O Christmas Treeeee

So last night we got our Christmas tree and discovered that it didn't fit in our stand. In the process of trying to deal with it, we broke our mop bucket and dirtied like every single towel in the house. Eventually we called our landlord and got a different stand. Btw, our tree is freaking massive.

Last night a few people made cards to send home, but I had already decided to wait until I see my family to give them anything.

Tonight it's free time and I'm baking cookies. Partially because it's our work partner appreciation night on Friday, and partially because my house always has a LOT of cookies around Christmas. We did have a lot of cookies in the house earlier this week (thanks to daddy and amy!) but now they are mostly gone.

So yeah, that's the latest in Christmas preparations. I don't think any of us are too excited for Christmas. Benno is probably the most excited and he`s realizing more and more that it`s going to suck to be away from home. We're all very focused on next rotation because we're slowly but surely beginning to hate it here.

...

Chrissssstmas is coming, and I'm finding myself with less and less downtime. This is good in a way, but also really awful in a way. We didn't have a full block of free time in two weeks and we all started going a little bit crazy.
However, we had free time on Wednesday and we all feel better, I think.

I was housemanager last week with little Cecile, and on Friday morning the house was a disaster. So I cried for like two hours, wanted to go home, and then I powercleaned the whole house. And then I went to the only restaurant in town and ate two breakfasts. I still didn't feel better, and I still feel bitter about it.

Today when I went home for lunch I had a paaaackage waiting for me! I was supremely excited because I was expecting a package from my daddy, but it turned out that it was only from BodyArtForms. Which was nice, because Benno got half of his Christmas present and I got my tiny little baby plugs. They are freaking adorable.

Okay, I have to go call the house now to remind the boys to move the tables.

Halifaaax.

So, it's been a really really really long time since I've written anything. Life has proceeded as always. 6 of us went to Halifax on our 48 off this weekend. Looooong bus ride, night of debauchery, corrupting the vegetarian, peggy's cove, shopping, debauch, major fight, sleep, tour of halifax, looong bus ride.
Nice summary, eh?

Photos will be up when I'm not busy.

It's not December, make the snow go back.

I haven't blogged in a while and I've been waiting to get around to typing out a huuuuge summary of my past two months (crazy to think it's been that long already... even more crazy to think that there's seven more months of this!) but I've just been pretty busy lately.

We came home from billeting on Sunday and it was very exciting to see everyone again. I had expected everyone to have made life changing and group changing decisions like I had, but it didn't happen. We had a minor issue on Tuesday night, but things got ironed out and group life is much better now. We're all making more of an effort to spend time as a group, and it's nice.

It snowed yesterday. Like, all of yesterday. So we all went outside after dinner and made snowforts (the girls one was much better because Myriam is a snowfort making master) and had a snowball fight, and then came inside and had hot chocolate and played Things. Well, mostly everyone played Things. I had dishes to do and didn't really feel like playing a game because my back hurt so I was grumpy.

We have our midtrimester reflection tonight and I'm actually excited for it. The group is in a really good place now and I think the majority of us have decided that we're in this until the end, no matter what. There was a mild scare today, and two of the boys could have gotten sent home and that would have set off a domino effect, and uh, that wouldn't be good.

I've realized that even though I might be happier somewhere else this year, there's no way that I would have the life experiences if I was somewhere else. This is where I need to be.

Billeting continued.

Fred and Gisele are freaking adorable. Completely polar opposites personality-wise though. And very mellow. Which is nice, to an extent, but I miss the go-go-go of katima-life. And I miss everyone.
Friday we just hung out at the house and I went to bed at like 8:30 lol.
Saturday we went into Summerside and visited with Gisele's parents and sisters because her father had a stroke recently and is only at home on the weekends. Then we went out for lunch and I had fresh-cut PEI potato fries. nom nom nom
Sunday... I actually don't remember. I think we just sort of lounged around and watched a bit of TV.
Monday I went to work and didn't feel all that well so I seriously accomplished nothing. We started making the Christmas cards for all the staff and volunteers and everything. And then I did something horrible and against the rules and my host family was not all that pleased, but that's okay. I went to visit Benno and I got to see him drum and stuff. It was nice to see him SO freaking happy and well rested and everything.
Tuesday we went into Summerside again for the Remembrance Day ceremony, which was really nice even though it was freaking cold. Then we went home and just... hung out for a bit. I got to have a bath, which was fantastic! And then it was French class, and Nipples was bitter as always. Benno and I were the only Katimavictims there, because everyone else is a SLACKER. just kidding, i love you all.

