Just thought I would add one thing...
I was told that one of my issues may be that I don't come across as giving a shit about this program. Well just to set the record straight,
I DO GIVE A SHIT
Or I would have bailed ages ago. This experience will be amazing and Joanne said one thing to me that I think everyone else should really take to heart. She said the things that we fight for are sometimes worth a lot more in the end than those that come more easily to us. So even if the road to Honduras is bumpy and frustrating and completely infuriating at times, getting there might just mean more to me in the end because of the fight I won to get there as opposed to it just being handed to me.
I'll buy that...
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Random thoughts
I feel like writing in green today. I have so many random thoughts running through my head that I felt that putting them all down here might help. So this will probably be random with no particular road map to follow.
I am the world's worst procrastinator and it's my biggest grievance about myself. There are so many things I want to do and accomplish but for some reason, the tv or Facebook or going out or sleeping takes over. Take all this for example.... I have so many things that I am excited to do on this blog yet I can't seem to get anything really accomplished on it, which is probably why I have a crap-tastic grade for it right now. I keep a normal journal daily which seems to be what our prof wants this to be, but I have a hard time putting all my feelings on here because what goes in my journal is private and personal and is usually a bitch fest. Plus I don't think much about the Beyond Borders program unless it's the massive To Do List that I have and haven't been keeping up with.
I managed to get all my thank you cards done tonight for all those people who have helped me by donating to my $2000 target... I can mail them tomorrow. I also emailed or Facebooked everyone that got a letter but hasn't gotten back to me. So that's another couple ticks in the boxes which makes me feel good.
I wanted to write letters to some business people that I know back home but again, I can't seem to get motivated to get off my ass and do it. I am so lazy and it sucks. Probably why I can't seem to keep up in school either. Ugh- I hate that I cannot time manage. I even bought and read a book on it and I can't seem to stick to it. There always seems to be some new roadblock that I have to get around or over. Ooh, blue!! :o) It feels like everytime I get one more tick in one more box for this program, another 2 show up in its place. Damn these hoops we have to jump through is insane. Got my shots done, but now I have to get one more at least and then I have to get some other medications once I get back home. I got my passport renewed so that's good and it was probably the only thing that has not given me trouble at all. Even though I had to leave Post It Notes all around my room to remind myself to take my renewal sheet home for someone to sign. And I almost forgot to get the pics done for it as well which would have sucked. I remembered on the Sunday before I came home which happened to be the same day that I threw my Send Me To Honduras Party so that was a shit show of a day! Holy crap! But it all worked out and the food was BRILLIANT- thanks to Jay and Kenny who helped me cook and serve. I have pics of it all on my camera, but as I am a lazy procarastinator, chances are that it will take me a couple months to up load them, if at all... haha. I could do it now... Maybe I should. But the cord for my camera is like 5 steps across the room and I am nice and cozy in my bed typing this while watching Law and Order. Haha UGH!!
I always really enjoy talking to my prof about all this shit cuz she makes me feel better about everything and Im not sure how she does it. About once a week I get so frustrated about something to do with this program (mostly the money thing) and then I talk to her about stuff and she makes me feel better. So I thank her for that, but I wonder if she has a hypnosis thing in her office hiden somewhere away that calms me down and brain washes me into getting excited again??? haha. I am the type of person who needs to keep lists of things, To Do, questions etc or else I forget things all the time. I took a full page of questions for her, mostly about paperwork-ie who wants my vaccination booklet and such. Glad I brought my list... even though I still forgot to ask her two questions and had to email her anyway- D'oh!
This is getting long so I'll end it here. Dunno if any of this is relevant... but it felt good. I will be putting up some recipes that I used at my Honduras party and ones that Mark from the Working Center let me copy... yum yum... I love that place. I will be finished my hours there next Thursday but I will most definintely keep going as long as they will have me.
Ok, that's good for now. Maybe I'll upload those pictures and recipes now... but then there is a couple good movies on tv too...
I am the world's worst procrastinator and it's my biggest grievance about myself. There are so many things I want to do and accomplish but for some reason, the tv or Facebook or going out or sleeping takes over. Take all this for example.... I have so many things that I am excited to do on this blog yet I can't seem to get anything really accomplished on it, which is probably why I have a crap-tastic grade for it right now. I keep a normal journal daily which seems to be what our prof wants this to be, but I have a hard time putting all my feelings on here because what goes in my journal is private and personal and is usually a bitch fest. Plus I don't think much about the Beyond Borders program unless it's the massive To Do List that I have and haven't been keeping up with.
