Back from the Rock !

Holy crap, if this blog was a plant, it would've been dead and moldy by now :P. Ahahah we are terrible at this I guess, and I blame myself mostly, I mean, I'm on my computer every single day, and I never take the time to write something here, how bad is that ? Anyhow, I should stop bragging about my lack of talent in bloguing, which I do everytime I write anyways :P.

If I remember, last time we exchanged news was via texts, some weeks ago. But I'm not sure what I told you then, so I'm just gonna write about everything that happen since the beginning of the year. Jeez, I hope you are well seated, it gonna take a while to read, and surely to write!

But first, here is my response to your last post:

I loved your post ! Even tho I read it months ago, I realized I never gave you any feedback, which I do sometimes. I'm so happy that you are happy, and hope everything is still good with Nigel. He really seems like a great person, and you surely deserve someone like him :). Oh, how cheezy ! ahahah ! But its true, I mean, nobody deserves to be with a jerk, but you especially needed someone good and interesting, and easy to be with. Also, I totally approve that you like your life, whatever you are doing is cool or not. Who cares ?? And who decides anyways what is cool or not?? Thats crap I say :P. And I totally agree that is better to be with fewer people, but good people, than being with a bunch of fakes, HA ! ^^ Thats pretty much my circle of friends now. Both times I went away for a while, I got to see who was my friends that I still wanted to be with, and cleared some by just not calling them and give news. Its been months now, and I still dont have news from them either. I guess I didnt entertain them enough or something :P. So now I have fewer friends, but most are close friends that I see often and have true fun with, its great :). I think I'm not a crowd person anyways, when theres too much people, I feel confused and end up watching everybody without talking to anyone.

And here it goes for my own post: I went home for 2 weeks at Christmas, it was great to see my family and my close friends. But then I had to go back to Newfoundland soon for work, since they started school on the 3rd :P. But I was happy to go back, I missed the job, kinda ^^. And the second half of my contract was a lot more fun, since I started to see my 2 francophone friends every week-end. We were all working on the west coast, all an hour appart. Andrea was in Stephenville, but from Quebec like me, and Tammy-Lynn was in Port-au-Port peninsula, but from New-Brunswick. I had such a great time with those 2, we got to see a lot of Newfoundland together, we went often to the bar and met lot of interesting people, and have such great stories from all this :). I got to learn some local expression from their hometown too, which was hilarious, and Tammy-Lynn even made a montage of all our pictures and expressions with all the song we heard in the bars we went and made an awesome video. I'm sure gonna miss them, now that we are all back in our hometown, but like you, we are gonna stay in touch. No blog tho, since they all have facebook, and we skype once in a while ^^. Actually, do you know skype ? Because it is a great way to communicate, when it works well ahah ! Like I said, I'm back home now, I already found a summer job in a cafe, I like it, I work with one of my friend, she actually got me the job, I didnt even have to send my resume or anything ^^. Yes, I got a summer job, my plans of going to Europe dropped, since I didnt save enough for my travel, because next year, I'm moving ! Ahahah well I got accepted in Sherbrooke university, in Education, and the city is almost 2 hours away from Montreal, so I got an appartment, I'm stoked about this !! I'm going to live with 2 other monitors who did the same thing I did last year, but one was working in PEI, the other in NS, in Lunenburg. I met them at both our training session in Quebec city and Moncton, and they seem really nice and fun :). So no travel to come, but a moving, which is almost as exciting, maybe ;). That's pretty much whats new for me, oh, and I'm going to do something I wanted to do for a long time, next week-end I'm doing a course for CPR ! I think its important to know this, and its an asset I need, since I'm going to work in schools. I might even get a raise at my summer job, yay ! And I recently got an haircut ! Its short again, but a different way, my sister's best friend cut them, it was about time :P. I'll try to send you a picture somehow. Few, it's not my longest post yet, but I feel its getting long enough now, I'll save up for later... ahahaha which might be next year, at this pace XD ! Again, hope to read you soon, and you are doing well. I dont even know if your home or away.... ? So write soon please, lets revive this blog ! :)

Love,

Robi

:)

