How does it feel? (When you're alone and you're cold inside...)

I landed in Fredericton on Monday just in time to catch the rain. A light spitting rain that would ebb and flow into something bordering on a torrential downpour that stayed somewhat sane. I ventured out, with my supervisor's umbrella in hand, to somehow make some sense of this predicament I've found myself in.

The campus is on the side of a hill - you're greeted at the front gate bordering Beaverbrook Street by a large hill with the building housing the Registrar's Office (Sir Howard Douglas Hall) up top, immediately to your right. To the left is the Faculty of Kinesiology, housed in the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium. Note to self: find out who these "Beaverbrook" people were. I think I'll need to make a local investment in a bike; the hill is going to be a killer on my poor knees.

The campus was completely deserted. I mean, totally. Here and there I could get a glimpse of people who'd already moved into their dorms - I couldn't figure out if they were grad students or not. The only other activity consisted of a few brave souls running errands, and two rather comely girls working the front desk at the empty and diminutive bookstore. I don't know why the girls here seem so much more prettier than the girls back home. There must be something in the water, I suppose. (Man, I know someone who's going to chew me out for that comment, I'm sure). It was a mixed blessing, I guess. Wandering about aimlessly, while not having to worry about looking like you're wandering about aimlessly. All you needed to do was to just hide your map the moment a car or truck drove by. Then again, maybe they were passing me by wondering what on earth could possess someone to be out here in the rain.

And all the while, as I walked the empty walkways and streets, I couldn't help but think of a song which seemed to fit my general mood and sentiment so well...