"Home! Let me go home!
Home is wherever I'm with you"
~Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
And now I am. I am home. We left at 4:20 am from our house in Kelowna and split at the airport. I said hello to Kamloops (the group formerly known as Levis) and Vernon. New friends, old friends and roommates mingled on the greyhound bus till we inevitably split, bit by bit into our new adventures. In the airport, where I had to say goodbye to the ragtag family of Katima-survivors, I was unprepared for the last bit of adventure Katimavik had in store for me.
The plan was supposed to be Kelowna-Vancouver-Montreal-Fredericton all in one day. While Mariah, Sandy, Nicole, Allana and I waited in the airport as the last of the katimakids to leave, Mariah, Sandy and I watched as our flight got more and more delayed. So delayed, in fact, that Mariah and I started to worry about making our connecting flight. The agent assured us that there was no reason to worry, and that the connection will most likely be made. So we sat back down and awaited our flight. Eventually our boarding call was made. We filed on like good little passengers and flew out to Vancouver.
After I woke up, and we landed in Vancouver, Mariah and I booked it to the gate for Montreal. We found it. About two seconds to late. They had just pulled the corridor away and were preparing to taxi to take off. I felt like crying. Again, we talked to an agent. He took our information, gave us tickets for free food and told us to return after we had a bite to eat. When we did, he gave us each a ticket to the next flight to Montreal. A flight that left at 4 and arrived at 11:45. We were also given hotel and meal vouchers. That`s right. A free night in Montreal, Quebec. I contacted Élie, my katimavik boyfriend, and told him of my predicament. Before I knew it, I was in the Montreal airport, waiting to be picked up by the boy I haven`t seen in months.
Eventually, I returned to the airport. I had one flight left until I got home. I boarded the Air Canada Jazz, I was filled with the strangest emotions. I wanted to cry because I was leaving, I wanted to dance because I finished it, I wanted to scream because I was heading back to the real world and I wanted to sleep because i hadn`t in three days. Coming over Fredericton, I watched for the river. When I saw the great white streak cutting through the dark green forests, I knew I was home. This time coming home felt much better, much more right. I smiled as I came off the plane.
The last piece of Katimalife was the lost luggage that was found by one of the agents who spied the katima-tag on my suitcase. She heard my telling my Mum the stories of my six new bracelets, and recognised my vocabulary or houses, house managers and protocols, and brought out my suitcase. Might have been one of the best coincidences in a while.
I am home for real this time. This is the end of an adventure but the start of an unwritted chapter. Lets see where this one takes us, shall we?
Everyday is a new adventure, so No worries
Friday, March 04, 2011
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Day One Hundred and Seventy Six
The number of days astounds me. Especially when you consider that at 4am , I, along with the Kelowna group, Vernon group, and Kamloops group, will get on a bus that takes us to our last stop as Katimavik Participants. Its scary to think that as soon as we step off the bus and into the airport, we will become Alumni. We are the new Past Participants that will be the newest out come of the program. Terrifying.
Today is our last day and it is spent filling paper work, finishing cleaning and then going out to eat. Looking around this house, it reminds me of Quebec. How all the walls were bare and all the bunks were stripped. Its a strange sight. The girls' room, which held 6 girls lives, is now emptied. We talk about what we will do when we get home, and what we will miss about life in Katimavik. As Nicole so eloquently put, she will miss "Hair in the sink, curfews, unauthorized rides, CCK and protocols." We clearly do not use sarcasm in Katimavik.
Fun fact of the day is that Levis became Kamloops and now I get to see them again. A little visit back to my old cluster in Quebec is very much welcome right now. I will be able to talk to people who know my group, my real group. I love Kelowna, but I left my heart in Vanderhoof. As boring as Vanderhoof is, I miss it dearly. Just going to the Bean, and Fields and regular trips to the Post Office.
Now I'm looking at heading home. I know that my friends are missing me, and I can't wait to go back to them. Through this program, I learned who my real friends are. The ones that like me enough to go out of their way to see me and keep me updated. I can't wait to get home.
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries
Today is our last day and it is spent filling paper work, finishing cleaning and then going out to eat. Looking around this house, it reminds me of Quebec. How all the walls were bare and all the bunks were stripped. Its a strange sight. The girls' room, which held 6 girls lives, is now emptied. We talk about what we will do when we get home, and what we will miss about life in Katimavik. As Nicole so eloquently put, she will miss "Hair in the sink, curfews, unauthorized rides, CCK and protocols." We clearly do not use sarcasm in Katimavik.
Fun fact of the day is that Levis became Kamloops and now I get to see them again. A little visit back to my old cluster in Quebec is very much welcome right now. I will be able to talk to people who know my group, my real group. I love Kelowna, but I left my heart in Vanderhoof. As boring as Vanderhoof is, I miss it dearly. Just going to the Bean, and Fields and regular trips to the Post Office.
Now I'm looking at heading home. I know that my friends are missing me, and I can't wait to go back to them. Through this program, I learned who my real friends are. The ones that like me enough to go out of their way to see me and keep me updated. I can't wait to get home.
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Day One Hundred and Seventy Three
I have almost survived my week of House Manager. Today was probably the worst so far, and once today is over, I know that I can get through the last of it all.
Since the entire Okanogan region of Katimavik is closing after this rotation, we have to empty our entire house. That means cleaning, washing, dusting, vacuuming every possible surface and cloth in the house. Sheets, towels, cloths and linens are constantly being washed, dried, folded, boxed and inventoried, while all the food is being evaluated, planned, composted and prepared. We have been cleaning all day and there just doesn't seem to be a foreseeable end. There is always more to do and I can already feel my self running out of steam. I have new respect for my Grammy in her almost OCD cleaning.
Tonight we are going to a Global Music Festival, where we will kinda volunteer but mostly enjoy the shows and enjoy our last bit of Kelowna. As it stands, we have 3 sleeps left here. I can't wait to go home for real now.
During the week, we went to a speaker by the name of Micheal Chikwanine, former child soldier. I was overwhelmed with the emotion and the horror he spoke about. He described the terrible two weeks he was forced to train with the Rebel Soldiers. At the end of his presentation, I had the chance to talk to him. He told us about a program called Me to We. It is a volunteer program where you go to a developing country for two to three weeks and help in many different ways. I was so inspired by his speech and the out comes of the program that I got in touch with my sister and we are going to try to plan for us and a small team of our friends to fund raise and then go to one of these countries. The opportunities in the Me to We are amazing. Kenya, India, China, Ecuador, or Mexico. I can't wait to start planning this with her.
The time to go home is coming up so fast, I can feel the tension in my house. I never fully settled in to this new group and I think that was partly a self preservation move on my part. Why get attached to a whole new group of katimakids when I have to leave so soon? I am just ready to get on with my real life and return to my good old little Fredericton.
The high lights of this week is that I discovered how to play my previously washed Ipod and Jessica found my laptop power cord! Also, coming up, I have arranged to meet with Élie in the Montreal Airport and hopefully see a few other of my old Katima-friends along the way. I am sure that through all the airports and bus stops, I will see others from my past Kaima-life that recognise the orange pin on my tuque or the red hair that will inevitably be in the standard "I'm traveling for 15 hours straight" pony tail.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries
Since the entire Okanogan region of Katimavik is closing after this rotation, we have to empty our entire house. That means cleaning, washing, dusting, vacuuming every possible surface and cloth in the house. Sheets, towels, cloths and linens are constantly being washed, dried, folded, boxed and inventoried, while all the food is being evaluated, planned, composted and prepared. We have been cleaning all day and there just doesn't seem to be a foreseeable end. There is always more to do and I can already feel my self running out of steam. I have new respect for my Grammy in her almost OCD cleaning.
Tonight we are going to a Global Music Festival, where we will kinda volunteer but mostly enjoy the shows and enjoy our last bit of Kelowna. As it stands, we have 3 sleeps left here. I can't wait to go home for real now.
During the week, we went to a speaker by the name of Micheal Chikwanine, former child soldier. I was overwhelmed with the emotion and the horror he spoke about. He described the terrible two weeks he was forced to train with the Rebel Soldiers. At the end of his presentation, I had the chance to talk to him. He told us about a program called Me to We. It is a volunteer program where you go to a developing country for two to three weeks and help in many different ways. I was so inspired by his speech and the out comes of the program that I got in touch with my sister and we are going to try to plan for us and a small team of our friends to fund raise and then go to one of these countries. The opportunities in the Me to We are amazing. Kenya, India, China, Ecuador, or Mexico. I can't wait to start planning this with her.
The time to go home is coming up so fast, I can feel the tension in my house. I never fully settled in to this new group and I think that was partly a self preservation move on my part. Why get attached to a whole new group of katimakids when I have to leave so soon? I am just ready to get on with my real life and return to my good old little Fredericton.
The high lights of this week is that I discovered how to play my previously washed Ipod and Jessica found my laptop power cord! Also, coming up, I have arranged to meet with Élie in the Montreal Airport and hopefully see a few other of my old Katima-friends along the way. I am sure that through all the airports and bus stops, I will see others from my past Kaima-life that recognise the orange pin on my tuque or the red hair that will inevitably be in the standard "I'm traveling for 15 hours straight" pony tail.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day One Hundred and Sixty Three
I have now been in the Kelowna Katimavik House for two full weeks, and I am half way through my stay here. It's funny you know. Outside of Katimavik, if someone were to tell me I was going to stay away from home for a month, I would have made a big deal of it. A whole month they were gonna send we away! And now, here, staying for a month, it is like nothing. I decided to come because four weeks to round out my program is just a hop skip and jump through the calender. And it truly feels like that but more at the same time.
