"Is that your Swedish friend?" says Francois coming into the kitchen for something to drink.
"Erik, would you like to meet Francois?" say I
"Sure, put him on."
Francois pulls up a chair next to me. "Hello, Erik, I am Francois. How are you?"
"I've been better. I just arrived."
"From Sweden?"
"That's right." neither of my friends appear to know what to say to each other next.
"Christopher", says Francois, "Would you like a glass of orange juice with me?"
"Sure", say I, and he gets up and goes to the fridge, pours juice into two tall tumblers, then brings them to the table. To my surprise, he is sitting down again next to me.
"What brings you to Canada?" he says to Erik.
"I enrolled in the PHD program at UBC.
"What's your field of study?"
"Social work. I am going to write a paper comparing the treatment and integration of immigrant communities with indigenous people in different countries, and I have opted to compare the Canadian experiments of multiculturalism and reconciliation with First Nations to the experiences of ethnic minorities and the indigenous Sami of Sweden."
"That is going to be a very long thesis", says Francois.
"I would say so. How about you? Are you a student?"
"Until yesterday I was a Roman Catholic priest."
"Until yesterday."
"I could tell you a bit right now about my CV if you and Christopher don't feel like I'm butting in."
"I'm okay", say I. "how about you, Erik, are you up to it?"
"Sure..."
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