I have Arrived

Hi Friends. SO today is day 4 in China for me and so far it is going really well. The honeymoon phase is quite lovely. Except for feeling like I am melting whenever I leave an air conditioned building life is going well. Unfortunately I am not able to access my blog directly, so I need to go through a proxy (don't worry about the techno jargon) which means that right now I can't post any pictures ;( but don't worry! I am working on getting one that I have to pay for which means I will be able to upload pics and show all of you what kinds of things I have seen and done so far. My apartment is far nicer than I could have hoped-marble floors and counters! and a giant king size bed. It is lovely. Food has been really tasty at restaurants (except for McDonald's today, but I don't really like McD's at home either) and I can buy almost anything I want from the supermarkets in Clifford. There are these fantastic 'wet markets' which are kind of like giant farmer's markets with all the fresh produce and fresh meat anyone could ever want. When I say fresh meat, I mean like pick your chicken from the cage and then come back about 15 min later and the chicken will be dressed and in a bag ready for you to pay. Wow, can't find service like that in Canada! So far school has been good. Quite overwhelming at times, but the teachers are all really friendly and helpful and open to making sure I get the help I need. I know I have quite a bit of work ahead of me, but the staff is really supportive and I am looking forward to actually starting my job. It's getting kind of late here, so I should probably head to bed but keep watching because I WILL be posting pictures soon (I hope!) Good nite.

--
Vanessa

The Bags are Packed

I just finished packing my bags. One is definitely overweight but hopefully it won't cost me too much extra. I ended up leaving a laundry basket full of things that I had hoped to take but couldn't make them fit in. Maybe I'll get lucky and get a few care packages over the year.

I am so excited for this adventure to actually begin, but at the same time I am starting to get teary about the whole thing. Saying good bye really sucks. The adventure and excitement is the great part of going somewhere new, but missing your friends, family an all that comfortable and familiar is really hard. I am going to try and focus on the positive parts of this journey and not get bogged down in the hard parts but at the same time try to give myself some time to truly feel the emotions that are coming out as I get ready to say good bye again.

Well I should really go to sleep and then things wouldn't seem so sad.

good nite.

Shopping & Parties

SO I have 5 days left till I take off and life is going. I have a bunch of shopping errands to take care of today (Hopefully) and then the serious packing can get started. I intend on taking over my sister's room to lay out all of my stuff. She won't mind since she's not living at home this summer:) I keep trying to accept the realness of my situation, but most times it doesn't seem real that I am actually moving to the other side of the world in less than a week. I'm not sure when it will become reality...i guess stepping off the plane in Beijing should help but I'll let you know when the reality sinks in!

This past weekend was a special one filled with family time and special memories. We celebrated my parents' 30th wedding anniversary and my sister's birthday in one on-going celebration. The weather co-operated which meant we had some beautiful family photos taken, and a great day down at the beach and on the boat for k's birthday party. It was my last time with K until I return, so bittersweet, but I am certain we will both grow closer during our time apart.

SO I'm off for a hair appointment and some shopping. I'll keep you updated about my progress during the week:)

ciao!

Lake Fun

So I just got back from some time away at Lake of the Woods. IT was crappy weather but fantastic people and the location is so beautiful. IT was really awesome spending time with my family and just enjoying the place. I went for a walk with my mom's camera and got some great shots of the amazing creation all around. It was fun to stop and take a look at the little things around me. I want to share a few of my favorite shots from my time out there.

There were 2 hummingbird feeders outside of the sunroom and the birds loved it. IT was so much fun watching them fly around, enjoying the sugar water. They have a funny little chirp as well that was fun to listen to.

This was my 20inch walleye that I caught one night while out 'holding my dad's rod'. it was delicious!Blake and I were being super strong people with single armed chin-ups but I kind of failed since I didn't even get my arm bent:( Oh well...we had fun playing on the boat anyways.

A funny little photo of Indy looking none to pleased to be wearing polka dots!

There were some fires, good food and family times while we were out at the cottage. Here are a few more photos of the great times..

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NOw it's back to our little family cabin for one more week of family time and the great outdoors before I come back to the house to pack up for China. Only 10 more days till take off. Yikes. I need to enjoy all the family time that I can.

July Update

Wow, July 18 already.  Where is the time going?  I just returned from spending a week out at Pioneer Camp and it was a blast.  I was cooking in the kitchen again, but some of my favorite camp people were there visiting at the same time so it was just fantastic to be able to spend time with them.  I went on one memorable evening of paddling and made some delicious treats in the kitchen.  I will be heading out to the island again next week, but until then I will just be enjoying time with my family at the cabin.  I am trying to soak up all the moments while I can because my departure date is quickly creeping up on me.  

I was in Winnipeg yesterday, and got the paperwork sent off for my entry Visa to CHINA.  Most days I am really excited about my coming departure, but other days I wonder what exactly I am getting myself into.  I start to feel a little overwhelmed or unsure of what I will face when I get there.  But that is all part of the adventure I guess.  

SO yeah, summer will continue to involve special people and relaxation as I know my upcoming position in China will keep me hopping and wishing for a break sometimes and also wishing for the clean, clear air of Manitoba!

