today is a sad day. about a week ago, a vibrant young girl named emma bailey was killed in a car accident outside of london, england. today is her birthday. it was also her funeral.
while she wasn't a close friend of mine, we went to university together and she was a constant part of my queen's years. i can still hear her laugh loud and clear... it was by far the most contagious laugh i have ever heard. i smile now to think of it. i remember knocking on her door on a walkhome buddy night scavenger hunt, and her letting a total stranger take a tequila shot off her neck. only at queen's. only emma. i peed my pants watching her in players; i followed her adventures in the uk on her blog; and i had no doubt that she would be one of the few aspiring actresses to make it big.
my heart aches deeply for her close friends and family. for kelly who was travelling with her. for everyone who wore pink today to celebrate her favourite colour and a colourful life.
i have been wanting to write something about this for so long. but every time i began, it seemed that i didn't know what to say. i don't understand the world: how can it be that a young, beautiful, independent, adventurous, hilarious girl had to have her life cut short? who decides? why wasn't it me? i just can't find peace thinking of the injustice. one split second and thousands of people's lives are changed forever. young people are just not supposed to die. they are supposed to fall in love and go travelling and change careers and go shopping and go to school. i don't know how to comprehend that something that has been such a constant is no longer.
someone wrote something about emma recently, and i imagine that it is just what she is doing up in heaven: making the angels laugh.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
a tale of ten cities.
whoa. sometimes i don't realize how much i am doing until it is done. then, i take the time to look back, and i can barely believe that i fit so much into two weeks. this trip was more about visiting friends then it was about visiting places. i apologize for the lack of blogs, but i plan on making up for it now with an epic novel of a post. i promise to forgive you if you stop reading now.
paris: i think i last wrote about dieppe, which was my last stop before i went to paris for two leisurely evenings. when i was backpacking last summer, i met andrea in prague (oh, one drunken evening...) and we have stayed in touch ever since. when i was coming through, i couldn't NOT visit her. i LOVE paris. there is something in the air that makes me satisfied with strolling around, sitting in cafes and contemplating life. there are a lot of cities in europe that i love, but i can imagine making paris my home. i am not sure that i would ever get anything accomplished, but i would certainly adopt the parisien mentality without too much trouble. andrea and i are both talkers (yes, it is true) so we chatted in the evenings while i meandered the streets, frequented cafes and did absolutely nothing touristy during the day. ah, c'est la vie.
dijon: picture the most picturesque french town/city, insert my fashionable friend kristin macrae taking a year of french classes and throw in a dash of the most delicious food imagineable, and you will understand why i visited. it wouldn't really have mattered where kristin was, because i would have made the trek... but i am glad it was dijon. it is so perfectly french. the buildings, the mustard, the shopping, the friendliest folks. it is not the same as paris, where people are more reserved and tend to turn their noses up. in dijon, everyone is welcoming and chatty... even with my feeble attempts at speaking french. kristin was a splendid tour guide, exposing me to the culinary delights (not forgetting the kir royal's and wine) of the city. i bought my first designer bag, hit up a townie bar and got to crash in residence. gotta love the extremes!
arras: after reading 'the stone carvers' by jane urquhart, i have always been fascinated by the canadian war memorial to vimy ridge in france. particularly with all of the restoration that happened recently, i knew there would be no better time to experience the monument. while it is considered canadian soil, it is not easy to get to, especially for a backpacker. i took the train to arras (the closest major city), but there were no lockers at the train station to leave my luggage for the day. i was stuck with my bags for the day. at that moment, i regretted going shopping in paris. the monument itself is breathtaking. tall, imposing, chalk white -- it was striking against the stormy french sky. the carvings were done in lifelike detail, looking over the plains below. walter allward said that the memorial came to him in a dream... and i think that it felt like i became a part of that dream as i wandered around, apart of the spirits that live there. afterwards, i wandered down, through the forest, to the underground tunnels, which can still be visited on a guided tour. of course, they have been enlarged for safety reasons, but it is incredible to touch the underground walls, which were dug almost a hundred years ago. thousands of humans waited, the night before the vimy attack, and lived their last hours in these tunnels. i will definitely be voting for the vimy ridge memorial as one of the wonders of canada.
lille: i only went to lille to catch the eurostar train back to london. i found it crowded, dirty and busy compared to the serenity in the french countryside that i had experienced in the previous few hours.
london: for the next week, i used london (and carolynn's flat) as a base. since visiting care was the main purpose of my trip, i wanted to spend a lot of time with her; but since she had essays to write, i did not want to distract her too much! we sampled welsch rarebit, had thoughts of poutine, dealt with abandoning roommates, made huge life decisions, listened to songs of africa, talked to erin on the phone, battled in our sleep, ate copious amounts of cheese, wandered the streets, gourged on lattes, saw harry potter naked, relaxed in parks, met up for picnic lunches, purchased fabulous shoes, drank beer, discovered hidden gardens and desperately tried to be quiet during our gossip sessions so we didn't wake up her light sleeping housemate.
brighton: care and i took an evening field trip to this tacky seaside town but had the BEST time. we got a ride to the coast from one of care's old friends, troy, and were lucky enough to be introduced to his entire party-hardy group of friends. we couldn't find a hotel room, quite literally, so in our typical resourceful manner we found a train that returned to london at 4 AM. that's right, 4 AM! no sleep for the wicked. brighton is certainly a young, crazy, party city. aside from drinking and meeting all sorts of of crazy young folks that have gradually migrated there, we ate fish (hold the chips) on the pier, contemplated sleeping under benches on the beach and judged all the freaky-looking fetishy people we saw all dressed up. the city certainly attracks a lot of wackos! probably why care and i ended up there.
canterbury: four years ago, when i was backpacking in australia, i met a lovely brit named ali. she is now a school teacher living in canterbury, so i went to visit her. it was a perfect day trip from london, and gave care the chance to have a serious library day. ali is as cute and hilarious as i remember her, and canterbury is absolutely brilliant. we caught up over sausages and mash, went on a little river boat tour of some of the quiet parts of the city, and explored the enormous canterbury cathedral. aside from being a little tired from my brighton adventure the night before, it was a perfect day!
bath: i wanted to get a little pampering, so i took a day trip to stonehenge and bath. stonehenge was a quick stop, and to be completely honest, 45 minutes was all that i needed. the rocks were beautiful, but since they are sectioned off, there isn't much of a chance to wander. the bus took us to bath, and dropped us off at the roman bath museum which was AMAZING. since the water was green/brown, washing up wasn't overly appealing, but the insight into roman history was intriguing. if you want a good laugh, check out a video on youtube of a guy jumping in. yuck. another highlight of bath was convincing a priest to let me into the bath abbey even though i had run out of money to pay for the entrance fee. note to self: looking poor and sorrow and donating a handful of pennies works wonders with men of god!
glasgow: i was really excited about venturing up to scotland, because my family names originate from there, and i have always heard how downright friendly everyone is. every scot i have ever met has had an affinity for a good laugh, a good beer and yelling at small children. ahh, scotland the brave. glasgow isn't a city that immediately bowls you over with beauty. it is very industrial-looking, and clearly has a significant working-class history. there was even a shipbuilding holiday while i was there. go figure. but i wasn't there to sightsee, i was there to catch up with old walkhome friends margaret, marcello, kevin and toner. margaret gave me an exquisite culinary tour of the city throughout my stay; marcello and i peeed our pants laughing over a few pints ("your face looks like a ripped out fire place") and i serenaded kevin with my favourite scotland-themed song from my childhood. count yourself lucky that you did not have to hear me sing it... "land of the dirty hanky, land of the wee bikini, land of where the people frolic, scotland the brave!". i can't say that i saw any frolicking or wee bikini's during my short stay, but with scots, you never know!
edinburgh: the architecture in edinburgh is beautiful. i was only there for about eight hours, but i was mesmerized by the buildings, the castle, the alleys - the ancient royal feel to it all. i was on a mission to soak up as much as i could during my day, and i had a stellar tour guide. david toner, of walkhome fame, met me for lunch at the elephant house, a cafe where it is said that jk rowling wrote harry potter! i didn't invent an empire while i was there, but i did have a delicious brie and bacon quiche. yum! toner gave me the scots tour of edinburgh, which included a music store, having paper throwing competitions and having a hair-growing contest. the scots i met know absolutely nothing about scotland! but i was content with made-up facts and lessons on scottish slang. after toner left to make it big as a rock star, i wandered along the royal mile ("how long is the royal mile, you ask?"), explored the nooks and crannies in edinburgh castle and even braved the underground tunnels of an old close (aka alley off of a main street).
i am back home in canada now, severely jet-lagged and missing my europe friends. a huge thank you to everyone who housed me, hung out with me and showed me around while i was visiting over the past two weeks. i will certainly return the favour anytime! everyone else, if you are still reading, you are quite the champ. have a happy day.
paris: i think i last wrote about dieppe, which was my last stop before i went to paris for two leisurely evenings. when i was backpacking last summer, i met andrea in prague (oh, one drunken evening...) and we have stayed in touch ever since. when i was coming through, i couldn't NOT visit her. i LOVE paris. there is something in the air that makes me satisfied with strolling around, sitting in cafes and contemplating life. there are a lot of cities in europe that i love, but i can imagine making paris my home. i am not sure that i would ever get anything accomplished, but i would certainly adopt the parisien mentality without too much trouble. andrea and i are both talkers (yes, it is true) so we chatted in the evenings while i meandered the streets, frequented cafes and did absolutely nothing touristy during the day. ah, c'est la vie.
