a little of this and a little of that

2011-08-26T15:37:00.002-03:00

I hate birthdays because even when you try so hard not to have expectations for or about them you always manage some how to have them and then they manage to remain horribly unmet.

That is what I'm feeling right now.

2011-03-27T18:22:00.006-03:00

Its been about a year since I even thought about this blog on my own. Life has been so busy and other things took priority for me.

I guess that I'm coming back to it because even though people know who it is that writes this blog there is a sense of anonymity that comes with expressing oneself on a blog. It feels ok to pound out thoughts and feelings while I sit on this side of the computer screen, behind my red curtains and inside these tiny walls.

I'm sitting in my little apartment with a delicious candle burning (to try and hide the smell of pancakes and bacon that I made for someone this morning) and all wrapped up in my ecu blanket. I guess both are attempts at blocking the real world out- the smell and the cold. Neither is really working.

I feel tired and like every time I let myself trust someone that it just ends up back-firing.

I cant believe that 2 years have almost passed since I moved to the Island. Its gone so quickly and so much has happened.

I think quite frequently about how much I've learned and how much I know now compared to when I first started into the program (LPN) and it boggles my MIND!
I have only 7 more weeks in total before I'm done and write the national exam. 2 of those weeks are clinical/classroom(presentation and 2 finals) and the rest of them are clinical integration. I'll be working on a convalescent care unit here in town. I spent 7 weeks there last year too, but this time I'll not be doing class time or any assignments to go with it- it'll be working full time.

I've decided to stay on the Island after I graduate. For now atleast. I already have my foot in the door a bit here with all of the clinical time that I've done so that'll help a bit and then if I do choose to go back home afterwards I'll have some experience to go with my resume.

Until then I'll be studying my tail off. Lots of information to pack into my brain before the next step happens. Lots of decisions too.

On a completely different note, Alli agreed to come to Ecuador with me in May! I'm excited. It'll be my first time back since 2009 and my first time there ever just to hang out and travel and visit with people. Lots of planning to do there. I'm so looking forward to it.

**the pic at the top is graffiti that is done at York Redoubt in NS. Nath and I went exploring last week when I was home- there are a few other pics too but I'll not put them up today.
I think this ones beautiful- its just a splash of color that I need today.

The People You'll Meet:

2010-06-10T23:58:00.003-03:00

I went out for drinks with my friend Becca tonight and they were great. Check out the Gahan House if you're in Charlottetown. Its got cool decorating and a really neat atmosphere.

Heres a thing you may or may not know about me. I like meeting random people. You can learn incredible things, be it about a person's life, or just about life in general, in a really short time span when fall into a conversation with a complete stranger.
I love meeting a child from the other side of the planet that comes into the shop while I'm working, or the elderly gentleman who is at a fútbol game cheering for his grandson or the guy that we met tonight. He's a travel writer- he's done stuff for OLN, National Geographic and some other cool things. He's in town doing a promo video for PEI tourism. Check him out, his name is Robin Esrock. He has one of my dream jobs.

and then we get the bill and 2 great things happened:

1. the drinks were cheaper than I had anticipated. (ALWAYS a good surprise)

2. a minute later the waiter came back over and took them away from us and gave them to the table of old, deep south, American men behind us, who then paid for them! (always a GREAT surprise!)

thank goodness for work in the morning for an excuse as to why I couldn't continue on their pub crawl with them. :)

**I also ran into a person that I know while I was out! That happens very rarely when you are living in a place not your native land.

2010-06-09T23:45:00.009-03:00

Epic blogging fail. I know.
I could tell you that since exams finished I've been over the top busy.... but we all know that would be a lie. Not a complete one, but close enough. I've just not really had anything that I wanted to post to the world on the internet. So I kept my fingers out of the blogging world.

As soon as I could after exams(all of which I did pass with good marks, thankfully) finished I headed home to Hali to see my fam- Mom and Dad were living it up in Mexico, so the 4 of us had lots of time together to get into whatever trouble we could come up with...
Some of the events included:
- alli nearly lighting our neighbor on fire while he was trying to fix our bbq for us.
- nathan walking around with his bare bottom hanging out of his shorts half of the time
- alli and i buzzing nath's hair while emily looked on, laughing as he angrily sat through it
- and finally, we made a trip to my favorite location in NS and so here are some pics!

Alli, Emily, Nathan

Nate.

One night we were all sitting at supper and Nath was telling me a story about something, and I looked at him and it was so strange. It was the Nathan voice that I have become used to, but it wasn't the Nathan face that I knew. It was a grown up face instead of the little boy that he still is in my head (or that he's supposed to be, according to my head). He was slightly offended when I asked him to stop talking for a minute so that I could wrap my mind around it.

we were peeking in the pond to find the little peeper frogs that were yelling at us. (Em and Nate)

I think that I could go to Peggy's Cove every evening and never become bored of or used to the beauty that makes me stop every time I look at it. Pictures just dont do it justice (although I do LOVE this one!). Peggys Cove, NS.

2010-05-16T14:17:00.006-03:00

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Finals Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and I'm done for the summer! It'll be strange, and I probably wont know what to do with myself for a couple of weeks. But YAY! First year is almost done.

Cars, Coldplay, and other Updates

2010-05-01T17:40:00.009-03:00

I just thought I'd update on a few things that I've mentioned in previous posts or things that are going on in mi vida(since I have been horrible about posting lately- sorry):

-Alli and her bf, Jeff, came to visit me a couple weekends ago. It was SO nice to have them, especially since they came at a time when I was really needing some familiar-to-my-life people. They went up about 75 levels on my favorite people list. Theres just something so great about having people tell you they love you by jumping head first into your world for a few days.
(a special shout out goes to Jeff, who is planting miniature evergreens in the rural areas of British Columbia right now).

-Remember when I said that I wanted to try to get back into running? well. it took me a REALLY long time, but finally I have got myself out, with my feet smacking the pavement again.
I have IT band syndrome, often when I run it doesnt last too long because my knee gets so sore that I look like I have a serious leg-length difference. I've been doing stretching for it, and Good News!! It hasnt been paining me so much, and also when it finally does start to hurt, its not until about 30 minutes into my run instead of 10.. :).
This week has been a bit of a write-off because of finals and its cold out. But hopefully soon I can get those runs to be a regular part of my weekly (and dare I dream to say daily?) routine.
I find that I feel so much better when that good exercise is fit in my schedule- its a good stress reliever too. Usually I do part of my run on the boardwalk in time to catch some sunset.

- FINALS are coming up in a week!!!!!! 5 more days of regular class time(presentations, final classes, and reviews).
It is unreal how quickly the past 9 months have gone. I feel like I have learned a whole new language in that time. I've made new friends, I've lived by myself(and cooked and YES I'm still alive.. maybe a bit.... mas gordita.... than 9 months ago even). I have read more school related text in these 9 months than I did in all of my 14.5 previous years of education combined. I would say that I'm a pretty good page scanner now.
Hopefully when I'm done I'll get to spend some time in Halifax.. a week would be nice. Who knows if it'll fo realz happen.

- CAR!!!! I FORGOT!!!
First of all, I'd like to say that my Mother is a queen.
Mom and I have been scouring kijiji relentlessly for the past few months, looking for a little car that was in good fairly good shape, while still being affordable. My goodness was that a slow process. I dont know how many ads I've looked at- the number is high.
Mom found one in FR for sale that seemed pretty good, and after test driving it on the Hfx pier yesterday she met with him again to get this little mini car checked out by a mechanic before making an offer. Its exciting.... first car. I probably wont use it in town much, I walk mostly everywhere and I like it, but it'll be so great for doing groceries and having (access to) a vehicle is require for my program next year. Also it'll be great for weekends like this one where I'm just itching to get home.
Does this make me a real grown up?

- A while ago I said I was going to try to do some sort of daily posts....
I knowwww. I failed at that. And now looking back, I recognize that that was a silly thing to say because who am I kidding? I've never been a great or frequent blogger. And now especially with summer coming, it would be especially futile. Sorry for lying folks.

Ok. peace to you. I'm outta here. my feet are cold and I need to tidy up my flat before someone(a HALIBODY- yay!) stops by.

**Coldplay: Viva la Vida or Death and all His friends- I know its not particularly new. but I have been really enjoying it this week. Check out their sweet Strawberry Swing vid Here!

Ineffective coping methods r/t....

2010-04-13T18:33:00.002-03:00

Do you ever feel like you're doing a really bad job of coping?

I've been looking at myself lately, and I really dont know that I am dealing with some things well.

Not that I'm dealing HORRIBLY, but just not the best that I could be. But heres the thing:
I am so tired out that I dont feel like I have the energy to do it better. How does one beat that?

This past week has been crazy-busy with clinical, with studying and trying to get a few different assignments done, with car searching, and decision making.

Some people deal with stress by hitting it straight on. Sometimes that works for me too. This week I'm just wanting an old time friend to show up at my door and to tell me what to do. (or in the case of my tests, just to write them for me :) ).

On a completely different note: I'm going to try to start running again! I miss it, and hopefully my knees will be kind to me!!! Its starting to get nice out. We'll see how it goes.

2010-04-07T16:10:00.004-03:00

The sky is grey today.

It is a perfect day to curl up beside a fire with a good book and a cup of tea.

Too bad I only have tea and text books.
That totally squashes the romanticism of the rest of it. :)

Come on Summahhhh

2010-04-06T15:22:00.004-03:00

I started writing something.
And then I got bored of it.
And if I'M bored with it, all 3 of you who read this will DEFINITELY be bored.
So I deleted it.

I think spring maybe is almost here.
Now that I've said that it'll probably snow for the next 2 weeks :P.

I started planning a trip. For after I graduate. Its exciting and gives me something to dream about. Last night I lay in bed thinking about it and it make me not be able to sleep. Does that happen much to you? I go in phases.
Atleast thinking about this is a good thing. Not worry or those other not so friendly things that flood your mind sometimes when you need sleep most.

Maybe if I had a pet gnome it could play me music so I'd sleep faster. Hmm. thats a thought. Although then Alli wouldnt visit me for sleep overs :(.
ok. no more.
I hope you guys are having a great week and are enjoying some hint-of-summer weather like I am!

A Picture is worth a thousand words...

2010-03-24T01:03:00.005-03:00

....Or more in this case.
this book shop is my favorite on in Halifax, and a couple weekends ago Becca, Daniel and I made a trip there while we were wandering around dt.

When you step into the shop you are immediately enveloped in the smell of old books- a smell that I love. It is sort of musty, and dry It makes my mind excited for whatever story is hidden behind the old hard cover, and it makes me think of tales like Huckelberry Finn or Treasure Island or The Four Little Blossoms (all titles that are sitting on the bookshelf at home).
There are literally books piled from floor to ceiling.Some are so OLD that they look as if they're about to fall apart at any moment- one that I bought on my last trip there was printed in 1910 I think. It'll be celebrating its 100th birthday this year I suppose.
There are sections for war stories, there are sections for fiction or non-fiction, there are sections for the classics, for all different religions, for books of history from all around the world They're on shelves and in boxes, in stacks on the steps and in some cases they're just laying on the floor.
Which brings me to one of the two small things that I dislike about JWD books. There are SO many- far too many to count- that often they're piled on the floor, which then leads to the piles being bumped and then all those poor books are there for the kicking. I'm sure there have been many that were ruined because they never made it to the shelf. Its a bit of a shame, but in truth, it really does make the shop incredibly unique.
The other small thing that I dont like is that they're often a little bit overpriced for the condition that they're in. I pay it anyway.:)
I love to sit in the middle of the books and look around me. I am truly surrounded by countless words; by the thoughts and works of thousands and thousands of authors. How many hours were put into making all of the books that threaten to fall over on me when I sit there?