Hopefully you will keep reading as this blog will soon be a pretty exciting place with pictures and updates from my Chinese adventure.

Friends in Far Places

As I told you in an earlier post, my friend from Brazil is here to visit for a couple weeks.  It's hard to believe, but she's already been here for almost 1 week.  We've had a few fun projects since she got here, so I thought I'd put up a few pictures.  Mostly we were engaging the inner child in both of us!  It's always nice to have some creative releases.

This P and I.  We've been enjoying the summer weather out in the backyard.

One day this week we were kind of bored, so I decided we should build a kite!  That's right, a kite.  Our materials included: 1 plastic bag, a bamboo stake, some tape, yarn and fishing line.  We took it up to Clear Lake and flew it out in the field.  It worked pretty well, but the kite seemed to like dive-bombing.  We almost took out Indy a few times;p

Our next creative juncture was tie-dying.  At the cabin was the perfect place to try our hand at this messy art.  It was a blast!  We made our little martian men from elastic bands and t-shirts and then dunked away in our various colours of dye.  Gloves were a must since we didn't want our hands to match our attire after finishing the project:)

And here is our 'finished' product hanging in the sun to dry.  We plan on getting pictures of everyone wearing their shirts this weekend after they are completely dry.

Yesterday We took a little adventure to the Carberry Spirit Sands.  A great hike the cumulates at the sand dunes.  We went with my mom and little Indy.  It's not just your eyes, this picture is a tad blurry but it was the best one of the 4 of us from yesterday on the camera.  Sorry:(

Tilt your head sideways, and you can see how high one of the dunes was that we climbed up during our hike yesterday.  It made us feel a bit like nomadic wanderers.  P and I also decided that we would not like to die in the desert (given a choice of course:)-

Teacher Stuff

A random photo from this summer...i think it's kind of cute:)

I put in my first morning of official teacher work today.  I went in with my dad to his school to scavenge and pillage whatever I could from teachers there.  I think it was a fairly profitable adventure.  I've filled my memory stick with files, tests and all the other good stuff that comes from stealing from other teachers.  It's exciting to think about doing all this teacher stuff but also a bit overwhelming.  Sometimes I have minor panic attacks thinking about all that lies ahead of me in the upcoming year as a first year teacher but then I have to remind myself of one day at a time and the fear passes.  

Onto other news...

Tomorrow my friend from Brazil arrives in Canada.  I'm looking forward to sharing Manitoba with her in the summer.  When she lived here last time, she spent most of the winter months with us.  I'll hopefully be able to post some pictures soon from our upcoming adventures.

I'm heading out to enjoy the summer sun a bit more today.  It is just so lovely and wonderful to be able to spend so many hours outside these days.

ciao!

Home Again

Well i made it back home this evening.  My time in southern ontario was wonderful.  I really had a great time hanging out with my family and camp friends.  It is great to have friends that you can just settle in with even if it has been a while since you last saw each other.  A true blessing.  After leaving southern ontario I spent a few days in Winnipeg before heading to ultimate home.  I got to spend some quality time with my Baba which is special since I"ll be heading away for the year real soon.  Baked some things with her of course! and also did some more shopping with Julia.  Value Village was our friend yesterday.  We found a lot of good 'teacher' things for a small price tag.  Honestly, Julia bought, I think 9 items, for like $60 which is pretty awesome when you consider that all those clothes are 'teacher clothes' and that she could have spent the same amount on one pair of pants if she bought new at the mall.  I added to my teacher-shirt collection.  I think I need to stop soon though because it all needs to fit into my suitcases along with whatever else is coming with me to China!  

I also found out recently (like yesterday) that I will be teaching 3 different courses this fall.  Originally I thought I was going to be in the resource department, but now it looks like the majority of my time will be in a classroom (or maybe several).  I am supposed to teach consumer math (gr 11) and grade 10 science and math.  That mostly means that now I have to spend some serious time in the remainder of my summer prepping and getting things organized since i only have 1 week from the time i land in China till when I start teaching.  NOt really enough time to figure out my first month especially with all the meetings and general orientation of a new city and job.  But that's ok.  I was given ample warning about my schedule so I can't really complain.

The next exciting part of my summer is the arrival of my friend from Brazil!  Paula and I met in grade 12 when she was an exchange student to my school and we have stayed friends since.  She arrives next week and will be here for a couple weeks.  We should have some grand times!  Hopefully some fun summer adventure pictures to follow while she is here:)

It's time for me to call it a night and enjoy the maiden voyage of my double bed!  that's right folks...after 23 years of sleeping on a single bed I will be resting on a double bed in my own bedroom!  pretty exciting if you ask me:)

Waiting

Hey.  So I'm sitting in my uncle's living room waiting for my friend S to come and pick me up for coffee, so I thought I would put up a little post of some random thoughts and facts from the past few days.

1. The flowers are so much bigger and happier here in Guelph than back home (at least right now since there has actually been some warmer weather here recently)

2. I love having family that lives in different cities than me so that I have an excuse to go on a little trip

3. I am super excited about watching two friends from camp get married this saturday

4. I am even more excited about having coffee with said friend this morning and catching up on a year apart

5. Solo shopping is not that much fun.  I had a couple hours to kill yesterday before I needed to head to the airport so I browsed around, but it wasn't nearly as much fun as when I'm with friends.  Walking around with my pack on my back probably didn't help my shopping mood either.