Hey Robi,

It's great to hear from you! Glad to hear you are still doing well over there. That really seems like an interesting experience too, even if it is a bit isolating. I've never really taught anybody anything significant in a class setting, and I wonder what that is like? You must enjoy it though, to be going into education! My sister wants to be a teacher too...maybe your paths will cross someday :P

I know excactly what you are talking about when you say you got worried about your family, even though you knew they were fine. Last year, in April, I hadn't seen my family since July and sudden, I just got terrified that somebody was going to die and I would never see them again. I knew it was crazy, but i couldn't shake it! I had to go home! The feeling of being away, yah it's exciting but it's also terrible, to be so far from everybody. I've become more of a homebody too. I mean, I know that I still want to go away, maybe even to live, but now I can also see the value of living in Courtenay, and I will always visit. Family is so important. On the other hand, it is good for us to experience other places, and who knows maybe we wouldn't realize these things without leaving and learning about missing everybody!

My sister is going to Norway for 2 months in April, and it will be the first time for her to be away that long. Her and her boyfriend have been dating for three years, and it's their first time being apart like that too. I think it will be good for her for a million different reasons. At the same time, my heart really goes out to her because I'm not at all sure she realizes how hard that will probably be.

Speaking of boyfriends...
I have one! I really wasn't looking for one. Basically, I had decided that there was just no point because guys all turned out to be assholes anyways and I thought my self esteem couldn't take any more bullshit.
Buttt.....
It seems like as soon as you give up, you find what you wanted all along. I should have given up a long time ago! :P I made this friend at college, Nigel, who I may have told you about before, I can't remember. Anyways, we really were just friends. We would always talk about philosophy, because we were in Ethics and Philosophy of Love and Sex together (what a way to meet someone right). I think it was such a relief for both of us to meet each other, because we are both interested in things that most people don't talk about, and I dunno, I don't really know how to say it other than we talk to each other much more deeply than with other people. We are both living back with our parents after being away and both of us want to try to find a way to live other than capitalism and I dunno, there are many unusual things that both of us have in common.
So we used to be friends and hang out pretty much every day, for months. It became so that I think both of us were really attracted to each other though, and eventually we had to talk about it. It took a while for us to start dating, and at first it was really weird because we weren't used to flirting with each other and we like hardly ever kissed each other and stuff because it was just like, we weren't used to being like that with each other!
We've figured it out by now though lol.
Anyways, I think that we are really what each other wanted in so many ways. He really values me for me and isn't just all about sex or anything. And I like so many things about him, like he's smart, but he also is a very caring person and dependable and really not a jerk. We've been dating for a month now, and we're still getting used to it and taking things slow. Which I think is really good, because we want to trust each other, and really, we are still getting to know each other. There is no rush.
I mean, it's not like everything is always perfect. I mean, I know myself that I am a really hard person to date because I am so bad at talking about my feelings and I really go nuts in relationships because I'm so scared of everything. Nigel is a very steady person, in that he doesn't get worked up easily, thank God, and I think that since we were friends first, we know each other well enough that stuff is just ok, as in we are continuing and things don't get blown out of proportion. It's not like some sudden relationship where if something makes you mad, you just end it.
Nigel is really a great guy. I am so glad we met each other. I mean, I honestly didn't want to be in a relationship.. I avoided it as long as I could!
At the same time, Nigel and I want similar things and there is no reason why I can't do the things I wanted to do before because I am in a relationship. Also, I think Nigel and I can really help each other grow in a lot of ways because we care about each other, and that is really important.
Anyways, I feel really good about this, and I think Nigel is the right person for me to be with and I am really looking forward to getting to know him better and seeing where things go from here...
Can you tell I'm trying not to jinx it? Also, that I am in that phase where I just want to ramble on about him because I like thinking about him so much? Lol.
Other than that, things are pretty uneventful around here. I also don't have much of a social life, and that's fine. I'm still taking some classes at college and I'm really enjoying them. I've been working on my writing too, and I feel that that is also improving, horray! I'm still living with my dad, but hopefully that will be changing soon. My job still is bad, but I'm looking for another one...as usual lol.
I'm feeling a bit less directionless. I think I've figured out that what I want to be is a writer, and I've also started to realize that actually I'm a pretty smart person and I can find a way to use that. It's just not going to be down a conventional path. I've really got no idea what I want to do after April. Nigel and I, when we started dating, both said basically, well we've got until April to figure it out, and things are wide open from there. We both meant it. That's basically how I've been thinking. Until April, I am figuring things out. I didn't want to rush anything. Nigel had that in mind too. And then, who knows. There are tons of options.
Anyways, that's basically an update from this end! I never would have guessed this happening, but there you go! I am happy, and I am so glad to finally feel more on track. Not that I think there is actually a track for me to be on, but I do feel that I am living in a way that is more true to myself than I have recently. For example, I don't really like being intoxicated very often, so I've mostly stopped drinking and smoking, and I like being alone a lot of the time even if it isn't cool, and I like reading for college and I like that Nigel and I haven't had sex yet even though we've been dating for a month (I think it's gonna happen soon though, don't get me wrong, I want it to happen, just I want us both to be ready first). I like so many things about my life that are so uncool, and I like that I am finally accepting that that is how I want to live, at least for the time being. Before I was always so concerned with doing things right, but now I'm not really worried about it.
Anyways, I guess not a whole lot of exciting stuff has happened with me, but oh well :)
It was super nice to hear from you, and I'm glad you're doing well over there. I think university is a good idea, too, even though I also think doing other things is a good idea...haha, I think anything that seems right and will be enjoyable and teach you stuff is a good idea.
There is one good guy I know from Corner Brook. I don't really think he is your type, but he's a super nice guy I went to uni with last year, named Kerry Martin. Yah, he described the place as a bit of a shit show though, but he loved it. He even had a tatoo that represented it on his arm! It doesn't matter though. Whatever you find you find, I guess. I've been thinking about all the good and bad things about being in a relationship lately, since I didn't want to be in one and...well now I am in one lol, and I think that one isn't better than the other. Same with having a group of friends, actually, for me. Like, assuming that you have some kind of social life, like how you teach and I go to college/work, I mean, if you have good friends who you enjoy spending time with, of course that is better, but if you have friends that are manipulative or a bad influence or you feel you have to be fake around or whatever, that's worse. I mean, I think there is really no right or wrong thing to happen.
Anyways, I'm not even sure whether I'm making sense at this point. Anyways, I hope to hear from you soon and sorry for not answering your text, I just thought it would be better to post instead!
Also, that's super exciting that you're going to England! That will be so awesome. Haha, you will come back speaking the Queen's English and putting us all to shame :P
Happy new years to you too, I hope it will be a great one!
Love Edna.

