apparently i am now officially a teacher.
i don't know how a year of making crafts gives me that priviledge, but i won't turn it down. we finished off the program by handing in the piles of assignments that we had due, but other than that, it was fairly anti-climatic. unlike finishing undergrad, where a huge wave of relief hit me as i walked out of my last exam, finishing teacher's college was like any other day. except for the fact that i was sick and ended up going to bed for six hours... what a way to celebrate!
being in kingston today was weird. walking around a city that has been so central to my life for the last six years. so much has changed. it is crazy to think about how long six years is, but how quickly it went by. six years ago i had never been backpacking, i had never failed a test, and i didn't know any of my university friends. but kingston no longer feels like home. i don't think it has really felt like home since all of my friends left. a place is more than just buildings and cool restaurants, it is the people that you share your time with that makes it feel comfortable.
so. i am sitting writing this in the sleepless goat, my cafe/hangout of the last few years. part of me wonders if i will ever be back. perhaps i will visit, but i will never be the me i am now, living the type of lifestyle i have been living. now that i am a teacher, my sleeping hours, my habits, many of them will have to change. i can't stay up until 2am and be ready to teach by 8.
i am not stressed, or worried about this transition phase, because i think i have been ready for a long time. but there is always a bit of nostalgia when i realize that i am growing up.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
words from john and kathleen.
last friday night, my dad took me on a date to a john mayer concert. aside from his apparent hideous taste in women, john mayer was a real treat. at some point over the last few years, he became a really good guitar player! his new album was less bubblegum pop and explored more of a jazz/blues influence. he didn't talk a lot between songs, but he did say this one thing that kind of struck a chord in me. i thought i would pass it along. i can't believe i am quoting john mayer...
“I bet there are a lot of people in this room…
Who are unhappy in a relationship.
Because
The prospect of being alone is more terrifying
Then being continually unhappy.
Sometimes
You need to be lonely,
Because it brings you to the next thing.”
-john.
the truth is, i was actually most excited for the opening act. kathleen edwards (a mix mix between sarah harmer and martina sorbara, but with more of a country twang) is amazing, and i have never seen her live. you should definitely check her out. she is also ultra-cool because she is from ottawa. as she said herself:
"i grew up in nepean.
i went to merivale high school.
i smoked a lot of pot in the merivale bus shelter."
-kathleen.
i was only in ottawa for 24 hours, but i got to hear some great live tunes and get lost trying to go hiking with katie.
i think the summer will prove to be very eventful.
“I bet there are a lot of people in this room…
Who are unhappy in a relationship.
Because
The prospect of being alone is more terrifying
Then being continually unhappy.
Sometimes
You need to be lonely,
Because it brings you to the next thing.”
-john.
the truth is, i was actually most excited for the opening act. kathleen edwards (a mix mix between sarah harmer and martina sorbara, but with more of a country twang) is amazing, and i have never seen her live. you should definitely check her out. she is also ultra-cool because she is from ottawa. as she said herself:
"i grew up in nepean.
i went to merivale high school.
i smoked a lot of pot in the merivale bus shelter."
-kathleen.
i was only in ottawa for 24 hours, but i got to hear some great live tunes and get lost trying to go hiking with katie.
i think the summer will prove to be very eventful.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
the same but different.
when you travel to different countries, you realize that in many ways, people and places are similar, despite our vast geographical and cultural differences. however, there are always some glaringly obvious differences between us (certainly not as human beings, but more so in our habits and customs that make us all unique).
some of the 'unique' observations i made about colombia and colombians:
-pairing jean jackets with jeans is *somehow* in style. my mom and dad would fit in.
-there are never seatbelts in the backseat of cars. i guess they figure there is no window for us to be launched through.
-people eat chicken wings with plastic gloves on. no finger lickin' good here!
-everyone shortens their names. example: juan manuel becomes juanma. here: sarah elizabeth would become sarel. somehow not as cute.
-the elevation in bogota means shortness of breath climbing stairs. lesson number 4,592 for not smoking.
-traffic jams in the country are caused by cows. i am seriously not joking. i saw.
-some people turn off their cars at red lights to conserve energy (that is when they actually stop).
-light switches are in the oddest of places and impossible to find. you would think they would have some sort of system.
