I have to start of with saying that I have a soft spot for Germany. I find this country very clean and green and that is something I have always admired about Germany.
My uncle lives in Germany so we always stay close to where he lives when we visit. He lives in a medium/small city outside of Hannover, about 40 min or less of a drive away. I really like Hannover, its a cute city with some very German style architecture. Another thing I adore about Germany is their architectural style and the way they layout shops or as I like to call it 'shop streets'. The mall is pretty much a street lined with all theses adorable shops. Sure your think we have this in Canada, imagining Bloor street right ? Nope not quite --minus the cars, the noise, the hustle, and sidewalks --> you have Germany's outdoor malls. It is really just a path outdoors made solely for walking and window shopping, this path is lined with cute stores, cafes and bars along both sides. The cost of living in Hannover is very affordable. Food is pretty cheap and I mean good cheese and meat is remarkably cheaper than Canada. I also found out that Dr. Oetker pizza brand is a German company and thus my favourite spinach pizza at a German grocery store can cost me less than 1.60 Euros. In Canada I am lucky to get it for about 3.99 dollars when it is on sale. Much of my trip to Europe made me reflect on how much groceries actually cost in Canada. The food prices are remarkably inflated in Canada. One Euro is not double the Canadian dollar, but it appears food in canada is triple or more of what it costs in Europe. Even locally grow food in Canada costs a lot, which tells me there is a problem with the Canadian marketplace. Population may factor into the cost of food, but it is clear that 36 million people is too small. None the less, I do have an expectation that food in density high regions like southern Ontario and Vancouver should be lower. I feel like Canadians in urban areas are buffering much of the transport costs of goods to the rest of ( cough cough HUGE) Canada. We are too small in population but so spare in density that we pay very inflated prices for basic goods. This is not the norm in Germany or France. Beer and wine is relatively cheap in both countries, as well as cold cuts, frozen food and fruits and veggies. Here is another annoying thing Canadians do ! We display food prices by the pound ( lbs) ...and not the Kg. A kilogram is about 2x larger than a pound. In Europe, you will NEVER see them charging you for food in lbs....the norm is in kilograms ( unless it is for specialty items). All fruit and veggies generally will be priced in KG. Initially when I saw the price for veggies and fruit I was like it seems just somewhat cheaper but generally similar, then it dawned to me that they were in KG. This means Canadians pay 2x the price for fruits and veggies in Canada. This made me sad, Canadians need to heavily invest in agriculture and industry development to lower prices. Also the psychology of listing things in lbs...makes me mad. If like Europe people listed food prices in Kg, we would easily point out these prices as ludicrous. Lower numbers ...means nothing when the quantity it represents is so small. I hope people boycott and just list prices all in kg...why do we care about the lb ? Brexit does not help to support this LB phenomenon we so proudly still keep around in our system and hold tight. I think this is a humorous way to let go of an annoying system that we use anyway...that does not actually benefit us as well. Brexit on the other hand....we will just end with no comment.
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Hey guys ! After my few exams this year I will be going to France and Germany ! My trip is booked from May 23rd - June 10th.
I am so excited the last time I went there it was likely when I was in grade 8 or 7. Though I have to admit I was in England a few months ago. I am so super excited, there are so many things I want to see. I'm kinda bummed that I am going with parents, but none the less I want to make sure I have a good time. My term working at YorkU will be over, so I will also be needing to find a new job soon after ! I had a good year as an statistical advisor and lab advisor. I have no clue what is in store for me next year, so I will have to wait and see. If I do not get a job right away, I am willing to volunteer as a research assistant for the summer for some time. Then maybe think about doing my master's in psychology or neuroscience. I sort of wanted one year to myself and just work and relax, before doing my Master's but we shall see what happens. Time to bust out the pen and laptop and start writing some cover letters again ! |
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