(this magical place is J.W.Doull Books, located at 1684 Barrington St. in Halifax)

2010-03-21T22:03:00.003-03:00

Wow I' m horrible at daily blogging.
After a week in NS I'm back on the Island and tomorrow morning the routine starts all over again.
It was a good week home and I got to hang out with lots of people that I loved and I'm really grateful for that. I'll maybe post some stories or thoughts later in the week.
Heres my pic for the day:

I Love it.

2010-03-11T18:51:00.000-04:00

Is it weird that cleaning is my procrastination method?

Soup from a Stone

2010-03-10T18:55:00.007-04:00

As the blessed March Break nears, I find that I have little time or motivation to grocery shop- I'm going home in 2 days, so whats the point, right?!
I looked in the fridge this morning and found that the closest thing that I had to orange juice was a tropical orange breezer left behind from a girls night a couple of weeks ago, that there was only one egg left in the egg crate, and that generally the poor thing is looking pretty empty.

Theres not a whole lot that I dont like about living on my own, but one of the things I can say definitely that I miss is having someone to share my meal time with- be it my family or a good friend, it doesnt much matter. Its so nice to have company. Especially for the whole food prep time.
My dinner time keeps creeping later and later as I put off the eating alone part, and sometimes I just have a snack or something instead of a full out meal (which if you know me is a big deal because I hate snacky meals).
Tonight I couldnt do the snack though. I wanted the real deal, but didnt have a whole lot to work with!! After snooping in my freezer and cupboards I found that I had frozen ground beef (gag me), lentils, soup stock, rice and onions! PERFECT FOR SOUP!
so I made it! And here I am sitting here eating my delish soup, having a skype convo with my Person <3. It turned out ok after all!

The week was crazy so far. So busy. Good though. I found $20 walking home from clinical. I got to do cool dressings. I got an 82% on a test that I thought I failed for sure. I managed to silence the whole class in an embarrassing tell-off moment. And after having a momentary internal freak-out and near tears today, I found out that I DO get to go home friday (not monday) afterall!
The Ecuador team left today. Its weird not going. I'm a bit sad about it. But I'll get back eventually.

Man, my soup is so so good. I wish I could share it.

False Alarm

2010-03-05T22:25:00.004-04:00

Today marks the day where I have now officially had the same amount of snow days in one semester of college than I did in all of the 3 years that I was in highschool.

3 snow days. PEI just is itching to close the schools down!I'm not complaining. Its just soooo weird to me. Hali wouldnt close unless it was -50 celcius and the snow was over the cars.

Today as a complete false alarm though. When I got up at 9:30 (I didn't have to be at school until 11:00 today), there was no more snow that when I went to sleep- in fact it looked clearer. I'm not sure if they thought that we were going to get weather bombed or if its because roads were bad.

Spanked with a hairbrush?

2010-03-03T15:37:00.004-04:00

Yes. read it right. Today in clinical I was indeed spanked on my hiney with a hairbrush.
I was bending over making a bed and all of a sudden I felt a serious little smack on my bum!! It didnt even hurt so much as it surprised me. And then the room erupted into hysterical laughter.
What a surprise that was.

Other events from this week: we started at a new clinical location.
At the old place(BGH) the building was divided into three different units, each unit with four corridors all going out from one centre common area. Each corridor had 12 residents(44 per unit), requiring anything from assistance with some cuing(but self ambulatory for the most part and able to feed self)- there were very few of these, to total care(requiring a ceiling lift and unable to communicate or feed self)- the majority. There were 5 LPN students and 8 regular staff plus a bath person to provide care for all these people. Hectic would be a tame word. :).
The new place(PEH) is one hallway with 12 residents,7 LPN students, 3 staff plus a med nurse who helps out too.
Talk about a change in pace. Its really different. Our floor on PEH is convalescent care, with 4 long term residents on it, so most of the people are only there for a while as they recover from an injury or surgery, and until they are able to return home or to move into a LTC facility somewhere on the Island.
The majority of people there are able to do most of their own cares, maybe requiring assistance with some things, like changing from a bed-bag to a leg-bag(catheters) or putting a new appliance on(ostomies, more specifically a colostomy) to doing their excercises that will eventually bring their level of strength up to one where they can sustain themselves. There are a few dressings to do too though.
I am finding myself looking for things to do at PEH, but I'm learning that if you look hard enough, you'll always find something. Like blood sugar testing- I like the challenge of convincing someone to let me do it when they're refusing :).
I miss BGH and it's busyness, but I'm sure PEH will grow on me in time!
** shout out to Auntie Ann!! HI! Im pleasantly surprised to find that you read this!!

Eat that, America :)

2010-02-28T20:56:00.008-04:00

VS.

After heckling Americans for the past week and a bit I finally could take a deep breath tonight when finalllllly, after 67 minutes and 40 seconds of tense play time, our Nova Scotian homeboy, Sidney Crosby, scored the game winning goal in the Canada vs. USA gold medal game.
Phew.
I have to say. Though I hate being cold, and I'd really rather be living somewhere that has sun and sand, I am PROUD TO BE A CANADIAN.
Its cool to be a part of a country that has so many skilled athletes and that holds onto its integrity even in the tough times (as in not taking head shots with our hockey sticks and hitting people from behind and after the whistle.)

The girls and I went to Hunters (our regular spot) which was pretty full and met some interesting characters.... like this one chick who was wrapped in a giant Canada flag... or the group behind us. We were all laughing pretty hard at the comments that were being hollered out.

Through the game my little thumbs were busy texting the play-by-play to Ecuador, and sending support to my favorite Canadian in Texas(who was strong through it all and cheered on our Country even though he was being harassed by all his friends there).

I almost missed the game actually :( I had a nap and didnt wake up until 2o minutes into the first period, at which point I panicked and raced to meet the girls. I had 7 missed calls and 19 text messages from them. I'm glad that I woke up when I did!

MMM baking

2010-02-25T22:25:00.006-04:00

I tried my hand at something new tonight!!!When I was a little girl, whenever we visited our relatives in Vermont, my great uncle Robert would make us pop-overs in the mornings!
I've never had them anywhere else. Until tonight.
I found a recipe online and decided to try it out. They were super easy to make, and they're SO good.
Hot from the oven with jam and/or butter. y u m. some might say 'melt in your mouth, de-lish'.
They turned out:) one more recipe to go in my little yellow box!

you should try making your own!

Pizzaaaa

2010-02-20T12:36:00.003-04:00

I, today, cant stop thinking about Pizza.

Maybe cheesy slice with tomato sauce and some spices, maybe the Ecuadorian version of Hawaiian, with ham, pineapple and peaches (YUM), or Greek.
My mouth is watering.
I actually dont know of any places around here other than Piazza Joe's and I think that its more of a sit down kind of place.

I have been missing even just the idea of walking into a place and getting a huge slice of pizza... from KOD or Sicilian or something. Oh small cities.
I might try making my own later on if I have the ingredients.

2010-02-17T21:30:00.004-04:00

Do you ever feel so emotionally tired that you just dont know where to put your thoughts anymore? That you want to just shut them off and to not think or feel any thing?

I'm tired.

And I know where some of this "emotional exhaustion" has come from, and I'm trying to choose different places and things that I can put my time and thoughts into, but I'm not exactly sure where to go or what to focus on in order to do that.

I think that I need to find ways to better manage my time, and I need to start being more active so that I'm not feeling so physically tired (despite doing nothing). Those are some ways maybe I can be more efficient. And if I'm busy with bein good with my time- some spent on school and running or the gym or something- maybe I'll just not have time to dwell on the stupid things that have had my mind all worked up lately.
A couple weeks ago a friend of mine was asking me what I thought about her relationship with someone... and a verse popped into my head (which hasnt been happening a whole lot lately).... the Proverbs 4:23- Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
I havent been guarding my heart very well lately. And now I'm feeling it.

A few from the weekend...

2010-02-15T21:26:00.008-04:00

I made a quick decision to go home to Hali on friday, so I got to spend some time with a few people in my family, and then Mom, Alli, and Em all drove me back(they were coming anyway) on Sunday!
I love visitors in Ch.town. My place was full-up with people(its so tiny that it really doesnt take many), but it was so great to have them all here!

We went for a walk this morning....Ice sculpture at the Jack Frost Winter Festival(it was my fav)

Mom, before going down the ice slide:)

Mom after the ice slide :)

:(

2010-02-13T18:51:00.001-04:00

second biggest pet-peeve ever.

being forgotten/ someone not calling to tell you they cant hang out

Today I....

2010-02-12T22:20:00.003-04:00

1. woke up 20 mins before my alarm
2. had a sausage bfast sandwich from Timmy Ho's (I LOVE them)
3. made valentines in Pharm class- first time in about 7 years. i still hate that day
4. lost my phone:(
5. found my phone :D
6. roadtripped to NS with Becca
7. visited with a friend that I love
8. surprised my mother bigtime (and sisters too)
9. ate dinner with my parents- first time in a while
10. waved out my kitchen window to my neighbor who was in her kitchen! (she waved back)
11. watched tele with my mom :)
12. ate wayyy too many chips with dip

what a good day.

Today I met a man...

2010-02-11T18:29:00.005-04:00

...His name is Jack.

After sitting in the stuffy classroom all day today, I got home and decided to go for a walk. I popped my camera in my pocket and grabbed some $$ for Starbucks(grande skinny vanilla steamer, extra hot, no foam) and headed out the door, undecided on where exactly I'd be going.

With my drink in hand I headed down toward the waterfront.
I didnt know(but soon found out) that most of it was actually blocked off because there is a snow sculpting competition going on. I decided to walk close anyway.

This is where Jack comes into the picture.
He wanted my Starbucks. I said no. And the conversation went from there!
He is from Ontario, it turns out, and is in Chtown for the Jack Frost winter carnival. Its his first time doing snow sculpting, but he does stone work just for his own entertainment. Hes competing against a few people from PEI, others from other parts of Canada, and one man from Portugal. Neat, eh?

We chatted for a while. I learned he has family in Dartmouth and this is his first time visiting PEI, hes now been to every province, but not to any of the territories. His eyes were the most piercing blue. He loved to talk, and I'm sure has a million stories to tell.

I was going to help him shovel snow away from his sculpture (which is a big version of the little bobsled team done of stone in the pic), but it was cold and he wanted to watch himself be interviewed on the news. I was invited to go watch too, but I chose life and after repeating his website's name twice I just continued on my way.

I love meeting randoms.
Check out Jack's other stuff HERE.

2010-02-10T15:44:00.005-04:00

I fail at blogging. I know. I just am not good at having long and smart or interesting or important things to say every couple days. So I am going to put only a few lines, but more frequently. If I'm inspired maybe a long one.
Maybe it'll be a quote of from the day. Or a short story. Or a photo.

Heres todays photo:

I scouted through some pictures this afternoon and found it, and really its not an overly special or significant foto. Its not really beautiful or flattering or any thing you might expect.
But it is from a really great day.
And when I look at it, I am reminded of good friends and freedom and the smell of summer.
Ahh summer. I cant wait for it.

2010-01-22T16:42:00.002-04:00

Last night I packed up my school bag and walked over to my friend Red's for our weekly tv sesh (Grey's and Private Practice- back to back, its always a late evening).

There were no clouds at all so it was really cold, but the stars were clear and bright. It was beautiful.

As I walked I thought that even though my life is so busy right now- school and clinical are absolutely exhausting- but even though I am so tired that I hardly think straight, I am content.

