Captain Ryan: Origins

Dillon brought it to my attention that some of you don't know the backstory of the alias Captain Ryan. Two summers ago, Stephanie Eller, Courtney Dixon, and I went to Canada for 9 days. While we were in Toronto, I saw some sort of pin lying face down on the street near Lake Ontario. I picked it up and it read "Cruise Toronto: Capt Ryan." I put it on and we took a picture of me wearing it, and Courtney used her photoshop skills to make me look like a captain, which is the origin of my photo on this blog. Since then, Captain Ryan has become a sort of joke alter ego, a badass version of myself if you will.

In what I consider a terrible mistake, I have been elected chef for dinner the past two nights. My cooking knowledge is usually limited to hot pockets, ramen, and hotter pockets. Tonight I’m making tacos, which my roommates have informed me are a type of Mexican hot pocket, so hopefully I won’t burn down the apartment complex. We’ve also experienced some of the local fare, which is based heavily on fries (frites), fish (poissons), and beer (beer). Even though everyone knows I always try to abstain from drinking as much as possible in Clemson, it’s fiscally irresponsible for me NOT to drink beer here. It’s so cheap I practically have to. I hope you’re able to empathize with my pain during this trying time.

We’re all still new to the bar scene, in addition to the French speaking scene and the not acting like an idiotic American scene. I wish I knew as much French as I did in elementary school, but I also don’t want to be a pansy, so I’ll stick with Spanish.  The city is getting smaller as we explore more, but I’m still able to get lost without too much effort. Classes also start tomorrow which confuses me because I was unaware that we’d be doing anything but partying for a semester. Reality is going to have to go to chill out for a few more days though because the national championship game starts tomorrow night at 2:30 AM and we’ve found a sports bar that will be playing it. I have the distinct feeling my professor may not have a great first impression of me at my 9 AM class. It’s cool though, I’m sure he’ll be a Ducks fan. Go Oregon!

Notes:

1.     Google translate is not your friend.

2.     Cooking on a stove with only two eyes that are 3 inches apart can make for some interesting cookware formations.

3.     Americans have buildings all wrong. When I can look outside at night and see one building lit up in rainbow colors, one with a ribbon of light on it, and one that changes colors over time and still be sober, I’m happy.

4.     American cartoons in French. Hilarious. Bob l’eponge, nuff said.

5.     It upsets me that Clemson will be seeing significantly more snow over the next few days than I will.