Scientists figured it out. Katimavik's 9 month program gave the participant ten years of life experience. I cam attest that the new 6 month program gives no less. You have to figure out things faster. Get your act, your group and yourself together faster. I am so happy I did this program.
Last weekend, I had my third 48 hours off. If any katima-kids are reading this, they understand how great that sounds. For this time around I decided I did not want to stay in the house as I did with both my breaks in my last group. This weekend, I went to Vernon. The trip there was fantastically cheap. I was able to use the free city bus pass to ride the city bus all the way to Vernon. So when I say "fantastically cheap", I really mean "free." I spent the weekend with the Katimavik Group in Vernon at their motel rooms. We joked about the incredible sketch factor of our motel, stayed up to wee hours of the morning, and enjoyed our weekend off. On the second day, me and Emily, a gorgeous blond from Ontario, had our epic adventure.
It started off with having breakfast at Denny's (it was my first time and I wasn't all that impressed). While the group decided to go skiing, Emily and I decided to economize our little money and explore the down town. Eric told us of a small mountain we could climb that had an amazing view. We went up and down the hard way because that was our style, and built miniature igloos on the top of the mountain. Our next destination was the center of the city. Emily wanted to show me the few sights that Vernon held for us. We ate the most delicious pizza, wandered the streets, waited at a bus stop for 20 minutes, wandered into a toy store to kill time, and walked out in time to see ALL the buses leave from the stop. In all fairness, the toy store was fascinating. They had a huge showcase of these tiny animals. Emily and I scoured the shelves, finding animals that meant something to us, whether it was from childhood (Emily's budgie named Blue Sky) or recent life (My tiger, Petite Tigre) or simply reminded us of our friends (Junaid's wolf). We loved scanning the shelves, blurting out the animals we found interesting. At the end of it we had picked up the three animals I aforementioned plus two more. Two foxes, one white, one red, sat among the small zoo we planned to purchase. These foxes, the same but different, represented Emily and I. While we were in the same boat on many things (migraines, writing, travel) we were different. The red and white foxes were tiny reminders of the bond we built over the two weekends we had spent together. We carry the foxes with us on our Katimavik journey now, no matter how close we are to the end. They tell us that we will always have a friend who is the same but different. Our journey continued to contain candy on the top of a different mountain in the night, being in the beginning of a horror story, riding in the back of a Lexus, going to a bizarre bonfire and collapsing into bed only to hear that the Katimavik house had lost all their power. Junaid and his sister, who originally planned on sleeping at the house, now were to crash on our floor. Emily and I smiled because we felt like this was the only logical end to our Epic Day of Epic Adventures.
We now have exactly 14 days till the end of our rotation and our program. I am keeping in touch with Jessica and we talk like old high school friends on the phone at all hours. I miss her something awful, and she does me, but we both know that we have amazing lives ahead of us, and as for me, I'm just happy I get to be a part of her story.
I have to go to work soon. I am half way through my last week of work. Next week I have been handed the nightmarish task of House Manager. I don't want to leave my job. I have made friends there and the residents are always happy to see me in the day. I will miss many of them.
But as we know, Every day is a new adventure, So no worries
Scientists figured it out. Katimavik's 9 month program gave the participant ten years of life experience. I cam attest that the new 6 month program gives no less. You have to figure out things faster. Get your act, your group and yourself together faster. I am so happy I did this program.
Last weekend, I had my third 48 hours off. If any katima-kids are reading this, they understand how great that sounds. For this time around I decided I did not want to stay in the house as I did with both my breaks in my last group. This weekend, I went to Vernon. The trip there was fantastically cheap. I was able to use the free city bus pass to ride the city bus all the way to Vernon. So when I say "fantastically cheap", I really mean "free." I spent the weekend with the Katimavik Group in Vernon at their motel rooms. We joked about the incredible sketch factor of our motel, stayed up to wee hours of the morning, and enjoyed our weekend off. On the second day, me and Emily, a gorgeous blond from Ontario, had our epic adventure.
It started off with having breakfast at Denny's (it was my first time and I wasn't all that impressed). While the group decided to go skiing, Emily and I decided to economize our little money and explore the down town. Eric told us of a small mountain we could climb that had an amazing view. We went up and down the hard way because that was our style, and built miniature igloos on the top of the mountain. Our next destination was the center of the city. Emily wanted to show me the few sights that Vernon held for us. We ate the most delicious pizza, wandered the streets, waited at a bus stop for 20 minutes, wandered into a toy store to kill time, and walked out in time to see ALL the buses leave from the stop. In all fairness, the toy store was fascinating. They had a huge showcase of these tiny animals. Emily and I scoured the shelves, finding animals that meant something to us, whether it was from childhood (Emily's budgie named Blue Sky) or recent life (My tiger, Petite Tigre) or simply reminded us of our friends (Junaid's wolf). We loved scanning the shelves, blurting out the animals we found interesting. At the end of it we had picked up the three animals I aforementioned plus two more. Two foxes, one white, one red, sat among the small zoo we planned to purchase. These foxes, the same but different, represented Emily and I. While we were in the same boat on many things (migraines, writing, travel) we were different. The red and white foxes were tiny reminders of the bond we built over the two weekends we had spent together. We carry the foxes with us on our Katimavik journey now, no matter how close we are to the end. They tell us that we will always have a friend who is the same but different. Our journey continued to contain candy on the top of a different mountain in the night, being in the beginning of a horror story, riding in the back of a Lexus, going to a bizarre bonfire and collapsing into bed only to hear that the Katimavik house had lost all their power. Junaid and his sister, who originally planned on sleeping at the house, now were to crash on our floor. Emily and I smiled because we felt like this was the only logical end to our Epic Day of Epic Adventures.
We now have exactly 14 days till the end of our rotation and our program. I am keeping in touch with Jessica and we talk like old high school friends on the phone at all hours. I miss her something awful, and she does me, but we both know that we have amazing lives ahead of us, and as for me, I'm just happy I get to be a part of her story.
I have to go to work soon. I am half way through my last week of work. Next week I have been handed the nightmarish task of House Manager. I don't want to leave my job. I have made friends there and the residents are always happy to see me in the day. I will miss many of them.
But as we know, Every day is a new adventure, So no worries
Friday, February 04, 2011
Day One Hundred and Fifty One
Kelowna BC. is my new home. Nicole, Amilie, Jessica, Katelynn, Mariah and Yannick are my new group. Sun Pointe Village is my new job. Welcome to my new life.
I arrived on Monday night and went through a whirlwind of meetings. My new group and PL received me well enough and I am beginning to settle into my new environment. While the group is vastly different from my last, they are the same in that they are all just trying to get along and enjoy their time in the west and in the program.
I love my new job. I am working at Sun Pointe Village with Jessica. It is a very nice and well organized retirement home and assisted living program. There are five "communities" in the Village, and where you are placed depends on the level of care you require. For example, in Belgo, which is one of my favorite places to visit, the men and women their have a higher level of Dementia. One woman, Ann, came to me and placed her tiny, veined hand on my arm and said "Your father is a great pilot. He'll be fine. My husband knows him. He's getting too old to fly now, but he keeps at it. You'll be safe. How old is your daughter?" I must have reminded her of some one she once knew, since my father is most definitely not a pilot, and I certainly do not have a daughter. Then there is the Joe Rich community. This is the independent living area. These are the people that are capable of taking care of themselves. In this community lives a few people of interest. One is Harold. He was born in 1910. Yes, he is one hundred years old and lives independently. And I have to say, he looks very (well relatively) young for his age.
The last woman I want to tell you about is a woman I met just yesterday. Her name is Maria and she was born in Yugoslavia. She told me about her life and about the five years she spent in a concentration camp in Russia. She told me about how they gave them nothing but quilted pants and a shirt for the winter time because all year long they would work, often outside, for eight hours. She showed me the twisted wire barrettes they made to keep their hair our of their faces while they worked. Her stories were amazing and I listened with more attentiveness than I had ever given to a teacher in all my years of study.
I am learning a lot of things here, many I did not anticipate. I have learned what love is, and what it is to be independent. I am learning to ask for help when I need it (although I am still more stubborn than need be). I am learning to let go and move on, even if I don't feel that the issue has met justice. I am learning how to be an adult while I can still make all the mistakes of a teenager.
There is only three weeks left of the program, and I will be grateful to be able to return home "for real". But as we know, there is no going back, only going on. So hopefully this time, when I leave my katimalives behind me, I will be able to look back and say "Yup, I did the right thing all along."
There is a new adventure everyday, so no worries.
I arrived on Monday night and went through a whirlwind of meetings. My new group and PL received me well enough and I am beginning to settle into my new environment. While the group is vastly different from my last, they are the same in that they are all just trying to get along and enjoy their time in the west and in the program.