I felt content walking from my house to hers. I have great friends here, I really love my program, and as difficult and even painful it is sometimes, establishing a new life and figuring out who I am apart from my family, I am really glad that I'm here.

faces

2009-12-22T00:10:00.009-04:00

so glad to have made it into Briggins' "faces of christmas 2009" album.

today Briggins and I did some holiday cheermiester activities... aka christmas shopping...
and we made one more happy face to share in this season.

it was fun to see people looking to see what we were doing on the lawn of the public library in dt halifax. :) even Sir WC was overlooking the event.

it made for a funny afternoon.

a little piece of history

2009-12-13T21:30:00.003-04:00

I never thought I'd see this day..... some of you might understand, althought most might not..
I just had to photo-document it. :)

2009-11-08T14:33:00.003-04:00

hey amigos...

my neighbors cut me off from their internet. i have none (except for at school). hence no updates in a while.

things are good. i have some awesome friends here and i'm ridiculously studious these days and cant wait for christmas break.

time is flying.

it snowed the other day. thats it.

peace to all.

2009-10-23T16:59:00.012-03:00

Fall in Chtown seems to be a bit mixed up.. as in it thinks it needs to zoom by and to rush in the freezing weather and the snow. of course its wrong, but its beautiful here anyway.

Alli and Chris, I wish I could send you some of our autumn colors, crisp fall air and the smell of fallen leaves in a box. Love you Girls even though you're so far away.

I got to see some great friends last weekend. And a family member too! It was so nice. A breath of fresh air. They ran their hineys off and those of us cheering wildly from the sidelines were so proud.

in total there were 11 NSers here last weekend. These guys are just a few!
**last picture borrowed from Sheilagh's fb.

** This entry may contain nudity which might offend some viewers. View discrecion is advised.

2009-10-14T20:47:00.007-03:00

Today I was feeling lonely, so I decided that I would go purchase a friend.

Meet Ken. What a babe.

Ok... the truth is that as much of a hunk as Ken may be, I needed him not for friendship, but to study for Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) and Health assessment. Call it using or abusing or exploiting, whatever. I'm doing it.

Right now in Health assessment, and to some extent in A&P, we're going through all sorts of systems. Integumentary system, respiratory system, lymphatic system, I think you get it. We're learning how they work and how to know where to find pulses, how to palpate for them, where to hear heart sounds, and where lymph nodes are and where and how to feel them too!
All sorts of incredibly interesting and useful things.

This is where Ken comes into play. I decided to save him from a life of little girls putting clothes on him and forcing him on endless dates with a girl that looks like she's going through extensive liposuction and plastic surgery, and to use him to help me learn where everything is!

Navy- Pulses
Red- Positions for Cardiac Auscltation(listening to the heart)
Green- Palpable lymph nodes.

As we learn more I'll add more on... I think he's turning out great! (he actually looks really cool with everything marked on.. but I might just think that because its helping me to see and remember things which I otherwise would have to look up in the book everytime I wanted it.

** side note. there were flakes falling from the sky today. its way too early for that kind of precipitation!

2009-09-21T20:56:00.010-03:00

Tomorrow is a new season.
The "autumnal equinox" as some would call it.
For the rest of us, just "Fall".

Theres no denying that this past summer has been a season of change in my life.
A lot has happened. Some things happened that made me stronger. There were lessons that I learned the hard way, while other things challenged and changed who I am. Some changes are ones that I will embrace, others are ones that I don't welcome at all. And while still yet there are other changes that are still in the works.

My mind and heart have worked through a lot. I sometimes feel like I've been hardened. Thats a change that I don't like. There is a whole lot that remains to be processed.

The past month has been close to, if not THE most challenging one I've ever experienced. I started a new life in many ways! A new city and along with that a new routine, new friends. New responsibilities and goals. I'm a "grown up" now. ha. :) But its true, its all different. I'm so different.

I can safely say that in many ways I'm not at all the same person that I was 6 months ago. But there are some parts of me stay the same, sin cambio.

This is the turn of a season. Goodbye to the old. Hello to the new. I'm leavin' it all behind.

Charlottetown: Birthplace of Confederation

2009-09-14T16:26:00.004-03:00

Did you know that Charlottetown is named after Queen Charlotte, wife of George III (England) and became the capital of PEI in 1765?!

Its true.

I cant believe that a week has passed since I moved here. Its been a busy week, filled with different emotions and small lessons.
It is certainly different living here rather than NS. And of course that is to be expected. This is the first time that I've moved somewhere and am living on my own, rather than with someone else.
Sometimes its a little bit lonely, I especially feel that when I'm eating supper on my own. But other times its nice!! I only ever have my own things to clean up after (except for days like today when people are fixing things in my apartment and there is drywall dust all over my floor when I come home).

Classes started last wednesday, readings started the next day! (4 chapters= 71 pages on the first night). They're not wasting any time, thats for sure. But its good because then I can be busy get a routine established quickly.

I've also been making my place cozy. I WISH I had a camera so that I could take some pictures of this place to put up. I'll have to save my shoppers points :).
This past weekend my Mom, Alli, and Grandparents were here to visit me. It was so nice to see G&G after 2 years. They came bearing gifts :) and groceries :):). Art came in the form of a wicked charcoal nudie drawing (THANKYOU JFRIZZ!!) which I love love love; and in the form of Alli painting beauty flowers.
With the help of Josh and an electric drill I finally have curtains up! No more peep shows for you, Neighbors. sorry. They make it homey, and we came out of it with only 2 extra holes in the wall. :)
I've explored a little and experienced some Looneys outside my house. I've burned myself and cooked only 2 real meals, I'm working on making friends, and I'm currently experiencing my first ailment in the new place- just a cold, nothing serious.

a quick shout out to the creators of Skype. those guys are THE BOMB. seriously.

dqh 23 g48ht gqdi w3d435 j3wwqtew?? 8 j8ww 5y3j.

Farewell to Nova Scotia

2009-09-06T00:12:00.003-03:00

After living the majority of the past 21 years in Halifax (with a couple summers at camp, another in Alberta, and a few months in Ecuador), a change is about to occur. Tomorrow morning I am moving to PEI.
I'll be honest, as I'm sitting here in my quiet kitchen that I have spent so much time in over the past 21 years, with all the lights off except for one, my eyes are a little bit watery.

I dont love change. I find it really hard. And I'm about to make a big change. A new city. New friends. New routine. New apartment, and new responsibilities.

People keep asking me if I'm excited. I would have to answer no to that question at this point. I am excited about a couple of things- like decorating my place and making it my own home- but generally I am not.
I am scared.
Scared that I'll be immensely lonely. Scared that I will find my program too hard. Scared that life here is going to move on and leave me behind.

I'm sure these tears arent the last ones that will be shed during this whole transition period. I'm feeling small and weak and incapable tonight.
hopefully all of these insecurities will pass once I get moved over.

And there it was, Gone.

2009-08-24T10:02:00.005-03:00

Time flies!

Its hard to believe that it's already the last week of August. The trees have faded a little bit, some are even losing a few of their leaves, the hay fields are golden, and I'm nearly 21. It seems just a short while ago I was having my "turning 20" crisis.

Classes on the Island start in 2 weeks, and I move in less than that!
I was accepted into the Practical Nursing program FINALLY, and now am scrambling to do all sorts of the planning and organizing that goes along with going into a new program and moving to a different province!
Thank the Lord for good and supportive friends, both here and there.
After lots of searching online and emails back and forth with different people, and a whirlwind trip to Ch.town, I managed to find a tiny little apartment to rent for the upcoming year. Its on the top floor of what was once a single family dwelling. Its cute a cute blue with yellow trim. Cheerful! There is a balcony out on the deck which will be great in the fall and spring, and I'm excited to make it my own.

In other news, I have agreed to train for and run the PEI half marathon with my friend Hannah! It should be fun. And challenging, but thats ok! Her house is less than a 10 minute walk from mine so I'm sure we'll be spending loads of time together with sore muscles and piles of homework. cant wait.

kitchen and bathroom. its teeny, I know.

Hey DAN!! (hey what??!) INTRODUCE YOURSELF! (no way!) INTRODUCE YOURSELF!! (OK!)

2009-08-08T10:15:00.001-03:00

1 2 3 4 5, my name's Dan and I say "Hi!"......

Ok. so heres how the story of my "boyfriend Dan or Don" goes.

It all starts 3 years ago in front of the Dal SUB. What a sunny day it was, and Jill McEvoy and I were walking to go have our lunch together when we spotted this guy with these great pecs. we both noticed them/him, so dont just make fun of me. We were totally like 12 year old girls and checked him out. Then, just as quickly as he appeared, he was gone. He had reddish brown hair and freckles.

For the next couple of months I kept spotting him around campus, and my dear friend (who will remain unnamed) saw him everywhere too!!
And then one day I was on facebook (back when it was just for university students), and I was scoping out this group and who's face pops up, but HIM! His name was Dan.

So now my nameless friend and I had a name to call this boy when we saw him. The sightings were frequent, and glorious, and became a HUGE joke because we both would get so excited when we saw him that it was rediculous. We even had a couple classes with him.

Over the years the joke has continued, and still whenever we see him we immediately call one another (or as soon as we can). Jenni got in on the Dan love too.
it was reported to me that Dan-sightings had ceased on the Dal campus, and the theory was that he didnt really exist, but instead was a state of mind(that only I could achieve, apparently).

One day this past May, Jenni and I were in the mall and were on the escalator and I got SO excited because I thought that I saw Dan leaving the mall. Unfortunately I was disappointed to find that it wasnt him, but someone who looked like him from behind. So we carried on our way, across the street to WalMart. So we're talking and walking through Wally's and this person passed me and I turned to double glance them and WHOIS WALKING 5 FEET BEHIND ME????!! You got it. Dan R. Ask Jenni. I did an ACTUAL double glance. turned beet red. started to laugh and hissed madly to her "JENNI!!! Dan is RIGHT behind us".
It was so bad that I had to turn down an aisle immediately because I was cracking up.
So. we continued our shopping and ran almost right into Dan not once, not twice, but 3 times!

That night I called the third party of the Dan crush to tell them Alllll about it, perhaps it was the giggles or the part where his name was said over and over that helped my Dad to somehow get the idea that I was dating him..

""Julia may have a boyfriend (Don or Dan) and is beside herself." freeman

Just for the record, do not have a boyfriend named Dan or Don.

**dan update

2009-07-22T14:57:00.002-03:00

I completely forgot that I had put up that picture of Dan and written about how my dad was convinced that I was dating "Don or Dan".

I'll post the story, starting from the very beginning, later this week :)

2009-07-22T14:51:00.001-03:00

Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.

- Roger Miller

2009-07-08T19:53:00.002-03:00

***LATEST NEWS

I just heard that its supposed to be 5 degrees celsius here tonight with a possibility of frost.

I am planning a mass exodus from NS to somewhere in the Southern hemisphere. Anyone is welcome to join, suggestions on location are welcomed too.
Just add your name and contact information to the "comments" section at the bottom of this post we'll take it from there.

If it happens in the sky, Cindy Day...

2009-07-08T15:41:00.004-03:00

... has obviously predicted the exact opposite.

Sorry Cindy, I've always been more of a Peter Coade girl.

After nearly 2 weeks of overcast skies, thick fog, and rain, I am beyond ready to open up my eyes and see the sun.

My tan has faded, my hair is losing its summer-blonde streaks, and the humidity around here is making all my clothes feel damp even if they should be dry and my normally fairly straight hair turn curly. As a radio personality said last night, this is a great April we're having here in July. I think that sums it up quite nicely, actually!

The upside of this weather is that its been great for running in!! With my three amigos away at camp this summer, I've had loads of time to hit the pavement to fit in some exercise. I went for a run the other day and by the end of it I was so sticky that jumping in the lake was a great finale!

Schoooools out for the summerrrr

2009-06-17T10:27:00.007-03:00

Today Sam and I were doing a morning walk through a neighborhood here in H-town, and when we rounded a corner, to my surprise, we were greeted by music being played out across a soccer field, and the sight of 100 miniature humans(commonly known as children) hopping in burlap sacks, waving a giant parachute in the air, running obstacle courses, and doing various relays!

