No November rain

Barcelona, full of sun, full of colours, a few warm autumn shades here and there. I was in Madrid for a job interview, it had a stronger autumn smell, matching the season's foliage, more obvious than here. I look at my photographs from last year's hike in Vermont, the trees branches were already nude and the mountains turned brown. It seems like ages ago, so faraway, in a different life. And still, I feel a little nostalgic when I think about the firtrees smell and the bright blue lakes. Nostalgic and grateful for all the great moments I spent there.

Today I went for another hike through the Collserola area, less green and dustier, more urbanized, but still pretty woods.



Life is made of different patchwork like places, people and experiences, what matters is to know nothing is forever, you have to let go when you can't hold on. And be grateful for what you get, I am probably one of the luckiest people I know.

E la nave va

So I want to leave Canada and go live in an European city of my choice this time, close to the sea, not too far down South or up North. Oh yes, the crisis is still ravaging the business and consequently the job market. By the way, I'm also 35, a little past the age of looking for my own true self around the world and back.

Oh, no! What a crazy idea living this cozy comfy existence of mine, my boyfriend (who can follow me if he chooses to do so), a nice apartment (that I rent anyway), my cat (that I can take with me), this secure and safe job that bores me to death, the many friends of many cultures that I've known for only five years maximum and have to deal with their own lives anyway, like anyone else on this planet. Five years were not enough to grow roots here, and a passport doesn't buy any feelings of belonging or being home. Of course I will miss some people, but being here I miss my friends back home and in other countries. The balance is never even.

Yes, it is a risk, but it occurred to me last night that this is not a one time decision. A while ago I decided once and for all to take risks, to swim against the current, to draw my own path, regardless of what did Mr. X and Mrs. Y. I took a risk when I went to Lisbon in 1997, fresh from university, to work in a Duty Free Shop. Then to Turkey as a waitress on the very pretty island of Büyük Ada, across from the fascinating city of Istanbul. About two months later I was in Athens for the whole of November and I managed to see the Minoic Knossos palace, an old dream of mine. In 2001 I left a career that just started to blossom and I stepped up on a cruiseship and became a qualified seaman aka foreign languages sherpa at sea and on the Caribbean islands.

Canada followed in 2004. I have never been here before, but it was one of the few countries that received immigrants based solely on your request and background. It didn't work out, I'm not fit for North America which is not fit for me. And it doesn't mean Montréal is not nice or Canada is not a beautiful country. It is a marriage that was simply mismatched, also because it was a long distance decision. So I want to try to settle in an European city that this time is not the first opportunity that arrised, but a conscious choice, why should that be bad? How many Romanians left Canada to go to Barcelona? Caminante, no hay camino, se hace camino al andar says one of my favorite poems. Maybe it is not the way, but it is MY way and I have to try it, no matter what. As long as there's no matter of life an death, what's the matter?

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL

Not only I will be going to New York this week-end and my dear friend Jane is hosting us in a great area of Manhattan, but I got a very nice unexpected gift, in the shape of a blue dragon.

I saw my first play by Robert Lepage - Le Projet Andersen, three years ago, and I wrote a small reader comment in the cultural weekly Voir :

Identité et solitude (tous différents, tous égaux)

Tout d'abord je suis allée voir Robert Lepage sans préjugés, pour la simple raison que je ne le connaissais pas. J'ai vu la pièce en tant que roumaine résidente au Québec, francophone et amoureuse du théâtre et d'Andersen depuis petite. Ouverte à tout. J'ai été d'abord fascinée par la magistrale mise-en-scène, les trouvailles, la technique, la fantaisie débordante doublée par l'esprit pratique capable de trouver les solutions. Puis par la versatilité de l'acteur, qui passe d'une peau et d'un accent à l'autre, qui émerveille, amuse et attendrit, qui joue le Québécois, le Français, le "Beurre" exilé.

Mais ce qui m'a touché le plus a été le but, l'artiste a deployé tous ses charmes pour nous parler de la SOLITUDE, car c'était elle le personnage principal, ni Frédéric, ni Andersen. C'est vrai, mon cher conteur danois ne comptait pas beaucoup dans l'économie du spectacle, ce qui n'empêche pas l'oeuvre théâtrale d'être valide. On intéragit tellement plus de nos jours et communique tellement moins. On se replie sur soi-même, voilà le vrai sens de la masturbation répétitive - l'incapacité de communiquer, de s'ouvrir aux autres et se donner. Si ça effleure Andersen et sa solitude - tant mieux. J'aime le résultat final. Le titre est "Projet Andersen", pas "Andersen - 150 ans après".

