Wow.. Finally... - Part 1

Finally.. I checked it... and my last post was almost a month ago - 9 days... The emails and messages, from friends and family started to increase, which usually means you have to start working again, and keep writing on that blog... So here it is.. Since it has been almost three weeks and a lot has happened since then I will divide this blog in separate parts, so it won't be TLTR (Too Long Too Read...) 

Last year, when it was still 2013, one of my colleagues invited me to come with her and a couple of other people on a X-Mas tree tour to watch the trees and and take pictures (in front) of them. I said yes, because I was looking forward to see how Canadians celebrate their Christmas and because it is a travelers-rule to (almost) always say YES to things, so you will get to meet new people and experience new things. 

"Always say YES when you are travelling"

It was cold outside and I didn't know where to go (and it was supposed to take a couple of hours) so I made sure I had warm clothes on and went. When meeting at the starting point it turned out that almost everybody canceled because of the "bad" weather, it was just a little bit cold... (Since I have been in Toronto, I found out people like to complain about the weather and the cold.. So it is not only the Dutch who complain about the weather all the time!) But it turned out I had to much clothes on, because everything was inside of the longest underground shopping center in the world called PATH, with 29km of pedestrian tunnels and 1200 shops beneath the financial district's office towers in Downtown Toronto and which was opened in 1987 (More info: Wiki and PathMap). After having seen most of the biggest christmas trees and decoration we walked to a little Belgian restaurant called Le Petit Déjeuner (See also my food&drinks map). But unfortunately it was closed that day... So we had dinner at the Marché (Which is like a La Place in The Netherlands) right next to the Hockey Hall of Fame, which is also on my bucket list.

End of part one - If you are Dutch, if you can read Dutch or want to learn Dutch then also check out my other blog posts (obviously in Dutch) at the website of Furore which sponsored me, allowing me to do this placement, so a big Shout Out to them!! You can find them by clicking on their logo in the right menu on this blog.

This is the result of the Christmas Tree Hunt:

Snow!

Last week's monday was the first week that the new developer started. A cool young chinese guy, who came to support the JMIR team. I do not have to work with him, but it is cool to have a new colleague. =)

Christmas is definitely a big thing in Canada and people put a lot of time in decorating everything, buying gifts and celebrating the holidays! Both the new guy and I were therefor lucky, because we got to meet a lot more people from the department than just the JMIR team, since we had a christmas holiday party. The theme of the party was "A night at the grammys" (it should have been a lunch at the grammys since it started at noon) and a lot of people were dressed up in suits and nice dresses. Instead of the regular catering (something went wrong with the order) everybody brought their own (homemade or purchased food) and we had a great lunch while watching at the self-made "grammy-worth" movies. After the lunch and the grammy-awards we played several games as teams competing against others. The party was traditionally ended with a gift exchange (with stealing), that however took a little bit too long and was not so much fun, since the group was too big...

The next day (friday) we went out for lunch with a couple of people of the JMIR team. Unfortunately not everybody was able to come along, however the food was good! We ate at a Chinese restaurant close to work. Unfortunately I don't have pictures, but you can check it out on my foodmap, it is called "Hong Shing". 

That weekend Toronto and the rest of Southern Ontario was hit by a snow storm, changing the whole city in winter wonderland! Road conditions became poor. However it was beautiful outside and I actually enjoyed it all as did some of the Canadians, who immediately went Hockeying (Ice Hockey!) and drifting (see vid). Unfortunately the snow snow is almost gone again.... but I might actually still have a chance for a white Christmas, because we are expecting snow again this weekend! (Which is actually rare in TO for this time of the year, as I am told.) 

Although I don't mind the cold (you get used to it.. ) and I am packed in my clothes (my nice famous Canada scarf and black Northface jacket) the cold still got to me since I have pharyngitis, but that could also be due to a lack of vitamins and eating too much pizza etc. :-p

Oh and for the AMC peeps: AMC is not as bad as it seems like, the hospitals in TO could look even more dreadful, although the Wilson Center is supposed to be something big.. But I haven't checked it out yet. 

Dreadful hallway

Lunch

Christmas Holiday party

First bit of snow - view from the office

Real snow

Winter wonderland

Snowy roads

Sneaky pic of ice hockey ppl

Not sneaky anymore

Thats how you work out in CA

Snowy Highway

To fight the snow?

Drifting

Snowy TO at night

It is not as bad as it seems like i.e. you get used to it = )

I added a new page to my blog!

Since my blog more and more starts to look like a food blog than a what do I do in CA blog, I decided to add a interactive map of Toronto on my blog with a bunch of places where I should eat or drink according to my good friend C or already have eaten.

Check it out under "Food and drinks map".

FYI: I ate pizza today and yesterday too! Twice! = 0

First Monday at The Office

Time for a new blogpost I would say!

Last Tuesday, I started my day at The Office at 10am (great time right?) and met with my new colleagues of the JMIR-team (JMIR = Journal of Medical Internet Research) at the Centre of Global eHealth Innovation. The JMIR team exists of 7 people with different backgrounds and functions and none of them (besides the professor) is a researcher in this field, which basically means I have to figure out things myself or discuss them with the professor. My work during the first couple of days mainly consisted of figuring out exactly what my research will be about, reading about my research topic "Quality assessment of mobile health apps", performing a literature study and writing of my research proposal and work plan. I have my own specious desk in one of the cubicles at the department. I never thought I would be working in an office at an cubicle, but I have to admit, I kind of like it, mainly also because of my specious desk.