-there are rules for how many days a week people can drive their cars. some are only allowed five out of seven.
-under all tables at restaurants and bars, there are hooks for women to hang their purses. smart idea.
-children are given both their mom and dad's last name, and women rarely change their names. in theory, it is possible for a child to be named carlos gonzales gonzales if both of their parents had the same last name. slightly incestuous, but cool.
-i saw carrots the size of a pear. and beans the size of asparagus.
-children ride bikes that are about fifteen sizes too big for them.
-no one is on time. the colombian clock is more of a fluid concept.
-a large coffee is the size of a medium or a small here in canada. but boy is it ever good!
-it is impossible to pour a beer without four inches of head. i blame it on the altitude.
-i found a jewellery store that is packed up every evening because it doubles as their garage.
-violent kung-fu or hit-em-up movies are always played on bus rides between cities. could we not think of something less threatening?
-all comfortable and well-off people have a maid.
-people nickname is each other 'fatty' even when they are not.
-in bogota, you can pass a mercedes and then a donkey pulling a cart within two minutes of each other.
-police presence is high. they are standing on every street corner.
-you can buy everything you need at red lights: newspapers, tea towels, breakfast. practically anything for home or work.
-you can also get served at your seat on bus rides: vendours come onto buses, sell goodies and run off before the bus starts moving again.
-they talk faster than i do. if you can believe it.
you should also check out erin's blog for some other funny things that happened to us during our week of fun.
some of the 'unique' observations i made about colombia and colombians:
-pairing jean jackets with jeans is *somehow* in style. my mom and dad would fit in.
-there are never seatbelts in the backseat of cars. i guess they figure there is no window for us to be launched through.
-people eat chicken wings with plastic gloves on. no finger lickin' good here!
-everyone shortens their names. example: juan manuel becomes juanma. here: sarah elizabeth would become sarel. somehow not as cute.
-the elevation in bogota means shortness of breath climbing stairs. lesson number 4,592 for not smoking.
-traffic jams in the country are caused by cows. i am seriously not joking. i saw.
-some people turn off their cars at red lights to conserve energy (that is when they actually stop).
-light switches are in the oddest of places and impossible to find. you would think they would have some sort of system.
-there are rules for how many days a week people can drive their cars. some are only allowed five out of seven.
-under all tables at restaurants and bars, there are hooks for women to hang their purses. smart idea.
-children are given both their mom and dad's last name, and women rarely change their names. in theory, it is possible for a child to be named carlos gonzales gonzales if both of their parents had the same last name. slightly incestuous, but cool.
-i saw carrots the size of a pear. and beans the size of asparagus.
-children ride bikes that are about fifteen sizes too big for them.
-no one is on time. the colombian clock is more of a fluid concept.
-a large coffee is the size of a medium or a small here in canada. but boy is it ever good!
-it is impossible to pour a beer without four inches of head. i blame it on the altitude.
-i found a jewellery store that is packed up every evening because it doubles as their garage.
-violent kung-fu or hit-em-up movies are always played on bus rides between cities. could we not think of something less threatening?
-all comfortable and well-off people have a maid.
-people nickname is each other 'fatty' even when they are not.
-in bogota, you can pass a mercedes and then a donkey pulling a cart within two minutes of each other.
-police presence is high. they are standing on every street corner.
-you can buy everything you need at red lights: newspapers, tea towels, breakfast. practically anything for home or work.
-you can also get served at your seat on bus rides: vendours come onto buses, sell goodies and run off before the bus starts moving again.
-they talk faster than i do. if you can believe it.
you should also check out erin's blog for some other funny things that happened to us during our week of fun.
colombia te quiero.
bogota has a population of 8 million, and is located at more than 8,000 feet above sea level. bogota has cafes, bohemia, dancing and an atmosphere that is impossible to capture in pictures.
the tim horton's of colombia, juan valdez. mmmm deliciosa!
