid-line of the Niagara River), and you get a trip to the United States without a visa. Before coming to the waterfall, one cannot open the eyes, and raindrops will splash on the face. Niagara, the meaning of "the water of Thor", in front of the waterfall, we finally feel the thunder of Thor, roaring.