Monday, October 17, 2005

All I really need, plus a plane ticket to China

Today is the day I finally bought my ticket to Chengdu! That's in China, folks, but I'll be referring to "moving to Chengdu" from now on, just so you don't forget the name. November 2nd is the day I leave out of Montreal. Return date: who knows? The picture up top is the official seal of the city, which makes sense, cause it's close to the mountains where most of the world's giant pandas live. I'll give you more details later, and I know it's hard to remember Chinese place names (I couldn't remember the name of the cities my friend Per has been in for 2 years) but for now just remember: Chengdu Chengdu Chengdu! And pandas.

Tonight's song is "All I Really Need" by Raffi, a kid's singer whose records were the soundtrack to my early childhood (up until grade 6, when it was Bryan Adams and C+C Music Factory.) The song wasn't a request, but I'm posting it because of Canadian Thanksgiving, which just passed.

The picture of me is from last night, my very last shift at the souvenir shop here in Quebec. I knew it would be quiet because of the rain, so I brought along my guitar and played Leonard Cohen songs late into the evening to the tourists who wandered in. Does it seem contradictory to hear me singing "All I Really Need" over a picture of me selling shelves-full of touristy junk? Probably. Tomorrow I give my last English class at the National Assembly, and then I'm done my Quebec obligations. Before I fly out to Chengdu, though, I have people I need to say goodbye to, starting with Laura down in New Haven, CT, this Wednesday. Hallelujah it's raining awesome stuff in my life (and men, according to the song.)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nice Bro! You're going to have a blast in China -- er... Chengdu to be precise. Thanks for the Guantanamera song, I'll be listening to that a bunch to keep warm at the pole. ~Ciao!
PS. I remember you drawing the flower on my back... but I don't recall you taking that photo! Sneaky bugger.

S said...

10 million people and only 200 foreigners! crazy! should be really interesting. And there should be good food!

khris said...

cannot believe you're leaving without playing my song. :o(

you pic didnt upload. i guess i'm just not lucky.

best of luck in your travels, conquests and queries :)

Matthew V said...

I'm not leaving yet, Khris! I've got a week and a half still! I'm in New Haven right now (for a week) with no guitar, so it'll still be a while, though. Plus, who said I can't record your song in China? I mean, I'm bringing along my guitar...

And Steph, totally. 200 foreigners in 10,000,000. Awesome. Make that 201 as of Nov 1.

Anonymous said...

oh oh! Dude, after you record Khris' song, can you do tiny flashlight??? Do we need to get permission from Heining first? Ha ha ha!

Alice said...

!! china, wow... awesome :-)

aw, raffi brings me back. i think my sister had everyone one of his tapes.

jenni~ru said...

That was a really sweet song. I can't wait til Thanksgiving (the American one), it's my favorite holiday; family, food, and football, you can't go wrong!