Better late than never.... :S

Hi Edna!

Oh I gotta say, I'm a terrible blogger :P. First, this one, then the one I made for my experience here, to tell all my friends and relatives how I'm doing. Both I haven't write in MONTHS. Unforgivable :S. Well, like they say: "better late than never.." or something like this...
So since the last post, I've been doing my job and enjoy it still. I had a training session in Moncton in November and it was awesome! I got to see some monitors that I met last summer in Quebec city for the first training session, and we hung out every nights! It felt great to live a social life again, hahah. Also, I went home for Christmas, I was really happy to see my family and friends again, I really enjoyed my (too short) stay there, though it felt weird to be home for vacation, then have to leave to get back to my old routine, where it's usually the opposite! I got to see almost every one I wanted to see, and did almost everything too ^^. My mother rented a friends cabin for few days, I skied with my brother, snowshoed with my mom and cousin, and played board games every nights with my aunts, uncles and cousins. I must say, I do appreciate family moments a lot! Mostly because for some weird reasons, I've been worried about them since couple of weeks. Like, I know their are doing fine, healthy, happy and all. Which I'm really grateful. But I started to be scared, because of this. Scared about if anything had to go wrong, for any of them, and I came to realize if it had to happen this year or someday close from now, I don't think I would be able to get over it. It might sound really dramatic and all, but don't worry, I do think about other things too. It's just that it seems I've always taken life for granted, because nothing really serious ever happen to me (the last thing was my parents divorce, but I realize it was for the better anyway). So now I just think about life differently. For example, remember I wanted to start my life some place else than my own province, away from the "known". Now I'm not sure I want this anymore, even though I like being away for awhile, I might not need to live my life entirely away from my loved ones. Oh, how cheezy :P ! Ahahah!

