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!

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.

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!

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!

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....!

post torf.

decision made. i have accepted a job teaching grade two at ASFM in monterrey, mexico!

what a ride.

the international fair was an adrenaline-pumping emotional angst-fest. despite the fact that i wasn't nearly as nervous as many people, i still managed to ride an incredible rollercoaster of highs and lows. from the euphoria of an interview that you know you nailed to the waiting game once jobs begin to be offered to the tear-fest when i finally decided, i went through a wide spectrum of emotions in a 48 hour period.

I had interviews in uganda, thailand, guatemala, mexico, egypt and germany. each was incredibly appealing in its own way. at first, i envisioned myself in a romantic exotic desination - the pyramids in cairo, the beaches in thailand... but ultimately, i went with my gut. the organizers said over and over again that we are searching for the right fit - personally and professionally. locations will always be there, but at this point in my life, i am searching for a collaborative learning community, support for beginning teachers and a work hard/play hard atmosphere.

i never thought i had a chance at a school like ASFM. they tend not to consider inexperienced teachers, and the school has quite a reputation on a global scale. however, i pursued them, e-mailing them long before the fair even began. luckily, i scored a pre-torf interview (with a little help from some friends!). meeting the recruiters from ASFM was so comfortable. they exude such a warm, positive aura. the interview was more like a two hour conversation! i left hoping beyond hope that they would actually offer me a job.

the friday night was the craziest part of the whole fair. we arrived, picked up our registration envelopes full of (or not full of) blue cards requesting interviews and then bombard the gym en-masse to line up to request interviews. tension was running through all the candidates. there is nothing like being a part of 300 teachers racing like children into a gymnasium - getting pushed and shoved -- it is very easy to feel incredibly overwhelmed. i kept my cool but went a little crazy requesting interviews. by the end of the evening my entire schedule for the next two days was booked!

unable to sleep, i got only a few hours of sleep on friday night and returned to the faculty around 7 the next morning. my morning was jam-packed full of interviews... if nothing else, i knew i would leave torf with a growing confidence in my interviewing skills! by mid-day, i knew that the vibe i had gotten from the recruiters at ASFM had gone unmatched. there was a veryvery close second from a school in germany, but i knew i had to put myself out on the line for the school in monterrey. so, i sat down and composed a note to ASFM telling them that i had had several interviews and a few job offers (which was true), but that they were still my number one choice.

i did not get a note back from ASFM for 2.5 hours. they felt like the longest in my life. when a little pink slip finally arrived in my message box saying, "you're on! i am pleased to offer you..." i started jumping up and down, tears welling up in my eyes. i knew, at that moment, that i had made the right choice. i went right away to accept the job, and (obviously) burst into tears in front of jeff, the school director. tears of joy, of course.

torf was an experience like no other. i met loads of amazing people, got absolutely no sleep, made contacts at schools all over the world and changed the course of my life significantly.

wow. i am moving to mexico!

pre torf.

the international fair (torf) officially begins tomorrow at 3:00. i have been trying to get to bed early in preparation, but for some odd reason i have had trouble falling asleep. i guess i have had a lot to think about!

-i got offered the supply job in thailand. i was absolutely shocked! he wined and dined us, and tried to give us the pitch on why we should take the opportunity. in truth, it is amazing: great location, wonderful benefits... but i think i am ready for my own classroom. i told him i was interested, but needed to pursue other job opportunities at torf.

-an administrator from a school in guatemala called last night and offered me an interview for a grade one position. i went down to the hotel this morning to meet him. it was really laid-back, and i got to see a cute slide show of the school and guatemala city. at the end of the interview, he offered me a grade one teaching job! at that moment, i KNEW i really wanted my own classroom. i think i will have to call thailand and let them know that i can't turn down this challenge.

-about an hour later, i met with a school in mexico. i had contacted them via e-mail, because i was very interested, and i knew it was difficult to get noticed as a first year teacher. i went to the hotel at 3:00, and didn't end up leaving until almost 5! i had thought the interview in guatemala had been laid-back, but this interview was AMAZING. it was so comfortable, almost a conversation about who i am, and what i believe is important in education. the school is very curriculum-driven, and has high expectations of its teachers. professionally, this is an opportunity like no other. i wasn't officially offered a position, but if i want it, i think it is mine! i have until mid-day on saturday to let them know.

-this evening i got another call and an e-mail from two different schools in uganda. what an experience that would be! i have interviews with them tomorrow morning before the fair.

phew. i did not expect this to happen along this timeline. i never realized that administrators would actually take the time to visit with candidates before the fair. it is actually a perfect scenario: the timing is more flexible, the setting is more relaxed and it works to their benefit. they can snatch the goodies before anyone else does! it also gives me more time to make my decision, and research the schools.

i am feeling good because i know that - either way - i will have a job for next year! i am trying to celebrate the fact that i have choices... but i wish it wasn't so difficult to choose.

on my mind.

when i sat down to write this post, i realized that i had several things on my mind. it has been one of those days where my mind has been wandering from one thing to another... maybe it is the weather, or the events coming up this weekend, but i think i am feeling generally a bit overstimulated. welcome to the randomness of my thoughts these days:

1. the interview: i had my first job interview yesterday. it was for a one-year position as a supply teacher at an international school in bangkok, thailand. it went really well, i think. he was really nice, and asked all the questions that we have been prepared for in teacher's college. my favourite was: describe your life story in five minutes! phew. the school looks incredible, with great resources, support for new teachers and great travel opportunities. part of me wants my own classroom, but then another part of me is really attracted to the idea of not having to plan, having loads of exposure to different grades and lots ot freedom to explore and be involved. the international fair hasn't even started, and yet the drama has already begun.

2. a good laugh: i haven't figured out how to insert a link into a blog entry yet, but if you need a smile, check out this video. this baby sure knows how to get the giggles! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

3. ethical consumerism: our throwaway lifestyle has been getting to me lately. i don't think that i create a large amount of waste, yet my garbage pail is overflowing every single week. the enormity of this issue goes WAY beyond a short blog entry, but the world is running out of resources, and we can't stop consuming. i was reading an article this morning that said we would need FIVE planets to sustain us if every human being on the planet was living at U.S. consumption levels. in order to combat this, 'ethical' consumerism has moved into style. but isn't that an oxymoron? how can consuming (aka, destroying) ever be ethical? wouldn't buying nothing be ethical? (also almost impossible...) instead, these days, we believe we are buying ethical if we own organic cotton pyjamas and buy recycled toilet paper. that is a start, but the reality is that we need to do more than this. more specifically we need to buy LESS. in this case: less is more. we need to sustain ourselves in a needs-based lifestyle through connected communities and buying local. shopping is certainly politics, and it is time for us to wake up and vote.

4. side a: i have been spending loads of time in the car, and have re-discovered books on tape. yes, tape. c'mon, i have a '93... i don't think cd's were invented yet. i am now addicted, and i advocate everyone to try them. it makes all the time you have in the car worthwhile - and it is nice because i never feel like i have enough time to read! go to the library and borrow one, you will fall in love.

interview season is coming up. i should stop thinking about all these random things, and start focusing on that!

the number nine.

have you ever stopped in your tracks and thought, what the hell am i doing?

last friday i got up in front of ALL the primary/junior candidates and did a mock interview session with four school principals. i don't actually know what i was thinking. i made the decision instantaneously, so i didn't have time to doubt it. it didn't want to, but that was exactly why i made myself do it - i wanted to challenge myself with the learning experience. primarily, i put myself through this tortuous situation to prepare for next weekend. the teaching overseas recruiting fair (torf) is in 9 days.