I love my new job. I am working at Sun Pointe Village with Jessica. It is a very nice and well organized retirement home and assisted living program. There are five "communities" in the Village, and where you are placed depends on the level of care you require. For example, in Belgo, which is one of my favorite places to visit, the men and women their have a higher level of Dementia. One woman, Ann, came to me and placed her tiny, veined hand on my arm and said "Your father is a great pilot. He'll be fine. My husband knows him. He's getting too old to fly now, but he keeps at it. You'll be safe. How old is your daughter?" I must have reminded her of some one she once knew, since my father is most definitely not a pilot, and I certainly do not have a daughter. Then there is the Joe Rich community. This is the independent living area. These are the people that are capable of taking care of themselves. In this community lives a few people of interest. One is Harold. He was born in 1910. Yes, he is one hundred years old and lives independently. And I have to say, he looks very (well relatively) young for his age.
The last woman I want to tell you about is a woman I met just yesterday. Her name is Maria and she was born in Yugoslavia. She told me about her life and about the five years she spent in a concentration camp in Russia. She told me about how they gave them nothing but quilted pants and a shirt for the winter time because all year long they would work, often outside, for eight hours. She showed me the twisted wire barrettes they made to keep their hair our of their faces while they worked. Her stories were amazing and I listened with more attentiveness than I had ever given to a teacher in all my years of study.
I am learning a lot of things here, many I did not anticipate. I have learned what love is, and what it is to be independent. I am learning to ask for help when I need it (although I am still more stubborn than need be). I am learning to let go and move on, even if I don't feel that the issue has met justice. I am learning how to be an adult while I can still make all the mistakes of a teenager.
There is only three weeks left of the program, and I will be grateful to be able to return home "for real". But as we know, there is no going back, only going on. So hopefully this time, when I leave my katimalives behind me, I will be able to look back and say "Yup, I did the right thing all along."
There is a new adventure everyday, so no worries.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Day One Hundred and Fourty Six
And now, readers, for the fourth time in my Katima-life, my entire belongings are packed into a navy suitcase and a black book bag. Tomorrow, at ten am, at the Fredericton Airport, I depart. Once again, and any Katimakid can relate to this, I will be in the transitional state of homelessness. This time, for the first time actually, I am traveling the whole length alone. I don't have Stephen to sit beside, I don't have Kellie to chase around, and I don't have the lovely Jessica to stand beside me and cry as we line up for my flight. I only have myself to keep me on time, and find the gates. I only hope I don't end up some where weird, like Punta Cana or Vanderhoof (actually I wouldn't mind either of those destinations). But I know that I will get to Kelowna, one way or another.
Yes, that is the next hit fate had for me. This twist leads me not back to my hopeful and waiting group, but to a different group, in a different town. I will be joining a very small group in Kelowna BC. So when I said good bye to my best friends in Vanderhoof, correcting ourselves to say "see you when you get back" rather than "Good bye"' little did I know that I would not be rejoining them after all.
Readers, please know that I fought to return to where I belonged, but when it came down to it; my choices were stay home or go to Kelowna.
To recap, I have spent three months in Ste-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Two months and two weeks in Vanderhoof, Nechako Valley, British Columbia, Two weeks in Fredericton, York County, New Bruswick and will now spend one month in Kelowna, British Columbia.
I will have a new house, new PL, new group, new roommates, new town, new job, new collective project, new, new, new, new... Its terrifying and exciting, wearing and rejuvenating all at once. All I can do now is hold my head up, and give everything that I can to this new group. Who knows? Maybe Kelowna, Kamloops (the group formerly known as Levis), and Vanderhoof can get together for Debriefing. Just like the chalet in Quebec, three houses coming together to end the rotation on a "bon" note, as Anna would say.
Remember Pheobe from Magic School bus? The annoying chick who always said "At my old school..." Yeah. Her. I can only imagine that that's what I will sound like talking of group 21157, "in my old group..."
But they were a great group, and I am proud to say that I got to meet those crazy and wonderful people. I know that I will always have friends all over Canada because I got to meet them. And I hope that I made an impact on their lives, a positive one, one they will remember. Because, what's more flattering than to be remembered as a great person? There's very little I can think of.
It's been a long two weeks home, and I set out early tomorrow for a brand new adventure.
Every day holds a new adventure, so No Worries.
Yes, that is the next hit fate had for me. This twist leads me not back to my hopeful and waiting group, but to a different group, in a different town. I will be joining a very small group in Kelowna BC. So when I said good bye to my best friends in Vanderhoof, correcting ourselves to say "see you when you get back" rather than "Good bye"' little did I know that I would not be rejoining them after all.
Readers, please know that I fought to return to where I belonged, but when it came down to it; my choices were stay home or go to Kelowna.
To recap, I have spent three months in Ste-Foy, Quebec City, Quebec, Two months and two weeks in Vanderhoof, Nechako Valley, British Columbia, Two weeks in Fredericton, York County, New Bruswick and will now spend one month in Kelowna, British Columbia.
I will have a new house, new PL, new group, new roommates, new town, new job, new collective project, new, new, new, new... Its terrifying and exciting, wearing and rejuvenating all at once. All I can do now is hold my head up, and give everything that I can to this new group. Who knows? Maybe Kelowna, Kamloops (the group formerly known as Levis), and Vanderhoof can get together for Debriefing. Just like the chalet in Quebec, three houses coming together to end the rotation on a "bon" note, as Anna would say.
Remember Pheobe from Magic School bus? The annoying chick who always said "At my old school..." Yeah. Her. I can only imagine that that's what I will sound like talking of group 21157, "in my old group..."
But they were a great group, and I am proud to say that I got to meet those crazy and wonderful people. I know that I will always have friends all over Canada because I got to meet them. And I hope that I made an impact on their lives, a positive one, one they will remember. Because, what's more flattering than to be remembered as a great person? There's very little I can think of.
It's been a long two weeks home, and I set out early tomorrow for a brand new adventure.
Every day holds a new adventure, so No Worries.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Day One Hundred and Thirty Four
My surroundings have changed a little since my last post, and I am sorry for the lack of up dates, I'm a terrible blogger, so unresponsible. But I promise that I was busy and not just slacking off.
Since changing jobs, I have been much happier going to work everyday. Driving the Zamboni and sharpening skates is much more entertaining than sitting alone, at a desk, all day. But I haven't been to work in a while. I have been kinda sick. Sick with worry, sick with migranes, same diff. The difference being that they send you home on medical leave with the latter (and don't really do much for the first) . So that being said, for me the 15th was a day that I woke up in Prince George at 4 am local time (which translates into 8am here time) and fell asleep in Fredericton at 1 am here time (9pm BC time) as you can tell, my time schedual is still messed up. I have never been one to over sleep, so for me to be sleeping until 12 o'clock if you let me, c'est vraiment bizzare.
I missed my home, I will be the first to confirm that, but right now, I miss my katima-home so much. The people that I met there are such dear freinds, even though that just in August, they were perfect strangers to me. I took a bus and three planes to get home, and had layovers in Vancouver and Montreal. In Vancouver, I had to say goodbye to a girl that I will never forget. She was spunky and cute, strong minded and loyal. I accompanied her to clubs, bars, second hand shops and even a tattoo parlour. Needless to say, we loved each other as strong as any friends could. She stood in line with me at my gate to fly to Montreal, and we looked just like hobos. Everything we couldn't pack (or didn't trust to pack) was on our backs, and we wandered the airportjust crying and dreading the boarding call for Flight 7970 to Montreal. I miss her so, and I hope she reads this.
As for the rest of the group, I am curious to see the photos and read the updates on facebook, but find it painful that I am not in the photos along side them. Katimavik is such a huge part of my life right now that I would be in a totally different place in my life, a totally different person, if I had taken my admittance to STU and put off or cancelled Katimavik. My group is amazing, once you walk into our home, you instantly feel comfortable. The ragtag couches and sad state of much of the house doesn't matter when you are watching a game of Ninja, or the boys (and me!) wrestling in the living room. I miss the most simple things too. Screaming SOUPER! to let the house know it is supper time, to having french dinners, I even miss the rukus at bedtime that keeps you up until unspeakable hours. It is good, bad, and ugly, but it is a part of the Katima-vie.
I am making the most of my time at home. Life cannot return to a "normal" state because I'm not sure that I know what that is now. I know that I have people to see and things to do before returning to my lovely group, but I am restless to get back nonetheless.
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries
Since changing jobs, I have been much happier going to work everyday. Driving the Zamboni and sharpening skates is much more entertaining than sitting alone, at a desk, all day. But I haven't been to work in a while. I have been kinda sick. Sick with worry, sick with migranes, same diff. The difference being that they send you home on medical leave with the latter (and don't really do much for the first) . So that being said, for me the 15th was a day that I woke up in Prince George at 4 am local time (which translates into 8am here time) and fell asleep in Fredericton at 1 am here time (9pm BC time) as you can tell, my time schedual is still messed up. I have never been one to over sleep, so for me to be sleeping until 12 o'clock if you let me, c'est vraiment bizzare.