plaza bolivar in bogota:
park 93 where all the action is in northern part of the city:
a typical colourful street in the candelaria, in downtown bogota:
the view of montserrat, a church high on a mountain overlooking the city:
villa de leyva is a perfectly preserved colonial town about four hours north of bogota. the surrounding mountains are stunning too. you can easily see the town in a few hours, but it is the kind of place you want to hang out longer. the town was declared a national monument in 1954: streets are cobblestoned, houses are whitewashed. during the week, the town was quiet and serene, but on the weekend, colombian tourists invade the town! we also chose possibly the busiest week to visit, the week off leading up to easter.
plaza major, the largest main square in all of colombia:
hiking in the area around villa de leyva:
souvenir shopping in the artesanian village of raquila:
the colours were AMAZING. certainly an overstimulation of crafts and souvenirs! we bought jewellery, and little pottery sets:
we returned to bogota for my last day. we joined many others who flocked to the top of montserrat on easter weekend. what a view of the city!
it is hard for pictures to fully encapsulate my impressions of colombia. i was continually struck by the vibrant colours, the rich architecture and incredible views. i will definitely be back!
the tim horton's of colombia, juan valdez. mmmm deliciosa!
plaza bolivar in bogota:
park 93 where all the action is in northern part of the city:
a typical colourful street in the candelaria, in downtown bogota:
the view of montserrat, a church high on a mountain overlooking the city:
villa de leyva is a perfectly preserved colonial town about four hours north of bogota. the surrounding mountains are stunning too. you can easily see the town in a few hours, but it is the kind of place you want to hang out longer. the town was declared a national monument in 1954: streets are cobblestoned, houses are whitewashed. during the week, the town was quiet and serene, but on the weekend, colombian tourists invade the town! we also chose possibly the busiest week to visit, the week off leading up to easter.
plaza major, the largest main square in all of colombia:
hiking in the area around villa de leyva:
souvenir shopping in the artesanian village of raquila:
the colours were AMAZING. certainly an overstimulation of crafts and souvenirs! we bought jewellery, and little pottery sets:
we returned to bogota for my last day. we joined many others who flocked to the top of montserrat on easter weekend. what a view of the city!
it is hard for pictures to fully encapsulate my impressions of colombia. i was continually struck by the vibrant colours, the rich architecture and incredible views. i will definitely be back!
Friday, April 06, 2007
semana santa.
hola mis amigos.
it has been almost a week since i came to join my little colombian flower for her week off. erin took an eight hour bus ride from manizales to meet me in bogota, and we have had such a lovely reunion! it has been enlightening to see erin in her new environ, speaking spanish and introducing me to so many of her new friends. so much of erin meshes perfectly with the colombian vibe, and she is clearly at home here. i wish i could have made it to manizales to see her new home, and meet her students, but we have had a great adventure in bogota and the surrounding area. i am so happy that i have had this week to spend with erin, just getting a small window into her new world.
being a catholic country, many colombians have been off this week to celebrate jesus. and they do. parades, signs, walks, radio broadcasts... colombians really love the big j. and since today was good friday, everything is closed! few buses were running between cities and you would be hard-pressed to get lunch. apparently the pubs are open though, so that is good news for later this evening.
flying into bogota was an adenture on its own. the flight from monterrey to mexico city was ridiculously overbooked, and i almost didn't get on. luckily, i was waitlisted as number two (after ginny, who was also going away for the break) and about fifteen people didn't show. phew. the flight into bogota was a quick four hours next to two young little ones who wanted to play with me the entire time. ix-nay on the relaxing. the full descent into bogota took a total of 2.5 seconds. being the third highest city in south america, it doesn't take long to get to it!
erin met me at the airport and we spent our first evening dancing at some amazing bars in downtown bogota. i got a quick lesson in salsa - too bad canadians are not born with hips that can move like colombians! i also experienced aguardiente, a typical (very strong) drink that colombians drink like water. needless to say i had a bit of a headache on sunday morning! we spent the next two days exploring the city. erin needed to buy some tall pants, i wanted to explore the hippie parts of downtown, and we went to the botero museum. bogota is a thriving, funky, busy city. the food is eclectic, the people are sooo friendly and the alcohol is plenty.