NINE days?!

nine days until i potentially get a job anywhere. there are schools coming from thailand, panama, egypt, guatemala, brazil, germany etc... the possibilities are endless. i haven't doubted for a second my decision to go overseas next year. but, i won't lie, i have a crazy mixture of emotions going through my mind about it: excitment, nerves and curiosity. where will this adventure take me? will i get any interviews? what will my school be like? what grade will i get? will i even get a job?

deep down i know that whatever decision i make will be the right one for me at this point in my life. phew. however, it still scares the living daylights out of me!

i am trying to remain calm and balanced about the whole experience, but it is pretty nuts when you start researching schools everywhere from uganda to bangladesh.

i'll keep you posted.

the break-up.

i was speaking to a girlfriend today, who was venting about an unhealthy friendship. from the sounds of it, this friend of hers has an incredible toxic relationship with everyone in her life: she is rude, inappropriate, controlling and generally not nice. when my girlfriend told me that she has been putting up with this friendship for over five years, at first i was angry. this wasn't a balanced, healthy friendship at all! but i got to thinking, and realized that as difficult as it is to break-up with a boyfriend, it is probably more difficult to break-up with a friend. we just don't do it. it is almost taboo.

i have heard stories of people who have told a toxic friend that they can't be friends anymore, but i have never actually met anyone who has done this. when a child is in grade three, all bets are off: if they don't like someone, they don't hesitate to tell them right to their face. why is it that when we grow up so many girls put up with friendships that they don't even enjoy?

i am not encouraging hatred, but i want shy/timid girls to stop putting up with 'bullies' who call themselves girlfriends. and it is NOT just shy and timid girls who put up with toxic friendships. some women have such powers of manipulation that even other strong, outgoing girls have difficulty standing up to them. if these toxic individuals are not put in their place, they will continue to feed off others, treat them poorly and boost their own feelings of power and control in the process.

i have seen bullying in the schoolyard, and i have witnessed friends being bullied in relationships. neither of these is acceptable. but this 'queen bee' phenomenon extends past middle school. maybe these women believe they are just being outspoken, independent and strong? in reality, however, they need a swift kick in the butt.

banff mountain.

the best day of january has already come and gone.

each year, the banff mountain film festival goes on a world tour, and stops in kingston. the moment we get back in january, we get on the look-out for advertisements for this celebration of mountain culture and the spirit of adventure. as a highlight of january, it definitely helps combat the winter blahs! this year, i really missed erin, care and katie who have always been there with me in the past.

as always, the films were ridiculous awesome and inspiring. after the first hour, i was convinced that i should bike from mongolia to india, survive with no nutrients, and make a feature-length film about it. maybe one day. even the opening video gets the adrenaline flowing. you can actually watch it on youtube if you search bmff.

yes to the no: this was the first film and it was made by a group of guys that call themselves the rocky mountain sherpas. they introduced us to the sport of noboarding, which is basically snowboarding without boots. they love it because they are bringing snowboarding back to its roots, forcing a true connection between the rider and the snow. the shots were stunning, particularly this dude noboarding as the snow disintegrated into an avalanche. check them out at www.rockymountainsherpas.com.

first ascent: thailand: rock climbing off the coast of thailand. no ropes. falls broken by the ocean. nuts. but also really cool.

asiemut: this was my favourite of the films. a young french canadian couple, who had never made a film, and never gone on a bike trek, decided to bike 8,000 kilometres from mongolia to india. pushing themselves to their absolute limits, the film chronicles their journey through desert, sandstorm, water, mountain and their memorable encounters with locals. an unpretentious look at the world, as well as the crisis of abundance in society, these two examine their true place and capabilities. why did they decide to embark on this incredible journey? to feel they had a place in the world. and for themselves. a true tearfest. here is their french website, i believe english is to come: www.asiemut.mine.nu.

epicocity: thrill-seeking paddlers. i wish i had the guts. www.epicocity.com.

didier versus the cobra: the title character was this hilarious swiss dude who made it is mission to make the first ascent up the cobra crack in BC. the video chronicled his journey, his challenges, and his random trip to australia to follow his girlfriend. this film was worth it just to get to know didier.

the thrill seekers: when given 48 hours (1 day to film, 1 day to edit), this is what two british guys came up with. certainly gave the audience a good laugh! www.nakedsledge.co.uk.

kids who rip: a film about kids who are WAY cooler than i wil ever be. six year old skateboarders, tween bleach-blonde surfers, eight year old skiiers and snowboarders. fearless and frighteningly good - they must have brave parents (or crazy parents?) www.kidswhorip.com

ride of the mergansers: another highlight. an up-close look at merganser ducks like you have never seen them before. just after they have hatched, they must take a giant leap from their nests high in the trees to meet their mother below. these are some stellar falls, let me tell you. www.rideofthemergansers.com.

best of jo: a short film submited by the youngest filmaker ever at the banff mountain film festival. he claims that he would one day like to film *real* humans and maybe even make money doing it.

that's it.
i can't believe i have to wait another year to see more!

gift of the gab.

in ireland, the locals are known for the ability to talk with exuberance - readily and convincingly. in irish, the gift of the gab is called 'solabharthact', not that i have any idea how to pronounce it. i spent this past weekend in toronto, and i certainly got my fill of conversation. aside from the cumulative twelve hours i spent sleeping, i think talking/chatting/gossiping/catching-up is all that i did!

not that i am complaining. i was a veritable socialite in toronto this weekend! i brought absolutely no work, and did not even think about the faculty of education for more than 2.5 seconds. i got swept up in great conversations with both old and new friends. i socialized, ate out, shopped and dedicated the weekend to reconnecting with toronto folks. why is it that we don't speak with friends for months at a time, but when we finally do, we don't skip a beat? this is the sign of true friends, i think.

on friday night i had dinner with cayleigh at a delicious thai place on queen street west and then hit the town. she took me to meet some friends at the bovine sex club. no joke. i didn't notice a lot of cows, or a lot of sex for that matter, so i think the name must be purely for shock value. or perhaps it has some meaning that is beyond me. regardless, it was a stellar night with loads of familiar faces from queen's and around. the band was really quite good, and i managed to score a free ride home from them at the end of the night -- door to door service is a sure fire way to collect fans! in fact, i should give them a shoutout: thanks for the ride, caledonia.

saturday i lounged around the titus household with alyssa doing typical cottage-y type activties. sleeping, making a late breakfast, looking at pictures, lying around. we didn't get out of our pyjamas until almost 4! at five i met up with risa, my favourite jewish hippie vegan, whom i hadn't seen in almost TWO years. first of all, it was two years toooo long between visits. after we had tea and caught up, and i could barely believe how long it had been. she offers such a positive calming presence in my life. i adore her. i will have to make absolute sure it is not two years before i run into her again!

saturday night was sushi with a friend from my travels at a hidden gem. this place was called sushi on bloor (maybe i shouldn't be telling anyone else... keep the restaurant a secret) and it was quite possibly the best price-for-quality-food that i have had in eons. for less than 20 bucks, two people can get stuffed! the thirty minute lineup is worth it when you get free unlimited tea, soup and ice cream. i honestly felt like we were cheating them in some way when we got the bill.

sunday i had brunch with kally (another date that was way overdue) and got seriously distracted by the stores in yorkville and the the eaton centre. i kept trying to be practical and deciding to leave toronto, but then the titus' convinced me to stay for dinner.... and then tea... i just didn't want my weekend of conversation, gastronomy and socializing to end. plus i am easily convinced.

i am really not far from toronto, and with some good music or a book on tape, the trip absolutely flies by. i may not be like the irish, who possess a fluency of utterance unlike no other, but if i learned anything from my mother, i sure learned how to appreciate a good conversation.

fix or repair daily.

for those of you who know me, you know my love/hate relationships with my cars.