I missed my home, I will be the first to confirm that, but right now, I miss my katima-home so much. The people that I met there are such dear freinds, even though that just in August, they were perfect strangers to me. I took a bus and three planes to get home, and had layovers in Vancouver and Montreal. In Vancouver, I had to say goodbye to a girl that I will never forget. She was spunky and cute, strong minded and loyal. I accompanied her to clubs, bars, second hand shops and even a tattoo parlour. Needless to say, we loved each other as strong as any friends could. She stood in line with me at my gate to fly to Montreal, and we looked just like hobos. Everything we couldn't pack (or didn't trust to pack) was on our backs, and we wandered the airportjust crying and dreading the boarding call for Flight 7970 to Montreal. I miss her so, and I hope she reads this.
As for the rest of the group, I am curious to see the photos and read the updates on facebook, but find it painful that I am not in the photos along side them. Katimavik is such a huge part of my life right now that I would be in a totally different place in my life, a totally different person, if I had taken my admittance to STU and put off or cancelled Katimavik. My group is amazing, once you walk into our home, you instantly feel comfortable. The ragtag couches and sad state of much of the house doesn't matter when you are watching a game of Ninja, or the boys (and me!) wrestling in the living room. I miss the most simple things too. Screaming SOUPER! to let the house know it is supper time, to having french dinners, I even miss the rukus at bedtime that keeps you up until unspeakable hours. It is good, bad, and ugly, but it is a part of the Katima-vie.
I am making the most of my time at home. Life cannot return to a "normal" state because I'm not sure that I know what that is now. I know that I have people to see and things to do before returning to my lovely group, but I am restless to get back nonetheless.
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
Day One Hundred and Twenty
Ok, let's get this out of the way right now. I never want to have a desk job. My job at the Neighbourhood Space was a desk job, working on line., and I couldn't stand it. Recently, Bruce put his back out, so his labour job at the local arena no longer worked for him. This situation worked out for the both of us. I got moved to the job at the arena, and Bruce was moved to the Neighbourhood Space.
I have learned so far to sharpen skates and I'm starting to drive the Zamboni! I can (crappily) clean the ice now. I'm living every Canadian's dream. To ride the great white-and-blue symbol of hockey preparing. Its great fun.
We are one month into our rotation here, one third done, and its hard to imagine myself anywhere else now. I live in a house that is constantly filled with laughter, but not in the "gleeful child's laughter fills my house" in the "too many teenagers live in this house to keep the humour clean". Going home will mean I have to clean up my language (sorry mom and dad!) and my laundry. Recently, our washing machine broke (dammit Kurtis!) and we are leanring the art of "yeah, it's clean enough". I tell ya, this Katimavik thing teaches you waaaay to much about life.
Each day is a new adventure, so no worries
I have learned so far to sharpen skates and I'm starting to drive the Zamboni! I can (crappily) clean the ice now. I'm living every Canadian's dream. To ride the great white-and-blue symbol of hockey preparing. Its great fun.
We are one month into our rotation here, one third done, and its hard to imagine myself anywhere else now. I live in a house that is constantly filled with laughter, but not in the "gleeful child's laughter fills my house" in the "too many teenagers live in this house to keep the humour clean". Going home will mean I have to clean up my language (sorry mom and dad!) and my laundry. Recently, our washing machine broke (dammit Kurtis!) and we are leanring the art of "yeah, it's clean enough". I tell ya, this Katimavik thing teaches you waaaay to much about life.
Each day is a new adventure, so no worries
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Day One Hundred and Thirteen
Merry Christmas and welcome back to my blog!
What a time has happened in this little house! Most of life in Katimavik is self directed and it is up to us to keep our days busy and make sure that things happen and are planned out right. And often, we need to plan on the fly if/when a plan falls through. Its an important skill to have: both making plans and reworking them.
We had an interesting if not unconventional Christmas. Since every one had different traditions, we tried to cover as many as we could. We watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, read Twas The Night Before Christmas, and stayed up all night to open presents at way to early. I believe that the actual time I began opening presents was 4 am. Which is acceptable simply because it was 8 am at home, when my real family was opening their presents, a country away. It was a bizarre feeling.
Every one has things about Christmas that just develop into your family as the years go by. For me, every Christmas eve, we play a board game and look at Christmas lights. I really missed that.. It was nights like that that I really really missed some of the things about home. One thing was my bed. The beds in Katimavik aren't exactly luxury. Metal bunk beds with plastic mattresses. I miss my bed at home, the one with a little groove where I like to lay each night, and the pillows that I arrange just so. I miss the easy understanding of how a day works in my house hold. Like I said, Katimavik day is never solid in plans.
Currently, a big topic of conversation is the Murder Mystery Party we have planned for New Years Eve. (this is a plan I know will come through. I worked way to hard on it for it to fall though!) I, with the much needed and very appreciated help of my three helpers, wrote the whole nights plot. Characters, costumes, drama, its all starting to come out after I gave out the character bios last night. I am so excited to see it come to a head by friday night! I will try to keep this more updated (and I know I say that every time).
Much Love
Every day is a new adventure, so No worries
What a time has happened in this little house! Most of life in Katimavik is self directed and it is up to us to keep our days busy and make sure that things happen and are planned out right. And often, we need to plan on the fly if/when a plan falls through. Its an important skill to have: both making plans and reworking them.
We had an interesting if not unconventional Christmas. Since every one had different traditions, we tried to cover as many as we could. We watched the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, read Twas The Night Before Christmas, and stayed up all night to open presents at way to early. I believe that the actual time I began opening presents was 4 am. Which is acceptable simply because it was 8 am at home, when my real family was opening their presents, a country away. It was a bizarre feeling.
Every one has things about Christmas that just develop into your family as the years go by. For me, every Christmas eve, we play a board game and look at Christmas lights. I really missed that.. It was nights like that that I really really missed some of the things about home. One thing was my bed. The beds in Katimavik aren't exactly luxury. Metal bunk beds with plastic mattresses. I miss my bed at home, the one with a little groove where I like to lay each night, and the pillows that I arrange just so. I miss the easy understanding of how a day works in my house hold. Like I said, Katimavik day is never solid in plans.
Currently, a big topic of conversation is the Murder Mystery Party we have planned for New Years Eve. (this is a plan I know will come through. I worked way to hard on it for it to fall though!) I, with the much needed and very appreciated help of my three helpers, wrote the whole nights plot. Characters, costumes, drama, its all starting to come out after I gave out the character bios last night. I am so excited to see it come to a head by friday night! I will try to keep this more updated (and I know I say that every time).
Much Love
Every day is a new adventure, so No worries
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Day One Hundred and One
I've lived in small towns before, but Vanderhoof is a town unlike any other. For one thing, it has the most churches per capita in all of Canada. Also, it has a store where you can get gel nails and body piercings and hair cuts. Just the oddities you can find along the few streets, make living here interesting and dull at the same time. But that's not what I'm writing about today.
Last night, I was out for a walk with Kurtis and Bruce when a dog, just taller than knee high to me, came bounding up to us. He was uncollared, unmarked, and one of the most freindly beasts I have ever met. He was just eager for attention. Being who I am with my soft spot for any animal (except leeches. Those do not deserve life.), had to stop to pet him. He had ice all through his coat and his paws were red and raw from the ice, salt and sand on the streets. The dog was black and white with black speckles covering his legs and white patches. The whole walk home, he followed us, running back and forth, wanting to play. The three of us fell in love with the little scamp, gave him some food and water and named him Rascal. He made me realize how much I missed feeling a dog's fur and enjoying their company. Even though we only saw the stray dog we named Rascal for a bit, he already decided that Kurtis was the Alpha male, and I was the Alpha female. Kurtis would give him some food, and Rascal would curl up on my feet. He was the most loving dog I have met in a long time. It made me sad that I was able to go inside to the warm, carpetted house, while Rascal had to sleep outside.
Today, I accompanied my boss, Reg, to the local College, CNC, for an anti-racism seminar. Reg led it and told all about racism in Canada, the idea of a Melting Pot, his own experiances and what Vanderhoof is doing about the problems here in town. It was very informative and moving. To hear him talk about it, the conviction he feels, makes you want to do somethign and make a change in your life, and hopefully, in the lives of those around us.
I am learning a lot about a lot of things here. Actually, I'm learning a lot more than I thought I would in a town of 4000. I've learned about myself, and what is important to me. I know now that performance, and music is way more important than I thought. I know that I need my time alone just as much as I need it with people.f I know that, in the grand scheme of things, I have it really good in the life I have been dealt. I see kids everyday that are fatherless, nearly homeless, abused, abusive or any combination. They aren't bad kids, they are just kids that have been dealt a bad hand. Kids only know what they learn at home, from parents, or with their friends. Think of that the next time you think "They are just a bad person", chances there is a reason behind it all.
Learn to love
Love to laugh
Laugh to learn
Take it in turn
Take it in stride
Take it all in
~Anonymous
Everyday is a new adventure, so No Worries
Last night, I was out for a walk with Kurtis and Bruce when a dog, just taller than knee high to me, came bounding up to us. He was uncollared, unmarked, and one of the most freindly beasts I have ever met. He was just eager for attention. Being who I am with my soft spot for any animal (except leeches. Those do not deserve life.), had to stop to pet him. He had ice all through his coat and his paws were red and raw from the ice, salt and sand on the streets. The dog was black and white with black speckles covering his legs and white patches. The whole walk home, he followed us, running back and forth, wanting to play. The three of us fell in love with the little scamp, gave him some food and water and named him Rascal. He made me realize how much I missed feeling a dog's fur and enjoying their company. Even though we only saw the stray dog we named Rascal for a bit, he already decided that Kurtis was the Alpha male, and I was the Alpha female. Kurtis would give him some food, and Rascal would curl up on my feet. He was the most loving dog I have met in a long time. It made me sad that I was able to go inside to the warm, carpetted house, while Rascal had to sleep outside.