6. I found out the other day that I will be teaching 1 class of math each day while I'm in China along with working with language learners which is exciting, but also means I actually have a class I need to prep for during the rest of the summer.

7. Fresh coffee with cream is a delicious way to start the day!  

Ok, i think I"ve moved onto random ramblings so I'm gonna close it off here.  Make it a great day folks!

Graduation Celebrations

SO I decided to just make a picture storyboard of my graduation weekend.  It was a pretty fun time with friends and family making the trip out to be part of my exciting day.  I am so blessed to have such a super group of people who stand behind me and have supported me through every step of this process of becoming a teacher.  IT's still kind of hard to believe that I'm actually done the whole university thing unless I choose to go back.  When people ask me what I do, my first response is still a student, but I know I will be able to retrain my mind soon.  So, without further ado, here are some of the pictures taken on my graduation weekend.

My baba came to celebrate with me.  This picture was taken Saturday before the ceremony.

My mom took a bunch of photos in the backyard before I left for the ceremony.  I still have to choose which ones I want to get printed up to share with people but I think they look nicer than the ones I had taken in the studio during the winter.  A bit more natural looking!

An action shot of me moving the tassel from the right to left side of my cap.  the official moment when we have graduated according to the marshall of the ceremony.

Receiving my diploma from the dean.  I had to stop and pose for a picture opportunity even though I wasn't planning on buying the photo at the end of the ceremony.

Back at the house, we had a bbq and celebrated with friends and family who were not subjected to the 3 hours ceremony at the Keystone.  Here's me and my Baba looking pretty happy.  I"m the first grandchild to graduate from university, so it's a pretty big deal in baba's books.

Some of the friends that joined me for my celebration.  It was fun to get dressed up and have a fun time with old and new friends.  If only the day could have been longer so that I could visit with everyone more thoroughly.  

I think we might be related or something:~)

The Happy parents...finally she is going to be out of the house!

Only the 2 brothers were missing from this friends photo....actually Julia wasn't in Brandon yet so she's missing too but keep looking for a picture of her.

Yes, we definitely ate at the party!  I'm not sure how, but I managed to get that whole plate done and then have room for some dessert too.  I guess all those hours of waiting in cap and gown gave me a bit of an appetite...

On Sunday, I went out with some friends and we had a bit of a photo shoot.  Here's one of the 4 of us!

ANd one of me and Julia to show that she actually was out here for the weekend!  Julia and I are going to China together...

THis last picture has nothing to do with graduation, but I took it on the long weekend out at camp.  K and I went for a hike on the island trail, and we stopped for a break at the top of the trail.  It was pretty bare out there but still a beautiful time.

So that wraps up the graduation photo tour.  Of course there are more pictures that can be shared in person if you so desire...

THanks for sharing in my journey in whatever way you were part of my life...this is not a path I could travel alone.

Kitchen Kraziness

So, I thought it was about time I checked in with my blogging friends. I'm still out at camp and loving it. I'm not sure how many times I"ve said it in the past week and a bit I've been out here, but I love camp. Even if I get tired, stressed, burnt out I still love camp. I love the beauty of creation that is all around, the community is fun to be a part of and I have really enjoyed singing and praying together. I have spent most of my time working in the kitchen, mostly as one of the crew but a few stints of head-cook as well. I am having a lot of fun cooking and feeding people! I call it my 'inner Baba' because I find great joy in feeding people. Creating delicious food and making sure people are never hungry is so important for me.

I've gone around the island on the trail a few times, but so far the weather/timing has not worked out to go for a paddle yet. I"m hopeful for tomorrow. I've also been trying my hand at some aerobics! that's right folks, exercise at camp! One of the staff that's out here for the summer is an aerobics instructor and she has been leading classes for us. We definitely get our hearts a pumping and the tunes going. We even got some of the guys to join us! I'd show you a picture or two, but cameras were banned from the room....

It's raining AGAIN! I don't think we've had three days consecutively where it hasn't rained. But that's ok because the tea is always hot, conversations good and fun to be had!

Saturday I graduate officially as a teacher. It's pretty exciting! I'm having a small party with some friends and family after the ceremony which will be nice. Again, good food, conversation and people...hard to find a better mix!

Island Dweller

Today is the start of the long weekend and I am super excited about going out to camp for the next week. It will likely be the only time I will get out to the island this summer. There are a bunch of people on 4-month staff that I already know and of course there will be new people to welcome to my friend circle. I have no idea what team I will be working with this week, but I know I will enjoy myself. My guess is either kitchen or probably kitchen:)- I've packed my long underwear and toque and mitts. IT's gonna be pretty chilly out there but I"m still pumped to be heading out. I am hoping the ice has receeded enough to allow me to get out in a canoe and around the island on the trail a few times. There will also be time for knitting, games and conversation. Camp is such a special place, and it's hard for me to really describe all that it encompasses. I have spent the last 3 summers out on the island and it is nice to have a chance to go back, even if just for a short while this spring. I will hopefully post some pictures when I get back.