i loved the blue beast i drove in high school. at that point, i was just ecstatic to own a car, period. i loved the freedom associated with having a car. i loved road trips, cottage weekends and going to school when i wanted. it gave me a sense of mobility that i have always craved, and probably took it slightly for granted. we certainly put WAY more money into the blue taurus then we should have. it broke down regularly, and often had expenses in the thousands of dollars to fix. i am sure that over the years we put way more money into the car than it was ever worth. i always vowed i would never own a ford again.

last year, when the blue beast finally died after a long and painful death, i couldn't imagine life without a car. i immediately went car shopping with an i'll-deal-with-the-consequences-later type of attitude. however, i realized i couldn't afford to lease, rent or buy a car... i would have run out of my available credit. i felt so trapped and discouraged. i know having a car is a luxury, but it was a luxury i had had for six years!

eventually, a set of circumstances led to the fleming's inheriting yet another ford taurus, at a low cost. dad drove it for awhile, but being a 1993, it wasn't in the greatest of conditions. a red interior (sexy), broken heat and regular maintenance was frustrating for him. when dad finally got the car of his dreams (certainly NOT a ford!), i inherited the aformentioned red taurus. how lucky have i been in this lifetime? not one, but two ford taurus'! about every two months, like clockwork, something goes wrong with the car. i keep deciding, against my better judgement, to pump money into the car when it should probably be heading to the dump. but, living far from campus in kingston and needing regular transportation to ottawa make it very difficult to consider being car-less.

just the other day i found out that my oil pan rotted through. i have been told that this is not actually the worst thing that could happen, but at 450 dollars it certainly feels pretty rough. i can handle fixing or repairing daily, i just hope it is never found on road dead. cross your fingers that i make it all the way to toronto this weekend. however, if you do happen to see a '93 red taurus on the side of the 401, please stop to help!

all the world conspires.

january began at the faculty and everyone immediately hit the ground running... except me. i slept in for three days straight.

i know that we are meant to return from vacations well-rested, rejuvenated and ready to work. the problem is, i returned from my vacation wanting to go on another vacation. my body completely rejected any systems of structure. particularly related to being a student. after six years in post-secondary education, i am ready to be done. not only that, but seeing the world makes me realize how *little* i am actually learning by sitting in the classroom. i enjoy actually teaching when i am on practicum, but i constantly question whether this is where i am 'meant' to be.

i just finished reading paulo coelho's 'the alchemist'. it has been on my must read list for quite some time, and i was pleased to finally get my hands on a copy. while the novel has bestseller written all over it, i enjoyed the simple straight-forward messages within. sometimes, we get so wrapped up in complicated semantics that we need someone to spell it out for us. and this is exactly what coelho does. it is literally impossible to miss the message of the richest treasures being within ourselves. coelho uses a shepherd boy named santiago, and his journey to the pyramids in egypt, to show that all the world conspires to help us acheive what we are meant to, if we have the courage. he demonstrates the invisible chain that links one thing to another; and explains that it is a great lie that fate will simply take over - essentially calling for us to take an active role in our own futures.

but, has anyone noticed how exhausting it can be to find your own 'personal legend'? it is certainly not a simple endeavour. there are a whirlwind of job applications due over the next few weeks; dozens of information sessions and literally thousands of choices for what to do next year. i am not particularly stressed out and i am at peace with literally not knowing where next year will take me. but maybe i should be! this is a BIG deal. this is the start of my career, my journey on the road to my own personal legend. is it crazy to say that i am nervous because i am not feeling more overwhelmed by this enormity? i am not overwhelmed by potentially having a teaching job next year, but i am literally worried about never finding what i am truly 'meant' to do.

i know the type of life that i want to live, and the values that i want to live by - hopefully along this road, the whole world is conspiring and i just haven't noticed yet.

rock the boat.

what a way to start 2007: aboard a luxurious ship, with hundreds of young people, decadent food and alcohol paid for by our parents.

day 1: it was pouring rain in new orleans. torrential downpour. tornado warnings. we quickly got on our way sailing down the mississippi river.

day 2: cloudy, but i was not yet discouraged. there was still loads of time to aquire a killer tan. new years was celebrated with hundreds of balloons being dropped from the roof, and hundreds of people dancing in the centrum of the ship (and one guy grooving in a glass elevator going up and down just before midnight!). my parents partied with andrew and i in one of the lounges and even beat us to the dance floor! they left at 2, and i think i may have gone to bed as the sun hit the horizon in the morning...
mom and dad all jazzed up for new years eve:



day 3: slightly painful in the AM, but the sun was calling me! i spent all day sunning on the deck, exploring the ship and sitting in a hot tub. tough life.
food could be eaten at any hour of the day. literally. at our table we had a lovely family from alabama, and the older couple quickly became my adoptive grandparents. i idolized them: a hummer-driving, gambling-obsessed, cosmo-drinking lady paired up with the dry humour of a man who used to own an ice cream restaurant. i LOVED them.

day 4: georgetown, grand cayman. sigh. we got off the ship, hired a cab and went directly to the beach, and buried ourselves there all day. we got up for a few walks down the beach (corona's in hand) and a few floats in the ocean. the sand is truly like silk and the ocean is azure blue. beautiful. the day was completed with a midnight buffet and pool party under the stars.

day 5: we were supposed to go to a port in the mayan riviera, however due to high waves, we had to change our plans. the boat did rock quite a bit, but i never felt that it made me uncomfortable. some people were disappointed to miss the port, but the staff were excited because it was replaced with a night out in cozumel! plus, seriously, we can't do anything about the weather and there are worse places to be stuck than on a luxurious boat in the middle of the caribbean sea.
andrew all dressed up during a scavenger hunt:



day 6: island of cozumel. we took a catamaran ride out to a snorkelling location (yes, it is true, my mother drank beer before 9 AM in the morning), and then lounged on a 'private, secluded beach' (only inches away from an extremely large resort complex). we ocean kayaked, floated on air mattresses and drank margaritas like they were going out of style. the afternoon was spent window shopping and experiencing the debauchery of carlos 'n charlies. my parents had the luxury of watching my brother have a litre of sangria poured down his throat, lucky them!
floating in cozumel:



day 7: last full day at sea. i was really lucky to have met so many wonderful people on the cruise, so i spent most of my last day with them. we danced up a storm at the club (closing it, obviously!), socialized in the hot tub for hours on end and lost all our money in the casino. it was a late night, once again. painful to get up to retrieve our passports after only a few seconds of sleep.

day 8: you may have realized that i did absolutely nothing productive on this cruise. and, you would be right. i did, however, finish two whole books and one magazine. AND, i got to spend some quality time with my family, which was long overdue. lucky for me, we got to spend another 36 hours together as our plane got delayed in new york, and we missed our connection in toronto.

tired, tanned and slightly tired of each other, the fleming family survived their (potentially) last family vacation. apparently next time the trip is on me. i better get a good job. a really, really, really good job! (and that would only pay for our alcohol bill...)

the big easy.

the last time i went on a family vacation, i was in grade 12. so, it has been awhile since the fleming family all got together and took the world by a storm. as a christmas gift, my parents surprised andrew and i with a week-long cruise out of new orleans. to be completely honest, i was most excited with our days in new orleans before the cruise!

we flew in via phili on december 28th with no problems. considering MANY people on our cruise had flight delays and tornado warnings when they arrived on the 30th, we were very lucky. i knew that hurricane katrina had severely devasted new orleans, but aside from the immediate coverage in 2005, i was really unaware of the current state of the city. i was excited for two days of music, soul and good food but i was also looking forward to an eye-opening, sobering experience.