Today, I accompanied my boss, Reg, to the local College, CNC, for an anti-racism seminar. Reg led it and told all about racism in Canada, the idea of a Melting Pot, his own experiances and what Vanderhoof is doing about the problems here in town. It was very informative and moving. To hear him talk about it, the conviction he feels, makes you want to do somethign and make a change in your life, and hopefully, in the lives of those around us.
I am learning a lot about a lot of things here. Actually, I'm learning a lot more than I thought I would in a town of 4000. I've learned about myself, and what is important to me. I know now that performance, and music is way more important than I thought. I know that I need my time alone just as much as I need it with people.f I know that, in the grand scheme of things, I have it really good in the life I have been dealt. I see kids everyday that are fatherless, nearly homeless, abused, abusive or any combination. They aren't bad kids, they are just kids that have been dealt a bad hand. Kids only know what they learn at home, from parents, or with their friends. Think of that the next time you think "They are just a bad person", chances there is a reason behind it all.
Learn to love
Love to laugh
Laugh to learn
Take it in turn
Take it in stride
Take it all in
~Anonymous
Everyday is a new adventure, so No Worries
Friday, December 10, 2010
Day Ninety Five
From where I sit at my work desk, I have a veiw of the high way that runs through the humble town of Vanderhoof. I am alone at work today as Reg, my boss and only co-worker, is out of the office today on other business. The highway I see before me is known as the "Highway of Tears." It has earned this name because of natives who would hitch hike from one town to the next and are picked up by shady characters. Vanderhoof is a town that has seen a lot of sorrow, but has a rising out look nonetheless. One of the main factors to this rising outlook is the organization I currently volunteer for.
It is called the Good Neighbour Commitee and it is doing a lot for this community. Right now I am in the "Neighbourhood Space" that the GNC set up as both headquarters for Volunteer Vanderhoof (which I set up the wiki for http://www.neighbourhoodwikispace.wikispaces.com/) and also as a place for Youth to come after school. It is a safeplace where the kids trust Reg and can enjoy a cup of coffee, a game of pool and, on occasion, live music. The work being done by the GNC here at the Neighbourhood Space is obvious when you see how happy the kids are to come here and spend time with their freinds.
Vanderhoof is very small. In about 20 minutes you can walk from one end of the town clear to the other with no trouble. It is the sort of town where every one knows everyone else, and where every one drives Ford trucks. They are welcoming to Katimavik and are eager to have us help them in any way we can. We literally have people knocking on our door with volunteer opportunities. Literally.
Last night we got out and saw Mulan Jr. put on by the Vanderhoof's Children Theatre. It was the most adorable thing I think I have ever seen. And I actually saw a lot of theatre potential in a few of the kids. The little boy who played Mushoo, the little red dragon (DRAG-ON, not lizard, I don't do that tongue thing ssshhtthhh) made me crack up laughing more times than I could count. Also the little girl, who couldn't have been more than 12 who played Mulan had a voice that promised to develop into a beautiful singing voice. They are STARS! (As my PL, Melissa, would say)
That is about all I have to report on Vanderhoof as of yet. I will definitly try to keep up on this a little better.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries.
It is called the Good Neighbour Commitee and it is doing a lot for this community. Right now I am in the "Neighbourhood Space" that the GNC set up as both headquarters for Volunteer Vanderhoof (which I set up the wiki for http://www.neighbourhoodwikispace.wikispaces.com/) and also as a place for Youth to come after school. It is a safeplace where the kids trust Reg and can enjoy a cup of coffee, a game of pool and, on occasion, live music. The work being done by the GNC here at the Neighbourhood Space is obvious when you see how happy the kids are to come here and spend time with their freinds.
Vanderhoof is very small. In about 20 minutes you can walk from one end of the town clear to the other with no trouble. It is the sort of town where every one knows everyone else, and where every one drives Ford trucks. They are welcoming to Katimavik and are eager to have us help them in any way we can. We literally have people knocking on our door with volunteer opportunities. Literally.
Last night we got out and saw Mulan Jr. put on by the Vanderhoof's Children Theatre. It was the most adorable thing I think I have ever seen. And I actually saw a lot of theatre potential in a few of the kids. The little boy who played Mushoo, the little red dragon (DRAG-ON, not lizard, I don't do that tongue thing ssshhtthhh) made me crack up laughing more times than I could count. Also the little girl, who couldn't have been more than 12 who played Mulan had a voice that promised to develop into a beautiful singing voice. They are STARS! (As my PL, Melissa, would say)
That is about all I have to report on Vanderhoof as of yet. I will definitly try to keep up on this a little better.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries.
Friday, December 03, 2010
Day Eighty Eight
Hey, look at that. I have made it to Vanderhoof BC!
We arrived right on time, although the last leg of the journey was excruciating. We met the Quesnel (pronouncd Quen-el, took me a while to get that one!) group at the Prince George airport after an hour of waiting, then boarded a school bus (yup, a yellow, old school, straight up school bus) with them to Quesnel (1 hour and 30 minutes), back to Prince George (1 hour 30 minutes) then to Vanderhoof (1 hour). Thats right, four hours on that bus. It was freezing cold and very uncomfortable. Couple that with the fact of our sleeplessness, time change, irritability and you have a recipe for very cranky teenagers. We were exhausted by the time we reached our destination.
Kellie and I managed to get the room we had been dreaming of. I love my bed. It is very comfortable but seems to be missing something home made (hint hint, mother.. Haha). The house is huge in comparisson to our last one and the bathrooms and kitchen have so much counterspace, it feels like a mansion to me.
It comes with a guitar and two air hockey tables. I feel spoiled that I get to live here. Katimavik has really made me appreciate everything my parents have worked towards giving us. It is a lot of work for a home like mine in New Brunswick.
My Grandmother has a saying: You can do anything for a day, and I am learning that this is very true. Day by day we can get through not that badly, but when I look back, I get tired tinking of how much I have put into this project and this life. It is draining to know about everything that we have dealt with as a group. But we make it through easily because we all got eachother's backs.
Everyday is a new adventure, so No Worries
We arrived right on time, although the last leg of the journey was excruciating. We met the Quesnel (pronouncd Quen-el, took me a while to get that one!) group at the Prince George airport after an hour of waiting, then boarded a school bus (yup, a yellow, old school, straight up school bus) with them to Quesnel (1 hour and 30 minutes), back to Prince George (1 hour 30 minutes) then to Vanderhoof (1 hour). Thats right, four hours on that bus. It was freezing cold and very uncomfortable. Couple that with the fact of our sleeplessness, time change, irritability and you have a recipe for very cranky teenagers. We were exhausted by the time we reached our destination.
Kellie and I managed to get the room we had been dreaming of. I love my bed. It is very comfortable but seems to be missing something home made (hint hint, mother.. Haha). The house is huge in comparisson to our last one and the bathrooms and kitchen have so much counterspace, it feels like a mansion to me.
It comes with a guitar and two air hockey tables. I feel spoiled that I get to live here. Katimavik has really made me appreciate everything my parents have worked towards giving us. It is a lot of work for a home like mine in New Brunswick.
My Grandmother has a saying: You can do anything for a day, and I am learning that this is very true. Day by day we can get through not that badly, but when I look back, I get tired tinking of how much I have put into this project and this life. It is draining to know about everything that we have dealt with as a group. But we make it through easily because we all got eachother's backs.
Everyday is a new adventure, so No Worries
Day Eighty Six
Here I sit, in the Vancouver Airport. I have eleven people's carry ons strewn around me, as I sit on the floor next to the garbage bin. From here we are to fly Prince George, and board a bus to Vanderhoof. We are schedualed to arrive at our new home at 9:30, local time, but to us it will feel like much later. This morning, yesterday morning.. I don't remember any more.. We left at 2 in the morning, on a greyhound bus with all the other groups. We drove three hours (three hours that I don't remember since I passed out on the guy beside me as soon as we boarded the bus) destined for Montreal Airport.
Saying good-bye to the other groups was hard. Such bonds were built over the the three months between the houses. Our Project Co-ordinator, the woman in charge of the three groups, said that she had never seen three houses get along so well. I cried a little saying good bye to Beauport and Levis. I know that I will have to see some of them again.
Katimavik is such a family that while in the airports, if we saw the tell tale orange and green Circle square (or even just a large group of lost looking kids or age) we would slyly say "Katimavik?" just loud enough so they would hear us. We always were greeted with a smile and often hugs. I am sure that this will continue as long as Katimavik does.
We still have five hours of travel left which really doesn't sound like much, but when you consider we have already traveled for around ten hours, and I am running on 2 hours of sleep for 30 hours, I am exhausted and I feel like I will never reach Vanderhoof, I will just go on buses and planes for the rest of my shuffled life.