we spent our next three days in a little colonial city four hours north of bogota called villa de leyva. full of artesan stores, cheap jewellery, cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, mountain vistas and colombians on vacation, it was incredibly relaxing. we drank cafe con leche (mmm colombian coffee), wrote in our journals and watched the world go by. it was also a really safe area of the country, so we hiked through the surrounding area to a seven metre long fossil of a kronosaurus! i couldn't read the signs explaining it, but it looked really cool. one day we even took a cab to a little colourful artesan village called raquila - literally my dream of pottery, hammocks, jewellery and baskets. erin and i each bought more than we had space for!
contrary to popular stigma, i have felt unbelievably safe in colombia. granted, i have been hanging out with a lot of colombians, but i have never once felt threatened or nervous. i don't make a habit out of walking alone at night, but i don't do that in most cities. most colombians would not hesitate to tell you that colombia is at war: but only in certain areas. the guerilla's and paramilitary groups are a constant threat in certain areas of the country, but as long as you stay mostly in the cities and travel by bus only during the day, it feels like any other country. there are police officers everywhere, and our buses even got pulled over several times at police check-points. i would not hesitate to come again, or encourage others to make colombia a destination, it is just important to do your research and make smart decisions.
and those smart decisions can always include copious amounts of shopping, dancing and drinking (water, of course)!
it has been almost a week since i came to join my little colombian flower for her week off. erin took an eight hour bus ride from manizales to meet me in bogota, and we have had such a lovely reunion! it has been enlightening to see erin in her new environ, speaking spanish and introducing me to so many of her new friends. so much of erin meshes perfectly with the colombian vibe, and she is clearly at home here. i wish i could have made it to manizales to see her new home, and meet her students, but we have had a great adventure in bogota and the surrounding area. i am so happy that i have had this week to spend with erin, just getting a small window into her new world.
being a catholic country, many colombians have been off this week to celebrate jesus. and they do. parades, signs, walks, radio broadcasts... colombians really love the big j. and since today was good friday, everything is closed! few buses were running between cities and you would be hard-pressed to get lunch. apparently the pubs are open though, so that is good news for later this evening.
flying into bogota was an adenture on its own. the flight from monterrey to mexico city was ridiculously overbooked, and i almost didn't get on. luckily, i was waitlisted as number two (after ginny, who was also going away for the break) and about fifteen people didn't show. phew. the flight into bogota was a quick four hours next to two young little ones who wanted to play with me the entire time. ix-nay on the relaxing. the full descent into bogota took a total of 2.5 seconds. being the third highest city in south america, it doesn't take long to get to it!
erin met me at the airport and we spent our first evening dancing at some amazing bars in downtown bogota. i got a quick lesson in salsa - too bad canadians are not born with hips that can move like colombians! i also experienced aguardiente, a typical (very strong) drink that colombians drink like water. needless to say i had a bit of a headache on sunday morning! we spent the next two days exploring the city. erin needed to buy some tall pants, i wanted to explore the hippie parts of downtown, and we went to the botero museum. bogota is a thriving, funky, busy city. the food is eclectic, the people are sooo friendly and the alcohol is plenty.
we spent our next three days in a little colonial city four hours north of bogota called villa de leyva. full of artesan stores, cheap jewellery, cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, mountain vistas and colombians on vacation, it was incredibly relaxing. we drank cafe con leche (mmm colombian coffee), wrote in our journals and watched the world go by. it was also a really safe area of the country, so we hiked through the surrounding area to a seven metre long fossil of a kronosaurus! i couldn't read the signs explaining it, but it looked really cool. one day we even took a cab to a little colourful artesan village called raquila - literally my dream of pottery, hammocks, jewellery and baskets. erin and i each bought more than we had space for!
contrary to popular stigma, i have felt unbelievably safe in colombia. granted, i have been hanging out with a lot of colombians, but i have never once felt threatened or nervous. i don't make a habit out of walking alone at night, but i don't do that in most cities. most colombians would not hesitate to tell you that colombia is at war: but only in certain areas. the guerilla's and paramilitary groups are a constant threat in certain areas of the country, but as long as you stay mostly in the cities and travel by bus only during the day, it feels like any other country. there are police officers everywhere, and our buses even got pulled over several times at police check-points. i would not hesitate to come again, or encourage others to make colombia a destination, it is just important to do your research and make smart decisions.
and those smart decisions can always include copious amounts of shopping, dancing and drinking (water, of course)!
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