In other news, we celebrated my parents' birthdays this week. We even managed to surprise my dad with a surprise party to celebrate and a scavenger hunt full of surprises with his new GPS unit. It was nice to actually be home to celebrate these special times with my parents, especially since I will be out of the country at this time next year.

Take care friends...hopefully your long weekend has something fun and restoritive in store.

till later!

Time Off

It's day 2 of my summer vacation and so far it is lovely. I have been doing some little jobs here and there like organizing my school stuff and starting to make phone calls to get things settled for China but mostly just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful spring sunshine. Yesterday I went for 2 long walks and it was fantastic. It is so fun to watch all the trees getting their new leaves for a new season. The grass is turning green and my spirits are definitely lifted.

I have also gotten my baking hands back to work. Yesterday I made falafels for supper as well as a carrot cake (with cream cheese icing of course!) and a big batch of granola for the family. I missed cooking while I was away student teaching so it's nice to be at home in my own kitchen again (well technically my mother's kitchen but she doesn't seem to mind sharing!)

I've also been busy help plan some birthday parties since my parents are both celebrating their birthdays next week. But mostly it's just nice to be able to do whatever I want without that niggling guilt in the back of my brain for all the school 'stuff' I could/should be doing. I have already started to fill in my social calender for getting together with people the rest of this week. I have a feeling it won't be hard finding things to do every day...just different things than when I am officially working:)

I'm off to finish organizing all my school stuff. Right now my bedroom floor is covered in papers which is a little inconvenient for getting to anything else in the room:)-

The Last Day

Today is the last day of my student teaching life. So far I've eaten pancakes & Syrup, cookies & milk, and cake. This afternoon includes some more cookies and a different cake. I am enjoying this day of 'parties' with my students. It's a good way to finish off my time at the school. I just got my final evaluation papers from my faculty advisor and i PASSED! That means that I only have to wait until May 30 to walk across the stage and get my piece of paper. And then a little more waiting until I receive my official certificate. It's hard to believe that this part of my life is actually done (well almost...3 hours left!)

I have to pack up my room tonite and do some cleaning and then tomorrow morning I will be driving home. I plan on relaxing for the next few days and enjoying my family and then getting started on my lits of things to do before China. I also have some mini-trips planned for the summer and a lot of time at the cottage and with the boat!

The Last Week

Well, Ive made it through week 6 of 7 and still enjoy teaching (well mostly!). Its hard to believe that my time in Winkler is almost over. I came into Winnipeg for the weekend to relax and enjoy some friend time as well as get a load of marking and test writing done. This last week coming up will be lighter on the planning end, but there are always many things to tie up in a last week anywhere. I am excited for what is ahead of me but also a bit sad to be leaving my new friends behind in Winkler. I have not made a lot of new friends, but the ones that I have made are pretty sweet and it will be hard to say good bye (at least for now!)

BUT summer awaits with all the fun of cabins and lakes and boats and of course friends. I dont have too many plans made yet, so if you have suggestions of where I should go or what I should do, leave me a note. I have about 3.5 months before I fly away to CHINA. Its still pretty hard to think about moving to another continent on the other side of the globe. But alas, before I wish away what is left I am going to go and enjoy a Friday night with friends, a movie and some wine.

See you in a week when I finish my final practicum and become a TEACHER (at least one who can get paid!)

Mental Health Day

Today was the beginning of week 5 for me of my final student teaching practicum.  It also was a professional development day.  I signed up for an Asian cooking workshop in the morning and then a yoga session in the afternoon.  I called it my 'mental health' day.  IT's important for teachers to find ways to release stress and kick back to keep a sane state of mind.  I made Thai mussels, hot & sour soup, sushi and other tasty asian foods.  It was delicious:)  My afternoon was much more relaxing and calming and I really enjoyed it.  I think I'm going to start doing more yoga to increase my flexibility, relax and increase muscle tone.  It was one of the more enjoyable forms of exercise that I have found.  

Since my last post, I had a bit of a stressful week at school, but that is all behind me now.  I got through it and I'm moving forward.  There are tough weeks in any profession, and last week was just one of them.  I went home for Easter Weekend which was great.  I relaxed with my family, watched movies, made Easter bread, ate too much Easter bread and played games.  Of course there was some time spent remembering the actual reason behind celebrating Easter, but spending time with my family was also a big blessing.

I have 3 weeks left in this placement and they are going to fly by I am sure.  Spring is moving in steadily, with melting snow, growing puddles, budding trees and warmer temperatures.  It's so nice to have sunlight into the evening instead of living in seemingly perpetual darkness!