I managed to get all my thank you cards done tonight for all those people who have helped me by donating to my $2000 target... I can mail them tomorrow. I also emailed or Facebooked everyone that got a letter but hasn't gotten back to me. So that's another couple ticks in the boxes which makes me feel good.
I wanted to write letters to some business people that I know back home but again, I can't seem to get motivated to get off my ass and do it. I am so lazy and it sucks. Probably why I can't seem to keep up in school either. Ugh- I hate that I cannot time manage. I even bought and read a book on it and I can't seem to stick to it. There always seems to be some new roadblock that I have to get around or over. Ooh, blue!! :o) It feels like everytime I get one more tick in one more box for this program, another 2 show up in its place. Damn these hoops we have to jump through is insane. Got my shots done, but now I have to get one more at least and then I have to get some other medications once I get back home. I got my passport renewed so that's good and it was probably the only thing that has not given me trouble at all. Even though I had to leave Post It Notes all around my room to remind myself to take my renewal sheet home for someone to sign. And I almost forgot to get the pics done for it as well which would have sucked. I remembered on the Sunday before I came home which happened to be the same day that I threw my Send Me To Honduras Party so that was a shit show of a day! Holy crap! But it all worked out and the food was BRILLIANT- thanks to Jay and Kenny who helped me cook and serve. I have pics of it all on my camera, but as I am a lazy procarastinator, chances are that it will take me a couple months to up load them, if at all... haha. I could do it now... Maybe I should. But the cord for my camera is like 5 steps across the room and I am nice and cozy in my bed typing this while watching Law and Order. Haha UGH!!
I always really enjoy talking to my prof about all this shit cuz she makes me feel better about everything and Im not sure how she does it. About once a week I get so frustrated about something to do with this program (mostly the money thing) and then I talk to her about stuff and she makes me feel better. So I thank her for that, but I wonder if she has a hypnosis thing in her office hiden somewhere away that calms me down and brain washes me into getting excited again??? haha. I am the type of person who needs to keep lists of things, To Do, questions etc or else I forget things all the time. I took a full page of questions for her, mostly about paperwork-ie who wants my vaccination booklet and such. Glad I brought my list... even though I still forgot to ask her two questions and had to email her anyway- D'oh!
This is getting long so I'll end it here. Dunno if any of this is relevant... but it felt good. I will be putting up some recipes that I used at my Honduras party and ones that Mark from the Working Center let me copy... yum yum... I love that place. I will be finished my hours there next Thursday but I will most definintely keep going as long as they will have me.
Ok, that's good for now. Maybe I'll upload those pictures and recipes now... but then there is a couple good movies on tv too...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thank You!
Just a super quick blurb today to thank everyone who came out for my Send Me To Honduras party on Sunday Feb 22nd and to all my family and friends nationally and internationally who helped me fundraise as well.
I am excited to say that I am now at the $1000 mark (wahoo) and only have $1000 left. I have not heard from everyone I have mailed yet, but I am anticipating a good continued response.
I had a fabulous time at home over Reading Week and I look forward to seeing all of you guys again in April.
Hugs N Stuff
I am excited to say that I am now at the $1000 mark (wahoo) and only have $1000 left. I have not heard from everyone I have mailed yet, but I am anticipating a good continued response.
I had a fabulous time at home over Reading Week and I look forward to seeing all of you guys again in April.
Hugs N Stuff
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
New Term New Goals
Continuing with my story... we all received our letters telling us where we are supposed to be going and now we are on the mission to get sorted. Christmas came and went (and I had a blast back home) and we now find ourselves in a new school term with a new teacher (hello to Joanne) and a new class to take. This class is cool cuz we meet once a month or so to talk about our concerns, excitements and all things pertaining to our trips.