dijon: picture the most picturesque french town/city, insert my fashionable friend kristin macrae taking a year of french classes and throw in a dash of the most delicious food imagineable, and you will understand why i visited. it wouldn't really have mattered where kristin was, because i would have made the trek... but i am glad it was dijon. it is so perfectly french. the buildings, the mustard, the shopping, the friendliest folks. it is not the same as paris, where people are more reserved and tend to turn their noses up. in dijon, everyone is welcoming and chatty... even with my feeble attempts at speaking french. kristin was a splendid tour guide, exposing me to the culinary delights (not forgetting the kir royal's and wine) of the city. i bought my first designer bag, hit up a townie bar and got to crash in residence. gotta love the extremes!
arras: after reading 'the stone carvers' by jane urquhart, i have always been fascinated by the canadian war memorial to vimy ridge in france. particularly with all of the restoration that happened recently, i knew there would be no better time to experience the monument. while it is considered canadian soil, it is not easy to get to, especially for a backpacker. i took the train to arras (the closest major city), but there were no lockers at the train station to leave my luggage for the day. i was stuck with my bags for the day. at that moment, i regretted going shopping in paris. the monument itself is breathtaking. tall, imposing, chalk white -- it was striking against the stormy french sky. the carvings were done in lifelike detail, looking over the plains below. walter allward said that the memorial came to him in a dream... and i think that it felt like i became a part of that dream as i wandered around, apart of the spirits that live there. afterwards, i wandered down, through the forest, to the underground tunnels, which can still be visited on a guided tour. of course, they have been enlarged for safety reasons, but it is incredible to touch the underground walls, which were dug almost a hundred years ago. thousands of humans waited, the night before the vimy attack, and lived their last hours in these tunnels. i will definitely be voting for the vimy ridge memorial as one of the wonders of canada.
lille: i only went to lille to catch the eurostar train back to london. i found it crowded, dirty and busy compared to the serenity in the french countryside that i had experienced in the previous few hours.
london: for the next week, i used london (and carolynn's flat) as a base. since visiting care was the main purpose of my trip, i wanted to spend a lot of time with her; but since she had essays to write, i did not want to distract her too much! we sampled welsch rarebit, had thoughts of poutine, dealt with abandoning roommates, made huge life decisions, listened to songs of africa, talked to erin on the phone, battled in our sleep, ate copious amounts of cheese, wandered the streets, gourged on lattes, saw harry potter naked, relaxed in parks, met up for picnic lunches, purchased fabulous shoes, drank beer, discovered hidden gardens and desperately tried to be quiet during our gossip sessions so we didn't wake up her light sleeping housemate.
brighton: care and i took an evening field trip to this tacky seaside town but had the BEST time. we got a ride to the coast from one of care's old friends, troy, and were lucky enough to be introduced to his entire party-hardy group of friends. we couldn't find a hotel room, quite literally, so in our typical resourceful manner we found a train that returned to london at 4 AM. that's right, 4 AM! no sleep for the wicked. brighton is certainly a young, crazy, party city. aside from drinking and meeting all sorts of of crazy young folks that have gradually migrated there, we ate fish (hold the chips) on the pier, contemplated sleeping under benches on the beach and judged all the freaky-looking fetishy people we saw all dressed up. the city certainly attracks a lot of wackos! probably why care and i ended up there.
canterbury: four years ago, when i was backpacking in australia, i met a lovely brit named ali. she is now a school teacher living in canterbury, so i went to visit her. it was a perfect day trip from london, and gave care the chance to have a serious library day. ali is as cute and hilarious as i remember her, and canterbury is absolutely brilliant. we caught up over sausages and mash, went on a little river boat tour of some of the quiet parts of the city, and explored the enormous canterbury cathedral. aside from being a little tired from my brighton adventure the night before, it was a perfect day!
bath: i wanted to get a little pampering, so i took a day trip to stonehenge and bath. stonehenge was a quick stop, and to be completely honest, 45 minutes was all that i needed. the rocks were beautiful, but since they are sectioned off, there isn't much of a chance to wander. the bus took us to bath, and dropped us off at the roman bath museum which was AMAZING. since the water was green/brown, washing up wasn't overly appealing, but the insight into roman history was intriguing. if you want a good laugh, check out a video on youtube of a guy jumping in. yuck. another highlight of bath was convincing a priest to let me into the bath abbey even though i had run out of money to pay for the entrance fee. note to self: looking poor and sorrow and donating a handful of pennies works wonders with men of god!
glasgow: i was really excited about venturing up to scotland, because my family names originate from there, and i have always heard how downright friendly everyone is. every scot i have ever met has had an affinity for a good laugh, a good beer and yelling at small children. ahh, scotland the brave. glasgow isn't a city that immediately bowls you over with beauty. it is very industrial-looking, and clearly has a significant working-class history. there was even a shipbuilding holiday while i was there. go figure. but i wasn't there to sightsee, i was there to catch up with old walkhome friends margaret, marcello, kevin and toner. margaret gave me an exquisite culinary tour of the city throughout my stay; marcello and i peeed our pants laughing over a few pints ("your face looks like a ripped out fire place") and i serenaded kevin with my favourite scotland-themed song from my childhood. count yourself lucky that you did not have to hear me sing it... "land of the dirty hanky, land of the wee bikini, land of where the people frolic, scotland the brave!". i can't say that i saw any frolicking or wee bikini's during my short stay, but with scots, you never know!
edinburgh: the architecture in edinburgh is beautiful. i was only there for about eight hours, but i was mesmerized by the buildings, the castle, the alleys - the ancient royal feel to it all. i was on a mission to soak up as much as i could during my day, and i had a stellar tour guide. david toner, of walkhome fame, met me for lunch at the elephant house, a cafe where it is said that jk rowling wrote harry potter! i didn't invent an empire while i was there, but i did have a delicious brie and bacon quiche. yum! toner gave me the scots tour of edinburgh, which included a music store, having paper throwing competitions and having a hair-growing contest. the scots i met know absolutely nothing about scotland! but i was content with made-up facts and lessons on scottish slang. after toner left to make it big as a rock star, i wandered along the royal mile ("how long is the royal mile, you ask?"), explored the nooks and crannies in edinburgh castle and even braved the underground tunnels of an old close (aka alley off of a main street).
i am back home in canada now, severely jet-lagged and missing my europe friends. a huge thank you to everyone who housed me, hung out with me and showed me around while i was visiting over the past two weeks. i will certainly return the favour anytime! everyone else, if you are still reading, you are quite the champ. have a happy day.
Friday, May 18, 2007
top ten.
i have returned from my excursion in france, and am back in cuter-than-words-can-describe notting hill with carolynn. i will post later about my adventures in paris, dijon and vimy ridge... but for now i am going to celebrate the great things about londontown and hanging out with carolynn.
1. carolynn is the queen of baking. apparently her roomate sarah is too. so, there are always beautiful aromas coming from the kitchen! lucky me.
2. the local haunt. carolynn loves lattes almost as much as i do! she doesn't have internet at home so we have been frequenting this little cafe down the street from her flat to steal their internet. we also treat ourselves to a latte. mmm. lattes and e-mail in comfy couches. a perfect start to the day!
3. her HUGE bed. anyone who has spent any time with me knows that i am the messiest sleeper ever. carolynn has graciously let me share her bed and it is SO comfortable! i just sink into it at night. thanks for putting up with me caro. hope i haven't been kicking you too much.
4. shopping, shopping, shopping. there is something about the european shopping experience that differs from north america. it is sexy, high fashion and trendy. i love it! too bad i am rock-bottom-poor. i did, however, window shop along kensington high street... and did eventually succomb to buying a little sundress for the weddings i will be attending this summer. now i guess i will have to find the shoes to match!
5. london pubs. carolynn has been working hard during the days, and i have been off exploring the hidden corners of london on my own. today i found myself at blackfriar's pub for lunch, one of the oldest pubs in london. this hilarious italian couple sat next to me, and by the end of lunch i had an invitation to bologna for my whole family! and, i had also been hired as an english teacher for the man. i practically couldn't get away at the end of lunch! the quaint, intimate atmosphere of english pubs always leads to meeting interesting characters. love it.
6. portobello market. this is the market of all markets. friday mornings are bustling with vendors selling cheese, baked goods, clothes, antiques, fish... everything under the sun.
7. the travel bookshop. no, i haven't run into hugh grant. but yes, there really is a travel bookshop in notting hill! and i am in love with it. seriously - a WHOLE shop full of books about travelling. i could have bought the whole store! my list of future destinations keeps getting longer and longer...
8. hidden gardens. in notting hill, there are several secret gardens that are only accessible through the backyards of people that live on that block. they are large, well-kept green spaces with swings, benches, gardens and even abandoned tennis courts! it is unbelievably romantic and very 18th century.
9. london walks. this original walking tour company is suberb! their walks are inexpensive, the perfect length of time, and bring you to little parts of london that you would never find on your own. i love it because they go beyond the surface and give funny anecdotes and weave in historical connections. i highly recommend trying a london walk if you are ever in london.
10. hanging out with care. you never realize how much you miss someone until you see them again! carolynn is truly one of the loveliest people in my life and it has been so great to spend some quality time with her. now we just need to plan a whole 454 house reunion. erin, katie, you free tomorrow?
1. carolynn is the queen of baking. apparently her roomate sarah is too. so, there are always beautiful aromas coming from the kitchen! lucky me.