OF COURSE! I thought to myself. Its a field day!!!
One knows they're getting old when they forget that not only do field days exist, but they are what a child lives for in the last few days and weeks of school before summer vacation. The chance to go outside, to get away from the stuffy classroom, away from the books and the whiteboards and the threat of homework. The excitement of playing with every other kid in school out in the sunshine (of course, because we all know that field days dont happen in the rain!).

2009-06-15T23:48:00.004-03:00

I'm missing my friends and life in Guayaquil a lot tonight.

I miss sitting out by my house with a cup of tea as the sun set and watching all the different vehicles- trucks, motos, cars, 3-wheeled creatures- driving by. I miss waking up early every day to go to school to teach all the miniatures. I miss hanging out at youth group and I miss dinner with Heather in the back yard, even though we were paranoid about ENORMOUS rats getting us, or lagartillas falling on our heads.
I miss laying in the hammock in the living room and realizing that the Vinces boys are outside the house, not saying anything, just waiting for me to realize it.

I miss arguing with Mauro. Not really. but I miss that guy- his showing up right when I was in the middle of something, and his sitting and watching. we had some really good convos sometimes and i miss them.

My heart is aching a bit.

briggins and julia's MUST SEE movie list. updated from november 2006

2009-06-10T22:53:00.005-03:00

* Grease (briggins)

* Ice Age (briggins)

* Pirates of the Caribbean..1, 2, 3 (briggins)

* Benchwarmers

* Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (julia)

* Rambo movies

* Rocky movies

* Pride and Prejucide (old version) (briggins)

* Sixteen Candles (briggins)

* Ferris Bueller's day off (briggins)

* Fiddler on the Roof (julia)

* Pulp Fiction (briggins)

* Bone Collector

* Austin Powers (all 3)

* Elf (briggins)

* Charlie Brown's Christmas (julia)

red- viewed

- leave a comment with some of your favorites that we should see!

quote of the week.

2009-06-08T12:59:00.006-03:00

"Julia may have a boyfriend (Don or Dan) and is beside herself."

- Dad, in an email to mom while she was in Uganda.

** I do not have a boyfriend named Dan or Don.

Thanks, but no thanks

2009-06-03T09:22:00.005-03:00

After spending a good part of last week camping in Keji with Dad, Jessie (the dog) decided to bring home some special friends to share with us that she picked up on her vacation!

We were first alerted to their presence in our home when Nathan found one on his neck last night.
Its funny, the physical response to those things. Even though he got it off and safely chopped it up and then flushed it down to the Arm, he couldnt stop rubbing the spot where it had been.

I hate ticks, so I worked hard to convince myself that there were no others apart from the one the Nath found and the one that was pulled off of Jessie a few minutes later.
I was wrong.
After reading in bed for a little while, and before I fell asleep I discovered one on my leg! Thank goodness it didnt bite me- it was just crawling. But it was in my bed. Finally I found it (I had flung it on the floor), killed it and convinced myself it was safe to sleep.

What sicko creatures those things are. I could live without them. THAT is for sure.

question of the week:

2009-05-24T20:17:00.003-03:00

"when you're home alone...

...do you talk to yourself?"

Nursing Update

2009-05-19T21:55:00.003-03:00

First: I definitely think that nursing dresses should make a comeback. I bet they're wayyy comfier than scrubs.

Second: time for the update re: my nursing application!

I have not been accepted... yet.
I called HC the other day to find out the status of my application since I completed a few other requirements and mailed them in to admissions.
Technically my application isnt even finished yet since my math mark isnt what it needs to be.
Right now I am in the process of doing a math12 equivalent course at SMU so that I can get my mark from a 62% to above a 65%(the mark that I received and the mark that I need, respectively). SO. when I get my midterm mark from that course I'll mail it on over and then see what happens.

After the woman told me that they had infact received the second half of my application, I asked her whether or not the course was full. And she said that yes, it is full. BUT there is a waiting list because there are always a few people who drop out of the program, and the strongest applicants get put on to the waiting list. I asked her what I could do to make myself a stronger applicant and she said "no, just keep in touch and make sure you send in your marks as you get them".

So I have no idea if they're just dragging me through the mud for nothing, but I'll go with it because I really really really want to be part of that program. And I think that I successfully portrayed that to her in the phone call.

OH! And. I got an email from a friend who helped put the LPN program together at HC, and who also teaches some of second year, and she told me that she contacted admissions and gave me a pretty great (not her words, mine) reference!

So heres to hoping. again.
I'll keep y'all posted on the status.
Sorry it took so long. and that I am not a smooth blogger. and that i'm not good at words! :)

2009-05-18T20:46:00.002-03:00

Jonathan Forbes. I'm totally on to you.

over the sea and across the desert.

2009-05-16T13:05:00.004-03:00

After several months of planning, organizing, fundraising and YEARS of dreaming, my Mom finally left last night to go to Uganda for just over 3 weeks!
For years she's stood behind us and waved us off as we flew to Ecuador time and time again, and now its her turn!
I'm excited for her. Its about time. She has wanted to do missions for a while, and this is her starting with a Bang.

For the past 2 weeks, there have been several enormous duffle bags laying in different parts of the living rooms or kitchen. She's packed and re-packed, making sure that none of them weighted over 50lbs.
Today she is in London for several hours (thought I think she's probably back now at the airport getting ready to fly to Ethiopia, and then Uganda). She kept talking about this guy, Sully, who had never been to London before and was excited to go into the city, even just for a few hours, and look around a little bit! She mentioned him a few different times(and the others too, but this story is about him) in different passing questions or stories as she got ready, usually Kevin(another team member, probably late 30s, early 40s) and I was picturing him as this guy, mid 40s balding a little bit with glasses. So how surprised was I when we showed up at the airport last night to find out that Sully is NOT a 45 year old man, balding, or even with glasses!, but instead a young basketball player from DAL, who is my age or maybe a year older. :)

Now begins the madness that happens in our house when Mom is gone. Dinner preps. Driving people every which way, usually in complete opposite directions, needing to be at their destinations at the same time.

I think we'll survive. hopefully.
I think she'll survive too! hopefully. its her first time away from home for so long since she was married(24 years), she told me.

oh. and. I wasnt the only one with that mental picture of Sully... Alli thought it too!!

p.s. who from Plano keeps checking my blog? I'm so curious.

2009-05-03T01:05:00.003-03:00

tonight i found a potential flatmate for next year. THE most random mix ever, but who knows. it could be good.

now just to get into that program.

roller coaster

2009-04-23T23:13:00.005-03:00

I just have to share this little happening that occured yesterday/today:

So. I was talking to my amigo Daniel. From Ecuador, of course, hence the "amigo" part.
Good conversation. Its been a while since we talked so it was really nice to have the chance to catch up a bit.
Through out the conversation there were a couple things that he said that hinted sort of, though it could depend on interpretation, that maybe he was in Canada. and then he asked me what I was doing tomorrow (today). when I said "nothing" he said "want to hang out?"

NOW. a little history. a couple years ago he was trying to come up to Canada for a visit in the summer. But the Canadian government rejected his visa application. That is a whole other can of worms that we wont get into.
So I know that the chance of his being in Canada is actually basically none, but one can hope.

So OF COURSE I immediately get so excited. inside. and then almost as quickly I think "this has to be a lie, I mean, how could this possibly happen seeing as how he's teaching in the school, trying to get registered to go to University, last time he tried to come they shot him down, Jannas not here and theres no WAY that she would miss out on seeing Daniel in Canada...".
There were so many reasons as to why it could not be true... but at the same time there were a few things that were saying "it could be the truth. And then my internet cut out.
So eventually I got back and asked him if he was kidding or not, and he joked around a little more and then said that yes, indeed he was kidding.
So then I had to sleep and he had to go. so the end of part 1.

THEN I go to get into bed and see that on my phone there is an email in my inbox.
and the email said "I'm in Canada. find me". and then I think WHAT IS GOING ON HERE. so I had another mini freak-out because still deep down I'm hoping SO much that he's not kidding and will show up at my house.

Then today I was on the computer and saw him online AGAIN. And so we started a conversation on skype. with video. and of course his background was his house in block 10. Guayaquil, Ecuador.

I knowww it was a long shot. but I would have been so incredibly happy to have him here.
It made me realize how much I miss face to face conversations and just being with people who I love who are so far away. And how much I want them to know my world here. But at the same time I found my self wondering if someone from Ecuador were to come here, what would they think of my home? My family? My city? The other half of my life?

Freedom in their dance

2009-04-19T23:31:00.007-03:00

do you know that there are approximately 15 million children orphaned worldwide due to AIDS?

Watoto is an organization that provides care and sponsorship for kids that have lost either one or both parents to AIDS in Uganda. They put the children in a home with a "mother" and a few other boys and girls in a village so that they have education, health care, a good home, and all that goes along with those things.
On Wednesday evening there was a concert put on at Grace by the Watoto childrens choir and I am SO glad to have gone!

I mean, who would be unhappy seeing a whole bunch of the cutest kids on the PLANET dancing and singing their hearts out.
A couple kids told a bit about their lives- there was one boy- 9 years old- and he was abandoned when he was 5 at the side of the road. But as he sang and danced with his little arms and legs swinging and clapping and stomping he looked so free! and filled with joy.

It would be incredible if the Church of North America worshipped Jesus as freely as those kids were doing it the other night!

*all photos taken by Matt McMullen

I fell in love with the Seaside...

2009-04-17T23:39:00.009-03:00

Peggys Cove
April 2009
co-pilot: Briggy

I finally got back to Peggys. I felt refreshed. Not back to my norm... but it was definitely good to be back laying on an ancient granite landscape that was dropped by the glaciers as if they were pebbles thousands of years ago.
I felt small.

I decided to snap a few shots of things that I'd not noticed before in the whole Peggys round-trip....

la ultima semana

2009-03-21T01:43:00.003-03:00

Hey guys, happy Saturday!

Another week of camp is over and another one begins not this upcoming Monday, but the next one. It'll be campamento mayores- the sr.high and a wee bit older camp.

Just a reminder to pray for the people that will be there. Both the people in leadership positions and also the campers. There will be ones from all different walks of life.
I wish I could be there. But alas, I cannot be. So I'm doing my part here by talking to the Big Guy and by reminding all of you too!

when is it ok......

2009-03-14T00:38:00.005-03:00

.... to quit entirely?
to give up.
to throw in the towel.
please tell me when.

I'm home from Ecuador now. One week went so fast. It was a bittersweet week.
SO good to be back. SO good to get to spend some time with so many of my good friends.
SO hard to just jump in and jump back out.

Camp was crazy as always.. nothing else is to be expected! It was a lot of fun, and there were several kids from my fourth grade English class from last year at camp, so that was really nice. But it made me realize that I much prefer the normal day-to-day life that happens back in the city. The coming and going. The waking up early to go to the school. Things like that.

While there were a few friends that I didnt get to connect with at all during my time, I did get to see and chat with the majority of them.
Some conversations were serious. Others left me laughing to kill myself. While others yet left me wondering what is the best way to refuse a proposal??! (only one of those)
Others sent me home with a sore heart.
One of those conversations... more like a confrontation actually... was continued tonight. And it left me feeling shaken up and a bit nauseated to be quite honest.
Some people are hurting so so much that the only way they know to make themselves feel any better is by hurting other people around them. This particular friend is someone that I really love. And to be honest,I dont really know why! I couldnt tell you the number of times I'm been in the "friends penalty box" with this dude- receiving the silent treatment every time. And usually about nothing. Maybe a difference in opinion or my forgetting to say hello or something. And yet he holds a little section in my heart, and I cant seem to kick him out of it.
The other day I was praying LORD, when is it ok to just quit? When is it ok to stop caring about this person and to move on... because quite truthfully I'm tired of the games and of having to hide the fact that my feelings are actually a bit hurt- and, by the way, how does it happen that after so many times it sort of doesnt even hurt anymore?!
And you know what He told me? Never. "70 x 7, girl, and thats just a metaphor" He said.
And I said (then and again today), "but it HURTS!"
And He said to me today "Think about how much it kills me every time you miniatures choose not to love me." and He doesnt quit.
Loving unconditionally is so dang hard. SO HARD.

i'm leaving on a jet plane... and will be back next week.

