13,000 kms and 3 months later...

The following is a bulleted recollection of my days in and outside of grad school. During a spasmodic burst of writing inspiration, triggered by a recent conversation about blogs, I decided to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon and write the following: 

• Learning a new language is a largely by imitation (of native speakers) and a little by memory.
• The French can totally understand Tamil. I was talking to my room mate in, what I thought was, rapid Tamil and my landlord answered my question. So, much for leaving him out of the conversation!
• The prettiest features are usually seen on those from the troubled lands of the Middle East. 
• Snow(flake(s)) falls exactly and precisely in the shape in which I have seen it drawn. It's fascinating to watch it fall.
• I can't ski which is obvious. But, I can't even walk on ice. (The last time I would've fallen like I did the other day while accidentally stepping on ice, was when I was learning to walk).
• A damn good Prof/supervisor can make the sun shine brighter on a cloudy day.
• I am sure to forget English (at the very least, the spellings) when I start to take French classes (or even Russian - given the uncanny resemblance).
• Being vegetarian in a country whose 96% aren't isn't actually very difficult.
• My convictions about writing grow stronger while my engineering intuition wanes. (Given that I never had one to begin with, it's mostly like the Montreal temperature right now! :P )
• It's difficult to start something here unless you are completely disciplined and committed to it than home or in undergrad. (Abhi thinks otherwise!)
• Indians are by far the most emotionally attached to their families and home. (My sample space is small and I could definitely be wrong).
• Writing opinion columns gives you clarity that transpires into all aspects of your life. (Or so, I would like to think! :P )
• Eliminating uncertainty is impossible. Embracing it might make it more enjoyable. No one knows everything for certain, anyway. 
• You are more likely to be a shining star and a success story in a field that you are not only passionate about but can conjure great 'gut-feels' almost always. (The two, I think are somehow interwoven and inseparable). 
• I do need occassional reminding that I do have some 'real estate' in the virtual world. 
• Indian accent and British spellings rock.
• Tea can never be coffee.
• Dollar store's is Canada's Saravana stores. (If you're from Chennai, you know exactly what I mean!)
• I can't quite tell if baking is the precise science that requires shallow or deep knowledge.
• McGill's most famous graduate, according to an American political scientist, happens to be Captain Kirk and I now know why my newspaper office building is unofficially called Shatner!
• "Whether it's sticks and stones or predator drones, war is still a story of humans".   (the aforementioned war analyst - hearing him in person is a LOT more interesting and fun!)
  "Neural networks help in predicting oil prices, stock prices, or in our case, actuator sizes" - Silly alliteration and imagery still hold my fancy and unleash an inexplicable need for cheap imitation.  
• Star wars and Anakin are my eternal source of mood lifters.
• Leave alcohol. What about Ritalin?