A côté des brillantes parodies sur le discours québécois ou européen - car les danois ou les anglais ne sont pas épargnés, sur la necessité du psychologue dans nos petites vies qui manquent de débouchés, sur les relations toujours plus tendues et hypocrites (le thème du refus de la paternité - débattue dans Horloge biologique) - reste la question, que fait-on de notre solitude? Autant lui donner un sens créatif à la place de nous enfermer dans une cabine de peep-show.

J'ai eu l'occasion de voir sur scène Sir Ian McKellen avec la Royal Shakespeare Company, Cheek by Jowl de Londres, l'Odéon de Paris, du théâtre italien...bravo au théâtre québécois et à Robert Lepage, j'en suis ravie.

The Théâtre du Nouveau Monde is showing Le Dragon bleu throughout May, but two months ago when I called it was already sold out. Quite disappointed I was still happy that I could buy tickets for another show: Eonnagata is the ballet-theatre Robert Lepage directed with contemporary dance myths Russell Maliphant and Sylvie Guillem, a sublime interpretation of the Chevalier d'Eon story in a Japanese key, presented within the Festival Trans-Amérique (exceptional dance and theatre from around the world for very accessible prices).

Looking for video excerpts of Eonnagata, I found the official site of Robert Lepage's company and it occured to me to write to them and tell my disappointment of not being able to buy my tickets for Le Dragon Bleu. I also sent my three years old comment and I mentioned that I am going to the FTA show.

And abracadabra, hocus-pocus, bum badabum...I got an answer the same day offering me two tickets for next Tuesday. As simple as that. Because they care about their public and people that do care about being in that room. I think it's fantastic, and a reason of pure joy.

28 NOVEMBER 2006 - SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS 806 days ago

Why people call themselves unhappy or happy? What's this elusive happiness? If only we could understand it's a fake, hollow word, it doesn't exist.

We think we would be happy if...and then a long list follows, including material, sentimental and spiritual conditions. And then because one of them is not fulfilled, we are not...HAPPY. We think we have all the rights to feel miserable because of lack of this and that. Because we take happiness as a long lasting state, but life itself is constantly changing, so there's no state of permanence.

I wonder who invented this concept - the unattainable perfection. Instead of striving for serenity, peace of mind, contentment, we strive fot the impossible and make ourselves - UNHAPPY, because we think there is more in the bag for us, but we have to have it all, at the same time, until the end of our life. (HAPPY END? )

I don't think we are here to be happy, we are here to give a sense to our life, and then we will feel fulfilled.

So I'm trying to make up my mind and expel this word from my vocabulary and imagination. Fill myself up with joy for what I have: interesting studies, comfortable job, caring friends, a fantastic family (my younger siblings are growing into beautiful persons as adults - smart, honest, kind, active).

I'm very excited about my master thesis subject: Murga uruguaya, the more I read about this social form of art, the more I want to learn. So I'm planning to go to Montevideo/Uruguay and spend a longer time there in 2008. My professor - Carmen Rico de Sotelo is an extraordinary gifted woman - with warmth, intelligence and an open-mind.

Through my studies I found descriptions of modern capitalist societies, whose vision is constant progress, oriented exclusively towards future (past is a curiosity for museums) confronted with the fundamentalist, traditional organizations, that cling to the past. They all ignore present, except groups of people, here and there, that live too much in the present, with hedonistic tendencies - life is for pleasure. It's hard to find a balance between the different dimensions of time.

I'm enjoying a light present, sustained by a rich, eventful past, looking towards a bright future. I guess I forget sometimes and get depressed, but this is part of the game too.

N.B. Something like happiness - Title of a Czech movie I saw last year - Stesti(by Bohdan Slama).

AUGUST 21 - BACK TO WORK AND BACK TO SCHOOL!

905 days ago

Oh, yeah! I will start my MASTER IN COMMUNICATION studies this autumn

One class Monday morning, one Wednesday evening. Good news then as I came back from vacation.

Which, by the way, was fun-tastic. Plenty of air, I slept in tents all along

Blue lakes, green forests, quiet nights, stunning views, Canada is beautiful, and many of you know I travelled quite extensively before getting here.