So yeah, that's about it. I'll work for the rest of the week, and on Friday night I get BBQ steak dinner. NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM. Saturday we're going into Charlottetown for brunch at this place that is apparently amazing, and we'll probably stop at the bridge so I can take wonderful tourist pictures. Oh, speaking of the bridge, I actually saw it in the distance the other day. It was fantastic.

Billeting - Phase 1

okay so billeting has started.
everything seems... surreal almost. i've discovered that i no longer like being alone, and all i want to do is sleep. i miss my fellow katima-victims and this entire thing is making me question why i'm here.

Housemanagerrr!

Okay so I realized that I completely didn't write anything last week, and I was at home all week. In fact, I spent a lot of Friday in bed recovering from how hard I worked for the rest of the week. I was housemanager with Matt, and we're pretty much the best team ever. I baked a looot of muffins, and discovered a bread recipe that doesn't suck.
Last week was actually so crazy busy that we pretty much got the whole weekend off, so that was nice.
On Wednesday we went and played volleyball with the athletes from the high school, which was our first actual interaction with anyone our age. Thursday we went and helped out with the haunted woods so we got to hang out with the high school kids some more. And then on Friday we had our cluster Halloween party. It was 80s style, and everyone looked fabulous.

Today I'm off to a fundraising potluck for lunch, and then it's bingo this afternoon! It's actually the Halloween bingo, but since there was a death in the community it was postponed. Pretty much everything that was supposed to happen last weekend in the community was either cancelled or postponed and it really showed me just how small Wellington is.

Billeting starts on Friday, and I`m way more excited than nervous. I can't wait to sleep in a normal bed again. I really hope that I get to go with Giselle and Fred because their house is seriously so cute and cozy and the ocean is RIGHT there. And they have a cute little puppy dog named Hailey and she's adorable and they have a fireplace and usidfndsnj. I'm going to be happy wherever I get to go obviously, but I think that staying with Giselle and Fred would have less pressure than staying somewhere else because they're anglophones and I kind of already know them.

Real friends clean up each other's pee.

Kayley is going home. Today was... emotional to say the least. I also got to meet the family I'm probably billeting with. They're anglophones and I love their house.

...
Eight.

Busy, busy, busy.

Seriously, everything has been just go go go go go lately.
I worked all week, obviously. Yesterday we went to Summerside and went to the pool and walked around and Kayley and I both pierced our lips! My first katima-piercing! And I freaking love it.

Today we went to the Centre Goeland and I made popcorn for like three hours. Mmm popcorn. Then we went to this fundraiser auction/variety show thing, and we performed the Katimavik song. Also, I spent $36 on a pair of mittens. That's almost TWO WEEKS pay. On mittens. Well, and I got $25 to Cafe Plus, but I really wanted the mittens.

Things like this brighten my day..

Okay so at work there's this really grumpy old lady. Like, she's just angry and bitter at all times. She sits in the common room and knits dishclothes all day. Seriously, all day, with like this crazy grumpy face. On Monday (which is ALWAYS bowling day), we were bowling, and she decided to participate. And she got a strike and smiled and jumped up and down and it was AMAZING. One of the most beautiful things I've ever seen actually.
And then on Tuesday she won at bingo twice. And afterwards she was like "I never win at bingo! Today must be my lucky day!" And it was very cute.

I get to go to Summerside for work tomorrow. I am tres excitee.

Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was fairly mellow. We had all the usual stuff, including a GIANT turkey. Nom nom nom. (that was for you dad) And the gravy was like the highlight of the meal. I pretty much stayed away from the kitchen, cause I wanted Thanksgiving to be as stressfree as possible for myself. I contributed by peeling apples and washing potatoes. Oh, and doing like ALL of the dishes. That was my Thanksgiving -- Dishes.

Also, I would like a care package. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.

C.P. 129
Wellington, PE
C0B 2E0

Send me a letter, a few tea bags, ANYTHING. please.

Also, I have postcards to send. Who wants oneee?

Le museé des pommes de terre

Today we drove for a reallly realllly long time. And went to these houses made out of bottles. They were pretty neat. The garden was probably the highlight though because it was still all... luscious even though its so cold here.
Then we went to a museum based around potatoes. I learned a lot of useless information about potatoes. But there was a REALLY big potato in front. GIANT. Definitely the highlight of the day was the giant potato.

Reconsider.

