Would you like to take a survey? - Part 2

Yesterday's bus ride up to Québec City was....interesting. And not necessarily in a good way. Personally, excruciating would be a better word for it. Not only was it very long (about 5 hours), but it was also uncomfortably warm, despite the bus having an air conditioning system - I was sitting at the very back of the bus (more leg room), where I had to endure the ambient heat and humidity radiating from the motor. Ugh. Oh well...I suppose hardship builds character!

We finally arrived in the quaint little community of Lévis, Québec (on the southern fringes of the city). We're staying at the local Comfort Inn - my room is quite nice, actually! Moreover, as an added bonus, once we got here we all found out that we were getting an extra day off (today) with pay! Sweet! Apparently, there were complications and delays in bringing up certain equipment for the site, which necessitated pushing back the schedule for a day.

After finding our rooms and getting our bags settled, our whole group (24 in all) went across the street to a 24-hour restaurant for supper. The food was decent, but not exceptional. We all had a good time nonetheless. I had a chance to meet and chat with the rest of my team - they seem like a good, hard-working bunch. I'm looking forward to working with all of them.

After supper, we went back to the hotel - after several people picked up a healthy quantity of beer from a nearby dépanneur (in Québec, a corner/convenience store that sells alcohol). We all met initially in one girl's room for a little get-together. Later, we all migrated outside into the parking lot. Sitting around, drinking, telling stories, having lots of laughs. At one point, we all played a suitably vulgar version of Truth or Dare - rest assured that there was no nudity or sexual contact involved, though.

Overall, I think we've all really started to bond as a big team. Morale is high and everyone seems to be making fast friends. If this is any indication, the whole experience will be more fun than work!

Stay tuned for more updates in the future (time permitting, of course)!!