JULY 14 - ROLLERCOASTER INSIDE ME

944 days ago

All these ups and downs of mine are so tiring. Like my nerves are stepping on themselves. Vicious circle.

I keep on asking myself "What am I doing here?". Here or there or anywhere.

* Have to keep on writing my Italian stories for now.

* Have to have patience throughout the summer, maybe the answer for the master will be a positive one.

* To enjoy my wonderful friends, the richness of Montréal.

* To hope the door I'm looking for will open when I expect it less and I'll be able to get involved in what I'm doing and use my skills to full capacity

* Have to keep my head above water.

The worst thing is that I cannot even complain. I have a comfortable life. I earn enough for my needs, I like the appartment I'm living in, I have many great people as friends, I can consider myself super lucky. I just feel super - average. Très mediocre.

I'm quite happy I met Ljuba, from Croatia (somehow, she's half German), she organized a Gypsy Festival last year here and is planning another one for next year. We share the same love and interest for the Gypsies' cultures and kinds of music, so hopefully I'll be able to work with her and partially see one of my dreams coming true - putting together an international cultural event.

This is the key: I have too much un-spent energy, and I'm fed up feeding my brain on others (books or shows). I'm most happy when I get to do something: write, cook, dance. So I should cut out on outings and focus on my writing.

Otherwise - picnic in the park last evening with most of our Spanish speaking group, followed by ice-cream with the Italian group (il gelato was not that yummy, "Chez Roberto" lost points), National French Day party tonight at a friend's house, hiking in my dear Adirondacks (US, NY State) tomorrow, meet Ljuba to talk work Sunday and a show of traditional dances around the Mediterranean closing up the week-end. Should be great!

JULY 10 - MORE, MORE, MORE

947 days ago

Friday ACCABBANA Olivia Sellerio and Pietro Leveratto - jazz based on traditional Sicilian music. Beautiful touching music, very passionate, I could almost feel the salty wind, the merciless sun, see the women claded in black waiting for their husbands on the shore. Beside possessing a warm deep set voice, Olivia Sellerio is related to Enzo Sellerio, a famous photographer and founder of one of the best publishing houses in Sicily.

Saturday - my new friend Ljuba offered me a private audition at her place of amazing music from Croatia, Bosnia and Russia, pure Gypsy treasures, a world I dream of. Her father is a famous genetician, living in Paris, and a good Croatian friend of mine worked with him on a project!

Sunday Goran Bregovic had an open air concert here under the most amazing full moon one can imagine. I got crazy dancing with some friends, he's the contemporary god of Balkan music, the one who gave it to the world all wrapped up. Looking around me, people here are very different from his Romanian public I saw back in Bucharest Much calmer. We do identify with the Kusturica movies and with this tragi-comic music.

On a less artistic vibe, Saturday I got some nice scratches again picking mushrooms in the forest. Bright yellow chanterelles and meaty boletus. There was a funny kind - light orange on the cut, becoming right away blue, then black. Anyway they were all yummy, although in about 4 hours I didn't get more than 2 portions. I shall go again in 2 weeks time!

JULY 5, 06 - GETTING HIGH ON MUSIC AT JAZZ FESTIVAL

952 days ago

AMPARANOIA from Spain - pura vida! energetic, yet sensitive, full of life, joy, pain, anger, determination, very intense to put it in one word. I danced by myself, like many others around me. Check the site, you can even download clips.

NYIAZ USA/Iran Persian music (in Farsi and Urdu). With an electro taste. I was simply mesmerized. The singer's voice sounds like coming from the night of time. The music is rich, deep, dense, like walking barefoot on a Persian rug, like gold embroidered velvet touching skin, like burning yet silky Port wine caressing your throat on a winter night. I sit in the grass my body still winding with the music, until I got up and joined the crowd. It was like an outer world experience. Give it a try

JULY 5, 06 - FEELS LIKE

953 days ago

Just want to lie in the grass, somewhere where it's not raining and listen to Nils Petter Molvaer - ER.

JUNE 10, 06 - OVER BOILED GNOCCHI

977 days ago

Two nights ago, looking at a great German movie "Nackt" (Naked). Three couples, getting together for dinner and getting naked, body and soul. Sharp dialogue, replies were flying like arrows, I was mesmerized. I know so much about being in a couple that I should be living with somebody Romeo y Julieta no eran de este planeta.