2. the local haunt. carolynn loves lattes almost as much as i do! she doesn't have internet at home so we have been frequenting this little cafe down the street from her flat to steal their internet. we also treat ourselves to a latte. mmm. lattes and e-mail in comfy couches. a perfect start to the day!
3. her HUGE bed. anyone who has spent any time with me knows that i am the messiest sleeper ever. carolynn has graciously let me share her bed and it is SO comfortable! i just sink into it at night. thanks for putting up with me caro. hope i haven't been kicking you too much.
4. shopping, shopping, shopping. there is something about the european shopping experience that differs from north america. it is sexy, high fashion and trendy. i love it! too bad i am rock-bottom-poor. i did, however, window shop along kensington high street... and did eventually succomb to buying a little sundress for the weddings i will be attending this summer. now i guess i will have to find the shoes to match!
5. london pubs. carolynn has been working hard during the days, and i have been off exploring the hidden corners of london on my own. today i found myself at blackfriar's pub for lunch, one of the oldest pubs in london. this hilarious italian couple sat next to me, and by the end of lunch i had an invitation to bologna for my whole family! and, i had also been hired as an english teacher for the man. i practically couldn't get away at the end of lunch! the quaint, intimate atmosphere of english pubs always leads to meeting interesting characters. love it.
6. portobello market. this is the market of all markets. friday mornings are bustling with vendors selling cheese, baked goods, clothes, antiques, fish... everything under the sun.
7. the travel bookshop. no, i haven't run into hugh grant. but yes, there really is a travel bookshop in notting hill! and i am in love with it. seriously - a WHOLE shop full of books about travelling. i could have bought the whole store! my list of future destinations keeps getting longer and longer...
8. hidden gardens. in notting hill, there are several secret gardens that are only accessible through the backyards of people that live on that block. they are large, well-kept green spaces with swings, benches, gardens and even abandoned tennis courts! it is unbelievably romantic and very 18th century.
9. london walks. this original walking tour company is suberb! their walks are inexpensive, the perfect length of time, and bring you to little parts of london that you would never find on your own. i love it because they go beyond the surface and give funny anecdotes and weave in historical connections. i highly recommend trying a london walk if you are ever in london.
10. hanging out with care. you never realize how much you miss someone until you see them again! carolynn is truly one of the loveliest people in my life and it has been so great to spend some quality time with her. now we just need to plan a whole 454 house reunion. erin, katie, you free tomorrow?
Monday, May 14, 2007
operation jubilee.
picture this: you are a canadian soldier, maybe 18, obviously good looking. you have been training for almost two years in britain for participation in world war two, but you have seen absolutely no action. you have malfunctioning equipment, and no guns. you have spent two years bonding with the men in your unit, and you are ready to prove yourself to your country and the allied forces. you are anxious to see battle. you are told that you will attack the port town of dieppe, in the north of france.
at this point in the war, the allied forces were not strong enough to mount a full-scale attack on the continent, so it was decided that they would attach an occupied german port in the north of france. it has been argued by many that the disaster at dieppe taught the allies many lessons which helped them in the future -- in particular for the d-day invasions of normandy in 1944. however, it was still a failure. operation jubilee never held the objective of permanently taking over dieppe from the germans. it was meant to be a major raid, to prepare troops for a major amphibious assault that would be necessary in the future to defeat the germans.
however, the germans had to have anticipated something. they were ready. the canadians were slaughtered. the beach at dieppe is large stones which are difficult to walk on, let alone roll tanks across. a long row of buildings is a veritable blockade between the beach and the city centre. with one look at the city, you can understand why it was a recipe for disaster.
we spent a few hours on sunday exploring the port town, walking along the beach, taking pictures of the cliffs and exploring the AMAZING museum and memorial to the canadian solders. it was fittingly cloudy, heavy and raining -- how i always pictured it would have looked when the soldiers arrived on the beach after crossing the channel. the museum was simple but incredibly informative. included was a collection of present and past pictures and quotes from the canadian veterans who actually participated in the raid. a personal touch that really struck home. looking at the pictures, i realized they were all someone's grandpa, father, son. and these were only the ones who survived.
it was interesting how much the canadians are appreciated and valued in dieppe. kristin offered a canada pin to one of the women who worked at the memorial, and i swear she shed some tears. it was touching. even at the local bar we attended in the evening, we were warmly recieved when we told them we were canadian. while canadians did return later in the war to liberate dieppe, i feel that the appreciation towards us is slightly unjustified. i did not risk my life for them, i do not even know anyone who stormed the beach in 1942. it is interesting to be valued for something intangible, such as citizenship. i guess i was lucky to be born in canada.
more than 4000 of the 6000 men that made it ashore in the dieppe raid were either killed, wounded or caputured. it was a complete disaster. the battle scars are no longer visible in the town, but the emotional scars are far from disappearing.
at this point in the war, the allied forces were not strong enough to mount a full-scale attack on the continent, so it was decided that they would attach an occupied german port in the north of france. it has been argued by many that the disaster at dieppe taught the allies many lessons which helped them in the future -- in particular for the d-day invasions of normandy in 1944. however, it was still a failure. operation jubilee never held the objective of permanently taking over dieppe from the germans. it was meant to be a major raid, to prepare troops for a major amphibious assault that would be necessary in the future to defeat the germans.
however, the germans had to have anticipated something. they were ready. the canadians were slaughtered. the beach at dieppe is large stones which are difficult to walk on, let alone roll tanks across. a long row of buildings is a veritable blockade between the beach and the city centre. with one look at the city, you can understand why it was a recipe for disaster.
we spent a few hours on sunday exploring the port town, walking along the beach, taking pictures of the cliffs and exploring the AMAZING museum and memorial to the canadian solders. it was fittingly cloudy, heavy and raining -- how i always pictured it would have looked when the soldiers arrived on the beach after crossing the channel. the museum was simple but incredibly informative. included was a collection of present and past pictures and quotes from the canadian veterans who actually participated in the raid. a personal touch that really struck home. looking at the pictures, i realized they were all someone's grandpa, father, son. and these were only the ones who survived.
it was interesting how much the canadians are appreciated and valued in dieppe. kristin offered a canada pin to one of the women who worked at the memorial, and i swear she shed some tears. it was touching. even at the local bar we attended in the evening, we were warmly recieved when we told them we were canadian. while canadians did return later in the war to liberate dieppe, i feel that the appreciation towards us is slightly unjustified. i did not risk my life for them, i do not even know anyone who stormed the beach in 1942. it is interesting to be valued for something intangible, such as citizenship. i guess i was lucky to be born in canada.
more than 4000 of the 6000 men that made it ashore in the dieppe raid were either killed, wounded or caputured. it was a complete disaster. the battle scars are no longer visible in the town, but the emotional scars are far from disappearing.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
the longest day.
'when the ramp goes down
get out fast
go like a bat out of hell
get in close and take cover
shoot at anything moving...
don't stop to help
the wounded even if
he is your buddy, the medics will
take care of them...'
-d-day officer's order of the day
i spent the weekend with a heavy heart.
carolynn, her brother john, kristin and i all met up in dieppe for a lesson in history. kristin came and joined us from dijon, where she is studying this year; john joined us from the queen's castle where he is taking courses for the summer semester; and care took the weekend off of working on her essays. we took a huge ferry to france from the south of england on friday evening, and arrived in dieppe in the wee hours of the morning.
it is difficult to fully grasp the scale of a world war battle when you study it in school. the situations are put before you like a picture story book, the soldiers are simply characters and the consequences last for two minutes while you discuss it in class. it is impossible to picture the d-day beaches beyond what we see in films and bell canada commercials.
we woke up on saturday with the goal of making it to the d-day beaches on the coast of normandy. we all had a strong interest in modern european history, and i have always wanted to explore the war sights to put a real-life context to the 'stories'. john, our resident stick driver, managed to manipulate our newly rented miniature 'cah' all the way, only stalling once! we passed through beautiful french countryside, stopped in a little french town for cafe creme and drove across the famous (and impressive) normandy bridge.
our major stop for the day was juno beach, where many of the canadian troops landed on d-day. (canadian troops also landed on gold and sword beaches) juno is 8 kilometres long and is in a small french city called courselles-sur-mer. as you approach the beach, it is framed by a ridge covered in long grass that seems to hold the memories. we had a classic french picnic (cheese, baguette, sausage and fruit) while looking out to the ocean. the tide was out so the beach was long, empty and deserted. rocks and sticks were strewn about littering the beach emphasizing the death and destruction that occured there so long ago. my mood became contemplative as we walked around, soaking up the intensity of the experience.
the juno beach centre is the only canadian museum on the d-day beaches, and is run privately to educate visitors and honour the contribution of the canadian soldiers. they hire canadian students to work for the summer, offer tours and run the museum. we took a walking tour of the beach, got to explore old german bunkers used for defence and visited the museum. most striking was the commemorative statue, showing five soldiers, in a sort of wave, displaying the various emotions the soldiers would have felt as they landed.
on d-day, 135,000 soldiers landed on all the beaches. the canadiens played a decisive role, and their experience at juno was deemed a success when they successfully liberated courselles-sur-mer. they had learned from many of their mistakes at dieppe. however, juno was the end for many young men: some soldiers got dropped in water that was too deep, and drowned before they even made it to the beach. others turned to help a friend, and became an easy target for the germans.
we continued our drive along the coast of normandy, stopping again at omaha beach, one of the beaches where the americans landed. unlike juno, which was mostly flat, omaha was situated below a high ridge, which allowed the germans a full picture of what was going on below them. it was terrifying to climb the ridge and view the beach from the same perspective that the germans would have had.
there is no textbook or history lesson that can accurately encapsulate the feelings i felt when we visited the normandy d-day beaches. young men, younger then me, sent into the unknown, to fight an enemy of strangers. while d-day marked the beginning of the end for the germans, there is nothing that we can do to repay the men who lost their lives for a success they never got to witness.
i was/and am really proud to be a canadian - paying my respects to those who lived and died on the longest day.
get out fast
go like a bat out of hell
get in close and take cover
shoot at anything moving...
don't stop to help
the wounded even if
he is your buddy, the medics will
take care of them...'
