So, here are some random first impressions of Montreal...

Amazing architecture
-A lot of old buildings are still around, especially churches. Most have been transformed into other things such as schools and museums. One was actually jacked up (we're talking a giant stone building here) and a shopping mall was put underneath. I still haven't gotten a camera yet, but hopefully soon.

Suprisingly easy to communicate in
-One of the questions that I could count on people asking me at home when I told them I was moving to Montreal was "How's your french?". Since I have moved here, I have had one or two experiences where language was a barrier. For the most part, everyone is bilingual here.

Not interested in the church
-Virtually all swear words in french have some religious significance. The Catholic church was once very strong here, but since the quiet revolution in the 1960's, Francaphone pride is the new religion.

24-hour bagel stores
-As a lot of you may know by now, I tend to stay up late sometimes. Well now, I can go and buy bagels. ANYTIME I want. And we're talking real bagels, not those pansy little bread circles that they sell at safeway. These suckers are cooked on a wood fire (but only after they're boiled first of course, as all true bagels are).

Crazy Drivers
-Cars will not stop for you. Pedestrians come second.

Multicultural
-McGill is still pretty white, but Concordia University has an amazing mix of people from Africa, Asia, Central America, and all over. Sometimes it almost feels like I'm the minority as a white person.

Hab's crazy
-If you think that Vancouver is obsessed with the Canucks, or even hockey, Montreal will blow your mind. Its the freaking summer, and the sports page is covered with Montreal Canadiens stories. One of the other interns, Patrick, its a Habs fan. We have decided to take it upon ourselves to re-educate him. On a completely unrelated note, the sports page of the newspaper doesn't seem to always arrive here anymore. Strange.

So those are a few first impressions I've had. I'm still getting to know the people and the students I'm working with, so I'm sure that my ideas will change somewhat over time (except about the Canadiens of course).

Today I went and visited the satellite campus of Concordia called Layola. I brought a soccer ball along, and ended up getting to meet a number of people just by kicking the ball around for a bit. It looks likeI will be helping lead a bible study there this fall. I don't know of any other christian groups that operate there right now, so please pray for me that God will give me direction, and also send students my way.

In other news, it appears as if my graduation will be delayed until the spring. I was unable to get the forms I needed signed by my work in time (I ended with a coop this summer). It was very stressful trying to get things done in time, especially seeing as I'm accross the country, and its rather disapointing not to get it finished and done with, but on the other hand I'm just relieved that I don't have to deal with deadline anymore. I fealt in a lot of ways like I was still only partially here, at least mentally anyway. Now I feel like I can fully focus all of my energy on the Internship at last.

I suppose it would be easier to write shorter posts, and just do them more frequently, but oh well.

Things to pray for:
-Direction in terms of how I approach the Layola campus
-That God would bring me the students at Layola that He wants me to get to know
-Inspiration for bible study topics, that I would have insight into what students need to talk about

Again I would ask that even if you don't remember to pray for these later, that you would at least pray for them now while you're reading this. Thanks so much!