Already there have been so many moments that make me reconsider the decision to come out here. The times when we all fight with each other just because people were never taught how to communicate appropriately. And I know I'm completely guilty of getting caught up in the emotions of it all and not thinking before I speak, or thinking too much before I speak.
This experience is so completely different from what I'd expect. It's so difficult to have to constantly interact with everyone. I feel a certain obligation to always be involved, and always be revealing exactly how I feel. And the reality for me is that I don't always want to be open with people. Sometimes I just feel like curling up in a little ball and hiding from the world. But someone always finds me. Always.

*sigh*

It sounds like I'm complaining, but really, I love it here. I know that I'm going to look back on this all and it will be amazing.

I miss everyone back home so much.

Apples

We went apple picking on Saturday at Arlington Orchards. It was pretty fantastic, and we all had a lot of fun running around and climbing trees and such. Then that night, Kayley and Chantal started making cider. In the morning, Kayley and I actually drained the cider and squished it. It looked like baby poo, it was pretty disgusting. I'll be sure to post pictures when I get a chance. Then Kayley and I made apple pies with her grandma's recipe. We pretty much winged it, but they turned out super good! I was impressed with myself actually.

Now I'm at work planning a senior's activity day. We're going to go look at the basket weavers workshop and then head over to le Centre Goeland for dinner and a nature walk and stuff. Should be a good time.

Also, we tentatively figured out our 48 off! I was planning on hiding in a hotel in Summerside for the weekend, but a bunch of people are going to go to Chris' house in Halifax and party so I probably should get in on that.

Dovid is gone.

nine left.

One and a half weeks...

So um, a week and a half in and we have six verbal warnings in respect.
Yeah, I'm one of them.

Job Placement!

So yesterday we went and toured all the job placements, and then today we had interviews and it was all fairly boring. The most important part is that I got the exact job that I wanted!! I'll be assisting the recreation director at a seniors home called Chez-Nous.
I am v. v. excited!

BC poem

So, each region had to do a skit to teach the rest of the country about their area. The five BC participants came up with this beautiful poem:

Out here in BC we got a lot of trees.
We also have an actor named Keanu Reeves.
In the summer we see Canadian geese,
and up north we've got big wooly meese.
In 2010 we're hosting the Olympic Games.
It will bring a lot of fame and also some big names.
We have big mountains with lots of fluffy snow,
where we do lots of skiing and the wild wind blows.
We've got the Ogopogo, who lives deep in OK lake,
with the head of a horse and the body of a snake.
In Kelowna, SunRype was first made.
Shambhala and Pemberton, good music is played.
The forest fires burn from the dry pine needles,
and the pines that survive are destroyed by Pine Beetles.
All over BC are sandy hot beaches,
but be careful, some contain leeches!
The deserts in BC will make your skin dried.
The pot's really good, so expect to be fried.
Our wildlife includes salmon and bears,
The skytrain in Vancouver needs some more chairs!
So come to BC, jump on the next train,
It's really beautiful but expect lots of rain!

C'est tres beau!

Actual Mass-O

Okay, so, I flew across the country. I sat beside this reallly realllly weird man who was a little bit feminine Vancouver - Toronto, and my inflight movie thing didn't work =(. That didn't make me very happy at all, and then I couldn't sleep. It was tragic.
And then everyone else who was supposed to be on my Vancouver - Toronto flight that was heading to the island missed their flights. Because they were tools. So I was all alone Toronto - Charlottetown. Well, minus the fact that there were a looot of people who were going golfing. And that one guy who was soooo cute and he traveled all the time because he was part of the wind turbine business. It was pretty radical overall.
Then I was all alone and some random guy met me at the airport. And I was the first participant there. And since I had been awake for 30 hours straight, I fell asleep in the van. And then we got to the camp. And I slept some more. But then like 5 hours later someone woke me up because the rest of the participants had gotten in on a realllly big bus.
And that was the beginning of Mass-O.

The rest of it was workshops with the other people in our cluster (the people from Summerside and Alberton) and eating and skits and energizers. Overall, Mass-O was unneccesary in my opinion, and being stuck in the dirty hut with 30 other people was just disgusting. Yeahhh.

Pictures from Mass-O

On Sunday we moved into the house in Wellington that is beautiful! It's all exposed wood everywhere. There are three bedrooms, one for the girls, one for the boys and one for Cecile, our PL. But the girls bedroom is kind of divided up, and there are four beds in one section, and two beds in the other. I'm in the little room because I'd end up killing people.