-d-day officer's order of the day
i spent the weekend with a heavy heart.
carolynn, her brother john, kristin and i all met up in dieppe for a lesson in history. kristin came and joined us from dijon, where she is studying this year; john joined us from the queen's castle where he is taking courses for the summer semester; and care took the weekend off of working on her essays. we took a huge ferry to france from the south of england on friday evening, and arrived in dieppe in the wee hours of the morning.
it is difficult to fully grasp the scale of a world war battle when you study it in school. the situations are put before you like a picture story book, the soldiers are simply characters and the consequences last for two minutes while you discuss it in class. it is impossible to picture the d-day beaches beyond what we see in films and bell canada commercials.
we woke up on saturday with the goal of making it to the d-day beaches on the coast of normandy. we all had a strong interest in modern european history, and i have always wanted to explore the war sights to put a real-life context to the 'stories'. john, our resident stick driver, managed to manipulate our newly rented miniature 'cah' all the way, only stalling once! we passed through beautiful french countryside, stopped in a little french town for cafe creme and drove across the famous (and impressive) normandy bridge.
our major stop for the day was juno beach, where many of the canadian troops landed on d-day. (canadian troops also landed on gold and sword beaches) juno is 8 kilometres long and is in a small french city called courselles-sur-mer. as you approach the beach, it is framed by a ridge covered in long grass that seems to hold the memories. we had a classic french picnic (cheese, baguette, sausage and fruit) while looking out to the ocean. the tide was out so the beach was long, empty and deserted. rocks and sticks were strewn about littering the beach emphasizing the death and destruction that occured there so long ago. my mood became contemplative as we walked around, soaking up the intensity of the experience.
the juno beach centre is the only canadian museum on the d-day beaches, and is run privately to educate visitors and honour the contribution of the canadian soldiers. they hire canadian students to work for the summer, offer tours and run the museum. we took a walking tour of the beach, got to explore old german bunkers used for defence and visited the museum. most striking was the commemorative statue, showing five soldiers, in a sort of wave, displaying the various emotions the soldiers would have felt as they landed.
on d-day, 135,000 soldiers landed on all the beaches. the canadiens played a decisive role, and their experience at juno was deemed a success when they successfully liberated courselles-sur-mer. they had learned from many of their mistakes at dieppe. however, juno was the end for many young men: some soldiers got dropped in water that was too deep, and drowned before they even made it to the beach. others turned to help a friend, and became an easy target for the germans.
we continued our drive along the coast of normandy, stopping again at omaha beach, one of the beaches where the americans landed. unlike juno, which was mostly flat, omaha was situated below a high ridge, which allowed the germans a full picture of what was going on below them. it was terrifying to climb the ridge and view the beach from the same perspective that the germans would have had.
there is no textbook or history lesson that can accurately encapsulate the feelings i felt when we visited the normandy d-day beaches. young men, younger then me, sent into the unknown, to fight an enemy of strangers. while d-day marked the beginning of the end for the germans, there is nothing that we can do to repay the men who lost their lives for a success they never got to witness.
i was/and am really proud to be a canadian - paying my respects to those who lived and died on the longest day.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
its raining, its pouring.
"that 3/4 of an inch between upright and reclined is the difference between agony and ecstasy." -a comment on airplane seats.
i couldn't agree more. it is the small things that make squishing into a metal capsule and rocketing around the world a pleasurable experience. my zoom airlines flight left toronto, and i was excited to have been assigned a window seat. however, when i got there, a lovely nice old man had accidentally stolen 24J. as i began to tell him that he was in the wrong seat -- i realized he was half deaf and so cute -- and i just couldn't bear to ask him to move. so. that is how i ended up in an aisle seat, that did not recline, listening to a movie that i could only hear out of one ear. needless to say, i slept for a sum total of 10 minutes and have arrived in londontown feeling as if i just got hit by a truck.
you would think, from the above description, that my flight was a less than enjoyable experience. yet, it was just the opposite: the flight attendants were funny and friendsly; the older gentleman and i ended up causing a raucus by stealing extra bags of snacks of the cart and getting caught; and everything was remarkably on time. i was able to meet carolynn at our meeting point almost exactly when we had planned! most inspiring of all, i discovered that my gentleman seatmate was quite the adventurer back in the day -- he had a walking stick with all of his climbs carved into it -- everything from everest to kilimanjaro. a 70 year old man make me feel like a wuss.
apparently, london has been experiencing some 'amazing' weather lately (that's what carolynn says, i remain suspicious). because, the minute i stepped out of victoria station, it began to pour rain. and it hasn't stopped since. care is now in classes, so i have invaded her flat, contemplated taking a shower and a nap, and wandered the adorable streets of notting hill.
no matter how many times i see london, my first impression remains the same: it is like a miniature toy city. while the city itself is HUGE, the streets, the cars, the stoplights, the buildings, they all feel as if they have been strategically placed to make visitors feel as if they have entered a live version of toy story. i feel like a character in 'honey, i shrunk the kids' or something. it doesn't feel fake, it just feels miniature. fitting that i feel like a big kid when i am here.
i couldn't agree more. it is the small things that make squishing into a metal capsule and rocketing around the world a pleasurable experience. my zoom airlines flight left toronto, and i was excited to have been assigned a window seat. however, when i got there, a lovely nice old man had accidentally stolen 24J. as i began to tell him that he was in the wrong seat -- i realized he was half deaf and so cute -- and i just couldn't bear to ask him to move. so. that is how i ended up in an aisle seat, that did not recline, listening to a movie that i could only hear out of one ear. needless to say, i slept for a sum total of 10 minutes and have arrived in londontown feeling as if i just got hit by a truck.
you would think, from the above description, that my flight was a less than enjoyable experience. yet, it was just the opposite: the flight attendants were funny and friendsly; the older gentleman and i ended up causing a raucus by stealing extra bags of snacks of the cart and getting caught; and everything was remarkably on time. i was able to meet carolynn at our meeting point almost exactly when we had planned! most inspiring of all, i discovered that my gentleman seatmate was quite the adventurer back in the day -- he had a walking stick with all of his climbs carved into it -- everything from everest to kilimanjaro. a 70 year old man make me feel like a wuss.
apparently, london has been experiencing some 'amazing' weather lately (that's what carolynn says, i remain suspicious). because, the minute i stepped out of victoria station, it began to pour rain. and it hasn't stopped since. care is now in classes, so i have invaded her flat, contemplated taking a shower and a nap, and wandered the adorable streets of notting hill.
no matter how many times i see london, my first impression remains the same: it is like a miniature toy city. while the city itself is HUGE, the streets, the cars, the stoplights, the buildings, they all feel as if they have been strategically placed to make visitors feel as if they have entered a live version of toy story. i feel like a character in 'honey, i shrunk the kids' or something. it doesn't feel fake, it just feels miniature. fitting that i feel like a big kid when i am here.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
my favourite mistake.
"insteach of studying for finals, what about just going to the bahamas and catching some rays? maybe you'll flunk, but you might have flunked anyway, that's my point." -jack handy
i have made a lot of mistakes in my life. when i was born, i was over 9 pounds (sorry mom). when i was 8, i tried to run away from home dressed like little bo peep. when i was 10 i stole 20 dollars from my mom's purse and got caught red handed. one year, i searched for my christmas gifts, and found them a week before the holidays - and had to fake surprise on christmas day. in acapulco on our grad trip, i had too much tequila and passed out with my eyes open. and last week, i booked a last minute trip to the uk.
if you are anything like my parents, you are probably flipping out as you read this.
"ANOTHER TRIP?", they exclaimed.
"yes", i answered.
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? DO YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS?"
"err... not realllllly", i responded meekly, "but i'll figure it out".
the options at this point were clear: rob a bank or steal money out of my mom's purse. since i got caught stealing from my mom the first time, i counted that option out. and since robbing a bank is kind of a recipe for a disaster, that got a veto as well. now the opions were really clear: i had just made a really BIG mistake. but a mistake that i am happy to live with - a wonderful, financially unsound, lovely mistake.
i justified the trip to myself in many ways.
-carolynn really needs a visit. and i really need some quality caro and kristin time. and carolynn won't be living in london forever!
-i have many friends around the uk, so i will have loads of couches to crash on. expenses, aside from the plane ticket, will be minimal.
