Category: Uncategorized

Today was my first day of school, and my kids were awful. Actually, it was rather fun. I know how to calculate perimeter and area, and that takes some mad skillz. The power has been off most of the day, and it hasn’t bothered me, probably because I am beyond electrical goods, and am deeper than that.. I say this, as i sit at the computer and typer idle words to Canadian friends.

Today Ray and I headed into town for the first time since I’ve been here, and it was pretty fun, and tiring. We went everywhere, for everything, and I was exhausted. Walking around I noticed that there are many a cute girl my age around here. It is probably a good thing that we speak none of the same language, because I would probably have to go and talk to some of them. Those cute girls will be the death of me, I am sure.

Last night we had mashed potatoes and gravy for supper. Tonight, the plan is spaghetti. Both, beautiful things, and right now it seems that I am more in a very mountainous region of Regina, living with the McMillans than it does living in India.. I’m sure it will balance out soonn.

The first 5 days i was here, i ate Indian food each and every meal. it was a fantastic treat, and i dont think i will ever be sick of it, but it may happen. Thanks to the mini-Canada i am in, i dont have to worry.

anyways, that is all for now.
later…

Dropping one from Aizawl.

I am finally in my new home, with my luggage and a new family. It has been great so far. We ate supper and I enjoyed sometime with the kids. We drove from Shillong to Guwahati and flew from there to Aizawl, where I met my luggage and drove here to Aizawl, all very smoothly. I seem to be regaining my sense of the English language, as for a while I was speaking in broken English and still am speaking in some weird way, as you can no doubt tell.

I have noticed everyday, wherever I go, being stared down by the native people of the great land of India. They must be saying to each other, “Hey, dude! Come check out the tall, pale, goofy awkward whiteman, and then laugh for hours. I can only hope that this trip makes me less pale, less goofy, less awkward, but I will keep my height, because that would mean dismemberment.

I will soon begin my teaching career as well as my bible college career, both of which I am anxious to get going.

The other day while having tea with one of Ray’s old friends, while sipping at the 9th cup of the day, I hear in the background one man from USA, Usher, singing his hit from past years, ‘Caught up’ I was really bouncing to the great beat. Somehow crap like that gets leaked in to this country that is so different, but seems to have much of the same crappy influence of the danceable Usher and his great beats.

I was in the guest house in Shillong, very friggin cold by the way (you were right mom) and the Australian Open was on the tele. It was a great treat that I did not expect. Along with this was Arrested Development, another great treat that I do not expect to happen again. Anyways, I am still trying to understand how the crappiest part of our culture is ending up here, and why they love it so much. But I do love the tennis and arrested development, a lot.

By the way, Sharon king, if you are reading this or hear about it ever, you would not be able to live in India. Too much ‘chicken on the bone’ it is a truly terrible thing.

But, I am off, for sleep and a shave.

Thanks,

It is always nice to be “Caught up”

rushed blogging is an awful thing. they beauty just isn’t there.

Three days in a row. thats pretty good.
This one is short, a few observations I have made.

The fashion here is incredible. Many Adidas, Nike and Fila sweatervests, as well as socks with sandals. Many a great moustache, so I will likely grow one too .When in Rome..

There are many stray dogs, cows, goats, and other things around. The baby goats are so cute, i want to go and pet them, but i prefer my herpe-less body. The dogs are everywhere. Laying around, eating trash. .Many very ugly, many very cute, either way, all gross.

The drive from Guwahati to Shillong was pretty cool. Many neat trees and hills. but i would call them old jungle mountains before i called them hills. I want to see a tiger.

Anyway, i better get off. stop wasting money.
cool.
thanks.

later.

dont expect this to happen much, unless Aizawl is boring, but here we are again.

i am at Mary Salem’s place, possibly spelled and pronounced Amari, enjoying some tea, potatoes, and other delights.. We went to the science centre today with the retreat group from Guwahati, and i was tired from kids pulling me around, so came here for some snacks and a break. Had a good chat with Mary and Peggy, both very interesting and fun people. The science centre was deaddddly! so much cooler than the one in Regina, maybe because i have seen everything in the one in Regina 100 times. So many cool exhibits, including a Mirror Mazy. nothing better than that, i dont think.

British airways called today, telling me that they would call back. That was all. there is a flight from London to Calcutta today, and my bags should be with that. Then my bags should be sent to Aizawl and i would get them there. That would be nice.

I am beginning to smell like India. It is not a big deal, i am used to smelling bad. I only have one pair of socks and one pair of underwear. i washed my socks in the sink last night, and that did no good. my shower was busted so i had a sort of ‘wash the smelliest places first’ shower, where i only got 2/3 of my body wet. it was nice, and cold.