2009-02-27T22:28:00.003-04:00

Finally, the time has come.
Tomorrow morning while all of you still have visions of sugar plums dancing in your heads, I (with the rest of the Ecuador team) will be flying away from the land of the silver wood and home of the beaver, all the way past the town of the tea party, through the deep south drawls, and will finally land in the country which holds my heart.

I'm pumped.

2009-02-17T11:09:00.007-04:00

On New Year’s Eve I was standing alone, waiting for a bus after working a day shift. It was dark and the stars were bright, and cars were zooming past me on the highway as I listened to my music. Basically it was a classic scene from a movie where someone is reflecting on their life, and the events that have brought them to be where they are in that moment. So I did it. As I sat there I couldn’t help but think about all of the things that took place over the past 12 months- the people that I met, the places that I visited or lived, the stories that I heard and a few of the lessons that I learned- that placed me where I am today.
So many things happened, and my world was truly rocked a few different times, but I can honestly say that nothing in the past year (or actually past few years) came even close to teaching me so much and shaping me so dramatically to be the person that I am today as my few short months spent in Guayaquil, Ecuador this past spring. So many of you so faithfully prayed for me and supported me financially during the weeks and months that lead up to and during my time spent in Ecuador, both at camp and in my time working in the school. I have so many photos and stories to go along with each one of them. I wish that I could share them all with you.
(If you have internet please feel free to look at some pictures from camp and my time there last year. I will note the website address at the end of the letter!)
I cannot believe that it has been nearly a whole year since I left on that adventure. I’m excited to be able to tell you that I have been given the opportunity again to go back as a leader with the youth team from Fall River Chapel. Though this year the trip will be much shorter, I am SO excited to return and see old friends and help with the camp session again, and I just could not pass up that chance.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately why I so quickly jump into these trips- helping with the planning and the fundraising and even this year teaching Spanish- and the conclusion that I came to as to why I am so willing (at least in part), is because I can’t let the opportunity to be a part of something that is so much bigger than I am, slip by me.

In these weeks at camp so many people are blessed and given a much needed rest. There are so many kids that get to camp and are thrilled to pieces to have a soft mattress to sleep on, as opposed to cramming 4 or more bodies onto a thin mattress at home, to be able to play games until the sun goes down (and sometimes even later), to splash in the ocean where their biggest fear or worry is NOT whether they will have dinner that night or if it is safe to play outside, but instead whether or not they’ll step on a stingray or a dead fish (both of which happened last year- unfortunately, and to the same person), to be able to cuddle up in a hammock with their friends or cabin leaders and to be eating three FULL meals a day(sometimes they eat so much that they get a tummy ache). Most of the kids that come to camp come from a part of the city, Guayaquil, called Bastion Popular. None of them can afford the $75.00 that it costs per person each week. Bastion Popular is a slum that has over 1 million people. It is full of gangs, drugs and alcohol, violence, abuse and extreme poverty. Many of the leaders at camp are from Bastion, grew up coming to camp and now have stepped into the leadership positions both at camp and at home in their church communities. It’s really cool to see the impact that camp has had on so many lives over the years since it started.
Every year I reach a point where I wake up in the morning panicking because I don’t know how the funds for the trip are going to come in. Will we have enough? How will we get them? This is especially the case this year, as several different roadblocks have popped up- anything from events being snowed out to the event location canceling to there not being enough time or interest to do an event. But of course, you’ve guessed it, every single year the Lord provides us not only what we need, but abundantly more. One year those extra funds were used to buy a bus for the Esperanza de Bastion (Hope of Bastion) school. Other years they have been used to help fix up the school or prepare it for the upcoming school year. You would think that after several years of my foolishness that I would learn that He does and WILL provide.

One week and a bit until take off. I haven't even thought about packing other than to realize that I have only 1 pair of shorts. But I am so looking forward to our time there....

"casa de café"

2009-01-30T23:54:00.005-04:00

how time flies.
it was once again time, tonight, for the (hopefully annual) coffeehouse fundraiser for the Ecuador trip!! After several weeks of throwing different ideas back and forth between the team members, the time was upon us. Jon Ryan did a super job of getting things organized and the night went together REALLY well.
And of course every event has its blips and bumps- tonights was when Jenn shook the whipped cream dispenser too much and it exploded alllll over the kitchen- walls, window, floor, ceiling, etc.) and anyone that was standing anywhere near her or the container.

Featured throughout the evening were :

Andrew Veysey doing some of his own songs

Jon Bryant doing a musical mix... I heard some Caedmons call at one point, and maybe he did some of his own stuff too- I didnt get to sit and hear it all

The Contact doing a few songs from their most recent album Canvas Tears.

Its always so good to see so many people jammed into a space to be together and supporting a truly good cause. And what better cause is there than sending a couple hundred kids to a camp where they are free to play games all day, eat until their little tummies are so full they cant eat another bite, race into the waves in the ocean squealing with delight, and to sleep soundly and safely on a good mattress?!

There were so many people there that I really didnt get to talk to a lot of the people that I would have loved to, but I really did enjoy my time.

thanks to everyone who came out!!!
We are now just that much closer to our goal of getting there :) and what a good night it was.

** photos to come.
***Tim, I heard you were looking for a new post. haha. Sorry amigo, I've lost motivation in this area as of late. I'll try to put them up more frequently.

TOP 10: Things not to learn by trial and error!

2008-11-16T21:48:00.004-04:00

...in no particular order....

Skydiving
Flying an aircraft
Cave diving
How to perform surgery - brain
- laser eye
Hairstyling (though I think it should be any job related to aesthetics)
Crocodile wrestling
Sword swallowing
Bomb/mine deactivation
Dentistry for lions/other large cats
Septic-tank cleaning

*special mention goes to: not running with scissors*

feel free to add YOUR favorites to the list!

The hills are alive..... on third floor.

2008-10-25T23:10:00.003-03:00

I think that the world has been deceived. It has been lead to believe that nuns, sisters, whatever you choose to call them, are either grumpy and strict, or they're singing and twirling across the hills (which just happen to be alive with the sound of music).

Ok. maybe its not actually that bad. But those are some stereotypes that popped into my mind.

Here is the truth.
Nuns are hilarious. I got a new job and I work with those girls for 12 hr shifts a few times a week.
These sisters have stories to fill more books than any library on this planet could every hold, they ALL have routines and stick to them like the 10 commandments, they all love love love Steve Murphy, they watch trashy entertainment shows and movies that are on at 3, and each one is very much her own lady, and I truly enjoy my job. I love being able to chat and listen with the sisters as I go about my day.
I wish so much that I could remember some of the absolutely hi-larious comments that I've heard in passing, I'm going to start writing things down. They're so funny.

I'll write more stories once I get them.
Until then, know this. I think my job, which maybe a lot of people would think is uncomfortable or yucky (which is sometimes is), is going to be great.

Photo Highlights

2008-09-30T00:02:00.025-03:00

Here are some snaps of events from my summer...

Quality time with Mike and Tysie right after I got home....

Breakfast sandwiches with Briggy and Jenni

Visiting with Family
(Uncle Doug)

a Jose Gonzalez concert

(fantastic guitar player)

and swimming with some old-time Grace amigos.

Multi-colored costumes

and

multi-colored skies
Giant smiles

And some quality time together....

My mom always told me.....

2008-09-20T23:52:00.003-03:00

.....that time went faster the older you were.

And I always thought that she was crazy.
Advice: never call your mother crazy- even in your head.

The past 7 months have gone by faster than I could ever imagined possible.
I have been so busy. They have been so full.
And dont get my wrong, I was busy with good things. Things that made me feel productive and used(in a good way) and like I was a part of something so much greater than the small person that I am. And those months were full-up with excitement, trials, things which made me uncomfortable.

Camp was great. Ecuador changed me. I learned so much and fell in love with a whole new life.
But now that those things are over(for now), I have to be honest and say that I'm feeling a little bit lost! Every morning for the past 7 months when I woke up I had a job, a purpose for the day. Be it teaching wonderfully impish kids English(aka keeping them from running all over the school), or making sure that the kids from my cabin were going to bed on time, drinking enough, staying in one piece, and knowing that they are Loved, I had something to do! Something specific.
Now I'm waking up and am wondering what to do with myself for the day.

Its a new phase. A new season.

I'm still waiting on direction as to where I am supposed to be in this next year. I'll hopefully know something soon.

This week I find a job. I will try to love it:) but actually probably I'll be dreaming about warmth in other continents. well. one to be more specific. And I'll start this new phase. Its temporary, right?

mini update

2008-08-15T11:43:00.005-03:00

This summer has flownnn by. It seems like just the other day I was frantically packing all my stuff to come up to camp, and now there is just one week left. But its funny, at the same time it seems like its been a long 7 weeks. Its strange how time works.

Pics to come once I get home (of the few that I've taken while I've been here).

:)

11 days until I hit a whole new first digit. Its kind of weirding me out, and I'm not really sure how I feel about it. Im feeling old- especially since I'm surrounded by kids that are negative 5 or 6 years my age all the time.

MORE ECUADOR

2008-07-12T17:50:00.010-03:00

myself and the Horst boys :)

Jay and I went to the beach to spend some time together and visit the Horsts before I left for Canada.

<- This is us in our old bathing suits. We both forgot them in Baños.

As we walked there were little waves, lots of washed up fish and a couple of turtle shells too!

Super Selwin

We stopped at camp too so that
I could say goodbye to Lucho
(Pedro, Coco, and Luigi's dad).

Camp has begun

2008-07-02T18:35:00.002-03:00

Hi Friends
I've moved up to camp for the summer so no blogs for a while.
I'm excited. This week is staff training and then the camp sessions start on sunday.

If you really miss me and want to send me mail :) if can be sent to

Julia Churchill
c/o Malagash Bible Camp
Malagash Mines, NS
BOK 1EO

OR emails can be sent to

camper@malagashbiblecamp.com
** Subject: For Julia Churchill

Have a great summer!

UPDATE

2008-06-20T18:50:00.003-03:00

I'm home. I got back 3 weeks ago today. I cant believe that I have been home for almost a month already.
My heart has been missing the people there. My friends, students.
Camp comes soon though, so it'll be fun to go up there, also it'll be super to fill my time up a bit. I havent have a set schedule much since I got home which has been weird- in Guayaquil I had a routine going. It was nice. It'll be good to get back into some sort or routine again.

Still its nice to be with my family here and to know whats going on in their lives instead of getting just wee bits and pieces of things through short phone calls or emails!