-this is my last large bulk of time off before i start working full-time. i want to make the most of it so i am ready to buckle down and work in august.
but let's be honest. i wasn't really justifying the trip to myself, i was justifying it to my parents. ultimately, i really want to go. i am at my happiest when i am travelling, exploring new places and keeping in touch with my friends. it is what i love most in the world.
i leave next week! but first: a few more days in ottawa catching up with friends and family and five days in toronto for a bachelorette and lots of visits.
back to the game. go ottawa.
i have made a lot of mistakes in my life. when i was born, i was over 9 pounds (sorry mom). when i was 8, i tried to run away from home dressed like little bo peep. when i was 10 i stole 20 dollars from my mom's purse and got caught red handed. one year, i searched for my christmas gifts, and found them a week before the holidays - and had to fake surprise on christmas day. in acapulco on our grad trip, i had too much tequila and passed out with my eyes open. and last week, i booked a last minute trip to the uk.
if you are anything like my parents, you are probably flipping out as you read this.
"ANOTHER TRIP?", they exclaimed.
"yes", i answered.
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING? DO YOU HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS?"
"err... not realllllly", i responded meekly, "but i'll figure it out".
the options at this point were clear: rob a bank or steal money out of my mom's purse. since i got caught stealing from my mom the first time, i counted that option out. and since robbing a bank is kind of a recipe for a disaster, that got a veto as well. now the opions were really clear: i had just made a really BIG mistake. but a mistake that i am happy to live with - a wonderful, financially unsound, lovely mistake.
i justified the trip to myself in many ways.
-carolynn really needs a visit. and i really need some quality caro and kristin time. and carolynn won't be living in london forever!
-i have many friends around the uk, so i will have loads of couches to crash on. expenses, aside from the plane ticket, will be minimal.
-this is my last large bulk of time off before i start working full-time. i want to make the most of it so i am ready to buckle down and work in august.
but let's be honest. i wasn't really justifying the trip to myself, i was justifying it to my parents. ultimately, i really want to go. i am at my happiest when i am travelling, exploring new places and keeping in touch with my friends. it is what i love most in the world.
i leave next week! but first: a few more days in ottawa catching up with friends and family and five days in toronto for a bachelorette and lots of visits.
back to the game. go ottawa.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
the end of an era.
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.
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.
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)!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
you know you're in mexico.
when...
-ginny is the the whitest person everywhere.
-there is a pinata store at the end of my street.
-drivers believe stop signs (and red lights) are only suggestions.
-pedestrians are always a nuissance.
-you try to use french, and they stare at you blankly.
-there are more taco stands per capita then gas stations.
-blonds are always from the bottle or from out of country.
-backstreet boys and brian adams are still playing on the radio.
-soccer is the only acceptable extracurricular activity (and the only religion besides catholicism)
-children believe texas is a country.
-chili powder is the new salt and pepper.
-i am taller than every man in the country.
-loud talking is considered a quiet whisper.
-hair gell is a personal staple.
-tequila flows like water.
-you arrive at a party on time... and there is no one there.
-first communions are a bigger deal then weddings.
-you can sit outside on an afternoon in march and be hot!
-ginny is the the whitest person everywhere.
-there is a pinata store at the end of my street.
-drivers believe stop signs (and red lights) are only suggestions.
-pedestrians are always a nuissance.
-you try to use french, and they stare at you blankly.
-there are more taco stands per capita then gas stations.
-blonds are always from the bottle or from out of country.
-backstreet boys and brian adams are still playing on the radio.
-soccer is the only acceptable extracurricular activity (and the only religion besides catholicism)
-children believe texas is a country.
-chili powder is the new salt and pepper.
-i am taller than every man in the country.
-loud talking is considered a quiet whisper.
-hair gell is a personal staple.
-tequila flows like water.
-you arrive at a party on time... and there is no one there.
-first communions are a bigger deal then weddings.
-you can sit outside on an afternoon in march and be hot!
better late than never.
i meant to post some pictures of puerto vallarta awhile back. here is our long weekend in photos!
on the plane:
eating delicious fresh fruit from a street vendor:
out for dinner at oscar's. my first tortilla soup experience!
a traditional taco stand:
some descent surf at desiladeros beach:
away from the crowds:
a little polynesian-style village called yelapa:
ginny and i at a waterfall near yelapa:
potted plants! love them.
on the plane:
eating delicious fresh fruit from a street vendor:
out for dinner at oscar's. my first tortilla soup experience!
a traditional taco stand:
some descent surf at desiladeros beach:
away from the crowds:
a little polynesian-style village called yelapa:
ginny and i at a waterfall near yelapa:
potted plants! love them.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
live. work. play.
travelling through a city is much different than actually living in it for three weeks. no longer a tourist, i have being living a fairly regular life. i am still constantly exploring the city, but i have also had to figure ot how to do 'normal' things like grocery shopping and picking up prescriptions at the pharmacy. the language barrier is obviously a challenge, and everything in mexico seems to happen in its own (very slow) and unique way.
here is a bit of a window into my day-to-day life here in monterrey:
living: ginny's apartment is a looong three minute walk from school, and has a beautiful view of the mountains. the housing is larger then i expected - we are certainly not roughing it by any stretch of the imagination! we are in an apartment building where the majority of the other tenants are students as well, giving a sense of first year in residence all over again.
here is a shot of our apartment building:
the view every morning of the mountains on my walk to school:
working: a world apart from the public school world i have lived this year so far. the elementary campus is much older than the middle/high school campus, but it is still incredible. they have resources, literacy coaches, specialist instructors, sports equipment and even plants in the hallway! the pictures simply don't do it justice.
one of the soccer fields (check out the view!):
we have old school desks, but it is where we call home:
playing: working long days means that we appreciate our time off even more! ginny has taken me to one of the ritzy malls and to a movie theatre where you get to sit in recliner lazy-boy style chairs and order food for delivery. unreal. but, the highlight so far has certainly been hiking in chipinque national park. only a few minutes' drive from the school, it feels as if you have entered another world. the loud city floats away for a few hours while we hike the mountains and are witness to some stunning views.
the view of the city from the mountains:
towards the end of our first hike at chipinque:
not too shabby, eh?
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
say yes to everything.
this past weekend was a long weekend in celebration of the birthday of benito juárez, a famous mexican president and national hero. in international teaching terms a long weekend equals take-off-for-the-weekend. some teachers took overnight buses to san miguel, others flew to acapulco, and others went shopping in texas. in canada, when presented with a long weekend, i would have slept in, and enjoyed some extra time to get some errands done. not here! every long weekend is another travel opportunity not to be missed.
ginny and i set off to puerto vallarta on friday evening, along with the advice from a friend: say yes to everything. so we did.
say yes to...
dodgy airlines. viva aerobus is a new mexican budget airline which is a godsend to weekend travellers like us. however, they consistently overbook flights and do not make seat reservations! so, you have to arrive at the airports hours before your flight takes off... luckily, we had a makeshift travelling band as entertainment on friday evening in the waiting area!
minimal amenities. we pre-booked a budget hotel in the zone romantica in the middle of the action of downtown pv. i knew it was cheap, but what i did not know was that we would not even have a closet! i guess minimal amenities in mexico really is minimal. luckily ginny and i are fairly laid-back, and the character and location of the hotel made up for any lack in luxury.
fruit from the street. one of the best parts of each morning was the HUGE bag of fresh fruit you could buy from local street vendors. for only a dollar fifty, you would get a heaping pile of watermelon, mango, papaya and cantaloupe. each day, it was an adventure to find the fruit vendors, but it was always worth the wait. mexicans sprinkle chili powder on their fruit, but we politely declined.
strange concoctions. one of the best things about experiencing new cultures is the culinary adventures. mexicans enjoy very... shall we say.... interesting mixtures of flavours (that is probably an understatement)! odd combinations that i witnessed being prepared were: tortilla soup with chilies, avocado, onions and cheese; a cup of corn topped with a pile of mayonnaise and chili; jellied mango; carrots sprinkled with lime and chili; and apple flavoured coca cola. also, did you know that true quesidillas have only cheese? and that fajitas are tex-mex and not a national staple? so much to learn.
sleeping in until 9. ginny and i did not set our alarms one single morning. it was divine. we had a full energetic weekend, but never felt taxed or tired. very rejuvenating.
romantic dinners. puerto vallarta has some incredible restaurant locations. eating in a palapa restaurant on the beach, sitting on a patio overlooking the ocean or surrounded by live music and lush folliage, pv certainly knows how to whoo the romantics. the colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and village-feel probably help as well. even though ginny and i did not have men in hand, we still wanted to feel the love in the air. we discovered a restaurant named oscars which was in the ideal location: on a little island in the middle of downtown, next to the rio cuale (river), overlooking the ocean with live music in the evenings. we had impecable service, could hear the waves lapping only metres away and dined on fresh mahimahi/vegetarian crepes. yum.
strangers' advice. lonely planet mexico did not cover off the beaten path areas around puerto vallarta, so we had to get advice from the locals. we really wanted to find a more deserted beach outside of the city centre, and had no idea where to go! on the first evening, we talked to our cab driver, who told us to 'take a local bus to punta mita'. we clarified that with a waiter on saturday and ended up on a local bus (for only two dollars!) heading an hour up the coast. what we realized after being on the bus for quite sometime, was that we didn't actually know where to get off! but, as luck would have it, some canadian and american travellers got on the bus and told us we absolutely had to accompany them to desiladeros beach. the perfect advice! desiladeros was one of the most beautiful, pristine, tourist-free beaches i had ever been to. a perfect day lying, playing in the waves and soaking up the sun.
sailing around the world. i was very intrigued by the three families we met on the way to desiladeros beach. they had each left jobs, sold houses, packed up and set off on sailboats. such a cool lifestyle, but something that i can't even imagine. living with your entire family and all your belongings on a 35 foot boat! one of the families had a little six year-old named isaac, also known as mr. incredible. i felt so young again when he invited me to come and play in the waves with him. what a different childhood for him: home schooling, being socialized mainly around adults but getting to see new places almost every day.