We are required to volunteer 18 hours at this kick ass place called The Working Center. I can never do the place justice at all with my crap explanation of it, so check out the link... the place ROCKS! The energy and karma in there is intoxicating! Pretty much it's a community resource center where people can come to learn new things, new skills, find jobs, places to live, meet people, learn English and generally network. They also have a program for people/youth who have problems finding employment. Some of them get hired on at the center to help build their resume and learn new skills. There are classes that anyone can drop into to learn and teach. There is an art space where the center sews things (whatever they like) to re sell and keep the Working Center going. There is a community cafe called The Queen Street Cafe and all of the food sold there (super cheap and excellent quality and portions!) is made in Murietta's Kitchen by the volunteers and employees of The Working Center (TWC). There is a bicycle recycling program where you can bring in your bike and learn how to fix it, or you can donate your old ones to be recycled and re sold super cheap. There are perfectly good bikes there for $30! There is a computer recycling program which is basically the same as the bicycles. See Ruby's blog for info on this, I believe she is in the computer recycling program.
I myself am over the moon with my placement. I work in Murietta's kitchen where I get to spend as much time as I want baking whatever I want!!! For those of you who know me, know that I LOVE TO BAKE!! Mark is the master baker there and he has let me have some recipes to take home. I will share some of those with you soon! I get to bake whatever I want and the baking gets sold in the Cafe. Any and all monies made through TWC gets put back into the programs, which is awesome! I was saying to some friends that it sucks that when you want to just hang out and chat with someone (like going for coffee) you have to pay money (for coffee) or consume something (the coffee) and it would be nice if there was a space you can just chill and not have to be a consumer, but still gives you a nice feeling and gets you out of the house. The Queen Street Cafe is that place. You can go there and just be. Provide your positive energy and add your personality to the place. It's just fantastic. I am almost done my 18 hours cuz I have stayed almost 2 complete 7hour days but I am most definitely going back after the requirement hours are done! There is nowhere else that I can bake whatever I want for however long I want and not have to pay for the materials to do so! If you are looking for a good cause to donate to (other than my fundraising for my trip-haha) this would be on the top of my list! I have always been an advocate of "cleaning up your own backyard before working on someone else's) and this place is an amazing addition to the city.
The third part of our class is putting together this blog and a power point presentation of our host country and raising $2000. So far the blog is going, my friend Christian taught me how to do a PP and I am hoping that my party will yield some good $$$$. Got my shots, got my passport renewal almost done and I think I am just about ready to go...which is good since it's in like.... gasp.... 10 weeks!!! Holy &*@#$!!!!!
Take care... and make sure to check out the links to everything and leave me a message.
We are required to volunteer 18 hours at this kick ass place called The Working Center. I can never do the place justice at all with my crap explanation of it, so check out the link... the place ROCKS! The energy and karma in there is intoxicating! Pretty much it's a community resource center where people can come to learn new things, new skills, find jobs, places to live, meet people, learn English and generally network. They also have a program for people/youth who have problems finding employment. Some of them get hired on at the center to help build their resume and learn new skills. There are classes that anyone can drop into to learn and teach. There is an art space where the center sews things (whatever they like) to re sell and keep the Working Center going. There is a community cafe called The Queen Street Cafe and all of the food sold there (super cheap and excellent quality and portions!) is made in Murietta's Kitchen by the volunteers and employees of The Working Center (TWC). There is a bicycle recycling program where you can bring in your bike and learn how to fix it, or you can donate your old ones to be recycled and re sold super cheap. There are perfectly good bikes there for $30! There is a computer recycling program which is basically the same as the bicycles. See Ruby's blog for info on this, I believe she is in the computer recycling program.
I myself am over the moon with my placement. I work in Murietta's kitchen where I get to spend as much time as I want baking whatever I want!!! For those of you who know me, know that I LOVE TO BAKE!! Mark is the master baker there and he has let me have some recipes to take home. I will share some of those with you soon! I get to bake whatever I want and the baking gets sold in the Cafe. Any and all monies made through TWC gets put back into the programs, which is awesome! I was saying to some friends that it sucks that when you want to just hang out and chat with someone (like going for coffee) you have to pay money (for coffee) or consume something (the coffee) and it would be nice if there was a space you can just chill and not have to be a consumer, but still gives you a nice feeling and gets you out of the house. The Queen Street Cafe is that place. You can go there and just be. Provide your positive energy and add your personality to the place. It's just fantastic. I am almost done my 18 hours cuz I have stayed almost 2 complete 7hour days but I am most definitely going back after the requirement hours are done! There is nowhere else that I can bake whatever I want for however long I want and not have to pay for the materials to do so! If you are looking for a good cause to donate to (other than my fundraising for my trip-haha) this would be on the top of my list! I have always been an advocate of "cleaning up your own backyard before working on someone else's) and this place is an amazing addition to the city.