my first impression was the sheer emptiness at the airport. there were absolutely no planes, and very few people. new orleans is certainly not a hub airport, but i didn't expect it to be so dead. since katrina, tourist rates have severely dropped off, and the population of the city has been depleted by half. full neighbourhoods and completely empty. driving through suburbs, there are no cars, no children playing in the streets and few open businesses. certain areas look like ghost towns. cab drivers and tour operators kept telling us how thankful they were that we had come to visit, and for our contribution to the local economy.

upon arrival at our hotel in the french quarter, there is less indication that anything has changed. the french quarter was almost completely unaffected by the flooding after the storm. tourists seemingly swarmed the strip clubs along bourbon street (although apparently it still looks empty to many residents), restaurants have lines that snake out the door, and street performers play to large crowds. however, after converstation with several locals, we learned that many businesses have only recently re-opened, that street performers have only begun to entertain and return to the city, and that many residents still have to rebuild their entire lives and houses.

one tour operator asked that we tell others the truth about new orleans. the truth is, i have never visited a more welcoming, lively, colourful city in my life. it is so obvious that residents love their city, and are so proud of where they live. tourists are visiting, businesses are being rebuilt and residents are gradually filtering back into the city. however, new orleans is not yet alright. they say it will be decades before the city fully recovers. the news has not done justice of reporting the real situation in the city: flooding has demolished entire communities, and nothing has been done. houses are still overturned in the ninth ward. emergency trailors have been donated by the government for residents to live in while they rebuild their homes, but many are inoperable due to a shortage of electricians to hook them up to power. crime and vandalism runs rampant.

the best thing we can do for new orleans is to visit, and to contribute to their local economy. the city is damaged - but it is far from a lost cause. however, if you DO visit new orleans, do not keep yourself isolated to only the french quarter, where less has changed. venture out into where the majority of the city lived, where they swarmed the superdome, and hid in attics during the three weeks of flooding after the storm. while i was there, 40,000 students from various universities were participating in a habitat for humanity project in the ninth ward.

my days in new orleans were amazing: i ate delicious fried chicken, and beignets; listened to dr. john at a local jazz club; and met incredible local citizens who have taken on the enormous job of loving new orleans back to life.

joyeux noel.

happy boxing day, folks. today i watched the most beautiful christmas movie i have ever seen. 'joyeux noel' tells the (loosely based on a true story) story of a christmas eve during world war one where french, german and scottish troops come out of their trenches to no man's land to shake hands with enemies, bury the dead, play music and play soccer. the story is simple, moving and completely encapsulates the meaning of christmas.

aside from coming down with strep throat, my christmas was splendid. a long sleep-in followed by the most delicious brunch eventually led to present opening. (we are in no rush in the fleming household!) the evening featured a dinner table of 15 spilling into the living room, charades and more present-opening. a few moments that made it even more memorable:

1. my granny telling a story (over appetizers) about how her prosthetic breast floated away from her while swimmming with a babe in arms. she proceeded to ask her gentlemen companion to 'fetch her breast'...

2. when many would not, my 90 year-old granny rose to the challenge and acted out the 'amazing race' during charades. i was dearly worried that she would never rise out of the ready, set position!

3. me clapping after my dad's sermon at the 7 o'clock children's service on christmas eve. apparently we don't really clap after sermons. people generally clap after speeches, and performances, why not sermons??!

4. my brother and i sneezing a collective 20 times during church.

5. my aunt successfully acting out 'the happy hooker' during charades.

6. my brother modelling his new 'sexy' boxer shorts for the entire extended family.

i hope you all had a lovely christmas with loads of joy and jolly. AND, that you made the wise decision to avoid the crowds on boxing day. the christmas season cannot be rejuvenating and relaxing if we are back to fighting over parking spots 12 hours after our turkey dinner!

peace and love to all.

that's the spirit.

the other day my associate teacher mentioned that she felt that the 'magic' of christmas has become overshadowed with last minute shopping sprees, busy social calendars and stress. i realized that i couldn't remember the last time that i had enjoyed the preparations for christmas. particularly during my undergrad, exams always took priority over the holiday cheer. for the past five years, i have woken up after exams and realized that i had four days left until christmas! i missed walks in the snow, decorating the tree, shopping without the rush and having the time to actually enjoy the season. christmas passed in the blink of an eye.

working in a school was the first thing that changed it all for me this year. it is impossible NOT to get into the spirit of christmas when kids start talking about santa on december first. their eyes light up when we read holiday stories (we now read stories about hanukkah, christmas, kwanzaa etc), and they make it impossible to have any semblance of learning with their minds wandering to visions of sugar plum fairies and new ipods. teachers started wearing classic "teacher" sweaters with cabins, reindeer and mistletoe embroidered across their front. note: in case you haven't already guessed, i will never be caught dead in a "teacher" sweater. i can't even bring myself to wear holiday earings. they won't match my power suits!

the icing on the christmas cake was this weekend. my whole family was home and we spent friday night decorating the tree and listening to classic holiday cd's. saturday was present wrapping (with christmas movies on, of course) and sunday was baking and christmas cards. for the first time in my short life, i am almost ready for christmas and the day is still a week away! i now have SEVEN full days to soak up the magic of this time of year.

this evening i attended a christmas party a friend's house. the decorations, the conversation, the food -- everything was planned to put us in the christmas mood. driving home, i couldn't remember the last time i had felt this happy and appreciative about a holiday.

i can't wait to wake up tomorrow morning and try to focus on my job. ooops. in the midst of all this christmas spirit, i have kind of forgotten about my job. maybe the kids will be too excited to notice.

nothing but the truth.

kids say the darndest things. they really do. my days are continually made brighter by their witty remarks, completely unbeknownst to them. obviously i laugh with them, at them... even behind their backs. but they can never know how hilarious i really think they are. how would they ever take my discipline seriously when they know i am laughing inside?

for example, as i am trying to teach a very very serious lesson (can you pictures it?) on patterning, this kid finds tape and creates a mustache for himself. speaking in a british accent, he says, "hello, i am king arthur..." WHAT? where do they get these things? caught somewhere between anger at the interuption and genuine glee that he has actually heard of a major historical figure, i simply continued the lesson and took the tape away. i turn back around for a few minutes, and these kids have found more tape and have created beards for themselves as well and suddenly i am in a room of old british generals. it was literally impossible to keep a straight face. this morning, to show that i could play their game -- i wrote on the board, and turned around with my own masking tape mustache. it was quite the fashion statement, let me tell you.

i have another kid who lies directly to my face. and to every other face in the building. his lies are so bad that it is almost flabbergasting. picture something along the line of this: you watch a child take a book and put it into his backpack. when you explain later that you are looking for the book, the child searches frantically along with the others and when approached he answers in the most innocent voice, "no miss fleming, i haven't seen it..." logic, truth and honesty mean nothing to this kid. he downright lies ALL the time! he wouldn't even begin to change his story until i took his bag to look for myself... and after that the story would take on a life of its own. seriously, this was not the way it was for me! i once lied to my parents right to their face (after being caught swiping a twenty from my mom's purse when i was 7) but i broke down after about 30 seconds. these kids can make up quite the scenarios, and go on for days!

other moments of note:

1. to a non-pregnant teacher while poking her tummy: "is there a baby in there?"