stiff mojitos. clearly, the best kind. we accidentally stumbled upon a funky restaurant called uncommon ground while trying to find something else. well, lucky for us! this place was just awesome. two women from new jersey moved down in august and opened it up: a cafe/bar/restaurant/boutique serving natural, healthy salads and wraps. the atmosphere was inspired by asia/india/far-east and included an eclectic mix of momentos from around the world. the ladies were incredibly welcoming and i tried blueberry and raspberry flavoured mojitos. highly recommended.
flying high. on our last day, we took a water taxi to yelapa, a small village accessible only by water. we did not realize that chicho's water taxi company also provided a 'tour' of yelapa... aka making sure that chicho's palapa restaurant got a monopoly on business! after a short 'hike' to the local waterfall, we were treated to beach chairs right next to the parasailing dudes. now, i have already jumped out of an airplane, but ginny has never done anything of the sort! somehow (with extremely good convincing, or perhaps the margarita we drank on the beach) she made the spontaneous decision to fly through the air attached by a rope to a boat. once she decided, it all happened very quickly... no time for nerves! the next thing i knew she was in the air. will have to post pictures to prove it.
jewellery vendors. an accessory-lovers dream! silver everywhere. i restrained myself to only one ring and a few gifts for friends. but 'cheap' silver is still not quite cheap enough for me... at least until i start getting a regular paycheque.
with that, our long weekend came to an end. i only wish i could have said no to going home!
ginny and i set off to puerto vallarta on friday evening, along with the advice from a friend: say yes to everything. so we did.
say yes to...
dodgy airlines. viva aerobus is a new mexican budget airline which is a godsend to weekend travellers like us. however, they consistently overbook flights and do not make seat reservations! so, you have to arrive at the airports hours before your flight takes off... luckily, we had a makeshift travelling band as entertainment on friday evening in the waiting area!
minimal amenities. we pre-booked a budget hotel in the zone romantica in the middle of the action of downtown pv. i knew it was cheap, but what i did not know was that we would not even have a closet! i guess minimal amenities in mexico really is minimal. luckily ginny and i are fairly laid-back, and the character and location of the hotel made up for any lack in luxury.
fruit from the street. one of the best parts of each morning was the HUGE bag of fresh fruit you could buy from local street vendors. for only a dollar fifty, you would get a heaping pile of watermelon, mango, papaya and cantaloupe. each day, it was an adventure to find the fruit vendors, but it was always worth the wait. mexicans sprinkle chili powder on their fruit, but we politely declined.
strange concoctions. one of the best things about experiencing new cultures is the culinary adventures. mexicans enjoy very... shall we say.... interesting mixtures of flavours (that is probably an understatement)! odd combinations that i witnessed being prepared were: tortilla soup with chilies, avocado, onions and cheese; a cup of corn topped with a pile of mayonnaise and chili; jellied mango; carrots sprinkled with lime and chili; and apple flavoured coca cola. also, did you know that true quesidillas have only cheese? and that fajitas are tex-mex and not a national staple? so much to learn.
sleeping in until 9. ginny and i did not set our alarms one single morning. it was divine. we had a full energetic weekend, but never felt taxed or tired. very rejuvenating.
romantic dinners. puerto vallarta has some incredible restaurant locations. eating in a palapa restaurant on the beach, sitting on a patio overlooking the ocean or surrounded by live music and lush folliage, pv certainly knows how to whoo the romantics. the colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and village-feel probably help as well. even though ginny and i did not have men in hand, we still wanted to feel the love in the air. we discovered a restaurant named oscars which was in the ideal location: on a little island in the middle of downtown, next to the rio cuale (river), overlooking the ocean with live music in the evenings. we had impecable service, could hear the waves lapping only metres away and dined on fresh mahimahi/vegetarian crepes. yum.
strangers' advice. lonely planet mexico did not cover off the beaten path areas around puerto vallarta, so we had to get advice from the locals. we really wanted to find a more deserted beach outside of the city centre, and had no idea where to go! on the first evening, we talked to our cab driver, who told us to 'take a local bus to punta mita'. we clarified that with a waiter on saturday and ended up on a local bus (for only two dollars!) heading an hour up the coast. what we realized after being on the bus for quite sometime, was that we didn't actually know where to get off! but, as luck would have it, some canadian and american travellers got on the bus and told us we absolutely had to accompany them to desiladeros beach. the perfect advice! desiladeros was one of the most beautiful, pristine, tourist-free beaches i had ever been to. a perfect day lying, playing in the waves and soaking up the sun.
sailing around the world. i was very intrigued by the three families we met on the way to desiladeros beach. they had each left jobs, sold houses, packed up and set off on sailboats. such a cool lifestyle, but something that i can't even imagine. living with your entire family and all your belongings on a 35 foot boat! one of the families had a little six year-old named isaac, also known as mr. incredible. i felt so young again when he invited me to come and play in the waves with him. what a different childhood for him: home schooling, being socialized mainly around adults but getting to see new places almost every day.
stiff mojitos. clearly, the best kind. we accidentally stumbled upon a funky restaurant called uncommon ground while trying to find something else. well, lucky for us! this place was just awesome. two women from new jersey moved down in august and opened it up: a cafe/bar/restaurant/boutique serving natural, healthy salads and wraps. the atmosphere was inspired by asia/india/far-east and included an eclectic mix of momentos from around the world. the ladies were incredibly welcoming and i tried blueberry and raspberry flavoured mojitos. highly recommended.
flying high. on our last day, we took a water taxi to yelapa, a small village accessible only by water. we did not realize that chicho's water taxi company also provided a 'tour' of yelapa... aka making sure that chicho's palapa restaurant got a monopoly on business! after a short 'hike' to the local waterfall, we were treated to beach chairs right next to the parasailing dudes. now, i have already jumped out of an airplane, but ginny has never done anything of the sort! somehow (with extremely good convincing, or perhaps the margarita we drank on the beach) she made the spontaneous decision to fly through the air attached by a rope to a boat. once she decided, it all happened very quickly... no time for nerves! the next thing i knew she was in the air. will have to post pictures to prove it.
jewellery vendors. an accessory-lovers dream! silver everywhere. i restrained myself to only one ring and a few gifts for friends. but 'cheap' silver is still not quite cheap enough for me... at least until i start getting a regular paycheque.
with that, our long weekend came to an end. i only wish i could have said no to going home!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
mizz fleming.
"miiiiiizzzzz. miiiiizzzzz. MIIIIZZZZZ."
the voices you hear a million times per day as a teacher in mexico.
boy, do these kids know how to whine! they interupt conversations, demand immediate attention and are extremely impatient in waiting for help. however, they also worship the ground you walk on, give you hundreds of hugs per day and laugh at all your jokes.
teaching mexican children is very different than teaching canadian children. they have different routines, habits, academic standards and ways of looking at the world. they are (for the most part) privileged children who have not had to do a lot for themselves, living in the bubble of monterrey, completely unaware of the various religions and cultures around the world. in fact, it goes beyond being unaware - they cannot even comprehend the fact that life is different for other people.
here are my top five blessings and curses that my lovely children bring...
the good:
-they are incredibly touchy-feely. while in canada you can be put on trial for touching a child, in monterrey, they hug you, touch you, stroke your hair, hold your hand... after knowing you for only five minutes! today i was teaching the boys how to place their hands to dance with girls. it is actually considered an insult if you do not hug, kiss, and cuddle in return.
-teachers are valued. there is a constant debate as to whether north american teachers are properly valued and respected, but in monterrey, there is no question. we are looked upon as knowledgeable, professional experts in child development, discipline, language acquisition and child psychology. it is really quite an honour! almost all parents respect teachers and support us whole heartedly. we had parent-teacher interviews today and i was amazed at the parental support, involvement and general respect for teachers and their opinions. they really trust our opinions.
-they think the funniest things are cool. because anything 'different' is always cool, international teachers gain 'cool' status fairly quickly. i told them that when they are with miss. sarah they have to make sure they have their thinking caps on... and now anytime they hear the word 'think' they pretend to put their imaginary hats on. soo funny that something so potentially lame was a great success.
-outdoor education. literally. the school is all open concept, with hallways and courtyards open to the outside. when it is sunny it brings warmth and light into the school and when it is cold, apparently it gets really cold! the classrooms are not open to outside, but it is refreshing to have real plant life and gardens in the lobby.
-as a general rule, they take pride in their handwriting, and attempt to keep their work neat and tidy. their organizational skills on the other hand.....
the bad:
-these kids are enormously disorganized. they never know where their books are, they never have sharpened pencils, they always forget their homework (and have terrible excuses). it is important for them to take ownership and responsibility for their own actions, but this is not always a lesson they are learning at home.
-they are chatty cathy's. ooh boy. a room full of 20 talkers! they have little impulse control (both in spanish and in english) and they literally talk all the time. this is going to be a tough habit to break!
-the tortoise and the hare. coming from canada, i am fast-paced, energetic and move quickly during transitions. however, i teach a class full of turtles. it takes them forever to move anywhere, and switching from language to math seems to take 20 minutes! time is more fluid in mexico, and i don't think they have any concept of 'rushing'. i started a challenge with them today where we time how long it takes during transitions with a stop-watch, and it was the first time i have ever seen them run!