Got semi-bad news from the university concerning the master: I'm only on the waiting list. The one before the last, therefore my ego is not really flattered. Maybe I should stop waiting to become somebody and leave peacefully with the idea of being nobody. With a big N. Miss Nobody. Having an average life and be a good secretary.

Or go back to ships, I keep having dreams about me being on board. Not about islands and fish, no, just the ships. The big white tin cans.

I'm not Abel, I'm just Cain/Open up the Heaven, make it rain.

He's lying, he's Tom Waits and he's great.

It's raining anyway. What if my life will always be like this? Just wandering through it, no status. Ah, ah, ah, ah...staying alive, staying alive.

"siento, vivo, pienso
que más puedo pedir."

I feel, I'm alive, I think - what else can I ask for? asks Jarabe de Palo.

A million dollars...hotel, filled with people that feel and think, a bit disconnected though

MAY 26 - ANOTHER GRAY DAY

993 days ago

In Bucharest, Barcelona and Rome my friends are talking about going to the seaside for the week-end. Here it started dripping again. Funny kind of late spring.

Know what? I might have only a few years left around here... Maybe

APRIL 23, 06 - MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

1025 days ago

Easter came and go.

Headache...a bit too much wine today and too much food too. Ran around like a headless chicken yesterday to get some decent piece of lamb, found the last ones (package of organs and leg) for the "terrine" we call "drob" and the roast. And the spinach and filopastry for the family special pie, bread, radish, green onion, eggs and dye...

What for? I did almost all shopping, cooked, washed dishes. For 4, which is not much, and we shared costs. I feel frustrated on one hand, I wished someone really helped me (a friend came last night, but far too late and forgot today she said she will do the dishes). On the other hand, I wanted to cook for Easter, to have people around, and I had it my way. Nobody asked for it, after all. I did it to myself. And all the beautiful evenings of the week I was home cleaning or washing so I can dedicate my week-end to Easter shopping and cooking.

Never again with Romanians though...there is a lack of seriousness I can't ignore. We had a good time, the food came up right, I got an Italian Sangiovese of Toscana Marchesi di Frescobaldi quite remarcable, but it's too much. I wish I had an extra day off.

The church episode was very short and somehow I didn't feel it too deeply.

So life goes on, I can't wait to go see on Wednesday "Projet Andersen" at the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde.

I also have to check my ankle, as I have a swallowing that might be filled with liquid and stayed there for quite a while.

Right now - sleeping time

April 5, 06 - FEEL LIKE SLOWING DOWN

1043 days ago

I don't spend enough time home and there are things I want to take care of: copying quotes from the anthropology books I got from the library (still thinking about going back to school in autumn) and go on with my stories in French about my Italian holidays.

So I definitely have to go out less. With spring coming it's easy to say. I have an hour for lunch though, and as I'm usually bringing my lunch box I could go for half an hour walk then.

My boss is a real gentleman, with a lifetime experience in PR and politics, so there's a lot I can learn from him. My job is mostly secretarial (letters, faxes, worsksheets, expenses account) but the documents I'm dealing with are interesting. There are only 10 people in the office, plus a law firm sharing the floor - and kitchen and reception. So there's no contact outside my co-workers. All senior positions, by the way, except the receptionist. So I'm the little insignificant one. For how long still? Patience, patience, patience.

At least it is a very good company, with excellent skills and connections. I think I'm lucky to have got here after all.

MARCH 23 - BACK TO WORK AND MOLIÈRE

1056 days ago

I had a successful interview this morning. I wonder if they've even seen someone else. A communications company, in the middle of the city, very classy, with many government and cultural connections. Nice old fashioned offices, not the shiny impersonal cubist spaces of nowadays.

Starting on Monday I will be executive assistant to the president. With the possibility of getting involved in projects as part of the team. I guess it is good, but after all the ups and downs I had lately I'm afraid of enjoying too much. Plus, what will happen to my great plans of going back to school? Time will tell.

The funny part is how I got there. Volunteering for the Intl Festival of Films on Art I was sent to this company offices to give a hand for the avant-première organization. I spent two days there and worked very well with the person. He was very impressed and thanked me every time he saw me. So I left my resume with him and Monday when I called as a reminder, I was told they have an open position. Out of the blue! My predecessor left suddenly Friday. So the administration manager told me he'll take a look at my CV. And today I had the interview and we agreed. I have to say this year the festival was my lucky star.

