Intramural soccer

I have signed up for intramural soccer with a team made up of some exchange guys (English, Irish, Welsh, Scottish and a token French!) were called Team GB, we only got our shirts the other day!! I'm only a sub but it should be good fun, I'll play a couple of matches - were in Division B, our first game is against the athletics 1st soccer team, should be interesting! I'll let you know how we get on?? Peace out (Number 12)

Beer Pong! & Dixie Cups

Well today I was introduced to a new North American Phenomenon - Beer Pong! The ultimate drinking game. Basically you fill the cups with a certain beverage and have two teams either side of a table. Then you take it in turns to try and get the ping-pong ball into each others cups, If you succeed the other team must drink the drink that the ball landed into. simples. Although depending on what you put in the cups, this game can be pretty lethal!

Also did my first beer funnel, was well good. It's pretty narly, the first try was a bit messy! It takes a bit of practice, I haven't gone to a proper frat party yet - I have heard there's one coming up though. I will have to sneak in (as everyone seems to do around here!). Despite that I have had some awesome nights with the CueX exchange club, we have a couple of nights a week clubbin downtown, so far they have been awesome!! Vodka's are expensive here though - It's all about the beer! I got wasted last week and ended up walking to the wrong University!! So I got to see Ottawa at sunrise as I sauntered miles through pinewood forest to get back to my place! However I met a sweet old lady half way back and she drew me a map. Was a definate experience, don't think I'll ever forget that.

WWE... Tight spandex, Burly Men & Pogo's

Okay, on the Wednesday I went with some exchange guys (English, Irish, French & Welsh) to see a WWE Wrestling Supershow! Despite the obvious immaturity of this activity, it was so fun.

I had my first Pogo (meat on a stick!), they kinda of have NO meat in them, but still they are very tasty. It was in the Ottawa senators stadium; our local NHL team's stadium, so it was good to see the stadium. Hopefully I'm going to see an ice hockey game there soon!! The most notable addition to this event was the fact they charged a convenience charge of $3, what exactly convenient about charging someone $3? never-mind. good nonetheless.

Sweet Home Ottawa

Today (Monday) I took a trip into downtown Ottawa. It was really great, I had my first Tim Hortons Sausage Breaksfast Biscuit (these things are like the greatest hangover cure ever - you thought a fry-up was good; well these badboys blow them out the water), and of course some chocolate milk - hehe.

Okay the other thing is SOUP. it's everywhere heren Ottawa, you can get it from fast food bars - it's like having soup in McDonalds (Roman you just pitch the idea, lol). It's so huge over here, and beavertails as well, apparently it's like a massive yum-yum, I will have to have one and let you know I guess! I went to the national gallery as well - good collections, then saw parliament hill, then residing on a nice bank of the river Rideau, watching all the rollerblader fanatics out strutting their stuff!

Oh yeh - GROUNDHOG's, they are the best thing ever, they are sooo funny, just watch groundhog day and you'll know what I mean. Here on campus they are everywhere, they are like rabbits! Oh and black squirrels???? seriously, I kid you not. They have black squirrels, so weird!! I told a canadian friend of mine that we have red and grey squirrels - they just laughed and said "no way man!". and I was like "way". I've not seen a racoon yet, but I bet I will soon.

The Jetlag Phenomenon...

okay, on Monday I made a serious misjudgment...

I came off the plane in my red cords, mountain boots and a large black military style jacket; only to find that it was around 27 degrees and very sunny. Oh dear! Was very funny, I have to say - hehehe. But yeh met some fellow students from the plane a Belgian, a guy from Vancouver and a few Brits (From Exeter in fact).

But yeh I moved in and met my flatmate (Simon, and he's from Chile!) and the other two guys next to us (both Canadians - Peter and Brister). That night I dropped my stuff and went straight away to see my first Canadian College Basketball game; all the freshers went and there had to be around 2-3,000 at least!! It was between the Alumni and Current squads of the Carleton ravens. It was extra cool coz I got to see a player from the alumni team who apprently played in the NBA a few years back and was like the best canadian college player in like 10 years!! In fact the team apparently won 19 CIS championships (canadian college championships).

anyway - after that I went back to some dorms for a bit of a partay!! and didn't get to sleep until 3am (8am on British time coz I was still jetlagged). It was a major struggle the next day, lol.

The Night Before...

Hey everyone,

It's 10:52 pm on saturday night and tomorrow morning I will be catching a flight to Ottawa from Heathrow. Now, suddenly it has hit me what I'm about to do... something scary, but amazing. I never thought that I would actually pass my first year University exams let alone qualify for a year abroad, and yet, here I am on the eve of my departure.

I would like to thank everyone who has made this incredible journey possible, from my family to all my invaluable friends wherever I know you from!! and of course the randomers who without you guys I wouldn't have the motivation to get my arse into gear and actually go through months of paperwork and stress for this opportunity (special mention to "teapot" here,... you frightened me so much that you became the primary reason I decided to take a year abroad, lol).

The next post will be when I buy a new PC. Probably next week sometime (my recent PC has finally sort of had its last hours!). I got a really busy week next week so there should be plenty of juice to share. My promise to you guys is to keep this blog running (thanks Jon and Kier for giving me this idea!). I will endeavor to update as much as time allows me, and hopefully it won't be too boring.

Well, that's it for now. Thanks and good-bye, see you all probably around christmas time, keep reading and take care - good luck with the rest of '09!

Olly x