Anyways, that was my reflexion on this beginning of the year. And no, I didn't make any resolutions, bleh :P. And I also made plans for this year. After many reflexions and counting pros and cons on what I should do after my work is done, I decided to start university in September. Yep, Marianne student again, ha! Because I wasn't 100% sure yet about what to study, but my mother convinced me a bit that if I was going to wait another year, I might be even less sure, so I might as well start before I don't want to do anything anymore. So in September I'll be starting university in Montreal, in Education, and I'll be living again at both my parents house. Usually I would have move to an appartment, but I prefer saving this year, and work less. But before starting school, I want to spend my summer traveling! And I know where I want to go now: United Kingdom! I thought about Europe for so long, but then I thought I only have 2 months to travel, I should choose only one part of Europe and really visit it, instead of going throught many countried but spend most time in trains and airplanes. So I want to start my trip in Belgium, because its half the price to land in Brussels beside landing in London. Then I wish to visit the Nederlands, England, Scotland and Ireland. If I have extra time I might go to Germany too, to see my German sister :). But just to think about this, and starting looking for plane tickets is so exciting! I miss traveling a lot, and I don't count my experience here as a trip, since I'm pretty much static, not really visiting unfortunnately (I told you, Newfoundland is not pedestrian friendly :P).

But for now, I have to finish my contract here. And it's going to be a little more challenging in couple of days, since I'm switching school next week, going from a primary/elementary school to a....Junior high! Ahahah, I can hear the dramatic Tum tum tum when writing this! But I'm not scared of the kids, though some teachers are for me :P. My friend in Stephenville was in a Junior High the past months and she loved it. I also think I'm going to like it, since I will get to do activities of another level, and really talk about cultural stuff.

So anyways, that's pretty much what's new in my Newfie world. I still haven't meet any boys, though I don't find Newfie boys particularly attractive :P. But their accent is so..........unique. And sometime really confusing, I still am not use to it, and whenever I talk to a cab driver, a cashier at the grocery store or the handyman here, I have to make them repeat themselves many times, and end up smiling without knowing what they are telling me! How frustrating, I mean, I'm suppose to know English, I'm technically bilingual! Loll, but the Newfie accent is almost like another language only the insular here know.

So I'm going to leave you on this note, since I took enough of your time already ;). Wish you a Happy New Year, pretty late, but like they say: "better late than never" ! ^^
Hope I'll get to read about you too soon :)

Hi Robi!