More Ecuador updates and pictures to come soon!

parte 11b

2008-06-08T00:44:00.022-03:00

On the way back to Baños, Tungurahua (the volcano) decided to take up smoking and was puffing smoke in everyones face. Kidding. It did start puffing out smoke though, so that was neato.... Still I didnt get to see it all at once, but it was cool to see it in action.. sort of.
Later that night Janna and I hopped onto a Chiva(a tour truck/van thing) and went up a hill to try to see the volcano. Sometimes at night you can see it glowing red. Unfortunately by the time that we ran back to the hostel to get warm clothes and a blanket the clouds had rolled in, so we didnt get to see anything. It was still fun to go up the hill... There were about 6 chivas that went up to the top and the people on ours were singing and dancing and yelling at other chivas as we passed them:). It was funny.
The rest of the trip consisted of eating at Rico Pan and Casa Hood (a really neat little place with incredible food and killer chocolate milkshakes), wandering around and doing some shopping, exploring, and people watching around town.
A treat that they make there is Marcotcha (NO idea how to spell that). Its a taffy and they pull it by hand from hooks on the walls of their shops. People do it all over the place and there are lots of different colors. Sometimes they gave us tastes. It was so yummy when it was still warm.
There was also lots of sugar cane and fresh fruit for sale around every corner

One afternoon Janna and I were sitting in our room at the hostel when all of a sudden there was this burst of hysterical laughter. It was so loud and so hysterical and carried on for so long (probably about 10 minutes) that we couldnt figure out what was going on! After a little bit more time it started to sound like a combination of laughter and a woman's shrieking. It was making me uncomfortable. After looking out the window and seeing noone I still couldnt figure out what was going on. Janna went out on the patio and the laughter stopped. The only living things outside were the 4 little green parrots that lived at the hostel. Janna finally decided that the laughter was the birds since every time that we opened the room door the laughter would stop. I didnt believe her, but the pattern of laughter and silence continued as we closed and opened the door. Finally I peered out the window from behind the curtain and saw one of the parrots making the noise... I still cant believe how much like a human being that thing sounded.

Other Highlights from our time there included:

The CUTE little boy on the bus back to Guayaquil
The guy yelling RIOBAMBA RIOBAMBA RIOBAMBA out the bus door as we zoomed through small towns
The extreme beauty of the countryside as we drove through the mountains.

they eat roasted guinea pigs in the mountains**

We also passed some DOLE banana plantations on the way home.

parte once: part eleven- Baños (part 1)

2008-06-06T11:05:00.016-03:00

So I'm starting to forget the order in which things happened, so here's a post about Baños.

Janna and I left Guayaquil at about 11.30 pm, headed for the mountains. Its a 6ish hour bus ride to Baños, so we decided to head out late, arriving in the morning. I popped a couple of gravol and slept through most of the night... until I woke up because I was FREEZING COLD!
It was so weird because cold is not something that one experiences often while living in the city of Guayaquil.
Finally we arrived in the town at about 7 in the morning. It was foggy and chiiiilllllyyy. Surrounded by mountains (and a volcano), Baños is beautiful. It is best known for its hot baths that come from springs in the mountains.
There are lots of "mountain people" who come into town every day with their goods strapped to their backs, dressed in bright beautiful colors and little hats. They sell everything from sweaters and blankets to herbs, breads, or paintings.

Janna and I decided to head over to the hot pools right away and then search for a hostel afterwards. (there are hostels every where you turn).
The baths were really neat. Its incredible that water THAT HOT can come out of a pile of compressed rocks, while more water, SO COLD that it makes you ache from the inside out as soon as it hits you, comes out of the same pile of compressed rocks.
After a delicious breakfast at Rico Pan(maker of the best "pan negro" that I ate in Ecuador... actually, best bread period that I ate during my whole time in Ecuador), Janna and I found ourselves voting to take a nap in at our home for the weekend... el hostel timara- a little hostel run by a man from England and his wife from Ecuador.

When we woke up it was a good 5 hours later, the sun was shining, and there was just over an hour till the sun set, so we decided to go hike up an incredibly steep hill to where a huge statue of Mary sits gazing over the town. (you can see the tincey little town at the behind us in the pic)
It was beautiful, and along the way Janna and I discovered that we're really out of shape and that our bodies don't work at ALL the same at high levels of altitude. On the way up, Tungurahua, the volcano decided to peek out at us from behind the clouds little by little. I did see the top, but not at the same time as the rest of it. It's an illusive volcano I tell you.
On the way down I was sure that my legs were going to give out, and my mom called me so I got to talk to her as I was hiking down a mountain in Ecuador. Cool, eh??!
The next day Jay and I rented bikes and rode a couple of hours to hike down to a waterfall called Pilon del Diablo.
There were waterfalls spouting out of the side of the hills as we peddled along, as well as tunnels pitch-black that we had to bike through. It was fun!When we got there our bums were splattered with mud and a local woman willingly took our picture (while laughing at us :)! ).
The waterfall was awesome. Theres so much water pounding over the edge constantly, its incredible that it never runs out.
After walking back and forth across a wobbly hanging bridge a couple times we walked up to see it closer, and we discovered that we could crawl through a little space and get behind it! It was worth it. And it proved to be a good thing that we had brought our raincoats since every other part of us was DRENCHED :).Once we hiked back up to the top where we'd locked our bikes we hopped in the back of a truck with a couple from Holland, a man from New Zealand, and a woman from somewhere in Europe. ** more to come about Baños...

2008-05-28T00:48:00.001-03:00

This is describing my room (in Canada) as of this evening....

clean sheets, pillows, garbage is emptied, window is open a crack, books are stacked in your closet, etc.

My friends love me.

diez equals ten- mmm stomach

2008-05-26T00:59:00.005-03:00

Last week I was really really hungry one day after school so I decided to buy lunch for $1.30 at a little comedor on the way home. The last time I bought lunch there I had excellent rice, fish, soup, and juice. It was delish.
This time when I went the menu board still wasnt up (it's been missing for about 2 weeks now), and when Iasked her what exactly she was serving for lunch that day I didnt understand, so I just said "ok, sounds good, one please!". Bad choice Julia. This, my friends, is what cows stomach looks like. GROSSSSSSS.
I didnt eat it. Needless to say. I vitoed the soup too, and jsut drank the juice. It was delicious. Fresh, homemade limonada.
Briggins and I ate grilled cheese instead. Him in Halifax, me in Ecuador...I forgot to take a picture.

parte nueve- 9:

2008-05-24T18:32:00.011-03:00

In the past 3 weeks I have:

Walked along a malecon that I didnt know before...

and got majorly lost on the bus system on the way home. I love the Metrovia. Not.

Went to the beach to celebrate Mother's day

[winner of the mom modeling competition :). ]

(some mom and kid snuggle time)

and to see some people taking the plunge for Jesus... pun intended :D

(Wacho, Janna, Silvia, Daniel)

and just enjoyed some time on the beach with friends

a link to home

2008-05-22T17:46:00.004-03:00

Today Janna and I got to spend meet a special new person. Well. They're actually not here yet so we didnt MEET them, but we saw them!! Thanks to the incredible technology that exists now, we got to see Jer and Sarah's baby!! It was so special.

here we are beaming at the inside of Sarah's uterus while she is in Canada, and we are in Ecuador

2008-05-22T00:52:00.003-03:00

I miss you more, Jenni

Parte 8: Florida Food Market

2008-05-19T01:48:00.012-03:00

Janna has been telling me about this big market a few kms away from our houses... So finally a

couple of weekends ago I decided to get up early enough to walk to the market with her.

There are a few stands outside of the really big section that have clothes and encebollados (fish soups) or juices or little snacks, and then inside it is full up with stands selling anything from fresh vegetables(of which there are about 20 stands all selling pretty much the exact same thing- I havent quite figured out how they make enough money to keep going) to fresh fish to disgusto meats (pork, chicken, beef, etc.). Things such as eggs and cheeses and sausages, dried goods, and other general items can be found there too.

The venders are really creative in displaying their produce, and I think that Heather, Janna, Myra (Janna's friend) and I all had a good time milling about, picking out things that we wanted or needed for our kitchens for the next week or so. Myra actually goes every other week and picks out vegetables, cheese, and eggs for the next 2 weeks.

By the end of the adventure we'd chosen enough stuff that we decided to take a camionetta(the back of a pick-up truck- the best way to travel) home instead of walking back or taking the bus.

parte 7: Girls just wanna have fun

2008-05-14T01:36:00.004-03:00

One thing that is really different about life here is that the girls seems to have lots of responsibilities and things to do, while the guys dont.. so that means that its hard to really spend a lot of time with my amigAs, while there are always plenty of amigOs around. Sometimes I am in need of an girl fix in a big way.
One night last week I got JUST THAT! I had my first phone conversation in spanish :), which resulted in my going out with the girls for the evening.
It was really fun. We went to the mall because Maji was working (she works at a really great little crepe booth- Curry chicken and cheese is my favorite from there) and we wanted to visit her. It was really fun.. We voted no to a movie and yes to dinner. I really didnt care AT ALL what we ate, I am not picky, so the girls chose Pizza Hut. After they'd decided and ordered, Lili said "Girls, this for Julia is like if we went to Canada and they decided to give us rice to eat". They eat a lot of rice here. It made me smile... and then I reassured them that I like pizza and that no, I dont eat it as much as they eat rice here.
It turned out to be REALLY fun, and we laughed a lot. made a trip to the grocery store, pestered the security guard to take pictures for us, pestered him again after I got the batteries working in my camera, and generally had a super evening together. I think the plan is to go out together one more time before I leave.
Which is soon.

L-R: Johanna, Maji, Liliana, Carolina, Diana, Me (looking slightly crazed)
:)

parte 6: visitors and flea markets

2008-05-12T02:02:00.013-03:00

Things here have been BUSY! I feel like time is going so quickly but so slowly at the same time.

It feels as though a lot of people have been coming and going in the past few weeks. I can only imagine what its like for Janna and Nikki during the rest of the year.
Nikki's friend Heather headed home after being here for 5ish weeks. She's from Ontario and is HALARIOUS. It was nice to have her around.

So the same day that Heather left, Nikki's mom came with Janet's sister. They were only here for a week, visiting people and taking a trip to Cuenca during that time. Last thursday night Janet and Myrna stayed in Heather(a different Heather who is here semi-permanently) and my home. it was like Christmas as they were trying to pack up the stuff that they bought while in Cuenca. Janet was organizing things tosend to her friends at home and Myrna was trying to fit it all in her two check through bags.

Apparently now there are two other Canadians here too, but I havent seen them. They just got here yesterday and I think they're doing their own thing for the most part and I'm not sure I'll even meet them.

FLEA MARKET

As Canadian teams have been coming down to help with different camps and building projects they've been bringing spare clothes, bedding items, shoes, and other things that one might find at a value village or frenchy's at home in Canada, to be distributed amongts the people here.
There was SO much stuff that we decided to doa flea market to get rid of it and to also help raise money to fix the room in the gym at the school.

It was laid out a lot like a frenchy's store at home would be, except that everything was way cheaper than at home. Most items were under $1.50, many of the clothes being new and donated by kind people at home.
When the doors opened at 9, only the parents of students in the school were allowed to come in. We wanted to give priority to them because we know so many of their stories and the needs that go along with their lives. After an hour anyone who wanted to come in was welcome!

A few hundred people, of all ages and interests, came through the gymnasium doors in the matter of four or five hours, resulting in great finds, and in the end a super final total to go towards the gym roof.
There were lots of different items to be founds, with a wide variety of colors, styles, and textures. Such as about 40 humongo scrubs-green buttom up bowling shirts what said something about a happy club. Or these orange jerseys that these "niños" found.

L-R: Grego, Nayber(? spelling), Raul, Juan Carlos, Reynaldo, Orlando, Manuel
Daniel and I chose outfits for oneanother while we were cleaning up. We're a great looking pair, no? All in all it was a really fun event, and people are already asking when the next one will happen!

Life as I now know it- parte cinco: part 5

2008-04-28T15:16:00.014-03:00

The time that one spends while visiting Ecuador and while actually living here is more different than one could think. I have learned this.

Here are some(only a few of MANY) things that I love about my life here:

-starting my day with a hot mug of tea and a bowl of fruit (sleepytime and mango are excellent choices, if I do say so myself.)
-how people stop by any time during the day to sit and chat... or sometimes not even to chat... just to sit. Sometimes its to do homework

-theres usually something to do(in the school or the church. sometimes its visiting people at their homes for lunch) ...though sometimes I just need a break and take some "me" time to read or ride on the bus or walk in circles in the mall or the grocery store.

-greetings are kisses on the cheek... sometimes a hug and sometimes a hand shake too.
sometimes if you're lucky enough they come with lollipop sugar slimed across your cheek :)

- Its always warm. all the time. and "cool" is about 23◦c.