Thunder Bay

SO, I just got home from a lovely mini-vacation to Thunder Bay. Now not everyone would think of TBay as a destination spot but when good friends live there the 20 hours of driving needed to get there and back are no big deal. The picture was taken at Kakabeka Falls which is about 25 minutes out of Thunder bay. It's beautiful;)


I met M&E when we worked at Pioneer Camp together, and we've become good friends since. It was great to hang out with friends even if the snow storm made us change our plans. We had hoped to enjoy the beauty of the Thunder Bay area, but crazy amounts of wet snow made us change our plans. E and I decided that we would spend tuesday in the kitchen making delicious things. First of all we had to make french toast for breakfast and then a quick batch of chocolate chip cookies to take to E's co-worker who had switched shifts with her to make sure we could have one full day together. Then we started our fondant for decorating cake before heading out to get groceries. While out for groceries we also managed to stop at this great tea shop called STEEPERS! I picked up some delicious 'Pink Grapefruit green tea' and 'peach rooibos' tea. It was a hard decision to pick only 2 types of tea to take home. I wish we had a tea shop at home...maybe one day:)

The weather continued to deteriorate, so we decided to make homemade lasagne and finish decorating our cake (that we still had to make!). Homemade lasagne took on a whole new meaning as we brainstormed together. We made our own pasta AND our own ricotta cheese for the lasagne. Our lasagne was probably the best I've ever eaten. Add a bit of wine, some bread dipped in oil+balsamic vinegar and a crisp caesar salad and you've got a high class meal all made in your own kitchen! There's no stopping the two of us when we get in the kitchen. M sort of hid in the basement while we were in our cooking frenzy...probably a wise decision. We roped him into helping with the clean-up after we'd managed to dirty almost every pot & pan in the kitchen. Thanks M!

Our cake turned into cupcakes (which to be honest didn't taste all that great because we tried a new recipe that involved cherry jello) but we had a lot of fun playing with the fondant to decorate the cupcakes. Our frosting was also another adventure that can be saved for another blog post! Take a look at this blog to see what we were aiming for in our decorating. You can check out M&E's blog to see what our cupcakes looked like (that's a hint for you two to get those pics up on the world wide web!) We topped off the evening with some knitting and tea. Needless to say, we had a good time even if the snow didn't stop falling for almost 24 hours and we ended up with over 6 inches of heavy, wet white stuff on the ground:)

On Wednesday M and I tried to be studious and productive at home while E was at work and then we went to Starbucks to read and have a hot drink until E finished her shift. It was a laid back day but nice since I was on Spring Break.

Today, my parents and I decided to drive home the American route. It was lovely to see something new. There is really no difference in distance or time but the scenery changes a lot more and there seem to be more small towns along the route. It would probably be a lot slower in the summer when traffic volumes are higher because there are no passing lanes on the American route and it's all 2-lane hwy, but it was really pretty.

Now that I'm back at home, I have a list of things to get done tomorrow. High on my list are getting the paperwork together for my contract with Clifford School in China, and getting my lesson planning done. Hopefully I can get lots done during the day before I go out to my friend's party in the evening. There's always Saturday as well, so I plan on taking time for friends and family as well during the day.

That's probably enough random details for one blog. Thanks for reading to the end! (if you're still reading:)

Spring Break!

Well folks, I made it to Spring Break. I realize how much more teachers look forward to Spring Break than the students do:) This last week was a good one but a tough one at times. I am teaching 3 classes a day, and I am starting to feel like I know the students a bit more and the routine is starting to set in which is a good thing. Each day I am learning things and having new experiences which I guess is what practicum is supposed to be about. Of course there are some students that drive me crazy and make me wonder why I am in the profession, but on a whole, the kids are good and the teachers are very encouraging. I had my first official observation with my faculty supervisor and he had only positive things to say about my class. That was a relief. Not that I think my teaching is bad, but it's always nice to have someone say good things about you:)

I drove home last night to start my spring break. I took the more scenic route and it was quite beautiful. There were hills and turns in the road! A difference from the usual route on the trans-Canada #1 highway.

So far my weekend has been relaxing which is nice. I am heading to Thunder Bay on Monday to visit some camp friends. I am really looking forward to the time out East. I hope to get some knitting done and we'll probably create something tasty to eat. Speaking of tasty things, I am planning on making pasta tonite with a nice garlic cream sauce. I really love making great meals from scratch. There's something satisfying about knowing you made every part of your meal and that you could survive without pre-packaged foods from the store if you had to.

Well that's probably enough random rambling for now. I'll let you know how the trip to TBAY goes, maybe I'll see a moose or something fun like that!

Flashback

I just finished eating a delicious Ethiopian Supper, with freshly roasted coffee as dessert. IT was so fantastic. I felt like I had been transported temporarily back to Addis except for the piles of snow outside the windows and the fact that I could speak to the waiters in English. The food was wonderful and when I told the cook (who had come to see how I was enjoying my meal), that I had lived in Addis for a short time she insisted on bringing me some other dishes to sample and making some coffee for me. Making coffee in Ethiopia is a more involved process than in Canada. She roasted the beans, brought them out and let me smell that and then went and brewed a jebna full ( a special pot to make the coffee in). IT come out on a little tray, with the little cups and a BIG bowl of sugar. If you did not know, Ethiopians like to drink their coffee black with LOADS of sugar (at least when they drink it during a coffee ceremony). The taste of the coffee was just like I remembered it when I was over in Ethiopia. SO all that being said, it was a lovely way to start the weekend after a long week.

I came into Winnipeg for the weekend for a change of pace. I still have a bunch of planning and prep to do, but at least I can have some fun when I am not planning. I am staying with Julia which is always a good time, we never run out of things to talk about and do together.