Living in Quebec City for so long has atuned my ears to listen for English as a sign that some one is talking to me. Because of this, now that I am in British Columbia, and the official language is again English, I feel like I am eavesdropping on all the conversations around me. This level of comprehensionis bizzare.
My plane is boarding soon, and after this hour and a half flight, an hour lay over, and a four hour bus drive, I will again be "home". Wish me luck
Everyday is a new adventure, so No worries
Saying good-bye to the other groups was hard. Such bonds were built over the the three months between the houses. Our Project Co-ordinator, the woman in charge of the three groups, said that she had never seen three houses get along so well. I cried a little saying good bye to Beauport and Levis. I know that I will have to see some of them again.
Katimavik is such a family that while in the airports, if we saw the tell tale orange and green Circle square (or even just a large group of lost looking kids or age) we would slyly say "Katimavik?" just loud enough so they would hear us. We always were greeted with a smile and often hugs. I am sure that this will continue as long as Katimavik does.
We still have five hours of travel left which really doesn't sound like much, but when you consider we have already traveled for around ten hours, and I am running on 2 hours of sleep for 30 hours, I am exhausted and I feel like I will never reach Vanderhoof, I will just go on buses and planes for the rest of my shuffled life.
Living in Quebec City for so long has atuned my ears to listen for English as a sign that some one is talking to me. Because of this, now that I am in British Columbia, and the official language is again English, I feel like I am eavesdropping on all the conversations around me. This level of comprehensionis bizzare.
My plane is boarding soon, and after this hour and a half flight, an hour lay over, and a four hour bus drive, I will again be "home". Wish me luck
Everyday is a new adventure, so No worries
Day Eighty Four
This evening, all three Katima-houses have congregated at a Chalet out in the outskirts of the city. This unassuming building is now the temporary home of 31 teenagers. It is loud and busy, but we have made it our summer camp, even in the dread of winter. Here we are debriefing on our adventures thus far in Katimavik, evaluating our project leaders, and preparing for the next stop. It is bitter sweet to be leaving the house in Ste. Foy as it has become a true home to us. It was the place that we looked forward to returning to after a hard day. We are comfortable there. We loved it. Now we are almost homeless, knowing that we are not to return to the crayon box. Having the other groups here is great. We are such freinds that I couldn't imagine this rotation with out them. Both the Beauport and Levis, or rather Maple Creek and Kamloops now (that was weird to type) are great freinds to us.
Packing up the house was strange. Taking the photos down, stripping beds, emptying drawers. Cleansing the house of our group made it seem just so unreal. My room, stripped and bland, looked like a prison cell. A prison cell that we still wanted to stay in. Walking around the house, the walls were echoing, the floors were mopped, it was bizarre. Our house as not dirty, but it was never that clean. It had an un-lived in feeling that we had never felt in that tiny house before.
But now we are onto our next rotation, our next adventure. As a group,we will take what ever Vanderhoof has to throw at us :)
Every day is a new adventure, so No Worries
Packing up the house was strange. Taking the photos down, stripping beds, emptying drawers. Cleansing the house of our group made it seem just so unreal. My room, stripped and bland, looked like a prison cell. A prison cell that we still wanted to stay in. Walking around the house, the walls were echoing, the floors were mopped, it was bizarre. Our house as not dirty, but it was never that clean. It had an un-lived in feeling that we had never felt in that tiny house before.
But now we are onto our next rotation, our next adventure. As a group,we will take what ever Vanderhoof has to throw at us :)
Every day is a new adventure, so No Worries
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Day Eighty Two
Work is over now, and we are getting into the debriefing/packing mode. But first, we should probably clean up the toilet paper, blown-up condoms, packs of chips, and discarded felt. Or I could explain the reasoning behind it all. I choose the second.
Stephane's birthday is coming up, and since we aren't able to celebrate it properly with him on the day, we celebrated it last night. As a special treat, Stephane made us supper. We came down stairs to a huge spread layed out across our tables of meat, vegetables, cheese, pickles, rice, and fondue pots. It was absolutly delicious. We ate more than our fills, then craftily got Stephane out of the house.
Frantically, the ten of us (Kaley took Stephane out for a walk to discuss some (made up) problems she was having) ran around "decorating" the house. We blew up the few balloons with "Bonne Fete"scrawled across them we were able to scavenge, and when those ran out, we broke open the condom tin and used those as balloons. They were oddly translucent, slippery and only slightly phallus shaped when inflated. But when you are in Katimavik, you learn to improvise. That sort of thinking is probably what led us to our next decoration idea: toilet paper streamers. Using electrical tape (yes, electrical tape) we strung up the T.P. and the balloons ("Bonne Fete" and other wise) all over our house.
As Anna put it "I'm pretty sure we are the only ones who would actually TP our own house." That's Katimavik for you.
Soon, once the strobe light was in place that is, we ran and hid in the entrance room, and anxiously awaited Stephane's arrival. When the door opened, we all jumped out, up, in and shoated "SURPRISE!" and started a rambling chorus of Happy Birthday in French.
We then led him in to the dining room where two cakes in the shape of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (or Turtle Ninjas if you are Kellie, love that girl) faces were waiting for him. He looked like a little kid. As he opened his presents, he kept thanking us. He said that this was the best birthday he has had in a long time. We were so happy that we were able to make him enjoy his birthday.
Today is the start of our Debriefing. We have hoops to jump through, papers to write, and activities to participate in. Its bitter sweet. I love Quebec, and have thoroughly enjoyed it, but I feel like Quebec has so much more to teach me, and I have so much more to discover that our departure is premature. Yet on the other hand, I am setting out on another adventure. One that will no doubt be as amazing as we make it, and with a group like this, how could it be anything but?
Katimavik has showed me that I can be independent, yet accept help. It has taught me that group dynamics don't always have to bite us in the behind. I have learned so much that I don't know if any one can really appreciate how much this type of an experiance can change you.
I can see my life changing in front of my eyes, and I have these people, these places, these months to thank.
My parents are coming tomorrow. The snow is making me anxious for them to travel, but I cannot wait for my parents black Malibu to come rollng down my little street. It will be surreal to have my real life and my Katima-life mingle like that.
Living in this crayon box, you can sometimes forget that there is a world beyond it, one with out Katima-rules. It will be strange to go back to it.. eventually
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
Stephane's birthday is coming up, and since we aren't able to celebrate it properly with him on the day, we celebrated it last night. As a special treat, Stephane made us supper. We came down stairs to a huge spread layed out across our tables of meat, vegetables, cheese, pickles, rice, and fondue pots. It was absolutly delicious. We ate more than our fills, then craftily got Stephane out of the house.
Frantically, the ten of us (Kaley took Stephane out for a walk to discuss some (made up) problems she was having) ran around "decorating" the house. We blew up the few balloons with "Bonne Fete"scrawled across them we were able to scavenge, and when those ran out, we broke open the condom tin and used those as balloons. They were oddly translucent, slippery and only slightly phallus shaped when inflated. But when you are in Katimavik, you learn to improvise. That sort of thinking is probably what led us to our next decoration idea: toilet paper streamers. Using electrical tape (yes, electrical tape) we strung up the T.P. and the balloons ("Bonne Fete" and other wise) all over our house.
As Anna put it "I'm pretty sure we are the only ones who would actually TP our own house." That's Katimavik for you.
Soon, once the strobe light was in place that is, we ran and hid in the entrance room, and anxiously awaited Stephane's arrival. When the door opened, we all jumped out, up, in and shoated "SURPRISE!" and started a rambling chorus of Happy Birthday in French.
We then led him in to the dining room where two cakes in the shape of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (or Turtle Ninjas if you are Kellie, love that girl) faces were waiting for him. He looked like a little kid. As he opened his presents, he kept thanking us. He said that this was the best birthday he has had in a long time. We were so happy that we were able to make him enjoy his birthday.
Today is the start of our Debriefing. We have hoops to jump through, papers to write, and activities to participate in. Its bitter sweet. I love Quebec, and have thoroughly enjoyed it, but I feel like Quebec has so much more to teach me, and I have so much more to discover that our departure is premature. Yet on the other hand, I am setting out on another adventure. One that will no doubt be as amazing as we make it, and with a group like this, how could it be anything but?
Katimavik has showed me that I can be independent, yet accept help. It has taught me that group dynamics don't always have to bite us in the behind. I have learned so much that I don't know if any one can really appreciate how much this type of an experiance can change you.
I can see my life changing in front of my eyes, and I have these people, these places, these months to thank.
My parents are coming tomorrow. The snow is making me anxious for them to travel, but I cannot wait for my parents black Malibu to come rollng down my little street. It will be surreal to have my real life and my Katima-life mingle like that.
Living in this crayon box, you can sometimes forget that there is a world beyond it, one with out Katima-rules. It will be strange to go back to it.. eventually
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Day Seventy Five
I have been slackingon the blog posts, and for that I apologize. The good news is that soon we will be in Vanderhoof, and I won't have those nasty things like going out and having fun to get in th way of my blog. I Joke.
Today was actually an amazing day. We were up at 8 (early for a Saturday morning in Katmavik) and were greeted with the first snow fall of the year. By the time I was up, there was already a good 2 cm on the ground. It was the white, packy snow that allowed for snowballs to be made and then thrown. While the wite fresh blanket made me think of home, it also made me remember how much I hate snow. I am really not a ski bunny.
