I Have Some Pretty Big Shoes to Fill

My sister’s request to cover for her while she’s in Vietnam comes right after I realized that I could never ever have my own blog. As the younger sibling, I tend to be more introverted, letting my sister open and carry on all kinds of discussion, while I prefer to listen, think for a while, and then, maybe, comment. I am, however, a huge fan and supporter of her blog, and am happy to what I can to keep in running over the next few weeks. I’m honestly pretty excited, if somewhat daunted, am curious as to were the new venture will lead.

I recently took a job in Toronto after a few years in grad school down in the states. I realized that my time in the US is a significant point of reference for me as I come to understand all that is Toronto (I’m a native Montrealer, so never spent much time here). So, contrary to what JJ mentioned, I’ll probably maintain a consistent US focus to the blog. We’ll see. My experience in the states was pretty interesting, though probably not very representative; I was in a mid-sized city in the north-east, enjoying life as a student at an affluent ivy-league school. There is much to be reconciled in that kind of existence, especially with the poverty and racial segregation that resided (literally) on the other side of the tracks from my college campus. I expect that my future posts will draw of my experiences there, as well my time living in India, Italy, and now, Toronto.

My views are undeniably shaped by my work, education, and travels. However, my biggest source of inspiration is my sister and I’ll try my best to maintain some relevant and insightful dialogue on her blog over the 2 weeks. That said, (deep breath), here it goes….