Coming home...

Calgary to Toronto
Dep. 00:50 Tues. Aug. 01.
Arr. 06:35 Tues. Aug. 01.
Ouch that's early. Who wants to pick me upppppp?!

Toronto/Ottawa to Calgary
Who knows. Stupid board not giving me a definite job.

I want to play, so PLEASE let me know when you're in Toronto/Perth area and if we can PLEASE hang out. I like eating ice cream, seeing shows, swimming, drinking pina coladas and watching sunsets on Lake Ontario. Just kidding, but seriously, let's hang out. Email me, yo.

Planning an escape?

No, I've decided not to move to Bali for two years. Turns out a co-worker is moving there to teach at a school that has an olympic sized swimming pool, a climbing wall, and according to their website, appears to be located in the middle of a jungle. One of the teachers they had lined up to go there was in a car accident and they need to fill her spot. High school English and Drama. Was I interested? Though not overly qualified I could probably figure it out, and I would have lots of drama-heads to email for help.....

So I got some books out of the library, read loads on the Internet, and spent hours dreaming of what it would be like to live on a small island in the South Pacific. Just think - I could sell my place in Calgary and make a few pretty pennies, leave behind the uncertainty of not having a job lined up for the fall yet, Ed could quit his less-than-fulfilling job, and I could learn how to surf. No matter what, at the end of the day, you're living in Bali. Believe, me, I fantasized about this for quite a while.

Except for then it hit me. Two years is a long time to live somewhere that you know next-to-nothing about. I really don't have any personal experience to relate to living somewhere like that. On one hand, "WOW, the adventure!" and on the other, "I don't know if I want to fly to Singapore to see a doctor..." (among other things) It's eye-opening to think about living somewhere where your sentence could be death for possessing drugs, or God-knows what else. I don't know, but it would definitely be a change... And a lot can change in two years.

I know I want a change, soon, I just don't think this is it.

The good thing is that it re-opened my ambition to go places, not that I'm stuck in a rut, but I don't ever want to forget about having adventures........ I am looking into teaching in New Zealand again (apparently they need Kindergarten teachers? how fortuitous!) and the fire-in-my-belly to be in the 2010 Olympics has been
re-kindled... Training has begun, haha.

Howdy.

Ed and I ventured out to my very first ever Calgary Stampede last night. Picture this last year: my first week in Calgary involved me waiting for buses downtown and counting cowboy hats (astonishing); not ever making a Stampede breakfast because I didn't know my way around (they're EVERYWHERE); and looking at the SuperDogs online but not having anybody to go with me (boohoo).... So, Ed decided that this year he would take me to the SuperDogs, since apparently I didn't stop yammering on about it when we met last year. So we got there, the show started, and I cried. Seriously! When they started playing loud latin music and shining lights everywhere I was so overwhelmed and excited I cried. Better that than peeing my pants, hey? So these dogs caught frisbees, ran around courses, jumped over bars, and all around impressed the pants off this girl. And they were CUTE. In the pictures just look for the one bulldog ("Pot Roast") going right through the bars. Anyway, call me a big nerd, I don't care, it was fun and I'm glad I finally saw the show. And then there were mini-donuts. And Corb Lund playing live, with lots of cowboys all around cheering on. And gross funnel cakes. And Ed and I riding one of those crazy rides with the boat swinging side to side - I screamed, oh, how I screamed.... Peace out, happy weekend.

Yee-haw

Check out the Pascua Lama project in Chile

Dear Mr. Borg, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications of Barrick Gold Corporation,

With all due respect, I am appalled to learn of your company's plans to mine the area known as Atacama in Chile. I have some experience with the effects that open-pit mining can have on an environment, having recently moved out of Fort McMurray, Alberta. I'm sure you've heard of it. There are many difference between Fort McMurray and Atacama, namely that Fort McMurray is not a community which thrives on it's agriculture, there is no foreseeable shortage of clean water, and people choose to live there in order to work. In the Huasco valley, people have lived there for generations, they depend on the glaciers which your project endangers for clean water and sustainability of their farmland, and they already have jobs which support them and their families.

As you well know, mining in Canada is closely monitored by government, environment and community groups to ensure that long-term effects are minimal. The same cannot always be said of mining in other countries. I am concerned that the way which your company proposes to impact their environment will directly impact their right to live as they do now. Not only that, but you are quickly becoming next on a long list of companies that are threatening the a basic human right of access to clean water. As you may already be aware, in November 2002, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights affirmed that access to adequate amounts of clean water for personal and domestic uses is a fundamental human right of all people. In its General Comment No. 15 on the implementation of Articles 11 and 12 of the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Committee noted that “the human right to water is indispensable for leading a life in human dignity. It is a prerequisite for the realization of other human rights.”

Please know that I will be watching this issue closely. I would like to know your opinions on this matter, and I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,

Vanessa Fraser

Inter Press News Service Agency: Pascua Lama Gold Mine, a Threat to Sustainability
Mining Watch Canada
Barrick Gold's Responsibility Report Online: Seriously, check this out... I promise it will only take 5 seconds
Google Earth

What more could you ask for in a sticker?

I have been teaching summer school to a group of ten bright, over-achieving, mostly Asian group of students for the last two days. The course is called "Humanities - Grades 1/2, Enrichment". We are planning a dream trip to Mexico.