2. catching the kids passing a note asking, "do you even like so-and-so? she is in gred too"

3. child: "miss fleming, are you married?"
me: "no."
child: "why?"
me: "because i haven't found the time yet"
child: "well, you look like you should be married"

4. during lunch:
my class: "miss fleming, can we play the quiet game?"
me: "what is that?"
my class: "we are really quiet and you tell us if you hear voices"
me: "gee, let me think..." (of course, they will ALWAYS have my permission to play the quiet game)

5. during shared reading:
me: "can anyone tell me a fact about animals?"
kid: "turtles are faster than chickens"
me: "at what?"
kid: "at life"

6. in jk/sk:
me: "can anyone tell me about the letter b?"
kid raising his hand, about to explode with excitment: "well... it is.... well.... on the weekend, i went to grandma'sand she gave me a dollar and then i had a sleepover in napanee and mom said that i couldn't eat more cake and in the summer i want to go swimming."

bad day.

i have never been one who relishes in other people's misery, but if you happen to be, then this is your post. my day yesterday was certainly one for the books. there was not simply one terrible, awful, no-good thing that contributed to my very bad day (did you notice my reference to classic children's literature?), but an accumulation of small things that led me to believe that i should spend the rest of my day lying in bed, without risk of causing greater harm to anyone who came into my wake.

i woke up with good intentions. i read the newspaper in bed and got up at a reasonable time, pumped to head for the gym. when i went out to my car (which i park at my next door neighbours house because they have a second house elsewhere in the world) there was a *lovely* note on my car from the mrs. asking me to please offer them access to their driveway. now, in theory, this is not something that would usually bother me. most people prefer to have access to their own driveways! however, a few days earlier i had spoken with the mr. who had said it would be fine. in fact, i was under the impression that they liked it (particularly when they were out of the country), because it gave the impression that someone was home. this, however, was not the first note that i have had the priviledge of finding under my windshield. every time they come home, they write a note to the "owner of the car" demanding that it be moved. then, i take the time to sort it out with them. believing that i am permitted to use the driveway again, i park away for the months they are gone and whenever they return to canada i am lucky enough to find another note. does this family have substantial memory loss? how can they NOT know whose car it is when it has always been mine in the past? if they don't want me to use their driveway when they are home - that is fine - but a little politeness never hurt.

on the way home from the gym my water bottle burst in my gym bag essentially ruining my little black book of addresses/lists/notes. i love inky pens but in this case i was not in love with the inky mess on every page.

next, i decided to run a quick errand to buy a christmas gift for a family friend. on the way out of the store i picked up a nail polish to look at, and the plastic wrapper slipped off. as if in slow motion, the RED nail polish dropped to the floor, smashed into a million itty bitty little pieces covering my new pants, the store floor and a huge display of products with a bloody massacre. in my attempt to clean up i also cut my finger. what a sight for the customers coming into the store. somehow i got out of the mess without having to pay a cent. i am still not sure how i managed that one!

at this point it wasn't even 1PM. i return home to my father who has gone christmas shopping for andrew. fittingly he purchased an item for my brother that i had JUST purchased for my father the day before! i didn't even have the energy to care.

i tried to watch CSI but the tape stopped half way through the episode. now it was simply hilarious.

completely defeated, midway through a CSI episode i conceded defeat to the day and fell into my bed ready to fall asleep for the night. too bad it was still only 3PM.

denied.

what i wouldn't give to be independently wealthy right about now.

in order to fund my alternative practicum in mexico for three weeks in march, i applied for a bursary through the university. the whole process of applying was very bureaucratic and specific - it was very frustrating to put together an application when three people were guiding me in different directions. i began to doubt my wording and my overall vision, ennerved by the overtly political process. in the end, however, i handed in an application i was generally proud of - i believe i had an interesting, dynamic, unique learning project on the incorporation of community service in international schools.

in my inbox this evening, an e-mail beginning, "we regret to inform you..." arrived. at least they put the "we regret to inform you..." in the first line so i didn't have to read on with false hopes! the application was unsuccessful. no explanation. i am left with no sense of what i did wrong, or by extension, what they were looking for in an ideal application. i thought my application was thought-provoking and interesting, but i am sure it was only one of many! i sat at the computer and realized i had become completely unenriched by the process. it is true -- if successful i would have 600 dollars in my hand -- but it is worth it to spend countless hours applying for bursaries, writing essays and answering questions only to be rejected with no further comment? i realize that this is the real world, not grade two, but it is very discouraging to have direction, motivation and an adventurous spirit - yet in the academic world, that is clearly not enough. perhaps they wanted a proposal with a more rigid academic framework, or a more thorough investigation of an educational question. i am no academic -- i love working with children and i love travelling -- and working abroad would merge my two passions. at what age did pure passion leave the equation? the best teachers are not necessarily the most academic, the best educators simply have a pure love for what they do.

ultimately, i will be going on my alternate practicum regardless of this disappointing setback. i know that it may not be the most financially viable plan, but this is something that is important to me, and i will not let a group of academics who read about me on paper get me down.

anyone need a babysitter?

the comfort zone.

teacher's college is a life of constant transition. however, it is not a wandering/adventurous type of change, it is an unsettling/disrupting life of back and forth. my time is divided between classes at the faculty in kingston, and my practicums in ottawa. the problem is, we only spend a few weeks in each location. as soon as i am getting settled, comfortable with one housing situation, connected with a group of friends/colleagues and falling into a routine - it all ends, i get uprooted, and i have to start again.

there is no way that we can be operating at full capacity with this level of disruption in our lives. while i have never been someone who needs stability (in fact, i reject the claustrophobia of a safe, comfortable life), i would rather be constantly on the move, or temporarily settled. the courses at the faculty are (for the most part) painfully boring, but my time in kingston has been redeemed by new friends and some inspiring profs. teaching in ottawa is exhausting, and it feels weird to be back in barrhaven, but it is wonderful to be reconnecting with old friends and working with kids full-time. neither is perfect, but this balance between the two is not really creating an equilibrium in my life.

i am realizing more and more that i am craving something -- that i am lacking something in my life -- and i am still not quite sure what it is. i crave a comfort zone, but in a sense i ultimately reject the very notion as it feels mundane.

my classes at the faculty end tomorrow and i am heading back to ottawa for my next placement which begins on monday. but first, i am heading to burlington and st. catherines for some quality extended family time. saturday i will get to see my 'little' brother on stage and bear witness how cool he has become, leaving me his dust!

ms. fleming.

mr. fleming
mrs. meflemin
ms. flemingo
ms. fllemng

those are some of the random names that i have gotten from my jk/sk's over the past few weeks. until now, i never realized that fleming was a difficult word for little ones to say. i would LOVE to go by ms. sarah, but unfortunately, mme. sarah the french teacher stole the name first!

i am into week three of my practicum, and have settled nicely until my new routine. i struggle through my groggy, painful mornings and the hour of traffic on the way home. i have had two colds in three weeks, and can't remember the last time i was this tired by 8 o'clock at night. is this my daily routine for the rest of my life? if my day from 6 am to 6 pm is dedicated to getting up, teaching, and getting home, when do i live my life that is part of the so-called work/life balance? i have been neglecting the gym, neglecting e-mails and am seriously out of touch with anyone over the age of 5.

however, i have also never experienced a more rewarding day job. getting through to a particular child, watching their eyes light up as the light bulb goes off in their head -- their is nothing like it. i laugh more than i expected to, i am continually surprised by their observations and i have never heard so many i love you's.

how do i find a happy medium? there must be a way to enjoy the work week, and still find time for ourselves. and i don't even have a husband or child! this might not be something that i will be able to remedy until i have a class of my own.

for now, since it is already 9:30, i think i'll sleep on it. sigh. the crazy life of a teacher!

tdot.

hello strangers.

my whirlwind 3.5 month adventure to europe is finished.
my fairly random trip to iowa has recently passed.
and i am stuck in kingston attending the college of cut and paste.

so what better excuse than a road trip to toronto to catch up with some old friends?

many factors tried to impede my journey. in 48 hours, my laptop got fried, my car broke down and my cell phone temporarily broke. life was so much easier with a backpack on.