In the weekend I took the time to explore China town a bit and to go into every store without buying anything ("Kijken, kijken, niet kopen") and found out that they sell 6 delicious buns for only 3CAD really close by. =) But don't worry mum, I still also cook my own dinner and eat veggies and salad!
I did not do much more besides resting (I'm still tired of who knows what?) and pulling a wardrobe into my bedroom so I could finally clean up my mess and did not have to live anymore from my backpack. =)

Today it was my first Monday at The Office, and it was a Monday I would say... (everybody knows what that means...). On top of that I had to start the day with a lil' bit of snow or "dust" as the locals say, since it was no more than just a tiny little layer.

Nevertheless, I still got some work done today and finally have my own badge, so I can enter The Office without having to wait for someone! Anyways... I note, that I don't write as much on this blog as I wished I would... Sorry guys that totally has to do with the fact that I live so close to The Office. Before I came to Canada, I thought I would post something everyday, pics of funny things I would have seen on my way to The Office, but now I live on only ten minutes walking distance from The Office and not much has happened yet.

Well that was it for today..I have Christmas Holiday party coming up on Thursday and we will go out for lunch with the JMIR-team on Friday, so I will probably have some new pictures by next weekend!

On my way to The Office

The Office

JMIR

My specious desk

My specious desk 2

Delicious Buns

Look Mum!

Oh wardrobe!

Cooking my own meal = cheap!

Veggies

The result

"Dust"

Yep - that's me...

On my way home

My first week

Wow. ok. Now it has been a long time since I posted something. Why it is actually not my fault, because I tried to post something when I was still at Schiphol airport, but somehow it did not work. Anyway, here we are, in Canada.

It all went so fast my last week in the Netherlands. As you know I had still had to attend to two conferences, say goodbye to family and friends and also prepare my trip in the mean time!

I will give you a quick overview of the things that happened in the last week.

Thursday
I woke up at 5am and was at the MIC 2013 conference in Veldhoven. In the afternoon, unfortunately I literally had to run away to catch my train so I wouldn't be late for my band practice later that night, but therefore was not able to say a proper goodbye to everybody who was there, I am sorry guys wished I could have stayed longer, but no worries, I will be back!

So after I run away from the conference, I took the train to my last rehearsal of the ensemble Roman Ensemble who play balkan music! (www.romanensemble.nl) What I thought to be a sad last night with my musical family turned out to become a surprise party, when Roman Oro (www.romanoro.nl) came marching in while playing on their instruments. What a surprise! And that was only the beginning...  Not only they played for me, but I was also exalted to honorary! After the drinks at the music school we went out and danced until the early hours, until I literally had been up for 24 hours with only 7 hours of sleep in three days. It was a blast guys, thanks!

Weekends
On friday I went met MI Consultancy and ate delicious chicken legs! The rest of the days were reserved for preparation cleaning the room, dinner with friends and boring stuff.

Monday
Of course I couldn't leave the Netherlands without seeing the Nightwatch and the newly renovated Rijksmuseum first, so I went there with my dad on my last day in Holland, at least thats what I thought... Because when I got into town it turned out that my uncle had come over all the way from Belgium to see me and wave me a goodbye, or as he says "To make sure I am really gone".
Later that night we had my last dinner in The Netherlands and also my brother and his girlfriend came over to say goodbye.

Yum!

Selfie!

Who is that?

Last meal.

Tuesday
The next morning it was time to leave Holland, I packed my stuff and went. My dad brought me to the airport, where I met with my uncle and.... Wouter and Guy! Wouter and Guy had decided that it was not ok the way I left the conference the Thursday before and that they wanted to say a proper goodbye, so they came to the airport. Thanks guys I really appreciated it! :-)
And there I went, across the borders, on my way to Canada! My flight with KLM was pleasant although I would have liked more room for my legs. After 8 hours I finally landed on Pearson Toronto Airport and went to the Hotel, closeby where I spent my first night. During that night I had my first bit of snow, which was gone soon enough again.

My flight!

Byebye!

First Canadian dinner

Snow!? 

Wednesday
The next day I went downtown to my hostel (Planet Travellers at College Str.) which is a great place to stay at for a couple of days. I had booked the hostel until December 1st and therefore needed to find a place before then. The same day I already opened a bank account and got my Canadian phone number, so I was able to call the landlords about the rooms.

Timbits!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday
The next couple of days walked across town looking for places and finally found one, on 10 min. walk from the University and close to China Town. Of course during these days I made new friends at the hostel too and on saturday we went out to have a drink at one of the bars near. Since my room was unfurnished I had to buy a bed to sleep on and decided to buy a queen size air mattress.

Dinner 2: Subway...

Dinner 3: One of the best burgers I ever had!

Old factories

TO street

Nice weather

Nice weather 2

CN Tower

Dinner 4: Poutine! Yum!

TO by night

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre

Same street different day

Where is the top of the tower?

rain...

TO by night

Out with new friends from the hostel

Canadian pride: Hockey!

Dinner 5 & 6 - First meal at new place: potatoes and chicken

Sunday
Checked out of the hostel and moved in into my new place. Unfortunately because they did some renovation everything was dusty and I had to clean the place first. But looks good now :)

My queen size air mattress

Monday
I met with my supervisor and discussed what I will do the next couple of months during my internship.

That's where I will be the next couple of months