The third part of our class is putting together this blog and a power point presentation of our host country and raising $2000. So far the blog is going, my friend Christian taught me how to do a PP and I am hoping that my party will yield some good $$$$. Got my shots, got my passport renewal almost done and I think I am just about ready to go...which is good since it's in like.... gasp.... 10 weeks!!! Holy &*@#$!!!!!
Take care... and make sure to check out the links to everything and leave me a message.
I got shot!
Hey everyone!
So I am now back in my hometown of Medicine Hat enjoying both Reading Week and 4 birthdays this week- can we say Gong Show?? haha. Happy Birthday to me, Amanda, Andrea, Phil, Jason, and Christine. There are actually 6 of us with the same birthdate (Feb 19th) and once we all went out at the same time; it was amusing. But anywho, I have found myself with some extra time on my hands and thought what better to do with my time than to try and catch up on here.
I just got most of my shots for Honduras today- ouch. I got Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus, MMR (which I believe is for Mumps, Measles and something). So holding my birthday booze tomorrow should be amusing. :o) I still have to get my next Hepatitis (since they come in 3s) and I think there is another one that was recommended. Plus I have to get my malaria tablets and something for travellers diarrehea (hot!) and a treated mosquito net (they don't call it Mosquito Coast for nothing). Apparently there are other diseases out there as well that there aren't vaccines for...joy.
So far I only have $100 raised for my trip but I am having a party Sunday so we shall see what happens. I have good friends so I'm not too worried. I think I am going to go back to my story and catch you up on what happened after I got my envelope and see if I can find more cool stuff on Honduras to tell you about.
So I am now back in my hometown of Medicine Hat enjoying both Reading Week and 4 birthdays this week- can we say Gong Show?? haha. Happy Birthday to me, Amanda, Andrea, Phil, Jason, and Christine. There are actually 6 of us with the same birthdate (Feb 19th) and once we all went out at the same time; it was amusing. But anywho, I have found myself with some extra time on my hands and thought what better to do with my time than to try and catch up on here.
I just got most of my shots for Honduras today- ouch. I got Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid, Tetanus, MMR (which I believe is for Mumps, Measles and something). So holding my birthday booze tomorrow should be amusing. :o) I still have to get my next Hepatitis (since they come in 3s) and I think there is another one that was recommended. Plus I have to get my malaria tablets and something for travellers diarrehea (hot!) and a treated mosquito net (they don't call it Mosquito Coast for nothing). Apparently there are other diseases out there as well that there aren't vaccines for...joy.
So far I only have $100 raised for my trip but I am having a party Sunday so we shall see what happens. I have good friends so I'm not too worried. I think I am going to go back to my story and catch you up on what happened after I got my envelope and see if I can find more cool stuff on Honduras to tell you about.
Cheers :o)
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Getting The Envelope
Over the course of the year we have all gotten together for weekend seminars hosted by Lisa and Marybee from Intercordia where we got to learn about potential placements. Once we had seen all the possible placements available to us, we had to rank our choices from 1-3 and then we get assigned to our placement based on our preferences and what's available.
Towards the beginning of Christmas, we all received envelopes which contained a card with our placements. Mine said, "Congratulations! You will be spending your summer 2009 in Honduras, working with ICYE on a medical project."
On the right hand side of my blog there is a list of all the other people in my Beyond Borders group and the links to their blogs. Some are going to the Ukraine, some to Africa, Bosnia, Nicaragua and Ecuador. If you are interested in their stories as well as mine, please feel free to take a peek- My Fellow Travellers.
I have to admit I don't know much about ICYE but I should be receiving more information soon and when I do I will be sure to update here. But if you click on the link, you can peruse their website.
Towards the beginning of Christmas, we all received envelopes which contained a card with our placements. Mine said, "Congratulations! You will be spending your summer 2009 in Honduras, working with ICYE on a medical project."
On the right hand side of my blog there is a list of all the other people in my Beyond Borders group and the links to their blogs. Some are going to the Ukraine, some to Africa, Bosnia, Nicaragua and Ecuador. If you are interested in their stories as well as mine, please feel free to take a peek- My Fellow Travellers.
I have to admit I don't know much about ICYE but I should be receiving more information soon and when I do I will be sure to update here. But if you click on the link, you can peruse their website.
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