SO, a summary of the week....

By the end of the week (actually the last two days), I was teaching for 3 of my 4 class periods. I didnt feel like they were all stellar classes, but we got through them and so far I have received positive feedback from my co-operating teachers. Next week my faculty supervisor will be coming for his first formal evaluation and one of my teachers will also be doing a formal observation of one of my lessons. With teaching almost full time, I seem to have plenty to do all the time. But that was to be expected so its not really surprising. My one class of grade 9s are giving me a run for my money but I dont feel too bad about it because they are pretty crazy for their regular teacher too. I am hoping that by time I am finished they will be a little more under control but who knows.

Thats about all that I know. Hope your weekend allows for some fun, and relaxation.

Till later.

The First Week

As promised, here is a recap of my first week in this final teaching practicum....

-the staff is super friendly and helpful. Easy to get along with and so willing to help me with whatever and make sure that my time is as good as possible. I feel like I am welcomed and lunch times in the staff room are always fun, with lots of laughing which is a welcomed break.
-I've started making some connections with students and interacting a bit more with them. My German is still negligible, but you can still tell which students are the trouble makers, which ones are shy and which ones are talking when they should be working:) or listening
-There are several cultural differences that stand out, but most are not really an issue, just something different to get used to
-I haven't watched tv in over a week-and I'm surviving just fine:0
-I had a tour of all the vocational sites that students can go to as GVC students, so today was a field trip PD day. I visited Morris, Altona, Morden and the GVC sites in Winkler.
-I've had supper out one night with a camp friend which was lovely and a break from the constant noise at the house I am living in:)
-The sun was shining today and I got to go for a lovely jog and hear the birds singing.

So overall, things are going quite well. I start teaching on Monday, but only 2/4 classes. Wednesday I add a 3rd and I won't start my 4th class until after Spring Break which is just fine with me. My two EAL classes are going to be a challenge, but that's a good thing I think.

I know the rest of this month is going to fly by with all the school stuff going on. Tuesday is a spirit day (st. paddy's) and then we have early dismissal for parent teacher interviews, and the list goes on. Before I know it, Spring break will arrive and I'll be off for a little visit with friends in the East:) (you know who you are!)

My social life is definitely not be taxed in this practicum, but that means I have no excuse for not getting my planning and marking done. And that really is the plan for my weekend. Some relaxation, reading and enjoying of the outdoors but a good chunk of tomorrow will be spent working on school stuff, I really want to have everything planned out for the week so that I can be working ahead during the week and hopefully take off next weekend for Winnipeg (or home to switch cars-a long story that is best told in person).

Anyways, it's all of 8:45 on a Friday night and I am exhausted. Right now all I want to do is lay down, and watch a movie or read a book. SO I think that's what I'm going to do. Leave school until tomorrow and get some rest. It's Lame I know, but hey it's my life!

Day 1 is Finished

Hey Friends. SO I survived day 1 at GVC. I am pooped and I didn't even do any teaching, but that's to be expected as I get back into what a real work day feels like:) But seriously, my 3 co-operating teachers are friendly and seem pretty helpful, so that is definitely reassuring. I only have to start teaching 2 of my classes for sure on Monday and the other one likely some time next week. My fourth class will probably not start under my control until my 3rd week. Hopefully this will be manageable. My two EAL math and science classes are going to be a handful. There are many traditional mennonites (mainly German speaking) in the school, so the visual culture cues are quite different from my experiences in my other placements. I'm sure it will go alright. I have to get started on some more serious planning, so I'll fill you in at the end of the first week and let you know how things are settling in.

Till later

Welcome to Winkler

Hey Friends.

SO I just moved into my new home for the next 2 months. Winkler, Manitoba. That's right folks! I'm doing my final practicum at the school here, and it will be interesting I'm sure. THe move was pretty uneventful, and I even got a lovely little stop-over in Winnipeg to spend some time with good friends and family.

I watched the movie "Rachel Getting Married" last night, and it was alright. I was expecting more comedy, when really the movie was a drama. There was a lot of character development and some open-ended parts of the storyline. Anne Hathaway played in it, and it was definitely a more intense, dramatic role than what she usually plays. but she did it well. I would recommend the movie if you're looking for something that's relatively deep and dramatic.

Anyways, I need to go and help out with supper (at my new house:0

I'll let you all know how the first day goes tomorrow!

Till later folks.

Hair Cut-With New Pictures

Today I got a little trim and a colour touch-up...for those who care, here's a few photos. Nothing drastic just helping me convince the students that I really am a professional teacher:)

My mom and I were having a bit of fun with her macbook. Hence the double images of me:) I thought it was kind of fun.

The Last Day

Today is my last day of class (as a student) perhaps forever! I still have an exam tomorrow, but officially this is the last day of 'class'. I have mixed emotions. Part of me is so excited, but part of me is kind of sad too. Saying good bye to friends that I may never see again, and just a farewell until later for others. That's all I have to say, but I wanted to make a post on this momentous day.

The other plus is the sun is shining and it's 'warm' in Branond (-10 C)!