Here you see a lovely shiny picture of me, the night before school starts, in my school tshirt.(before my haircut- I got it cut last week. No tears.)

I've been spending a fair amount of time in the school teaching (obviously), preparing lessons for my upcoming classes (which I did not do enough of last friday), and sometimes just visiting with friends.
On friday I gave a test in my 5◦ class(fourth grade). Was that ever a lesson for me. These kids are CHEATERS!! In a class of 20 I think there were maybe 8 that didnt show evidence of cheating on their tests. Also I ended up taking away two tests and giving them zeros because they were warned two times about cheating and still were out of their desks comparing sheets and telling answers. It was a little bit discouraging for me just because I really want to trust them, but I cant really do that. Also I had been hoping to be able to judge how well the kids are comprehending what we're going over, but its hard to know when they're all cheating how many really get it and how many just are super sneakers.

Please dont think that I'm not enjoying my time in the classes though! I really am. That is just one of a few challanges that are presenting themselves to me.

The primero (kindergarden) class is SUPER cute. They're so little and dont understand really anything in english, so we have to translate everything.. sometimes they dont even get it them. :) I'm teaching with my friend Johanna... She's my age and is also studying in university at nights. Heather was helping teach class the day that this pic was taken ->.

The kids in primero are enthusiastic learners. And they love cameras!

Tomorrow... orrrr actually later today (its 12.20am) theres going to be a Canadians meeting at our house. Janna, Nikki, Myself, Heather, Dale, Janet, and their boys are all coming over and we hang out, eat a bit, have some excouragement/sharing/prayer time. Its good. I'm looking forward to it.
Later on Dale and Janet are going to a meeting and I get to hang out with the Horst boys for the day!!

They're seriously cool boys.Usually there is yelling and wrestling that happens while I'm around Selwin (guess which one he is??!)
And the other three LOVE Odyessy adventures, so we talk plenty about them. We're all Wooten fans :) Hopefully they remember to bring a set to the house tomorrow... I think thats the plan.

FOR ALLI: Love julia and daniel

2008-04-25T01:31:00.007-03:00

we all know frogs go

"la - de - da -de -da",

they dont go ...

parte cuatro: part four: CAMPAMENTO DE MAYORES

2008-04-21T00:27:00.012-03:00

Campamento de mayores (ages 16 to seemingly about 24) was a whole new experience for me. I've been at those camps before, but in the past there always had been about 15 other Canadians there with me. This time around there were only Janna, Nikki, Heather (the nurse) and Heather (nikki's friend) and I... and Jeff every now and then.

I ended up in a cabin with Janna and 7 girls. It was really fun... it was easier to chat with them than it was with my mini girls two weeks earlier (I actually ended up buying purple nail polish while in town on one of my many trips to the phone place so that I could have ANY way to be able to spend some time with my girls).

I dont think that there was a whole lot that was too exciting this week. I like the older camps because the sports are more competitive and also I can just hang out with people instead of having them sit on my lap every time they want to talk to me. ** this isnt necessarily a bad thing at the little kids camp, but sometimes it causes me to have personal space issues and I become somewhat like Jeremy.

It was super to see some old friends too that I hadnt seen in a while.

The amount of creativity that was at camp this week was incredible... art, music, drama.... it was incredible. so many different ways of thinking and different skills just being showcased... it was awesome. FOR EXAMPLE: These guys decided to become a news crew, so they made themselves a mic and camera out of stuff just laying around the camp (boxes, plastic cups, tops from water jugs, etc.)

There was also a super worship team (that I mentioned I think briefly in the previous post). Dale, Janna, Ivan, Carlos, Walter, Roberto, Jeff). They did a super job leading for the week, and they also introduced a new song to everyone... its translated from English (they worked really hard to do that)- From Everlasting to Everlasting.

It was really cool.

The director, David, is really creative and had a super week of games and stuff planned, along with the normal intense futbol and volley matches during the hottest points of every day. One day there was an ironman style competition... for guys only obviously since girls dont really do a whole lot here, and if they do like to run and stuff they're weird. Another day we did a competition with a bunch of different parts to it. During each part if people did something wrong they'd be eliminated and the team with the most remaining competitiors won. One part was crawling commando-style under these mini bamboo things which were easy to knock over.... another part was shooting a hold through a steryo-foam plate with a homemade bow-and-arrow, another part was making a fire and cooking a chicken leg to the point where it could be eaten(that was sick since my team didnt wait till it was cooked... the guy just ATE it). Another one of these things was a run 1 k down the beach and 1k back.... it wasnt a race, but if the person walked then they were eliminated. On the way back Mauricio and I raced. He beat me by actually about 2 steps and I now owe him dinner. It was fun, and none of the boys could believe that I could actually run. It was awesome.

We of course also did the classic run and spin around a stick game.

One day when we were playing games on the beach Daniel decided NOT to get stung by a stingray, but instead to step on a dead fish's jagged spiked back. The fish had spines coming off of it and one stuck about 2 1/2 inches into his foot and then got stuck since there were little barbs all over it. Heather tried to pull it out but couldnt, at which point Daniel got freaked out and yanked it out himself. Thankfully it didnt end up getting infected. Heather searched all over the city only to find that the ONLY place we could find a tetanus vaccine was in a tiny little farmacia about 2 minutes from our house. He's just got the WORST luck with his feet.
Throughout the course of the week several people were carried to and thrown into a mini wading pool for one reason or another. Here you will see Pablo being carried in. He was the speaker for the week. What a funny little man. I think he is actually a midget. Alli. What do you think?? He speaks super english and also loves matte (which is an argentine tea). I shared several matte sessions with him.

For the rest of the week I just enjoyed spending time with people, getting up in the cool mornings and putting on jeans and a long tee for staff meetings, hanging out at the beach, eating lots of gino icecreams, and of course, watching pingpong.

<-theGino man at the end of the week came up to me as I was getting onto the bus to come back to Guayaquil and gave me a HUGE hug and kiss. Needless to say I got made fun of alot.

parte tres: part three: Las Aguitas

2008-04-14T19:01:00.009-03:00

The week that the Canadian team left I was SO sick. I havent had a fever in Canada for about 8 years, and sure enough, when I get to the country that is located ON the equator I get a fever. It was uncomfortable. There was a week before the next camp started (mayores- highschool aged campers) and I was staying with Janna... I did get out of bed long enough to go to Alborada with Ivan, Carlos, Willian, Janna, and Dale to watch a worship team practice.
All week long I was SO worried that I wouldnt feel better by saturday. The plan was that I'd go with Carlos to a neighbouring province (manabi) to the community of Las Aguitas.

The Block 6 Bastion church has a partnership (maybe thats the right word?) with this church... they did a Christmas celebration together and Carlos and a few other youth leaders from the church are involved with their youth ministry there. Carlos actually goes every 15 days to do youth group and also to speak in their church there.

It was a 2 hour bus ride out of Guayaquil, then after that there was another 20 minutes in the back of a truck and then about an hour hike uphill to get there.
Its a TINY little community that we had to hike through knee high mud to get to :).
**Its not always knee high mud, but in the rainy season the road gets washed out so you cant drive up... its donkey or walk. We walked.

Now, Carlos had told me before we went that I needed shoes. I had planned on buying $3, but Janna told me that perhaps borrowing her Crocs would be a better idea because then if mud got in them it could just run out and also they'd wash off well. Little did we know that this mud wasnt just normal mud. It was so thick that it was sticking to the bottoms of my shoes. The spots that were dry and where I wouldnt sink into the mud were few and far between, so I was taking a step and then searching for the next safe spot to put my foot. This worked for about 20 minutes until I misjudged and sunk up to my mid-shins in mud. As I pulled my foot out, my other one started to sink in, and my shoes were suctioned off of my feet. It was a sticky situation. I ended up walking the other 40 minutes without shoes because it was pointless to try to get the mud off. It was fun.
When we got to the home where we'd be staying we ate dinner and sat at the table for HOURS. It was so neat. They didnt have power so there were no lights, and it was POURING so we couldnt go off the patio. It made me think that I want my family to be like that someday. I dont want to need entertainment like tv or radio or computers to be able to spend time with them. Oh. After dinner they put this big bowl on the table and it was full up with mangos and oranges right off the trees in their yard.

Ecuadorians are short people, and sometimes I forget that. I was reminded quite clearly of it though when I went to have a shower that is just separated from the kitchen by a wall and I could see the family the WHOLE time I was showering. It was a wee bit awkward. But it was dark so it made it a bit better.

Somepoint during the night I managed to start not only talking in my sleep, but walking in it too. I woke up being led back to bed by one of the two people I was sharing it with. (we were all laying on the bed sideways so there'd be space. They fit, I didnt. It wasnt bad though :) It makes for good memories.

In the morning we went to church where people were quite shocked to find that I was nineteen, unmarried and had no kids. It was great. Carlos spoke. There were about 15 people in attendance, and also women were breastfeeding through out the whole thing. Carlos didnt even flinch. Its so different culturally than at home.

After church I changed into my super crocs and pantsand went on a hike with Carlos and four other people. It was beautiful. we got to the top of this ridge and I turned around in a circle and as far as I could see there was no major civilization. There were hills covered in huge almost jungle-like trees and a few random patches that were growing corn on the sides of them. Every now and then I could see a couple small bamboo houses. Guys. It was cool.

Oh Yea, I forgot to mention that the boys were hacking ahead of us through the "woods" (used for lack of a better word) with a machete. I was terrified of a snake dropping down on me the entire time, but it was awesome. **I did take pictures of this, but they somehow got deleted when I was at camp, along with several others. I nearly cried. But It could have been worse... as in my camera could have been dropped in the sand or something.

On the way home we walked back down the muddy road , thankfully I didnt fall in or lose my shoes again (though there was a close call or two). A few guys from the community came with us too since they were going to camp which started the next day.
It was a cool adventure. I'm thankful that I was able to go and that I didnt feel sick AT ALL the whole weekend.

parte 2:

2008-04-12T00:40:00.008-03:00

alright... so campamento de niños ended with the power going out during the big finale dinner. The kids errupted into shrieks, the puppet show was cut short, and we all headed to bed.

On Sat. everyone packed up their stuff, tears all around. All the Ecuadorians headed back to the city leaving us Canadians behind at camp because there was no room for us on the buses.

when we got back to the city we moved back in with our families (the same as before camp). Miranda, Kayla, and I walked to our house, but when I walked in the door I stopped dead in my tracks and was SO confused, causing all the family members in the house to laugh at me. It was a completely different house from before!
Not actually, but they'd knocked down a wall so that the front room was twice the size that it was when we left, and it was organized completely differently.

Sunday there was church in both blocks 6 and 10. Sunday night we took our families out for dinner. Antoinetta happily chose to go to KFC, so we enjoyed a greasy meal there together, then ate pinguino for desset(of course). Pinguino, for those of you that dont know, means penguin in spanish, and is delish ice cream.

Monday happened. It was my last day with the Canadians. I woke up feeling like death on living legs. We left Bastion earlyish and headed down to the market to buy some artisan stuff. Its a cool market that is HUGE. Everyone bought lots of nice ecuadorian goodies, I sat on steps with Jer and Janna trying to control the extreme stomach pains that I was having, the I bought a hammock, and then we left. We then headed to the malecon where we ate some yummy Yogurt Persa and pan de yuca(YUMMM) and wandered around. I ended up laying on the bus not feeling well. I did get a chance to write some notes and observe passer-bys.
The rest of the day consisted of more stomach cramps, a trip to a pool so everyone could clean off a bit before they flew, Frutabar(YUMM), and airport.

It surprised me that I didnt find it that hard to say bye to everyone... only a few tears were shed and they stopped before we even got out of the building. It was so weird to be the one waving goodbye to my group of friends with Janna, instead of waving goodbye to her. It was freeing almost in a way. It was the start of something entirely new and different from anything I'd done before.