but, i broke my bad aura and jumped in the car eager for a weekend of good friends, new exploring and stiff drinks. it is funny how i live in ontario and visit toronto on a regular basis -- but i never go exploring. when i was a kid, i did all of the 'touristy' things, but haven't again since the infamous band trip of grade ten. i usually drop in to toronto on may way someplace else... to the cottage, to burlington, for cheap flights to europe. or, with the sole purpose of a party and catching up with friends. this occasion began in a similar manner: indian princess jessie bass-west was in toronto for a brief birthday celebration and i just couldn't miss out.

once i parked my car at my perma parking spot outside of steve john's house, i jumped on the subway. (what i would give for ottawa to have some decent public transportation!) for all you shoppers, fyi, there has been an european invasion at the eaton centre! zara, my oh-my-god-the-reason-to-go-shopping-in-europe-store, has joined the ranks of H&M and abercrombie & fitch. too bad i am dead broke. my backpacking-style adventure began when i tried to locate jessie at a pub at 800 king street east. about 40 minutes later i hit the dvp, and realized she has probably written 800 king street west. oops. jessie felt terrible, but i was refreshed! for the first time, i had actually walked in toronto. i never just walk here in canada. in europe, it would have been perfectly normal for me to walk an hour to get somewhere, but in canada, i complain over a 10 minute commute.

the evening was a blur of good food, dancing and catch-up visits with visiting jessie and other toronto folk. the following day, i continued my foot exploration of toronto in kensington market, queen street etc. i left toronto re-energized and balanced. not only had i re-connected with wonderful friends, (safe trip tomorrow jessie!) but i had also taken to the streets to see some of the beautiful cities that surround me. in canada, we may not have the extensive history or old architecture of europe, but we have plenty to discover.

over the next few months, i plan to fill my europe and iowa void by doing just that.

scattered.

i had some free time today, and i started to catch up on the blogs of all my friends that are scattered all across the world. especially being in another university town, it really struck home that i will never again be in the same city as all of my friends.

i went for a run in ames (a really lovely university town an hour north of des moines) this morning, and i started reminiscing about how easy everything was. if i wanted a gossip-fest, i only had to go into the kitchen of 454 frontenac. if i needed some quality alyssa time, she was only a quick breakfast date away.

with erin in colombia, ginny in mexico, jessie in india, carolynn in london, kristin in france and many other lovely people in various wonderful countries, it will never be the same. not to say that the friendships will end, but the consistency, the convenience and the quantity of time will change drastically. all of this - which i never even thought of as luxuries until now - is replaced with expensive phone calls, quick e-mails and blogs.

i certainly don't resent all my friends for going out and seeing the world. in fact, it is what i plan to do myself when i graduate from teacher's college, but as we grow up and go on new adventures, we will settle all around the world. i always pictured erin, ktq, carolynn and i as little soccer mom's together (now wouldn't that be a sight?). but most likely, the four of us will never be living in the same city again!

aside from mising them, i am so proud of my friends for going out on their own. i will just have to get much better at writing e-mails!

off again.

after being in canada for only a week (most of it spent at the cottage), i am off again on another adventure. i still have a few more posts to add on europe: one on paris, another on the crazzzy flight home, and another on what i miss about the continent. but for now, i must switch gears.

tomorrow morning, at some ungodly hour, i am flying to the american midwest. to be honest, i do not know what to expect from iowa. thanks to elena, i know there are over 93,000 farms in the state. i have also heard that the des moines airport is the biggest in iowa, and it only has TEN gates! i have never seen the canadian prairies, but i think that is what i picture - farm land that goes as far as the eye can see. jokes have included exploding cows and exploding cheerios, so i think i am in for quite the ride. lucky for me, i will also be able to attend the iowa state fair. i am sure no good will come of that!

more than anything, i am excited to be travelling again. i know that this is not a lifestyle that can be maintained by a girl who has not yet started to earn a living, but i feel most alive when i am seeing the world. twenty four hours after flying into ottawa, i was off to the cottage. and after a week there with lovely visits with all of our extended family, i am off again. staying in one place is comforting, but i am not ready to pick that place just yet. to paraphrase steinbeck, perhaps i cannot stop moving because i have not yet found all of my homes.

iowa may not have been my top vacation destination, but i am willing to go just about anywhere. i anticipate that this will be a vacation that blends excitement with huge amounts of corn.

mussels in brussels.

brussels has an identity crisis. it is a city that is almost impossible to describe. it has one of the most beautiful central squares that i have seen in almost all of europe, but yet its main tourist attraction is a pitifully small statue of a small boy peeing. and if you ask the story of mannekin pis, no one seems to know.

for me, brussels was more of a culinary adventure than anything else. the city was beautiful, but it did not leave me inspired. the food, however, made the trip worthwhile. from mussels and frites, to belgium waffles, to chocolate so good it melts in your mouth. i do not think i have ever eaten so much in twenty four hours in my life!

one day was enough to see most of the main sites, but it was a good thing i left, to escape the calories!

had a great trip.

amsterdam is a VERY unique city. everyone rides their bikes, the stench of weed floods the air outside of 'coffeeshops' (or smart and/or energy shops as they like to call them) and prostitution is a legal, successful business. however, beyond all the usual fuss of the city being highly liberal, it is a beautiful city to wander in. brown cafes (bars) abound, cafe culture flourishes, and the web of canals and narrow houses create an atmosphere unlike any other european city.

the legalized prostitutes and drugs may bring many people to the city; but i was drawn to the vibrant culture, interesting city structure and observing the side effects one city's attempt at pursuing liberal policies.

first of all, i never felt that drugs were in my face. i never witnessed anyone smoking a spliff in a public location, i was never approached for a sale, and unless i was walking by a coffeeshop, i never would have noticed a difference. in canada, people had a field day when the government considered decriminalizing weed, yet, it seems to function in amsterdam quite appropriately. in fact, i have heard it is generally the tourists who get ridiculously baked and cause problems. it is something to think about anyway. could the same experiment work in north america? i think many people worry that having rules and laws is better than no rules at all. but, is it possible that young people would actually smoke LESS if they had no rules to break? is it the drugs, or breaking the rules that they are drawn to? i don't know the answers to these questions, i am simply putting them out there.

the red light district is entirely another story. i ventured out one night, curious to see what it was like for myself. again, other than a few sex shops, there is no way to tell that prostitution is legal UNTIL you reach the scuzzy district itself. quiet, quaint streets open up into two long streets, filled with sex shops and strip clubs crowded with gawking men. in fact, i was probably one of only a few women, all of which were tourists! red lit windows lined the streets and displayed prostitutes of all races and sizes, waiting for customers. if the curtain was closed, they were in business. to be completely honest, i kind of got a kick out of watching the whole thing. it did not feel real. it felt like i was on a film set! however, i happened to catch the eye of one of the working women through the window, and her face has stuck with me for several days. i couldn't help but wonder, what brought her to this place? did she feel degraded by her job? did she like her job? was she happy? was it worth it?

i only had 24 hours in amsterdam, and the other thing i had always wanted to see was the anne frank house. i read here diary in grade school, but have always been fascinated by holocaust history, having taken many classes at university. they have transformed the house where anne and her family hid for two years into a touching, simple museum. part of the bookcase which hid the staircase to their apartment is still original, as well as all the pictures she cut out of magazines to decorate her walls. of course, the rooms were mostly empty (the furniture having been reposessed shortly after their capture), but the walk through was a sobering one. eight people lived in this small hidden apartment for almost 800 days. i kept thinking that my life has been so easy in comparison. they could not go outdoors, make noise, or do anything that could attract attention. in short, they could not really be children. anne went through more fear in her short life than most of us ever will. it really struck a chord.

my short trip to amsterdam was a good one. i didn't see any cows falling from the sky, or creatures crawling out of the ground, as many people do, but i had a brief look into a reality very different from my own.

the great trek.