-they are very needy. before they properly read the instructions, review the questions or attempt to solve a problem on their own, i hear them continually calling "miiiiizzzzz". however, they have not developed the patience to wait for anything! at home, many of them have drivers and maids who they can boss around so they are not accustomed at school to have to wait their turn. we are going to aim towards more independence and being pro-active problem solvers.
-their food schedule. mexicans eat a late lunch, and a very late dinner. we give the students a break for lunch, but none of them actually use it to eat! they eat an unhealthy snack (chips, candy, pop), giving them just enough energy to jump off the walls in the afternoon... but they don't eat a balanced lunch until they get home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. not exactly conducive to quality learning.
but, as per usual, through the good (a kid finally writing a small moment narrative), the bad (a kid standing on his chair to get my attention), and the ugly (cockroaches in the classroom), i adore them all the same.
the voices you hear a million times per day as a teacher in mexico.
boy, do these kids know how to whine! they interupt conversations, demand immediate attention and are extremely impatient in waiting for help. however, they also worship the ground you walk on, give you hundreds of hugs per day and laugh at all your jokes.
teaching mexican children is very different than teaching canadian children. they have different routines, habits, academic standards and ways of looking at the world. they are (for the most part) privileged children who have not had to do a lot for themselves, living in the bubble of monterrey, completely unaware of the various religions and cultures around the world. in fact, it goes beyond being unaware - they cannot even comprehend the fact that life is different for other people.
here are my top five blessings and curses that my lovely children bring...
the good:
-they are incredibly touchy-feely. while in canada you can be put on trial for touching a child, in monterrey, they hug you, touch you, stroke your hair, hold your hand... after knowing you for only five minutes! today i was teaching the boys how to place their hands to dance with girls. it is actually considered an insult if you do not hug, kiss, and cuddle in return.
-teachers are valued. there is a constant debate as to whether north american teachers are properly valued and respected, but in monterrey, there is no question. we are looked upon as knowledgeable, professional experts in child development, discipline, language acquisition and child psychology. it is really quite an honour! almost all parents respect teachers and support us whole heartedly. we had parent-teacher interviews today and i was amazed at the parental support, involvement and general respect for teachers and their opinions. they really trust our opinions.
-they think the funniest things are cool. because anything 'different' is always cool, international teachers gain 'cool' status fairly quickly. i told them that when they are with miss. sarah they have to make sure they have their thinking caps on... and now anytime they hear the word 'think' they pretend to put their imaginary hats on. soo funny that something so potentially lame was a great success.
-outdoor education. literally. the school is all open concept, with hallways and courtyards open to the outside. when it is sunny it brings warmth and light into the school and when it is cold, apparently it gets really cold! the classrooms are not open to outside, but it is refreshing to have real plant life and gardens in the lobby.
-as a general rule, they take pride in their handwriting, and attempt to keep their work neat and tidy. their organizational skills on the other hand.....
the bad:
-these kids are enormously disorganized. they never know where their books are, they never have sharpened pencils, they always forget their homework (and have terrible excuses). it is important for them to take ownership and responsibility for their own actions, but this is not always a lesson they are learning at home.
-they are chatty cathy's. ooh boy. a room full of 20 talkers! they have little impulse control (both in spanish and in english) and they literally talk all the time. this is going to be a tough habit to break!
-the tortoise and the hare. coming from canada, i am fast-paced, energetic and move quickly during transitions. however, i teach a class full of turtles. it takes them forever to move anywhere, and switching from language to math seems to take 20 minutes! time is more fluid in mexico, and i don't think they have any concept of 'rushing'. i started a challenge with them today where we time how long it takes during transitions with a stop-watch, and it was the first time i have ever seen them run!
-they are very needy. before they properly read the instructions, review the questions or attempt to solve a problem on their own, i hear them continually calling "miiiiizzzzz". however, they have not developed the patience to wait for anything! at home, many of them have drivers and maids who they can boss around so they are not accustomed at school to have to wait their turn. we are going to aim towards more independence and being pro-active problem solvers.
-their food schedule. mexicans eat a late lunch, and a very late dinner. we give the students a break for lunch, but none of them actually use it to eat! they eat an unhealthy snack (chips, candy, pop), giving them just enough energy to jump off the walls in the afternoon... but they don't eat a balanced lunch until they get home at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. not exactly conducive to quality learning.
but, as per usual, through the good (a kid finally writing a small moment narrative), the bad (a kid standing on his chair to get my attention), and the ugly (cockroaches in the classroom), i adore them all the same.
Monday, March 12, 2007
90210.
first impressions are one of the greatest parts of seeing new places. the initial feelings you feel towards a place, whether it be a scent or even a fleeting image all greatly impact your travel experiences and the opinions that you leave with. they say a job interview is either won or lost in the first 5 minutes, so perhaps the same goes for love affairs with cities as well.
my initial feelings towards monterrey, mexico have been mixed and full of odd dichotomies. just when i think i have figured out how i will describe it to my friends and family at home, i am struck with an impression that is impossible to properly articulate. considering I have been offered a job to teach in monterrey next year, the pressure was on for me to like it, or at least find it interesting enough to call it home.
here are some of my first impressions of monterrey from my first two days:
1. we’re not in mexico anymore. seriously. my experiences in monterrey thus far have been largely contained to san pedro, a wealthy neighbourhood bordering the city. in theory, san pedro views itself as autonomous from monterrey - it has its own mayor and police officers. while i know that i am in mexico, san pedro does not feel like mexico. yes - spanish is the primary language, you can get tacos on street corners and drivers do not stop at stop signs - but there is also a louis vuitton and a large american-stlye grocery store 10 minutes from our apartment. in fact, it has a reputation for being the beverley hills of monterrey. i have gone whole hours almost forgetting where i am! people have told me that it is very easy to stay in san pedro… but with my adventurous spirit i already know that i will not let that happen to me.
2. the airport was slick and modern. as ridiculous as this may sound, i never expected to arrive to a beautiful spotless airport. the stereotypical view of a small dirty mexican airport was certainly shattered for me. i am sure i am not the only person that is guilty of making generalizations -- but who am I to say that monterrey is not the real mexico? (yet, it is still my hunch that it is not.)
3. the view. the mountain vistas are absolutely spectacular, and you can see them from all over the city. they tower as high as the clouds, and stand there sheltering (or perhaps guarding?) the city all day every day. the saddle and the m shaped mountains are overpowering and always provide a quick orientation if you are lost. i can’t wait to get up there for camping/hiking/climbing!
4. maid quarters. in every apartment or house, there is an extra (very small) room and bathroom that was designed to be a living quarters for the family maid. but this is not a practice solely from the past -- many children still have personal maids who tend to their every need. no wonder they have entitlement issues! a child literally told me that his maid had forgotten to put his homework in his bag… sorry, no sympathy here.
5. constant helicopters overheard. many families live in the mountains, and rather than driving, they have themselves lowered to the city in private helicopters. by the way, one of my kids just got dropped off for tutoring in a gorgeous sports car. by a driver and a maid. classic.
6. mexico time. if you live or travel in mexico, you simply have to accept that nothing happens on time or early. we went out for dinner at 8 o’clock on saturday night and we were practically the only people in the restaurant! time is slow down here, there is little sense of urgency, and it is near impossible to get the children to move quickly. my mom would fit in perfectly - she would never be late again!
7. houses and properties are not visible to the street. the majority of properties in san pedro are hidden by unattractive stucko walls with a door or a garage door built in. however, if you get to take a peak inside, you can see the wealth in the manicured gardens, grandiose architecture and large properties. i guess you can never judge a book by its cover.
8. my students could not believe that i wasn’t married. they saw my large black ring and were convinced that i had a mexican husband. uhhhhh, no. they were shocked that a woman would wear a ring only for decoration!
9. every time i walk down the street, it looks like there will be 800 accidents, but somehow there never are! parking lots are crowded and impossible to navigate, drivers don’t really stop at intersections or stop signs and Mexican drivers definitely don’t value pedestrians. in fact, i think they hate them.
10. i ran in a race through san pedro on sunday morning, and as entertainment they had traditional mariachi bands playing next to louis vuitton and fendi stores. the dichotomy of traditional versus modern/extravagant provides a very interesting mix. billboards for american restaurants such as chili’s and pizza pizza are posted next to local taco stands. very strange!
from my first few days in monterrey, i feel like the city contradicts almost everything i previously believed regarding mexico. however, this only intrigues me more -- i have so much to learn and explore within san pedro, around monterrey and throughout mexico more broadly. good thing i have three weeks!
my initial feelings towards monterrey, mexico have been mixed and full of odd dichotomies. just when i think i have figured out how i will describe it to my friends and family at home, i am struck with an impression that is impossible to properly articulate. considering I have been offered a job to teach in monterrey next year, the pressure was on for me to like it, or at least find it interesting enough to call it home.
here are some of my first impressions of monterrey from my first two days:
1. we’re not in mexico anymore. seriously. my experiences in monterrey thus far have been largely contained to san pedro, a wealthy neighbourhood bordering the city. in theory, san pedro views itself as autonomous from monterrey - it has its own mayor and police officers. while i know that i am in mexico, san pedro does not feel like mexico. yes - spanish is the primary language, you can get tacos on street corners and drivers do not stop at stop signs - but there is also a louis vuitton and a large american-stlye grocery store 10 minutes from our apartment. in fact, it has a reputation for being the beverley hills of monterrey. i have gone whole hours almost forgetting where i am! people have told me that it is very easy to stay in san pedro… but with my adventurous spirit i already know that i will not let that happen to me.