Today I made them research Mexican food on the inter-web and then we made guacamole and salsa. After school I went to the teacher store to see about rounding up some elementary Spanish stuff and look what I found................ THEY EVEN SMELL LIKE TACOS. Let's see, this IS what Mexico is all about, isn't it? Pinatas, sombreros, hot peppers, maracas, and tacos. Done. (P.S. I bought these just because I couldn't believe they made stickers to smell like tacos, gross, yet oddly inspiring).

My own little hideaway

The way I feel about Calgary most days is usually summed up by a few Kathleen Edwards lyrics from the song "Copied Keys".

These are your old streets and you know them well
One way shortcuts all the way downtown
But your favourite find is just my secondhand secret
Tryin' to hide a little pain for the things I can't explain to you....

Feeling like this town will never be my own, like I'm just floating around, waiting for other people to show me where to go. And then something happens, like I get a glimpse of summer time, and a shift occurs. Ed and I were driving home from Leduc on Monday night and we heard a beautiful sound coming from the other end of the radio on CJSW, two people named Snowblink and Dan Goldman, and I decided that when they were in Calgary we'd go see them. So lo and behold, last night, we go to this little cafe downtown that didn't feel like Stephen Ave or 17th Ave, it just felt all alone. It was quiet, Ed says it was hipster but whatever, I liked it. The people didn't look like they belonged in Calgary, and there was something comforting about that I guess. Kind of reminded me of the Red Room in Toronto or something. Anyway, I'm not saying Calgary is home yet or anything but nights like that make it feel a bit more like it.

In other not-completely-unrelated news, we are leaving tonight to go camping this weekend and I can't wait. I'm a bit afraid of bears but apparently they are "more active" in the fall, and it's not like we'll be camping in Yoho or anything. I bought a lantern yesterday and I'm excited to use it. This will be my first camping trip without the support of expert campers who remember to bring everything like matches and newspaper, so wish me luck. I like to be prepared. It's supposed to thundershower tonight in BC, but hopefully we'll dry out because it's going to be gorgeous on Okanagan Lake for the weekend.... I'm really very excited. I LIVE NEAR THE ROCKIESSSSSSSSS. yes!

I've made a horrible mistake

So here's what happens to me when I'm on holidays. I lose all track of responsibilities and dates and times and everything because I am overwhelmed with all the glorious possibilities of things to do, places to see, people to visit. So this weekend I booked my flight home trying to maximize my time home by bookending it with the last day of summer school here and the first day back at school, which allowed only for just under two weeks. Disappointingly short, but still a decent visit.

Except I forgot that's when Folk Fest is on and when my ma is coming to visit. Which doesn't make any sense. So I had to cancel my ticket. Which costs $40. Plus whatever my new ticket, if I can purchase one, costs. GAH GAH GAH. Why did I think it was a bright idea to buy tickets when away from my calendar and pursuaded by cheap deals...... WHY?!?!?!?

I will make it home, I'm just not sure when now. Believe me, it brings tears to my eyes.

There's something

There's something so nice about having somebody rub your scalp and spray cool water on your head, rub your temples, and generally just play with your hair for a few hours. When I win the lotto I will never wash my own hair again, someone will do it for me. No wonder little girls want to play with each other's hair all the time.

O Canada

I've had my share of patriotic moments over the years, but I have to say that driving across the prairies, listening to Corb Lund and Tim Huss on CKUA (live from the Smithsonian Folk Fest in Washington!) was pretty sweet. I'm not even that into country music but there's something so homegrown about that... I ended up joining Ed to Leduc for the weekend. Fireworks last night reminded me of fireworks on Conlon Farm in Perth, with your random assortment of small-town homeboys and kids running around and then the hot 12 minute fireworks display. The sparkly ones that pouf out like Tina Turner's hair are still, and always will be, my favourite.

Now that I have a bit of time to think again, I've made a few summer resolutions. I don't want to write them out for fear of breaking them and then feeling bad about it. But suffice it to say that I feel stressed even when I should be relaxed, I'd like to be healthier, and I'd like to get back to me a bit more.

I also booked my flight home for a measly two weeks (boohoo) but the option is DEFINITELY there to extend if I find out about a job, and what kind of school it's at. Right now I fly home on July 28th (in time for your birthday Belinda!!!!!!) and come back on August 10th so that I can get back to a potential job for the 11th.... which, by the way, I don't have yet. It's such a joke at the board right now that nobody on a temp contract knows what is going on and it's oh-so-very-frustrating-but-i-know-there-is-a-process-blah-blah-blah except for my prinicipal walks past me in the hall on Friday and says:

Her: "Oh, did Staffing call you?"
Me: "No, why" and she keeps walking and I repeat "NO, WHY?" with more desperation in my voice than I'd like to admit
Her: "Oh, they called me to say 'we need to talk about this kindergarten teacher you have' so just be patient, is your phone number current with them?"
Me: Yea, I think they have my cell phone number
Her: You should maybe check with them, and yes, go check your voicemail

So I sprint back to my room full of hopes and dreams (hah)........and of course there are NO messages and I get all wiggly feeling like I wish they would just call me because after all it's a long weekend and they said I *might* hear something in late July or August and wouldn't it be just FABULOUS if I didn't have to wait. But here I am, thinking about Tuesday, thinking I should probably just stay home in case they call. I know I should not be playing this game. GAH.

In other news, I plan on doing nothing next week. I want to sort through the living room of toys and classroom stuff sitting in my living room, and then I want nothing more than ice cream sandwiches, pedicures, reading, maybe a little Ellen Degeneres, revisiting my music collection, and enjoying a nap or two. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Happy long weekend! xoxo