most of my journey so far has gone in some kind of logical order. i have taken only a few long-haul trains, but most of my trips have been from cities that are fairly close to one another. until i decided to go from split to amsterdam.

yes, i am insane. and yes, it is as far as it seems. as soon as i went to croatia, i knew my journey back towards london (where my flight leaves next week) would be a long one, but i never guessed how eventful it would be. my train just arrived in amsterdam, so i have gone two days and two nights without a shower, a proper bed and my sanity.

the first leg of my journey began with an overnight ferry from split to ancona, italy. i did not pay for a cabin, so i was stuck sleeping in these airplane-style seats. lucky for us - or so we though - the boat was air conditioned. however, waking up at 1 in the morning shivering uncontrollably in a tank top and shorts was not as refreshing as i had first envisioned! in these sub-zero temperatures, i only slept for about four hours.

arriving in ancona at 7 AM, i was instructed that the train station was about 1 kilometre away. i hoped to catch an 8:15 train to milan, so i set off with my backpack, thinking that i had oodles of time. but something didn't feel right. so i stopped a lady who spoke little english, and she responded, "train station, about two kilometres". phew, i thought. i can still make it. fifteen minutes later, i still felt that i wasn't making any progress. i stopped another man, who said, "oh. train station AT LEAST three more kilometres." what is with europeans having NO sense of direction and distance? an hour later, i crawled into the train station, with five minutes to spare.

when i boarded my train to milan, i was slightly flustered and completely exhausted from my hike. as i lifted my backpack into the air to put it on the rack above me, it slipped out of my hands, and landed on my face. it gets better. i was wearing my glasses - and they got smashed. so now i out of breath, and blind. perfect. i am left with contact lenses for the rest of the trip, and still haven't figured out where i am going to find 300 dollars to buy new glasses when i get home. but that is another story!

i got to milan, excited that i would have five hours to explore the city before my next train departed. after searching the station for a few minutes, i discovered that there was only ONE ticket office open for international train tickets, and the line was about a mile long. needless to say, i saw none of the city. after more than two hours in line, i spent ten minutes being yelled at by the dude, and had enough time to quickly book some hostels in amsterdam and brussels. only ONE ticket office for all international tickets? what were they thinking? the problem was: you couldn't complain, or go and talk to someone, because there was no one to talk to. and, even if there was, i don't speak any italian! so we all stuck it out in line, our patience tested to the max.

i arrived in basel 30 minutes late, with five minutes to run to my overnight train to amsterdam. i slept relatively comfortably, was served breakfast on board, and only got to amsterdam 1.5 hours late. not bad, all things considered!

48 hours later, i have switched the heat and sun, for rain and cold. the biggest journey of my trip is done, and i am eager to live up my last six days in europe.

three months... and counting.

three months is a long time. it is an entire semester at uni, the entire summer in canada, and almost 100 days. some days, it feels like i have been gone forever. life has continued on at home, and i haven't been apart of it. my cousin had a baby, my family is at the cottage, and the garden has bloomed. other days, it feels like i left only yesterday. i have lived easily with only a few changes of clothes, only two phone calls home (sorry!) and and adventurous spirit.

it is funny, though, because there are a lot of ways that you can tell, some just by looking at me, that i have been away from home for a quite awhile.

1. i am perma dirty. seriously. i have dirt on my feet that will no longer come off in the shower! i will have to soak for days when i get home.

2. my toiletries are now an international collection: shampoo from germany, hand cream from spain, soap from croatia.

3. i have started to throw out my own clothes because NO human being on this earth should have to wear them again, or look at me wearing them.

4. standards have dropped. luxuries for me now include: showers with warm water (not necessarily hot), hostels that provide bedding (and if they provide a towel too... then it is heaven!), a semi-clean bathroom, fans (not even air conditioning!), a mirror.

5. i have accumulated a random bag of coins that i cannot exchange from the various countries in eastern europe that are not on the euro. it is weighing me down significantly, and i will probably never ever be able to use them again!

6. i am completely accustomed to men in speedos. i know longer look twice. bring on the speedos! boardshorts don't show enough skin. ha.

7. i have completely run out of money.

8. i have taken over 2000 pictures, and almost filled TWO HUGE memory cards. i know, i know, it will take me a year to sort through them all.

9. my flip flops are worn through, almost to the ground!

10. i have changed races. my tan is so dark that my makeup no longer matches my skin colour.

11. i have learned to like... actually learned to LOVE... european coffee.

12. my lonely planet has been well used and well-loved. in fact, it is torn to shreds. every country that i have visited, or will not be visiting has been torn out. what i have left is a sad excuse for a book!

three months. 18 countries. and counting.

travelling solo.

i have been on my own again for the better part of two weeks, and i have had a lot of time to read, write in my journal, and just think. after five years of being busy almost every single day, i never realized how wonderful doing nothing could be. being alone in your own thoughts for hours, and days is certainly a growing experience. today, will tanning on the beach, i started thinking about what i have LOVED about travelling alone; and by extension, what i have disliked about it. like any other experience, there are good days, and bad days. but unlike many other experiences, the good days are REALLY good, and the bad days, well, they suck. i think travelling alone, with its pros and cons, is something everyone should do at least once in their lives. in budapest, i met a man whose wife had recently started a new job. he had always wanted to backpack, so off he went to eastern europe for three weeks. i love that he had the guts to do that. i have met other people who are shocked and amazed upon meeting me. how could i travel alone? don't i get scared? aren't i lonely? i actually go to restaurants by myself? answer to all of the above: yes, yes, and yes. but, there is absolutely nothing more empowering, exciting and life-altering than navigating the world, and doing it on my own.

*when travelling alone, you are on your own schedule. you can do whatever you want, whenever you want, for however long you want. you do not have to compromise with anyone.
*you do not have to worry about arguing, fighting, disagreeing, stepping on anyone's toes, or being misinterpreted. no friendships can be broken or lost, and you do not have to argue about who is going to take the aisle seat.
*you do not have to argue over who will hold the map! because it is ALWAYS you, and you alone, who has to get your bearings in a new city.
*you have all the time in the world: to read, to write, to think. i have read more books and written more in my journal in these past three months than in the past five years put together.
*when travelling solo, you meet copious amounts of new people. often, people who travel in groups are less likely to make new friends on the road - because they aren't interested, or they don't need to. you can travel with them for a few hours, or a few days, and then go in seperate directions.

on the other hand:

*travelling solo can lead to loneliness. you can go hours, if not days without having a real conversation with someone. you are constantly chatting small talk: where you are from, what you do, how long you are travelling for. you begin to crave a meaningful conversation with someone who truly knows you.
*it is more difficult to sleep. i mean this in several capacities. firstly, it is hard to sleep in public places, because there is no one to keep an eye on your stuff. you are clutching your purse, using your bag as a pillow. there are so many horror stories of backpackers being robbed while sleeping on the train. as well, it is more difficult to find accomodation for one person. in hostels, there are often dorm rooms; but in places like croatia, guestrooms have been designed for couples, and few people want to rent to one person because they cannot charge as much. sometimes they even try and charge one person the price of TWO.
*evenings. during the day, it is easy to fill up your time by walking around, sightseeing, going to a park etc. but in the evenings, there are less things for a person to do alone, particularly a female. you get tired of going to restaurants and bars alone, and walking home alone in the dark is something i try to avoid.
*you are often on guard. i don't want to sound like i am always worrying, because i am not, but you really have to think about who you can trust. i probably am a bit TOO trusting, while many other female backpackers are TOO paranoid. in my experience, the world is generally filled with extremely nice people. however, travelling alone, you cannot take chances. perhaps someone genuinely wants to help you carry your bags, but the tourist books, and everyone at home would say 'warning warning'. it is something that is often on your mind.
*travelling alone is more expensive: you have no one to share accomodations with, share groceries, or split the cost of a rental car.