In the evening I saw Molière en hiver - Le Misanthrope sur le fond d'une piscine de quartier desafectée. In this one the French playwriter was mocking the hypocrisy of the court people at the times of Louis XIV. Not different from our jet set beautiful people. I liked it a lot, and not only because the director is Romanian. The young Québec actors were impressive, juggling with grace with the alexandrines. It's a shame they have to work as waiters or sell shoes to make ends meet. I decided to go see more plays by Cristina Iovita, she's one of this Don Quijotes who practices her art against all odds.

MARCH 10 - ONE DAY IS FINE AND NEXT IS BLACK

1070 days ago

This is the real problem - the ever changing situation, I'm adjusting myself to certain circumstances and in no time they change, and not for better - porca miseria. Yesterday I went to the unemployment office, kind of dizzy, super nervous, in the fainting, not the agressive way. I gave them the paper they were asking for, a form inquiring about the courses I might follow. As there's none, at least until autumn, there's no relevance, but we have to comply with the procedure.

I found out the data the agent I saw last week entered in the computer was saved elsewhere than supposed, so the agent judging my case didn't see it - so now he will have to revise it again! And hopefully Monday release the pay. We're living in a kafkian society, like the purpose is to not make sense.

I do hope to find a job in about 2 weeks or so...

The International Festival of Film on Art just started, I was yesterday at the welcome desk at the Arts Museum, the Romanian director I was hoping to see didn't show up, hopefully he should at the projection next Thursday. Tonight I'm going to see a movie about contemporary dance - "Birthday" by Jiri Kylian, in Amsterdam. In April the Grands Ballets Canadiens have a show choreographed by him, I got the ticket before the unemployment ordeal started.

MARCH 8, 06 - SOMEDAYS ARE WORSE THAN OTHERS

1071 days ago

And it feels like I was cursed or something. From Monday to Wednesday I worked in a film production company as a receptionist, I was supposed to do it for 4 weeks, 3 days a week. Not much money but enough for rent. Today they let me know that Monday there will be an ex-employee coming, who's also enemployed and is a mother, etc., etc. As if it wasn't enough, I got another letter from the unemployment agency saying they won't pay me at all because I didn't send them the form asking me for the schedule of my master courses. As I didn't subscribe to any course yet, only made an admission request, of course I didn't fill it out.

So tomorrow I'll go there again with the list of all jobs I applied for and the damn form.

It's hard to keep from crying, actually I am crying, as right now I only see closed doors around me. It's hard to keep hope and keep fighting, by myself, not knowing how will I pay rent next months. God is my only hope, knowing that He never let me down so far.

MARCH 2 - DEEP DEEP DOWN:(

1077 days ago

Why?

After seeing that great flamenco show with Nuevo Ballet Español from Madrid - all vibration and lust for life? Flamenco is pain, flamenco is joy, alone, in couple or with others. It is a dance about feeling intense emotions and expressing them with all your energy and convictions. A dance about being alive and screaming it out loud...with all your body. This company is good too - two young dancers are the leaders and their whole team is just as young and convincing. Simple costumes, beautiful lighting, gifted musicians.

And last Friday - the Shen Wei experience. First Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" - geometrical and in shades of gray, abstract dance following only the musical phrases without trying to tell a story. Then "Folding" - visually amazing, with harmonies of white and red and black, slowly moving on Buddhist incantations.

And after this - Damian Nisenson's kletzmer jazz - an Argentinian musician I met the Sunday before in café, during a debate in Spanish about the World Social Forum.

So why am I down? Well, my bank account is running low (again!) because the unemployment didn't pay me since January 19. I made the mistake of working as a hostess at the Car Show, and leaving after 3 days, Jan. 20 to 22. Penalty of 1 week pay. It took them 3 weeks to call me to find out what happened and then they called the hostess agency. Then they found out from the employer that I might go back to study. No one is admissible for unemployment unless one is continously looking for a job. So Wednesday I went back there with a list of potential employers, dates and jobs I applied for. Hopefully it should satisfy them and eventually payment will come soon enough.

A friend is helping me out with the tax calculation. News! I have to pay $500 for the public medical insurance and about $800 because the 2 hotels where I worked calculated my taxes as if I was getting money only from one side (the smaller the amount, the smaller the taxes).

I wanted to start a course already this summer, a professor I met from Uruguay is giving it, it could be part of my later master. I don't think it would be possible anymore...need a job and quick. And guess what? That's not easy either.