2. the airport was slick and modern. as ridiculous as this may sound, i never expected to arrive to a beautiful spotless airport. the stereotypical view of a small dirty mexican airport was certainly shattered for me. i am sure i am not the only person that is guilty of making generalizations -- but who am I to say that monterrey is not the real mexico? (yet, it is still my hunch that it is not.)
3. the view. the mountain vistas are absolutely spectacular, and you can see them from all over the city. they tower as high as the clouds, and stand there sheltering (or perhaps guarding?) the city all day every day. the saddle and the m shaped mountains are overpowering and always provide a quick orientation if you are lost. i can’t wait to get up there for camping/hiking/climbing!
4. maid quarters. in every apartment or house, there is an extra (very small) room and bathroom that was designed to be a living quarters for the family maid. but this is not a practice solely from the past -- many children still have personal maids who tend to their every need. no wonder they have entitlement issues! a child literally told me that his maid had forgotten to put his homework in his bag… sorry, no sympathy here.
5. constant helicopters overheard. many families live in the mountains, and rather than driving, they have themselves lowered to the city in private helicopters. by the way, one of my kids just got dropped off for tutoring in a gorgeous sports car. by a driver and a maid. classic.
6. mexico time. if you live or travel in mexico, you simply have to accept that nothing happens on time or early. we went out for dinner at 8 o’clock on saturday night and we were practically the only people in the restaurant! time is slow down here, there is little sense of urgency, and it is near impossible to get the children to move quickly. my mom would fit in perfectly - she would never be late again!
7. houses and properties are not visible to the street. the majority of properties in san pedro are hidden by unattractive stucko walls with a door or a garage door built in. however, if you get to take a peak inside, you can see the wealth in the manicured gardens, grandiose architecture and large properties. i guess you can never judge a book by its cover.
8. my students could not believe that i wasn’t married. they saw my large black ring and were convinced that i had a mexican husband. uhhhhh, no. they were shocked that a woman would wear a ring only for decoration!
9. every time i walk down the street, it looks like there will be 800 accidents, but somehow there never are! parking lots are crowded and impossible to navigate, drivers don’t really stop at intersections or stop signs and Mexican drivers definitely don’t value pedestrians. in fact, i think they hate them.
10. i ran in a race through san pedro on sunday morning, and as entertainment they had traditional mariachi bands playing next to louis vuitton and fendi stores. the dichotomy of traditional versus modern/extravagant provides a very interesting mix. billboards for american restaurants such as chili’s and pizza pizza are posted next to local taco stands. very strange!
from my first few days in monterrey, i feel like the city contradicts almost everything i previously believed regarding mexico. however, this only intrigues me more -- i have so much to learn and explore within san pedro, around monterrey and throughout mexico more broadly. good thing i have three weeks!
Friday, March 09, 2007
in transit.
my grade four placement came to a screetching halt today with a fast-paced chaotic last day. with march break only inches away, the kids were on edge, the energy captivating and throwing off any potential for normalcy. our medieval feast was a great success: the kids ate themselves silly, performed for one another (mostly swordfights... ooops) and we had the whole classroom cleaned up in under 10 minutes flat. the feast was a perfect cumulative activity for medieval times, but it was a HUGE organizational feat. it was not something that we could do every day. parents sent loads and loads of food, but it wasn't prepared or ready to be served. SO, while trying to organize the kids, keep them calm and set-up desks, i was simultaneously cutting up veggies, fruit, bread et al. mutlitasking to the max!
i raced home after school, finished packing and took a 6:30 via train to toronto. i was really tired, but i could only get an aisle seat, which is unfortunately not conducive to sleeping! it was also really cold (partly my fault because i had dressed in capris in preparation for mexico sun... i jumped the gun a bit on that one). i did quite a compact job of packing, but i had an extra small duffel bag for all the goodies i was bringing down for erin and ginny.
the loveliest part of my stopover i toronto was that my good friend steve picked me up at union. i hadn't seen him in months, but whenever i go through toronto, i try and give him a call. his parents essentially run a b&b for all his friends that pass through the city. i honestly think i could stay with his parents even if he wasn't home! i got to catch up with him and bri, door to door service to the airport in the morning (thanks a million steve), a fresh pot of coffee and the most comfortable pillow in the planet. i don't know what it is about the pillows at steve's house, but i adore them! i think they are laura ashley pillows, but i haven't been able to find identical matches. if you EVER get a chance, you must sleepover at steve's house if only for the magical pillow experience!
the plane trips worked without any significant hitches. there was no luggage lost, no delays, no turbulence and no confusion. in fact, i even made some new friends! i arrived in toronto to absolutely NO line at check-in, customs or security. when i made it to the gate, i actually happened to sit down next to two other girls who are in the faculty of education at queen's on the way to their own alternate practicums in mexico - how random! one girl was actually heading to monterrey as well, the other to mexico city. we bonded over lunch in chicago, discussed living norms/taboos for living in mexico and generally had a great day. whenever i travel i am always prepared for a quiet day on my own, but i was pleasantly surprised to have some lovely company.
i arrived in monterrey to-the-minute at 5:50 saturday afternoon. i flew past customs without ANY questions, and pressed the traffic light button which indicates whether your bags will be searched or not. (phew. i got green!) ginny and jen arrived to pick me up a few minutes later, and i haven't stopped since. but more on that later.
yesterday i had breakfast in canada, lunch in the us and dinner in mexico. quite the day!
i raced home after school, finished packing and took a 6:30 via train to toronto. i was really tired, but i could only get an aisle seat, which is unfortunately not conducive to sleeping! it was also really cold (partly my fault because i had dressed in capris in preparation for mexico sun... i jumped the gun a bit on that one). i did quite a compact job of packing, but i had an extra small duffel bag for all the goodies i was bringing down for erin and ginny.
the loveliest part of my stopover i toronto was that my good friend steve picked me up at union. i hadn't seen him in months, but whenever i go through toronto, i try and give him a call. his parents essentially run a b&b for all his friends that pass through the city. i honestly think i could stay with his parents even if he wasn't home! i got to catch up with him and bri, door to door service to the airport in the morning (thanks a million steve), a fresh pot of coffee and the most comfortable pillow in the planet. i don't know what it is about the pillows at steve's house, but i adore them! i think they are laura ashley pillows, but i haven't been able to find identical matches. if you EVER get a chance, you must sleepover at steve's house if only for the magical pillow experience!
the plane trips worked without any significant hitches. there was no luggage lost, no delays, no turbulence and no confusion. in fact, i even made some new friends! i arrived in toronto to absolutely NO line at check-in, customs or security. when i made it to the gate, i actually happened to sit down next to two other girls who are in the faculty of education at queen's on the way to their own alternate practicums in mexico - how random! one girl was actually heading to monterrey as well, the other to mexico city. we bonded over lunch in chicago, discussed living norms/taboos for living in mexico and generally had a great day. whenever i travel i am always prepared for a quiet day on my own, but i was pleasantly surprised to have some lovely company.
i arrived in monterrey to-the-minute at 5:50 saturday afternoon. i flew past customs without ANY questions, and pressed the traffic light button which indicates whether your bags will be searched or not. (phew. i got green!) ginny and jen arrived to pick me up a few minutes later, and i haven't stopped since. but more on that later.
yesterday i had breakfast in canada, lunch in the us and dinner in mexico. quite the day!
Monday, March 05, 2007
troublemakers.
i have just started my fourth week teaching in a grade four class in ottawa. with the reputation of being one of the toughest classes in the whole school, i knew i was going to have my hands full. i have always been more hesitant about teaching junior grades because of their emerging attitudes - but what i didn't expect is that i adore them! through their anger, sass and denial, i have developed quite a fondness of them. they certainly are a really tough bunch: high needs behaviourally, academically struggling and highly impulsive and talkative. for some reason, i don't find their attitudes discouraging, i am only MORE motivated to develop a positive rapport with them. i figure that if i can work in this classroom and still walk out at the end of the day smiling, then i can work almost anywhere!
it would be impossible to fully capture the personalities in my class, but i will give it a try.
1. "miss. fleming, will we be invited to your wedding?"
2. "i am going to sue this school. and everyone in it. especially YOU."
3. "i don't have time to put my homework in my bag. you don't know my routine. i have to get up, have a shower, eat my breakfast and watch my show."
4. "can we have real darts and jousting and duals in the classroom?"
5. "we have to write in full sentences? WHAT? i hate this school."
6. "ummm. miss fleming... my tooth is stuck in a caramel..."
7. "i need a pencil? i don't know... what is this??"
8. "do i still get a point if i did my homework but i left it at home?"
9. "miss fleming... you should be principal. we would never get in trouble."
that's what they think....!
it would be impossible to fully capture the personalities in my class, but i will give it a try.
1. "miss. fleming, will we be invited to your wedding?"
2. "i am going to sue this school. and everyone in it. especially YOU."
3. "i don't have time to put my homework in my bag. you don't know my routine. i have to get up, have a shower, eat my breakfast and watch my show."
4. "can we have real darts and jousting and duals in the classroom?"
5. "we have to write in full sentences? WHAT? i hate this school."
6. "ummm. miss fleming... my tooth is stuck in a caramel..."
7. "i need a pencil? i don't know... what is this??"
8. "do i still get a point if i did my homework but i left it at home?"
9. "miss fleming... you should be principal. we would never get in trouble."
that's what they think....!
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