Have a good day folks.

The Beginning of the End

Today marks the last Friday of no classes, probably forever in my life. I only have 2 more days of classes, and one exam before I finish my time as a student. I still have a 7 week practicum to complete before I graduate, but I have completed all my projects and presentations for class and only have a test left. It's exciting yet sad at the same time. The friends that I have made in these last 2 years are going to be spreading in many different directions, and we will have to say good bye, which is the sad part. The exciting part is that I am almost finished being a student, which means I am branching out to be a 'real' adult!

Fear and the scary part of venturing into this new part of my life also comes into my mind at times. The unknown of my future looms ahead of me. Even though I know I am going to China this fall, I really have no idea what that will bring, the adventures and new experiences that will come with that opportunity. Leaving my family and friends for a whole year, and many other firsts. I am pretty excited that I will be getting a pay check soon, for my teaching work, instead of paying for the privilege of working!

Today has mostly been a 'domestic' day as I like to call them. Baking, cleaning, laundry, you know what I mean. I need to do a bit of studying for my upcoming test and exam, but that's not too high on my priority list. I also need to get some planning done for my upcoming practicum, again not a lot of motivation but I will get to it!

Tonite is our grad social, which will hopefully be a lot of fun. My Baba is also coming out to spend some time with us which is nice. I am looking forward to some family time this weekend and a chance to read some of the books I borrowed from the school library.

Hope your upcoming weekend has some time of relaxation and fun!

China Here We Come

Well Folks, I promised that when there was news to share that I would share. So here it is...I am heading to China! I got my first job with an international school over in China!!!! I'm super excited about this adventuring opportunity. Southeast Asia will soon be on my continents experienced list.

The school is named Clifford International School. It is a private K-12 school that has 2 streams, the Chinese and English. The English program follows the Manitoba curriculum which is great for me. The school year is pretty similar to Canada, with the vacations in a few different spots. We still have 200 teaching days, but the breaks are at slightly different times than Manitoba schools. I will be signing on for a 1 year contract and then we'll see what happens after that.

I'm excited that I will be able to share some more exciting events on this blog again. The life of a student in small town Canada is usually not as interesting as a little Canadian girl exploring a big new country! I'm counting on some stories about new and strange foods, sights that are new to my eyes and a bit of culture shock! I'm supposed to be getting an apartment that is big enough to host people, so if you think it might be in your plans to come to China next year let me know:)

With the excitement of a job and travels in my life, it's been kind of hard to stay focused on these last days of classes and then an upcoming practicum. I only have 1 1/2 weeks of class left and then my 7 week practicum. CRAZY!!!!! I have a couple of big projects yet to finish but I'm confident it will all come together. It is the Education faculty after all:)

SO that's my exciting news. Hope your upcoming weekend treats you well. Mine will probably focus on homework and some relax time.

till later!

MITTENS!

WARNING...This post contains strictly knitting details...if this is not your thing then feel free to skip to the next blog:)

Hey Folks. I just realized that I had not posted any pictures from a great pair of mitts that I knit earlier in the winter. I had originally started using the wool for a pair of 'thrummed' mittens but that was not working for me. With the colours I had chosen, the mitts looked like lumpy turtle shells. (insert picture in your mind here!) I decided that a different approach was necessary. So this is what I ended up with. They were a bit big, but perfect for putting fleece liners into to make them useful for the deep freeze that came shorty after Christmas:) My only alteration next time, would be to make the cuffs with smaller needles (that's what the pattern instructed, but I was too lazy this time) and probably make the mittens smaller overall (if I didn't want to put liners in them). I think they look pretty good (considerin this was the first time I used one of those grid patterns with all the little boxes on it, and not just written instructions.

And without further adue (sp?) here are a couple fun shots I took this morning with my mittens!

Raining Cats & Dogs

Hey FOlks. I just had to document the strange weather we've been having these past 24+ hours. It's raining, in Manitoba, in FEBRUARY! That's right, not snow, but rain! I still can't get past the craziness of it. This said rain is making things pretty slippery on the roads and sidewalks...skates would be a better choice of footwear than shoes these days:) I'm not usually one to write about the weather, but this is just too strange not to make a comment about.

Onto other things...school continues to zip along. Someone informed me that we only have 12 days of classes left this term. YIKES. Still a few big projects to do but things are feeling under control right now, which is a nice place to be. This weekend (assuming the roads get better) I will be driving out to Saskatoon to visit best friend...I'm super excited! It's Louis Riel Day on Monday, so we get a long weekend which will be great. I"m looking forward to having seemingly unlimited time to chat, hang out, eat delicious things and just enjoy being together. The past while we have only been able to hang out for short little blocks of time when she comes home to visit family so this weekend will be good. Here's to hoping for clear roads.

February!

Hi Folks.