I only have about 3 pictures taken so far, as batteries have fun out, and purchased batteries only last about 2 photos. hopefully i’m not missing my only chance at hilarious photos.

I have made quite a few new friends, the most notable are Michael and John. They both are in their young teens and are pretty funny dudes. The main reason i am talking about them is because of there Canadian names that i can remember. All the other names are much more difficult to grasp. Anyways, we have had many good talks about Nelly Furtado, Shakira, Michael Jackson, Canada’s main exports, ice skating, beeetlenut, girlfriends, WWF as they like to call it, and other hilarious things. some of these people will be in Aizawl when i am, so that will be nice to know people when i get there.

I was thinking today at the science centre, it is very hard living here in India. I am the lone white man, with no one to laugh at my quick wit and popculture lined jokes. Thats ok, i’ll laugh for you guys. You thought i was going somewhere deep there. i wasnt.

anyways, i have to get going. internet sucks. i’ll update again soon.
later.

Hello everyone.

I am in a sweaty internet cafe in Guwahati, where tunes of Eminem, Bon Jovi, Nelly, and the soundtrack of Night at the Roxbury boom, as i laugh at it all.

India has been something else. The cities I have been to are obviously like nothing I have ever seen or imagined. I have heard descriptions from many a person, but nothing does justice. I know that this is pretty standard loser traveller talk, but now i know it is for real. I have met many a new amazing person. They have all been very friendly and fun to talk to. Calcutta was a pretty neat place. Dirty as a frenchman and about as far away from White City as you could get. Guwahati is a bit different. Cleaner, less intimidating, but that is still a factor. I am 1 of 3 white men in the city, i bet, out of millions, and am obviously noticed for that. The stares i get are sometimes scary. I have spent the past couple days with Ray and Bob Parker (come on down!!) I know i am not the first person to put that connection of Parker with Barker together, but the way they say ‘Brother Bob Parker’ here, is almost as good as Rod Roddy.
Anyways, my room has been secluded and quite, besides the thousands of birds that chirp over me. I am far enough away from the street to avoid the honking and for that I am grateful.

I have felt a bit of a cold for the past few days since the airplane ride. I probably caught it in London, because that place sucked. I feel a bit woosy and dizzy typing this right now, and it is also probably from the heat.

I have only about 5 minutes left here, so i will close. I head to Aizawl soon, and will make my temporary home there. Hopefully soon my bags will arrive. oh, yes, i forgot to mention, my bags were lost somewhere from Regina to Calcutta, and i have no clue where they are. I have few clothes to my name, and some swedishberries, so that is all i need.

On each and every screen in this internet cafe there is a BharatMatrimony.com advertisement, telling me to marry online, simple and easy. so i’ll probably give that shot. Another one of those advertisements said that i should join the world record, and marry online. so, i may as well.
Anyways, i am dizzy enough to pass out right now, so i best sign off. Thanks for reading. I’ll update again soon.

annnnnnnnd, i cant see anytyingjd ankymore..a

approximately, until i head out of the country, and into a new one. this should be my last blog from Canada for about 5 or 6 months, so, if i sound uneducated, immature, and teenage-like, it is because Ray straightened me out in India.

I just wanted to say goodbye to all those that read this.. Even though I don’t see many of you on a regular basis or anything, but now it will be for a good reason, oceans.

Anyway, this is it, talk to you soon. I will miss you all.

keep in touch:

EMAIL: olson_nicholas@yahoo.ca
MYSPACE: www.myspace.com/nicholasolson
BLOG: www.olson-nicholas.blogspot.com
MSN: olson_nicholas@hotmail.com

P.S. Check out the new means tune. Totally outrageous!!!!!

Over the past 4 years or so I have devoted my television watching life to one show, and one show only. Many may make fun of me for it, but I am open with my love. The hit television series ‘The O.C.’ has been cancelled due to decreasing ratings after 3 full seasons, and a shortened season 4.

Now that this is over, all I have is my DVD collection of the show, and my television watching career is on permanent hold, and maybe done forever. Sports don’t count.

Although the show has been cancelled, rumours fly about the possibility that the show is only cancelled from FOX and might be picked up by rival station The CW. If this were the case, the show would continue for at least one more season, and maybe go on for round two of amazing ratings.

Featuring the talents of many new up and coming actors and actresses, not to mention one of the best looking casts on any television series, The OC had some great writing and some good memories.

That is all. I needed to say my goodbyes to the teenage phenomenon of my generation, because I am, by the way, a teenager still.
Thanks, The OC, for all the good times. I have spent hours and hours with you, and it has been a good run. See you soon.

Do you ever get so mad, not at yourself but just things in general, that you start hitting yourself?