Today was insanely busy for me... I had a meeting at the school, helped get some classrooms ready for kids, and ran errands for the rest of the day.... it was a regular life day.... just like one I might have at home. This is my life right now. And today was so real, but at the same time it felt like a dream. I love it here.

Campamento 2008

2008-04-07T11:07:00.016-03:00

Hola! Hola?? Is anyone reading this??
Its hard to believe that I've already been here for over a month in this land far, far away from what I know as home.

Camp is done, the Canadian team has long gone home (to snow, I might add), and school starts in a week today! I have so much to do before next monday. I'm nervous and excited.

It probably will take me a few posts to get you all caught up on whats been going on here... lets start with camp.sh stuff!

While the Canadians were here we worked in the school for a couple of days, scraping and washing walls, painting, generally just cleaning the place up. I think that it looks great (except for where our green paint seperated and it looks a bit like the MacDonald or MacKay bridges in Halifax).
Also, on tuesday night we went to church in block 6 and wednesday we went to block 10. It was so good to go to both places and see people that i havent seen in so long. Of course it was POURING both nights that we went, but that is just a part of the experience.

After working at the school for tuesday and wednesday, we all headed off to camp for a weekend of staff training. This is alot like what we have at Malagash, where the volunteer staff go and hang out and we do some games, sing a bit, hang out, and do some sessions. I feel that it was a great way for our team to get to know some of the Ecuadorian leaders that we'd be working with the next week, so I'm glad that we were able to be there.

Above are a few Canadians and a lot of Ecuadorians learning actions to the songs for kids camp.

On sunday all the Ecaudorians went back to Guayaquil so they could ride the bus out with the kids in the morning. The rest of us hung out at camp, hand washed our laundry (something that I'm slower than a snail at doing), went to th beach, got sunburned, then headed into Playas to check emails and eat dinner.

The next week was kids camp... elementary aged kiddies. When they arrived they were greeted by tonnes of balloons, the pounding of drums, guys on stilts dressed on clowns. To me that is scary, nearly nightmare material, but they seemed to LOVE it!

The week was filled with competitions between the teams (rojo, azul, amarillo, verde). Lots of games, beautiful beach time, and cool conversations. Its really neat how language barriers can be beaten, and that people can become friends even though they come from totally different places and speak different lanugages entirely.

The line from the Downhere song kept running through my head all week "... theres no lanugage on earth where His praises are not heard...". I thought it was neat how though many times perhaps we didnt understand their words, or them ours, we were still singing and talking to the same God.The joyful racket that was coming out of all of our mouths was going to him, and He loved it.

working on a team flag

water balloon fight!

.Alfredo on the beach.

Check out http://beach.quist.ca/gallery World Travel- Ecuador- camp 2008 for more pictures of this years trip... I'm still in the process of putting them all on there though... be patient, they'll come.

**none of these pics are mine. They're Miranda's or Heather's.

Its warm here.

2008-03-16T18:26:00.002-03:00

hey all...
I guess I win the slowest blogger award of the month. Its been insanely busy down here.
The team and I just got back to Guayaquil after a week and a half of sunshine, sand, screaming children and everything else that goes with camp. It was so good. I took a bunch of pictures, but havent really had a chance to upload anything or even figure out where I might do something like that.

Its so strange and GOOD being back (not staff meeting ¨ wellll, last nights cabin devos were good¨good, but GOOD).

I was standing in the camp kitchen the other day drying dishes and I paused for just a second to look around me. I was the only Canadian in a whole kitchen full of people, Spanish HillSongs United music was blaring, everyone was singing, water was being splashed back and forth across the counter from one sink to the other, and it was all I could do not to cry. Tears of contentment that is. I just felt so much peace. I was surrounded by people I love in a land far away from my own, and I was terrified and so excited at the same time that I didnt know what to do with myself.

Last night when we got back to Bastion we went to youth group and it was really fun too.... I ended up losing a game once and almost a second time(thanks to Daniel´s slow tie tying) and had to do a chicken dance, and also learned to play human x&o s. Its almost like steal the bacon.... I´m definitely introducing that to Malagash this summer, WHICH by the way I am working at:).

Tomorrow everyone heads back to Canada, leaving me here with Janna to fend for myself.
Next week I´ll head back out to camp for a Sr.High aged group and it´ll be awesome. I´m excited.

I´m out of time here.... hope all is well whereever you´re reading this from.
I hope you all in NS are loving the snow... its 30c and humid here today.

p.s. Tim, did you go on your mission trip yet?? if ¨yes¨, how did it go??

Naked Teeth

2008-02-27T09:16:00.004-04:00

This is for Alli.
SEE! They're BALD! This is a horrible picture, but theres no better ones. There will be no Ecuadorian fingers prying my lips apart this year to see my braces. haha.

2008-02-27T00:52:00.002-04:00

Ohhh nooo. I am getting sick. This happens every year before I head down.... nose spray, vitamin C and sleep for me!

4 days.

the count down is ON!

2008-02-25T22:22:00.006-04:00

...days until departure

Every day is a blur of thoughts, emotions, and sometimes some action. I have been trying to pack a little bit, but since Alli is in England, not here to motivate me or keep me company while I do it, I have an attention span of like 7 minutes when it comes to packing. Usually she sits on my bed and we listen to music of talk while I do it.

6 days is going to fly. I have no idea what I should or should not take. Which is ridiculous seeing as how it should not be that hard. Its funny how ones brain shuts down RIGHT when it is really needed.

Also, my mom and dad keep talking about how they're going to miss me. Its killing me. 3 months is not really that long at all.

There are a lot of thoughts in my head wanting out... I ran today and that was good because though they didnt leave my head, it felt good to pound it out. It was BEAUTIFUL out... sunny and above 0°cc. :) Its hard to believe that in less than a week I'll be in 4°c weather! WHAT A JUMP!

Lunch date tomorrow. Cant wait. it should be good, since I love my friends and good food!

.so soon.

Peggys Cove: February (trip no.2)

2008-02-20T23:06:00.023-04:00

Christiane and Julia!

The waves were huge. Enough said.

I dont think I've ever laughed so much while at Peggys Cove. There was actually no way that the waves could hit us, just their spray, but it was so funny. As Chris's face may or may not suggest:with the waves bigger than big, and the sun shining brightly, it made for a beautiful afternoon.

I think that since words really cant capture the event, I'll just put pictures... even though they dont do it any justice at all either!

"... huge these waves actually are."

2008-02-19T01:05:00.004-04:00

T minus 11 days and a few hours until take off for Ecuador.

Its so hard to believe. It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was sitting in a Starbucks saying that I'd LOVE to be a leader for the Ecuador team this year. Who knew that plans would get twisted a little bit, and my time there would be extended from 2 weeks to 3 months!

I'm really looking forward to seeing people that I haven't seen in a couple of years. I'm nervous too though. Its a big change from life here, and all spanish. Mine is a bit rusty, but hopefully it comes back quickly.
This week I need to try to get some more fundraising and also find out where I can get 180+ plain white pillowcases for super cheap. Any ideas? let me know!

Tonight its insanely windy and rainy out. Soooooon there will be no more of this fickle winter weather!

Peggys Cove: February

2008-02-17T01:07:00.013-04:00

Co-pilots :Tyson and Mike

This week I made my last trip out to Peggy's Cove for a while. Since I head down to Ecuador in 2 weeks yesterday, I felt that it was appropriate to get out there and get salt-sprayed, appreciate the hugeness of the ocean and take a few more pictures of the same things again.

Neither of the guys had ever been there before, so it was fun to take them out to a place that I love so much.

As I was driving out I was trying to think of why I love being there so much... I didnt completely decide (probably because I tend to be indecisive, as those of you who know would know). but I think that it has something to do with the fact that it reminds me about how small I really am.

The waves were so powerful and the ocean was rough, but it was beautiful (and cold)!

There was a slight mishap and Mike nearly experienced death so we couldn't stay for too long, but it was good to be there nonetheless.

2008-02-13T18:52:00.002-04:00

Alli's safe and sound in Rogate!! see, she's waving.

she called tonight to say hi really quickly.

It was good to hear she's alive :o).

Care for a cup o' tea?

2008-02-13T13:02:00.013-04:00

Once upon a time there was a family of four children- 3 girls and a boy.

They came from a pretty close family, and had a lot of fun together, playing games such as dutch blitz and trivial pursuit (but only with questions, no board).

One day something happened that made the oldest girl realize that no longer was she a little girl, but instead was almost all growed up, as were the others in the family. That something was when her little sister decided to go on an adventure across the universe to the land of the Beatles, the Queen, and bangers and mash, also known as England.

The night that she left to go on her new adventure, everyone was very sad that she was leaving, but also really excited for her to try something new. The whole family and a couple of her friends waved goodbye to her as she walked through customs without looking back.

All the sisters and brother that were left behind missed her a lot and couldnt wait to hear from her, but rumor had it that British Telecom was being a nuisance, and there was no internet for the time being. They all hoped that it would be fixed soon!

** moral of the story is: the oldest sister (julia aka me) has too much time on her hands and also that she really misses her younger sister (the traveling one, aka alli) even tho she's only been gone for just about 12 hours.

Report on the Cupcakes!!

2008-02-05T17:27:00.001-04:00

Remember how last week I said post about those cupcakes I was going to try making?? Well here it is!!
They turned out superbly, along with a little help from Christopher and the company of Emily and Briggins!

A little Zoolander chic for you

It was a really fun afternoon!

REALLY belated Ontario trip/accident pictures

2008-02-05T00:13:00.001-04:00

Zoom trip to Ontario / run over metal pictures! I finally got around to putting them up. haha 3.5 months later.

just hit the thing.

2008-02-05T00:12:00.003-04:00

the piece of metal that was lying in the middle of the road as we passed a transport.. there was NO way we could miss it.

2008-02-05T00:12:00.001-04:00

Flat tire numero uno. there was one in the back too.

2008-02-05T00:08:00.000-04:00

2008-01-30T23:15:00.000-04:00

I like to use my brain

Also on a completely different note, tomorrow I am going to try my hand at making and decorating cupcakes. I will let you know how it goes. :D

Peggys Cove: January

2008-01-14T09:51:00.000-04:00

Co-pilots: Sheil, Fi, Alli
FINALLY. I feel refreshed.
After about 4.5 months, I finally made it out to Peggy's Cove. I know, I'm a slacker. I went atleast once every month for about 6 months last year. BUT I'm making a come-back.
It was SO foggy that you couldn't see 50 metres away from your face, but the tide was high, the ocean was beautiful, and the company was superb, so it was definitely worth it.

Plus we bought these fabulous t-shirts. It made for a great morning.

special shout out to Jeremy. feliz cumpleaño, amigo. tqm

Peggys Cove Birthday Post!

2007-12-08T12:15:00.000-04:00

Check out Christiane's blog for basically the best update ever:). Well. in the past 4 months anyway.

It was my surprise 19th birthday party at Peggys Cove!

Christiane's blog

w00tw00t new post!

2007-12-07T01:04:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I came home from working at about midnight, and after settling in here for a little while I went up to my room to find....
This:

Balloons on my bed, all over the floor, and even in the closet. It was like a winter wonderland... except lots of balloons and no snow.

Most of them had things written or drawn on them too, which made it halarious. I was laughing really hard and was worried that my mom would be made because I was making noise... but it was great. what a good surprise from my highly super and weird (or super weird) friends and a couple of the siblings too. :o)

Then I found Mercy...

I dont like her so much.

road trip: parte dos:

2007-11-12T22:19:00.000-04:00

Hi all. I'm home safely.

I have some pics to post, but i have to upload them first. Ontario was really good. super short, but it was so good to see my grandparents.