February has arrived, which means lots of exciting things...only 4 more weeks of classes, Winter festival (a mini-folklorama for Brandon), the one-month Challenge (can you go for 1-month eating only fair trade chocolate and drinking only fair trade teas and coffees?), Louis Riel Day (which means a day off school and work), and lots of other things I"m sure. Oh, one other piece of excitement is that I will likely hear back from a school in China that has my application for teaching next year...I'll let you know what happens there:0

Life is moving along at a pretty quick pace these days. This last term of university seems to be flying by but at the same time there are so many details, assignments and decisions to make. At times it is overwhelming, but I try to take it one day at a time and keep things in perspective. (Easier said than done)

Thoughts of warm summer often flood my mind while I walk to school in yet another -40 morning...temperatures like that make it pretty easy to think about moving somewhere WARMER!

I have several BIG projects that need to get started, so I need to run. Till next time:)

Almost the Weekend

Today is Thursday, which means in the world of education students it's almost the weekend!  THat's right, no classes on Fridays during class time (when we're doing our practicum then we work full time).  Since I actually have a free weekend coming up, I have a few plans aka a 'to-do' list!  I want to bake some raisin bread & some rye bread, make a batch of granola, go toboganning, go to the library and write some letters to friends.  Basically a hang out at home time but with a bunch of baking thrown in:)  My perfect kind of weekend.

Friday night I"m going to also watch some volleyball action at the university and hang out with a great friend-looking forward to seeing you jules:)

One other tidbit...I just bought this great toque from 10,000 Villages as my birthday present from my Grandpa.  It is hand-knit, lined with fleece an

d made in Nepal.  It appears to be made from a whole bunch of scrap wool but it's very warm and I think it looks pretty cute.  I've got a picture here for you.

This is me in my new toque...I look pretty pleased:)

Here's a picture of the toque sans head....

A sad highlight

the highlight of my day...finishing a paper that's due on Thursday!  Now only 1 more paper due for this week and then I can get going on the assignments and presentations that will be due next week:)  Oh the joys of being a student...you're never done until the term is finished.  

Just thought I'd post with this sad reality of my life so you can all know what's going on around here.

Hopefully you've got more interesting things happening in your life these days.

On a more positive note, it's beautiful outside and walking to and from school is a joy.  I now wish my walk were a lot longer instead of wondering if I will be able to feel my digits by time I reach te building.  

Ok, since I've digressed to talking about the weather, which is not something I"m proud of, I'm going to sign off for tonite-1 paper down and now off to bed.

January Fun

WARNING...for all male readers-the next few pictures are not likely to be interesting to you...read/skim forward if you choose, but know you HAVE been warned...

Firstly, I wanted to show my new blonde look.  So I've got a before and after to show you how dark my natural color actually is.  I hadn't coloured my hair for 1 year so it was all natural hair left on my head:)

This picture (as unflattering as it is) was taken during my first (and so far only) pasta making adventure.  It's kind of hard to see my hair, but overall it just looks pretty gross (I think).

The AFTER picture was taken on Friday night after getting my hair highlighted.  I'm not really sure why my dad chose to stick his arm + orange peel in the picture, but it's there:)

My other Fun thing that I wanted to post was my Castle Birthday Cake.  That's right, at 23 I chose to decorate and design a castle cake as my birthday cake:)

So here's a few shots from the creating of the cake...

This picture shows the very base of the cake.  It's a chocolate cake with a cafe flavoured whip cream filling and covered in chocolate gnash...and that's just the beginning!

This was the castle before decorating.  All of the structural pieces were assembled and covered in icing at this point.

And here's the finished product.  You can't see it, but in the middle of the castle there are whales and frogs swimming in the chocolate pond.  The sentries are little penguins on top of the whales and at the end of the drawbridge are two little frogs.  I'm not sure who Prince Charming is, but I'm supposed to be represented by the pretty girl in pink:)

I enjoyed the cake with some good friends on Friday night after we went out and got manicures and pedicures at a place in the mall.  It was a fun time...even when you get 'old' you can still have good parties!

Winter=Warm Woolies

It's been ages since my last update, but I'm finally going to share some pictures from my Christmas and other random events from the past few weeks (there are a few highlights).  I was originally going to do a year-in-review type post but haven't gotten around to it so a picture collage will have to come instead.  If you really want highlights from the past year, just look over my posts from 2008.

So what's new?  I'm heaving into classes with my last semester of school!  Yup, I graduate in May!  It seems my profs have decid

ed that they should lay on the work since it's our last term in the faculty so needless to say, I'm not short on school work to do these days (thought that doesn't mean I procrastinate any less:))  I'm still looking forward to my placement that's going to be out of Brandon.  I still don't know where I'll be teaching this fall, but there seem to be endless options...I'll let you know when I know!

Now for a few Pictures...

This one was taken on Christmas Eve, a bunch of friends came over and we played games, ate food and laughed a lot!  We also decided it should be 'dress-up' night so everyone put on their 'good' clothes before we celebrated the evening.




Here's me with my two 'sisters'!  Only one is biological but the other one is over at our house almost often enough to life here...

Christmas Morning was relaxing...I got two really fun gifts that I'm loving so much.  The first was a pasta maker (as seen in the photo)-I've only used it once but it was so much fun...also I've realized that pasta making is really an art form, therefore I should practice more.  Such yummy homework:)  My other fun gift was a battery-powered frother.  SO now I can make frothy drinks that are so delightful.  

There's a few pics from the Christmas celebrations at my house.  I'm going to post a few other January highlights soon.