It`s been a while! I`m sorry for being such an inconsistent blogger...I haven`t forgotten the blog, just when I think about it, I don`t feel like I have anything to write! I mean, I guess there is always something to write about, but my life has been quite unevventful lately, so there`s not a whole lot in the way of stories and stuff. How are you doing? That's kind of surprising, that people aren't as friendly as they are said to be. Maybe it's just when they aren't in Newfieland :P
Are the kids nice at least? It is actually so cool that you have an ACTUAL job! You know, like the kind of job a real live adult would have, not just a kid. But then, I guess you are a real life adult now, so it makes sense.
Have you met any boys over there? :P
You know, now that I don't have any girl friends, the only girls I really talk to are Stephanie, my sister, who hass been in a relationship for 3 years, and my friend Erin sometimes, who is also in a relationship. On the one hand, I miss boy talk, but on the other, I really don't! Because I always felt like I had to have something to contribute. Like there was something wrong with me or I was boring or whatever if I didn't have any boy stuff going on. Now that I don't have to prove myself (and there are no boys I am attracted to and I have no social life so I don't meet them lol), I'm like, it's kinda nice not to have to deal with boys! I mean, there are some obvious downsides, but life is so much simpler without boys. For now, it's quite nice.
Anyways, wanna hear what I have been doing lately?
Well, I go to college, and I go to work, and I watch the Office and I read and I go to Buddhist meditation once a week and...that is about it. I hang out with my family, and you know what? I'm happy doing this! I never thought I would be, but I am! I mean, I'm not happy all the time and I don't think I would be if I thought this is what I was going to be doing forever, but for now it's really nice.
It has given me a lot of time to learn about different things and think about what it is I want to do in my life. Of course, I still don't really know but I have come up with a bit of a "plan" for what I want to do in the nearer future. I think this summer, I am going to go stay at an ashram that is in southern BC near the Rockies, and stay there for a couple months or whatever. There young people work, and do silent meditation while they are working, and stay for free. I talked to a young woman who went and she really loved it and said I for sure should go so...now I have to right! Anyways, it sounds really awesome so I'd like to do that.
And then after that, I want to go back to India and stay at an ashram there. The place where I went where I stayed at an ashram, I want to go back to that place.
You know, it is weird because I really thought I wanted to go to south america, and travel there, and I do, but every time I think of myself going somewhere, I just picture myself in Rishikesh, so I think that means I should go back there. I think I really have a lot to learn, and I think the thing is, I can learn about all these places but that won't help me much because what I actually need to do is learn about myself. I have realized that I just have no idea what I want, or what I want to do, and I mean, I know that is normal, but I really feel like I should at least try to figure it out. And I think that is a good way for me to do that.
So I think maybe I'll stay there for a year, and then who knows what I'll do after that! It is way too far in the future to guess at...I mean a million things could change between now and then!
The thing I do know though, is that I want to be absolutely nothing like my dad. I'm not even joking when I say I would probably rather kill myself. He lives a completely joyless existance. I don't think he ever smiles. I don't think he even remembers why a person would want to smile, because sometimes he tries to smile but it's fake and so it just ends up looking scary and sad. Ugh. He works the same job he has for 30 years, he doesn't enjoy it, he comes home and sits on the couch and watches tv. He goes grocery shopping.
Is that even a life? Can you actually call someone alive when they don't feel any joy? It's hard to even live with. Like, it certainly makes me feel very negatively whenever he is in the room. He has such strong negative energy that if we are both reading in the same room, I start to feel so hopelessly miserable and angry that I actually have to leave. If I ever end up like that (and I'm doing my best to figure out how not to) please just shoot me. If my mere presence is enough to make someone miserable, then what is the point?
My mom has an injury, so she can't even go anywhere or do anything most of the time, but she is alive. She thinks and she loves people and she does experience life. My dad can do things, but he doesn't seem to feel anything. I would so much rather be like my mom.
What would be really nice though, if I could remain both physically and mentally functionable into middle age. Hopefully genes don't play a role in this.
Hopefully I can figure out a way to actually be alive. You know?
Anyways, can you tell that my dad is in the room? It makes me so depressed and he isn't even talking or anything! But when he isn't here, I am mostly happy. And I do live in his house so I can't exactly complain. Just, you know, I make observations.
Anyways, I guess that's it for me! If something interesting happens I will tell you about it :P
Oh yah, guess what, I made a friend! He's in two of my classes at school, and we've hung out a couple times and talked about philosophy, and we both are interested in talking about those things and it is so nice to meet someone who is! You know, I get really tired of small talk and everything, I mean who isn't who works in customer service long enough, so it is so nice to talk about significant things, and things that I actually spend my time thinking about.
Anyways, hopefully we continue hanging out because I really enjoy it.
Greg and I haven't really been hanging out lately, so it's good to have at least someone outside my family to hang out with!
Anyways, looking forward to hearing more about how you're doing over there!
Edna

Life of a semi-teacher ^^

Hi Edna!!

I'm so happy that you write again! I must say, I was worried you were bored by this now, but seems that you still have inspiration, which is great. And I thought about you recently, like since monday, I saw a girl at the school where I work, and she really looks like you! I wonder actually what you looked like when you were her age, about 11, but she does have the same kind of features in her face, it's weird. Tho of course you are unique, ahah! Speaking of where I work, its going well, its been now 2 weeks since I started and the kids like me I think. Most of them see me walking around and they just smile a lot and say "bonjour", all proud, but since I'm not suppose to know English, they never talk to me much because they don't know enough French to hold a conversation :P. But it's ok, it'll get better with some time, I guess. I don't know how, but I find anglophones kids are not like francophones, like they dont act the same, and they dont think the same way... I founded that too when I was babysitting Leah and Flynn back at the Creek. But kids in general are fun and curious, so I like them both :). And it's so weird now that I'm part of the staff in the school, I get to eat lunch with the other teachers, which I never thought would have happen! I get to hear them talk about their work, to watch them as what they really are outside work, its fascinating! Same thing when I'm in a class, I'm the one who decides who gets to talk and who is the winner, and I'm the one writing on the board and all, I love it! Ahaha it sounds so childisch, but thats how I think when I'm working. Like, I dont know about you, but when I was a kid, I would always think "if I was the teacher, I would have done this and all", and now I get to be one, sort of ^^.