By 10 o'clock, we were all piling into the Katimavan on our way to a little bit of volunteering. Little did I know that I was about to fall in love.
We arrived at the SPCA half an hour before it even opened, so we had to wait a while. From where we were waiting, we could already hear the dogs barking, eager for the day to start. Once we got in, it was a mad dash to get to the dogs and choose the one we wanted to walk. There were little dogs, puppies, black dogs hyper dogs an so many others. One interesting girl that caught my eye was a little skinny brown dog, not older than a year. She had the most startling eyes I have ever seen on a canine. But in the next room I saw her. Her name was Pacha, and I loved her right a way. She was a medium sized dog and stood just taller than my knee. Shehad intelligent, human-like eyes and was completely covered in three inch long white hair with a black patch on each ear and covering her nub-like tail. While she did bark when in her pen, once we were out in the snow, running around, she was a true gentle giant. She was strong, but did not pull, ran beside me, not with me. She didn't pay much mind to the dogs making a ruckus around us, just wanted to be with me.
Bruce and I stopped for a minute to pat her, and give her "some lovings". Pacha really enjoyed it ad bgan to lean into us. Since we were already in a very precarious position, her added weight just toppled us over. She ended up laying on top of us both, our butts in the snow, and none of us seemed to mind. Pacha just layed there, soaking up all the attention.
I could tell she was the type of dog to climb into bed with you at night or to let you cry into her long fur. I wanted to take her home so badly and not return this sweet girl back into the loud, cement enclosure.
Please, when looking for a pet, don't let pride get in the way of considering the pound and shelters as an option. My family adopted Maddy, our neurotic, ridiculous, loved, "pure-bred mutt" from a shelter ten years ago, and I couldn't imgine my chldhood with out her. All shelter dogs come with such a personality that is so unique, that it is a crime that some are as crowded as they are.
(And I guess that this all applies to cats as well, but I hate cats, and they hate me, so think what you will of the felines...)
We now have one week left of work until leaving for BC. It is such a surreal feeling that I am leaving again. Fredericton was bad enough, but I feel that I have so much more to see and experiance while I'm here. I'm certainly not ready to leave Quebec.
Every day is a new adventure, so No Worries
Today was actually an amazing day. We were up at 8 (early for a Saturday morning in Katmavik) and were greeted with the first snow fall of the year. By the time I was up, there was already a good 2 cm on the ground. It was the white, packy snow that allowed for snowballs to be made and then thrown. While the wite fresh blanket made me think of home, it also made me remember how much I hate snow. I am really not a ski bunny.
By 10 o'clock, we were all piling into the Katimavan on our way to a little bit of volunteering. Little did I know that I was about to fall in love.
We arrived at the SPCA half an hour before it even opened, so we had to wait a while. From where we were waiting, we could already hear the dogs barking, eager for the day to start. Once we got in, it was a mad dash to get to the dogs and choose the one we wanted to walk. There were little dogs, puppies, black dogs hyper dogs an so many others. One interesting girl that caught my eye was a little skinny brown dog, not older than a year. She had the most startling eyes I have ever seen on a canine. But in the next room I saw her. Her name was Pacha, and I loved her right a way. She was a medium sized dog and stood just taller than my knee. Shehad intelligent, human-like eyes and was completely covered in three inch long white hair with a black patch on each ear and covering her nub-like tail. While she did bark when in her pen, once we were out in the snow, running around, she was a true gentle giant. She was strong, but did not pull, ran beside me, not with me. She didn't pay much mind to the dogs making a ruckus around us, just wanted to be with me.
Bruce and I stopped for a minute to pat her, and give her "some lovings". Pacha really enjoyed it ad bgan to lean into us. Since we were already in a very precarious position, her added weight just toppled us over. She ended up laying on top of us both, our butts in the snow, and none of us seemed to mind. Pacha just layed there, soaking up all the attention.
I could tell she was the type of dog to climb into bed with you at night or to let you cry into her long fur. I wanted to take her home so badly and not return this sweet girl back into the loud, cement enclosure.
Please, when looking for a pet, don't let pride get in the way of considering the pound and shelters as an option. My family adopted Maddy, our neurotic, ridiculous, loved, "pure-bred mutt" from a shelter ten years ago, and I couldn't imgine my chldhood with out her. All shelter dogs come with such a personality that is so unique, that it is a crime that some are as crowded as they are.
(And I guess that this all applies to cats as well, but I hate cats, and they hate me, so think what you will of the felines...)
We now have one week left of work until leaving for BC. It is such a surreal feeling that I am leaving again. Fredericton was bad enough, but I feel that I have so much more to see and experiance while I'm here. I'm certainly not ready to leave Quebec.
Every day is a new adventure, so No Worries
Monday, November 15, 2010
Day Seventy
We have returned from billetting and it took no time at all to feel like a family once again. Within the first day, we were back to our loud, messy selves. The first night was full of stories and descriptions of our billet houses and families. It made me so happy to see all of them again.
Thursday,we all left work early to go out to a camp ground for volunteering. Our job was as simple as picking up sticks. In fact, that was our exact job. A trailor would pull up and it was up to the three katima-groups in the area to fill it with fallen branches (or trees in some cases) from the area. Once filled, we were to pick up an arm-full of the remaining sticks and follow the trailor to a cliff and throw all the colected wood over the edge. It was oddly entertaining. The only down side was the sudden and severe sore throat that struck me while working.
This past weekend, we spent in Montreal. It was amazing, save for the sore throat that developed into full on illness. We visited a botanical garden with very friendly squirrels, the Science Center of Montreal (the current exhibit was Sex: A Tell All Exhibition), Mount Royal, the Holocaust Museum and St. Joseph's Oratory. I was unable to enjoy the last one since I stayed in the Van to sleep and not die. But the other things we did were so much fun, it made up for it. The Holocaust museum was so interesting.
Montreal is a beautiful city
I am now home sick, so please excuse me while I go take yet another nap
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
Thursday,we all left work early to go out to a camp ground for volunteering. Our job was as simple as picking up sticks. In fact, that was our exact job. A trailor would pull up and it was up to the three katima-groups in the area to fill it with fallen branches (or trees in some cases) from the area. Once filled, we were to pick up an arm-full of the remaining sticks and follow the trailor to a cliff and throw all the colected wood over the edge. It was oddly entertaining. The only down side was the sudden and severe sore throat that struck me while working.
This past weekend, we spent in Montreal. It was amazing, save for the sore throat that developed into full on illness. We visited a botanical garden with very friendly squirrels, the Science Center of Montreal (the current exhibit was Sex: A Tell All Exhibition), Mount Royal, the Holocaust Museum and St. Joseph's Oratory. I was unable to enjoy the last one since I stayed in the Van to sleep and not die. But the other things we did were so much fun, it made up for it. The Holocaust museum was so interesting.
Montreal is a beautiful city
I am now home sick, so please excuse me while I go take yet another nap
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Day Fifty Seven
In exaclty one month from this moment, my group and I will be settling into our new Katimahome in Vanderhoof, British Columbia. If the idea of leaving Fredericton was making me nervous, the idea of leaving Quebc, and the home we have here is absolutly daunting! It was hard enough getting to know everyone, including our PL Stephane, and our house, only to have to leave him and it for the next unsuspecting group.
At work, I am more and more working for the Friperee, a second hand store that gives things away for free. Today, while loading a large cart into the store, a man came up to ask the woman in charge some questions. He explained that he needed some clothes because he was hitchhiking to Halifax. So what was the problem here? He explained it all in perfect English. It was clear that neither of them knew what to do, and I was able to translate for them. I feel so useful when this sort of situation comes up because, even if I have a very limited vocabulary in French, I know how to word things so that I use the word I do know.
If you read my last blog (which you all did, of course :P ) youwill know that I am currently living in a billet family in the community. There are some definite perks to billetting. The first is the food. I don't have to cook it, and they are very pleased when we, Kellie and I are billetted together, help with the dishes. Also is the fact of the bread. The soft, chewable, evenly pre-cut bread. If you have ever had home made bread from scratch, you will know that it is a skill to make good bread. This knowledge leads you to conclude that if you have a group of eleven teenagers in a house, none that have baked bread before, you will know that the home made bread will not be very dependable, and since we do not buy bread, but make all that we need, store baugh bread seems like a once in a Katimalife time treat. Also, we have time to kick back and just be teenagers again. Most of the time in Katimavik, when we aren't working that is, is spent in meetings, planning commities, or out in the community. So when we come here to a billet house, we can relax and remember what a "normal" life is like.
That being said, I miss my Katimavik group terribly. There is a group of us that live relativly close to each other so we see each other fairly often through the two weeks. But, I miss those that aren't close. If you check my phone right now, 9 out the 10 most recently texted contacts are katimavik people (with the 1 out of 10 being my mother).We are so close, we aren't just a group, or a team, Katimavik is a family.
This weekend is my last days with the billet family, and the next weekend, my group and I are off to Montreal for the weekend. I am very much looking forward to that!