So, in my group we have 6 anglophones : Kayley, Chantal, Chris, Benno, Matt and meeee. And then we have 4 francophones : David, Miriam, Cecile and Tania. I really like everyone so far, mostly. Another like major issue is the fact that everyone is getting sick and we started with 4 smokers, now we have 4 smokers and 3 psuedosmokers who only smoke cigars. Kind of not a big deal.

Today we went on a scavenger hunt around the town and we had to find out certain things. My group went to the Boys and Girls club / le centre des familles. And other places too, the the B&G club was amazing because she was SO excited to have us and they had the coolest thing I've ever seen. Instead of like a sandbox, they had puzzle pieces! it was SO cool.

But yeah, I should probably go because it's almost lunch (BLTs) and I am staaarving. I eat so much here!

shorts.

Mass O was um... kinda boring.

Like, it was exciting to meet everyone, but moving into the house with just my groupmates was so much better!!!

I will actually post a looong post at some point, but its almost 1AM and i'm soooo tired.

15 hours and 15 minutes.

Packing is done. It was a nightmare. This is the final list of things I have with me just in my main suitcase:

11 Long Sleeved Shirts/Sweaters/Hoodies
9 Pajama pants/shorts
10 pants/shorts/skirts
17 tshirts/tanktops
5 dresses
Various underwears/socks/tights
Sleeping bag
5 pairs of shoes
Other random stuff

Seriously, that's SO much stuff. All shoved into a suitcase with dimensions less than 62".
I'm impressed.

I also have a carry on bag with my pillow and a few books in it, then my "personal article" is a backpack with my winterboots and my laptop in it.

I am stoked because on my flight Vancouver-Toronto, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is on the list of movies. If we aren't allowed to watch TV because it's a red-eye, I'll cry.

I'm excited, I need to sleep.

Packing.

I am packing.
It is hell.
My sleeping bag takes up half of my suitcase.
Will update when hell is over.

6 sleeps... or well, since I should be sleeping now, 5 after this!

so in the past week a lot of katimavik related things have happened!

i got my flight information!!
and my mom opened the envelope because she's mean.
regardless, said envelope contained my flight information, a nice little letter, a little package containing helpful traveling tips IN FRENCH, a patch and two luggage tags.
i was very very very very very very excited.

it was kind of like an early birthday present, because i turned 17 on the eighth!
which made me officially eligible for katimavik, and most likely the youngest participant this year.

also... WE HIT SINGLE DIGITS IN THE COUNTDOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND THEN WE HIT LESS THAN ONE WEEK!!!!!!

my latest thing has been thinking/saying "this time next week..."
for example, today i was all "this time next week i'll be sitting in the charlottetown airport." and "this time next week i'll be setting up my sleeping bag somewhere in pei" and "this time next week i'll be SLEEPING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY WITH 30 STRANGERS"

yeah, the excitement is growing.

Twelve.

Twelve days.
That's it.
Apparently flight information got sent out today.
Should have it by the end of the week.

It's sinking in that I'll miss my family.
The thought of not seeing my brothers for nine months is getting to me.

Flying out in 17 days!

So, there was a minor confusion with my travel arrangements. Which means that I got an email asking me if I could fly to the Moncton airport. MONCTON. IN NEW FUCKING BRUNSWICK. I was a stress case and a half for an entire weekend. So, I emailed back and basically asked the transportation lady if she was on glue, and she replied saying she got me confused with someone else and she has already booked my flight out of Prince George.
Good fucking lord.
Oh, and her English sucked.

32!! 32 bloody days!!

It's officially now all I think or talk about.

I leave to New West on January 7, and then to London on March 27, I think.

Oh, and, there's a rumor that the pay is going up to $4 a day!
YAY!

39 days.

I am getting so very excited to leave! My first rotation is Wellington, PEI, with a population of about 350. Yep, my grad class was bigger than that. Next, New Westminster, BC. Which, I have to say, I don't really understand. There are very few groups that get to go to BC, so you'd think that they'd try to pick one that doesn't have a person from BC in it. Regardless, it will be nice to have my family be able to come visit me easier. The last stop on my little escapade is London, ON. Which I am faaaaaairly excited for, even though I've heard it's pretty dirty. I'm sure the work placements will be interesting, and since that's what I do for 35 hours a week, that's probably a good thing.
Katimavik called today, probably to talk about transportation. I have to call them back, but I have a feeling that I'm leaving on the 16th, considering I have to fly allll the way across the country.

Seriously though, only 39 days. That seems like nothing.