Beside work, life is pretty quiet here too. I mean social life :P. My roommates are nice, but one is always in her room with her boyfriend or at his house, and the other one is away sometimes but never tell me what she is up to or anything, and I never dare to ask her... So I'm pretty much always at home when not working. But I do sometimes go outside to take a walk. The city is pretty here, tho really hilly, like you always have go up and down hills wherever you walk. So theres not much people walking around here, which means people drive all the time. But for myself, I do walk anywhere I go, like I went twice to the Wal-Mart to get stuff for the appartment, which was 45 minutes of walk, but once there, I was up the hill and the view on the city was great :). You would like it here, we are surrounded by mountains, and the sea is not that far from the city. I can't wait too for the leaves to turn red, people talk about it already, its gonna be beautiful outside. For now its not as cold as I expected it, which is good, and we had mostly cloudy days but not that much rain. But back to social life, I planned on going to Stephenville next week-end, which is a city an hour away from here, where a monitor like me lives. We took the plane together to get her and we shared a room at the training session in Quebec city, so we know eachother ok. Its great that we get along, and we talk throught facebook about our work days, to tell eachother advices and hints :). And its good to have a Quebec presence close by ^^. But for now, I only planned on doing laundry and cleaning this week-end, bleh :P. Adult life I guess.



I feel sorry for your grand-mother, hope for you that she gets well soon :). And about your friend Greg, well I hope he gets the hint, if you ever gave him hints about your real intentions.. ;). Its good to hear that you find college interesting and you are still into travelling, which I never doubted tho. Tell me whenever you find where you want to go to! For myself, I already planned on spending next summer on this small island in St. Laurent Gulf call Iles-de-la-Madeleine with my sister! Its not as exotic as the Caribbeans or anything but you should google it, its pretty neat, and the beaches are awesome. I went there with my family about 12 years ago (wooow I can actually say that!), and we loved it! We want to find a job there and a place to stay for couple of weeks. I'm excited because I havent travel with my sister since our last family trip at Christmas in 2005. And we'll get to be on our own, its gonna be great!


Thats it from me for now, I will write later tho about my week-end in Stephenville. I'm actually going because we got hired to animate a group of kids for the Saturday for couple of hours, it'll be fun, and we will be paid! Ahaha!
Wish you good luck at school, and thanks for keeping this blog alive :D
- Robi XxxxxX