So here I am: $1300 debt by end of April, no credit cards, no money getting in, just fear, worries, anxiety. Feel the world is a jungle and I'm so lost in it. More than ever.

FEBRUARY 18, 06 - SMALL GIFTS OF LIFE AND LUCK

1089 days ago

I won a ticket to a Flamenco show - Nuevo Ballet Español, can't wait to go tonight! I exchanged a few messages with the San Antonio community from Padova and their Toronto branch sent me Il Messaggero di Sant' Antonio (which happens to have a couple of interesting articles about Italians around the world) and a 2006 calendar.

I'm progressing with my volunteer work with kids.

Dark side - my unemployment aid didn't pay since January 19 - they are "studying" the file and we'll "let me know" soon. Only because I worked on January 20-22. My mistake. Now they say they don't have enough info about the circumstances and that's why they're delaying. Of course when I have to pay the bills I cannot tell them I'm studying the file.

I re-wrote my resume in a more academic form and put together a master project draft - next week I'm meeting the program director and afterwards I will submit my papers. I got some social communication books from the library. The more I read about it, the more passionate I get. I feel I'm doing the right thing.

Got some contemporary Romanian literature, also from National Library, I'm eager to know who are the new voices and the reality they create or describe.

FEBRUARY 12, 06 - MONTREAL BLACK CULTURE AND WHAT'S NEW IN ROMANIA

1095 days ago

BLACK CULTURE I went to the presentation of 2 films about Montreal Haitians on Friday night, within the Black History month.

http://www.tohu.ca/activites/calendr...

About teenager mothers "Les petites mères" and a rap singer "Au nom de la mère et du fils", coming from a poor neighbourhood. Montreal doesn't have ghettos, only poor areas, a bit more hazardous to walk around at night.

The recently appointed Governor of Canada - Michaëlle Jean, herself a Haitian and former resident of quartier St. Michel was there too. Her mother came alone to Montréal with her two daughters, and Mme Jean became a brilliant journalist, after language studies, being appointed last year as Governor. Her husband is a documentary film director, they both had to give up French citizenship when she took over her new function.

Although it is more of a symbolic function, I was impressed that the former Prime Minister chose a black, French speaking, former immigrant woman for this position. A lovely lady - very modest, bright and fun, I did enjoy her speech. She is also very good looking, the classy way.

About St. Michel and Haitian community - well, in Bucharest there are plenty of the same kind of stories. Unfortunately. I do admire those girls though who decided to keep their children, they were 16 or 17 when they became mothers - it is a tough life. And most of them were supported by their parents, which is even more admirable.

ROMANIA In a local Romanian newspaper (published by 2 former university colleagues) I found news about the corruption trial in Romania. The former prime minister (Adrian Nastase) is accused, together with some other rich&famous. I'm glad this is happening and I hope it will keep steady, at least to get rid of the big fish. Because to eliminate corruption is a dream(Canada just went through a sponsorship scandal involving the Liberal Party that made this one lose the last elections)

BLOGS Parallel - jumping from blog to blog (some people link their to other people's pages) I started reading 4 Romanian ones.

- a former colleague from the Faculty of Journalism, presently a web developer in New York
- a Medieval history researcher - 26 yo, presently in Poitiers, France, full of wit and knowledge, from whom I'm learning a lot about Romanian "alternative" history
- a young teacher at my former faculty, who's passioned about e-media and seems to do great
- a 21 years old student in Journalism - smart and fun, who opens me a window towards young people's life in Romania. Very similar to the one I used to have 10 years ago

It's funny how somebody's blog can be a gate to a different world, especially somebody completely unknown.

FEB 08, 06 - SIMPLE JOYS OF LIFE

1099 days ago

Coming back from a movie - documentary about two street living québecois teen-agers in Vancouver, after coming back to Montreal, camping in British Columbia and ending up in Vancouver once more, Dany committed suicide. He was born in 1987 - 18 year old. His girlfriend is 17.

I got in a bus afterwards that was decorated with balloons and Xmas tree red girdles, all the way to the back, in front of the driver there were some peluche toys and next to him candies to be taken away. I asked him if he's celebrating anything. "Sure, Valentine's day, I do it one week in advance. I always decorate my bus for any kind of celebrations".

You know what? This guy is one of the best people I met! He's celebrating life actually, even at work, in a bus. He wants to brighten everyones day. He succeeded with me. I wish Dany met him too.