I do. And I’m sure it is not healthy. But it just happens sometimes. For me, it has been a fairly new and recent technique to handle stress, and has seemed to work alright. Usually, it is just a swift punch to the thigh, that gives a strong cut of pain for a short amount of time. These have been happening increasingly as decisions pile up, and the to do list grows. I’ve never been much of a decision maker, or a do-er. I’m usually very mellowed out (which is the best way to go) and I just let things happen. When I am faced with a decision, or a pile of things to do, I often take it with a shrug and a “Let’s kick it, chill style” attitude. But when decisions get difficult enough, all I can do to help the emotional struggle is to physically struggle too. It is better than punching things, bruises are much cooler than paying for a hole in the wall.

So, give it a shot! Punch yourself! Give yourself a bruise, black eye or bloody nose! It is the newest thing in stress relief!

That means updates, in the new teenage accent that has been forming around Canada, but mainly in the South Regina area.
Anyways, here are a few updates about my new life that will start in about 13 days.

My Visa and passport are all finished. I have a 6 month multiple entry visitor visa, and all I have left to get is a permit to live in Mizoram, I believe. Today, I applied for a credit card, to make the finacial operations in India smoother and easier. The woman working, Celine Leclair, was apparently the love child of Canadian songstress Celine Dion and aged American hockey star John Leclair, and she acted in the way that you would assume a child of these two stars would, weird. (I hope she doesn’t google her name and find this link. She might deny me the card.) Anyways, now that that is in order, once that card is sent to me, I find a digital camera, and my iPod gets fixed, I am about ready to go. I leave January 10th at 645am, and return date is tentatively set for May 16th.

Until the 10th day of 2007, I am sitting back, relaxing, watching World Juniors, and hanging with friends for the last time. And this, this will be a fun time.

I have been formulating a list of things I want to do before I exodus the country, including plenty of E-brake skids, toboganning, poker, fireworks, board games, Blizzards and bumperskiing, (I know, I the funnest 18 year old you have ever met.). Anyways, while composing this list of party ideas, I am beginning to realize what I am leaving behind.
The NHL season. And this is no regular NHL season, this is the season that Montreal wins the Stanley Cup. Sure, I should be home for the last round of playoffs when Montreal beats out Anaheim in 6 games, but it will be hard to miss out on the road to this amazing victory. (By the way, when Montreal actually wins the Cup, remember, right here, right now, NIC CALLED IT.) Anyways, that will be sad to miss. My hockey and soccer seasons that I had to cut short, I will miss. I got to play half of a season in each sport, but missing out on all that will be a bummer, but I’m sure I’ll get to do that another day. And last, but not least, Friends and Family. I have been trying to fit in as much time in with these people as I can before I leave, and it will be a hard time without them. Since I am so emotionally solid, I will be fine, but it sucks to be without them. On the other hand, I’ll be in the company of some pretty sweet peeps in India.

Anyways, those are some of my thoughts and plans for the next little while. If I don’t see you before I leave, have a good start of 2007, and when I get back, we will party hardy.

I had the privilege of seeing this movie tonight, opening night. All I can really say is that it was a truly epic movie. Without giving it all away, this is what I was thinking the whole time. I was getting nervous wondering who would win the fight in the end, and then I said to myself, “Well, it’s obvious who is going to win, it’s called Rocky Balboa.” Anyway, in the end, he won. Or did he? Yes. Yes? Anyways, I hope I didn’t give it away, because either way, it was a fantastically epic movie, all about heart.

I believe, and I hope that my belief is evident, that heart means everything. Whether it is a sport, an English exam, or just life, that heart is everything. I listen to many bands that say this same thing. My favourite hockey team lives by this, obviously not the most skilled team in the league, but playing great because of that thing called heart. Teams I have played on in the past have excelled because of heart. Other, skilled teams I have been on in the past without this, have not been so great. Times where I feel I have done very well at something, are often for this same reason. It is something greater than skill, intelligence or natural ability. It is about passion, hardwork and digging deep down in the region where your stomach, appendix and if my anatomy knowledge is right, where your soul lies.

Rocky is a solid dude. This movie, in his age, he made some great decisions. He loved his family, and friends, and did nothing to hurt them. If I was going to choose a fictional Italian boxing character created by Sylvester Stallone to be best friends with, I’d pick Rocky. I’d pick Rocky even if he wasn’t Italian, fictional or created by Stallone. I’d pick him out of a million. My best friends just aren’t as cool as Rocky. And they would probably agree. I sure am not as cool as Rocky. Not by a long shot.

Check out the movie, Stallone needs a few bucks, help a brother out. If you haven’t noticed, I now enjoy putting pictures on every blog. It makes it more visual.