these are only the first things that came to mind. i am sure there are dozens more positive and negative things about travelling alone. in my opinion, the good certainly outweigh the bad, and i wouldn't have changed anything about this trip!

when i first travelled alone to australia, katie made me a mix cd that started with the song that goes, 'here i go now, on my own'. i still think of it as my theme song to my travels.

island hopping.

for some unknown reason, croatia has always been a place i have wanted to visit. there is something about the country that implies undiscovered, mysterious, breathtaking. breathtakingly beautiful it is, but undiscovered it is not. considering the situation in the early 1990s, it is incredible that the country is not only safe to visit, but has rebuilt its tourist industry completely!

after two days in the jewel of dubrovnik, i boarded a ferry, and began my tour of the croatian islands. first stop: korcula. a typical medieval dalmation town, it is claimed to be the birth place of marco polo. considering the lack of evidence, i think it is more of a joke they are playing on tourists to scam them of more money! for one euro, you can climb the tower where he was 'born'. the old walled town is designed to protect the inhabitants from the winds circulating around the peninsula, and it is filled with an abundance of pizzerias, cafes and jewellery stores. in croatia, accomodation is not something that you organize ahead of time. after getting off the ferry, residents offering private accomodation are standing there, ready to greet you. a free-for-all, the tourists compete for the best priced accomodation in prime locations. it is quite difficult to find rooms for only one person at reasonable prices, but i have lucked in on each stop. in korcula, i stayed with a little italian woman, who spoke absolutely no english, and kept pointing at my tan saying, 'morte, morte'! slightly eccentric, she hugged me every five minutes, and filled my room with dolls from circa 1952. she took our picture, and has promised to send it to me in canada! lucky me. on my second day in korcula, i took a bus to a small town nearby which promised to have the best beaches on the island. i had been previously warned that croatia was NOT the place to go for sand beaches. but in lombarda, i found a sand beach to top all sand beaches! (thank you lonely planet!) as it squished through my toes, filled my bag and stuck to my skin, i had never been happier.

at 6AM this morning, my catamaran embarked for hvar. what is wrong with croatians? why do they feel the need to wake up so early? SIX AM? anyone who knows me, knows this was a difficult task for me. as per usual, at 5:45, i woke up in a panic, jumped out of bed, and ran to the harbour in under 30 seconds flat! hvar is stylish. with traffic-free marble streets and promenades full of gorgeous european tourists, sexy cocktail bars and gorgeous rocky beaches, a backpacker feels slightly out of their league! however, my room has been the most inexpensive yet, the beaches feel uncrowded and the locals are friendly and down to earth. i spent six hours today soaking up the sun, and several more writing in my journal in a cafe. tough life.

i have decided to stay in hvar for an extra night of perfection. the only thing i am lacking is company, so if anyone is bored -- come on over!

what about sarah?

i am a blogging failure. as i do with most new initiatives, i started out with my sights set high, that i would be able to update regularly, aiming for one post from every new city. well. scratch that.

as i got farther behind in blogging, sitting down to update you all on a full month of adventures seemed like a task too big to handle! feeling like a guilty student who avoids essays once they are already late, i avoided it completely. but over the past 24 hours, i have come to peace with my absence. is it not the intention of this trip to be experiencing europe, living it, and not sitting in an internet cafe, spending money that i do not have? i am back on the blogging train, and i will do my best to update when i can. but this time, i make no promises!

my last month has been incredibly full. in summary:

-travelled with kristin and carolynn for a beer, bratwurst and pretzel-filled time in munich.
-had a sobering day at the former dachau concentration camp.
-stayed two nights in an american military base in germany with some friends i made on the cruise, getting a taste of the very different life they live in.
-visited the old towns of rothenberg and nuremburg.
-drank wine and stayed in a beautiful b & b with carolynn in the rhine valley.
-travelled to berlin for world cup madness!
-trekked to sweden and denmark to visit erin for a brief 24 hours at her cisv camp.
-backtracked down to prague for a ridonculous weekend with jeff gulley and tim jebb in prague. most would have never survived it.
-tim and i continued on for a week, visiting the charming village of cesky krumluv in the south of the czech republic. toughest activity was floating down the lazy river in an inner tube, beer in hand!
-trained to vienna, where tim was stuck in bed with food poisoning, but i explored the city on my own.
-began the last leg of my trip, on my own, in budapest, fuelling my love of eastern europe.
-on the advice of another backpacker, went over to slovenia for three days, leisurely exploring ljublijana and the only island in the country, in bled.

and with that, i got on a hellishly long bus ride (17 hours!), and made it to croatia, where i am now. spent two days tanning in dubrovnik, and have now spent two more days sunning on the island of korcula. i am safe, happy, well-rested, and living up the last few weeks of my trip.

miss you all!

backpacker revolution.

have you ever heard of a flashbacker?

a new word to describe high maintenance backpackers who bring laptops, high quality electronic devices, rolling suitcases, hair straighteners and the like on so-called backpacking trips through europe. now this got me to thinking. do you have to be carrying a backpack to be considered a backpacker?

the notion of backpacking, to me, has always implied slightly grubby clothes, small amounts of luggage, and a tight budget; not high heels, blow dryers, ipods and copious amounts of makeup. in many ways i shouldn't be talking: i brought more than enough clothes, five pairs of footwear, and a fairly decent memory card and digital camera. but hostels with wireless internet? it seems like young people, more and more, can't live without luxury.

there is definitely a backpacking revolution taking place. comments welcome!

summer camp.

where: interlaken, switzerland. balmer's hostel, aka. the frat house.
what: outdoor adventure and extreme sport capital of europe.
when: june 29 - july 1, 2006.
who: myself, kristin and carolynn. three stylish, outdoorsy chickitas ready for a mountain vaycay.
why: to celebrate carolynn's birthday in style.

interlaken is between two glacial lakes, and surrounded completely by the alps. skiing, hiking, swimming, sky diving, canyoning... pretty much any risk you have ever had the urge to take is available for the hordes of young backpackers who come though the city every day. interlaken is the kind of place where you plan to spend a day, and a few bucks, but end up leaving a week later with a rather large dent in your wallet.

if there was ever any doubt, switzerland is damn expensive. staying for more than a few days means that your budget temporarily is thrown out of the window. i met up with kristin and carolynn at our hostel - so nice to be reunited with home friends in europe! for a nice change, we stayed at the campy balmers hostel, in a three bedroom room. that's right: no snorers, early-risers or strangers stumbling in late at night! balmers is the oldest privately owned hostel in switzerland, and it runs like a well-oiled machine. bars, activities, a late night club (meat market), restaurant, internet... and full of rich american tourists.

the first day, we headed up to the mountains to go hiking. there are dozens of hiking paths in the interlaken area, but we decided to hike up to a glacier. challenging, rainy, chilly, but also absolutely stunning and motivating, the hike was worth every effort. when we got to the top, we ate our ham and cheese sandwiches in a cabin overlooking the glacier, with some sort of rescue movie being shot in the background. not an everyday sight!

on the second day, carolynn's birthday, we took a walk to one of the glacial likes for frigid swimming, champagne and sun tanning. then, in the afternoon, we took to the skies for a parasailing adventure! there is nothing like flying as high as the birds for 40 minutes. floating, spinning, taking photographs and relaxing above the trees, we definitely were witness to the most spectacular views in the area. we capped off the evening with a traditional swiss dinner of cheese fondue, white wine and toblerone for a dessert.

unfortunately, interlaken is the only place in switzerland that i will have time to visit. the land of delicious chocolate, home of swiss army knives, and frustratingly still on their own currency, switzerland should be every camp kid's vacation destination.