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
At work, I am more and more working for the Friperee, a second hand store that gives things away for free. Today, while loading a large cart into the store, a man came up to ask the woman in charge some questions. He explained that he needed some clothes because he was hitchhiking to Halifax. So what was the problem here? He explained it all in perfect English. It was clear that neither of them knew what to do, and I was able to translate for them. I feel so useful when this sort of situation comes up because, even if I have a very limited vocabulary in French, I know how to word things so that I use the word I do know.
If you read my last blog (which you all did, of course :P ) youwill know that I am currently living in a billet family in the community. There are some definite perks to billetting. The first is the food. I don't have to cook it, and they are very pleased when we, Kellie and I are billetted together, help with the dishes. Also is the fact of the bread. The soft, chewable, evenly pre-cut bread. If you have ever had home made bread from scratch, you will know that it is a skill to make good bread. This knowledge leads you to conclude that if you have a group of eleven teenagers in a house, none that have baked bread before, you will know that the home made bread will not be very dependable, and since we do not buy bread, but make all that we need, store baugh bread seems like a once in a Katimalife time treat. Also, we have time to kick back and just be teenagers again. Most of the time in Katimavik, when we aren't working that is, is spent in meetings, planning commities, or out in the community. So when we come here to a billet house, we can relax and remember what a "normal" life is like.
That being said, I miss my Katimavik group terribly. There is a group of us that live relativly close to each other so we see each other fairly often through the two weeks. But, I miss those that aren't close. If you check my phone right now, 9 out the 10 most recently texted contacts are katimavik people (with the 1 out of 10 being my mother).We are so close, we aren't just a group, or a team, Katimavik is a family.
This weekend is my last days with the billet family, and the next weekend, my group and I are off to Montreal for the weekend. I am very much looking forward to that!
Everyday is a new adventure, so no worries.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Day Forty Eight
Now it is currently almost 4 o'clock in Quebec City, and I am still in my pajamas, have my entire wardrobe sprawled over my floor, and have Emmanuel laying in my bed. I am in the midst of packing for the week of billetting, wherein I leave the tiny, colourful, yet oddly comforting house to go live in the house of some one in the community. I am billetting with someone from the group, so I won't be entirely alone, but I am a little nervous for the amount of French.
Last night was a Katimavik Haloween party. All three Katima-groups from the area gathered at the Levis house and had an amazing night. We had a pumpkin carving contest, a giant game of Loup-Garou, and then onto a Ghost Tour of Quebec. The Gost tour was full of real stories of the criminal history of Quebec. I found it so interesting. After that, the night was complete with a moon lit stroll of Old Quebec.
Today, instead of packing for two weeks of billetting, I called my sister and we had a really great convorsation. Usually, my sister and I have the usual only-talk-when-neccesary-did-you-take-my-shoes relationship. But since I have been gone, it has been easier for us to talk. I really enjoyed talking with her and sharing with her the experiances I have been through in the short month and a half I have been absent.
Funny Story from the Party last night.
Since Levis is so far fom Quebec City, my group didn't really really know the Levis group. As I was getting to know the group, I introduced myself to one very tall guy. The following conversation took place shortly after:
Me: Hello, My name is Irene.
Jordon: Jordon, you're name is Irene?
Me: ...Yea?
Jordon: Do you have a blog?
Me: *stunned face*
Jordon: Yeah, I googled Katimavik, an I found your blog. Its good.
Me: oh, thanks.
Hilirously awkward, also it is the first time that my writing has preceded me. It was interesting.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries.
Last night was a Katimavik Haloween party. All three Katima-groups from the area gathered at the Levis house and had an amazing night. We had a pumpkin carving contest, a giant game of Loup-Garou, and then onto a Ghost Tour of Quebec. The Gost tour was full of real stories of the criminal history of Quebec. I found it so interesting. After that, the night was complete with a moon lit stroll of Old Quebec.
Today, instead of packing for two weeks of billetting, I called my sister and we had a really great convorsation. Usually, my sister and I have the usual only-talk-when-neccesary-did-you-take-my-shoes relationship. But since I have been gone, it has been easier for us to talk. I really enjoyed talking with her and sharing with her the experiances I have been through in the short month and a half I have been absent.
Funny Story from the Party last night.
Since Levis is so far fom Quebec City, my group didn't really really know the Levis group. As I was getting to know the group, I introduced myself to one very tall guy. The following conversation took place shortly after:
Me: Hello, My name is Irene.
Jordon: Jordon, you're name is Irene?
Me: ...Yea?
Jordon: Do you have a blog?
Me: *stunned face*
Jordon: Yeah, I googled Katimavik, an I found your blog. Its good.
Me: oh, thanks.
Hilirously awkward, also it is the first time that my writing has preceded me. It was interesting.
Every day is a new adventure, so no worries.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Day Fourty Three
Hello. I would like to start this post off as an official appology. Firstly, I apologize to my faithful readers who informed me that I as a blogger have been shirking my responsabilities and it is time for a new post (Mum). And secondly, I would like to apologize in advance for the terrible spelling and typing. There seems to be a strange lag on my keyboard. But here goes nothing!
At work, I have been moved back into the Laundry Room because I, as a girl, cannot be in the Men's shower room. Which makes complete sense to me, I am just sad because being moved back into Laundry Room is very disappointing. Although, the laundry does have its upsides. For example, for any one that watches The Big Bang theory will know what a FlipFold is (for those that don't, its the folding board that wonderfully OCD Sheldon uses to fold hos laundry). Today, I found one and got to keep it. Best day in the Laundry yet.
The last couple days have been so full of activity, I can barely start to describe it all.
For example, with the deportation of our Arnaud we got a new volunteer. His name is Emmanuel and he arrived last night. It is hard to think of integrating a new person into this very tight and complicated group, but I am sure that with the already limited space, we will have no choice but to. He seems alright so far, but my communication with him is limited because he is totally francophone and I am a anglophone pretending to try to learn the language.
Another thing that transpired yesterday was the addition of another piercing to my body. Kurtis was kind enough to accompany me to a near by piercing place. There, I got my sixth piercing. Now, along with two lobe piercing, one upper lobe, two cartilege peircngs that make an industrial, and now my first surface peircing, my belly button is pierced! It didn't hurt as much as I expected, but, since I am who I am even in Quebec, I still passed out. Kurtis wasn't allowed behind the sheet with me, but when the piercer saw that I was going out, she indicated to him to get himself here and fast. All I remeber is looking up at Kurtis and saying "I'm about to pass out now." and right on cue, I did. When I came back, I thought I was back in Fredericton, in White Lotus, the peircing shop in town (since that is where I usually pass out from peircings...) but upon recognising Kurtis's presence, I knew that couldn't be the case. All the informtion came rushing back and then I noticed the 16-gauge curved bar with a glittering jade green gem in the center of my belly. I was ecstatic.
I have been through a lot in the past few weeks, most specifically in the mos recent week. My life has a tendecy of going through the strangest loops. Everything will line up for a few months, then, everything in the same week will explode and re-aligne. I am now in the re-alignement stage. I feel very emotionally, mentally and just about spirituallydrained. I am working on getting myself back together,and I know that I have freinds here that are willing to help me pick up the pieces.
Every day is a new adventure, So no worries
At work, I have been moved back into the Laundry Room because I, as a girl, cannot be in the Men's shower room. Which makes complete sense to me, I am just sad because being moved back into Laundry Room is very disappointing. Although, the laundry does have its upsides. For example, for any one that watches The Big Bang theory will know what a FlipFold is (for those that don't, its the folding board that wonderfully OCD Sheldon uses to fold hos laundry). Today, I found one and got to keep it. Best day in the Laundry yet.
The last couple days have been so full of activity, I can barely start to describe it all.
For example, with the deportation of our Arnaud we got a new volunteer. His name is Emmanuel and he arrived last night. It is hard to think of integrating a new person into this very tight and complicated group, but I am sure that with the already limited space, we will have no choice but to. He seems alright so far, but my communication with him is limited because he is totally francophone and I am a anglophone pretending to try to learn the language.
Another thing that transpired yesterday was the addition of another piercing to my body. Kurtis was kind enough to accompany me to a near by piercing place. There, I got my sixth piercing. Now, along with two lobe piercing, one upper lobe, two cartilege peircngs that make an industrial, and now my first surface peircing, my belly button is pierced! It didn't hurt as much as I expected, but, since I am who I am even in Quebec, I still passed out. Kurtis wasn't allowed behind the sheet with me, but when the piercer saw that I was going out, she indicated to him to get himself here and fast. All I remeber is looking up at Kurtis and saying "I'm about to pass out now." and right on cue, I did. When I came back, I thought I was back in Fredericton, in White Lotus, the peircing shop in town (since that is where I usually pass out from peircings...) but upon recognising Kurtis's presence, I knew that couldn't be the case. All the informtion came rushing back and then I noticed the 16-gauge curved bar with a glittering jade green gem in the center of my belly. I was ecstatic.
I have been through a lot in the past few weeks, most specifically in the mos recent week. My life has a tendecy of going through the strangest loops. Everything will line up for a few months, then, everything in the same week will explode and re-aligne. I am now in the re-alignement stage. I feel very emotionally, mentally and just about spirituallydrained. I am working on getting myself back together,and I know that I have freinds here that are willing to help me pick up the pieces.
Every day is a new adventure, So no worries
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