Hey Robie!
How is life in Corner Brook? I want to hear all about it...I got your text the other day. Sorry I didn't anwer it...I was asleep when it came and then decided to answer by writing a blog post instead! It is so much better than texting.
Did I tell you I have a friend in Halifax from Corner Brook? He loves it, even got (or is getting? Can't remember.) a tatoo syblolic of it on his arm! His name is Kerry Martin, if you ever come across him :P
How are the kids? Are you enjoying teaching them? Is your roommate nice?
That's so exctiting, that you moved there!
Things here are pretty....well, I don't want to say uneventful, but I can say that my lifestyle is very different than what it was in Halifax. I have a very minimal social life...only my friend Greg still lives here of my old friends, and lately he seems to be pursuing me in a way that is innapropriate for our platonic friendship, if you get my drift. I am not interested in being anything other than friends with Greg, so I'm hesitant to call him up too often and give him the wrong idea. When we do hang out, it's fun though.
I have a shitty job at the grocry store that I am thinking I have to replace soon. I am so sick of looking for a job that I have been putting it off for ages already, but I hardly get any hours and it's very boring and well...I know I could do better so I should at least try. If I get a serving job I'll make way more money, and be able to travel right when college gets out instead of having to work for the summer too. Either way, I intend to be travelling again soon.
But I really do need a better job in order to be able to do so. That is the truth of the matter. I've also been thinking about trying to write online for a living. That way I can continue to do so while I travel, which would really be ideal. I need to dedicate myself to it and get it done.
I'm really enjoying college, which is such a relief. The teachers are nice and the classes are interesting. One teacher, who I have for two classes, is a pretty boring and repetitive guy, but the textbooks are interesting and the things people say in class tend to make up for the teacher's lack of creativity, so its ok.
Also, lately I've been eating a raw vegan diet. It is amazing! It really cleared my head and gave me a lot of energy. For two weeks, I only ate raw. This morning I decided that I can eat rice too, when I want to because that is what I miss the most (isn't that weird? Of all things, I really, really want rice!) and I figured, whatever rice isn't bad, and it's more calories with less effort. Sometimes I just want to eat one thing and feel full, which is pretty much impossible on the raw diet unless that one thing is like...an entire watermelon or something lol.
I've been reading a lot lately too (and I mean a lot...probably this has a lot to do with my minimal social life) and learning about lots of different things. Actually, right now I am reading Eat Pray Love, which is actually one of my favourite books ever now! I thought it was some stupid self help book or something, but it's about this woman who travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia to learn how to do those three things, and it is amazing! She seems like such a cool person, too, I would love to meet her! :P If you haven't read it, I definitely recommend it. Travellers like us can probably especially appreciate it. :)
The sad new is my grandma is sick right now. She just had a hip replacement, and a heart attack, so she has seen better days. It sounds like she is expected to get better and everyone is very hopeful, so that is good. I just feel really sad for her, because she has had a hard time of it lately. I'm going to visit her this morning and I hope she is feeling...well not too bad. It's hard, or actually impossible, for me to imagine what that must be like. Hopefully she makes as speedy a recovery as she possibly can, and it is worth it in the end.
Oh, well I don't want to end this post on that sad note!
Uhm...lol, what else has happened lately? I planted some beans and they sprouted! :) Hopefully one of these days I get around to building a little greenhouse for them so they don't get frostbite...maybe later today or tomorrow I can to that.
Anyways, I can't wait to read your next post!
Good luck in your new home, I hope everything is working out well there!
Edna

Updates from Creekers part 2 and more..

Hi !

I'm really glad you posted again, I thought once you werent interested anymore. Good to hear that things are kinda sorted out for you, and even if it wasn't like you planned, it seems that it will be great for you to take a year to prepare that big trip you always wanted to do :). Anyways, I hope you're having a good time back in your hometown, even tho you find it cliche ^^. I don't think it is, moslty because after all what you did, it's more like normal to be back for a short amount of time to ressource yourself in a way and be ready for new adventures ;). Anyways, I'll always think you're interesting and fun, no matter what you think about yourself !

About those updates, well Victoria and Katie wrote after I posted that last one, so I thought it'll be good for you to read them :

Hey guys!! This was a great idea Marianne! So after the Creek Jaimie and I came back home, graduated and I started first year at the University of Victoria doing sciences. I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do but I thought I'd start there. I've figured out now that I want to do a program to be an Ultrasound Technician so I'm taking this year off to work and save money and I'll be applying to a program in Vancouver for next year! I'm serving at a restaurant right now and starting another job soon at brand new restaurant that should be really sweet when it opens. I'm solo boyfriend-wise too which is actually kind of a nice change haha! Sooo yeah, life is good!! A good summer of friends, working, beaching and turning 19 in 2 weeks (which was last week ^^)! Ahhhh! Have a great rest of your summers! Victoria :)

Hello hello! This was a very good idea Marianne!! After I left Baker Creek I came back home and started babysitting..did that for just over a year..I took a 3 week vacation down to Belize last October and did alot of fun things (snorkeling, ziplining, swam w/sharks! etc)..I am currently working at a convenient store and a lottery booth..also training to be a lifeguard! I'm a busy little bee these days lol umm I'm planning to backpack around Europe next year! And who knows what'll be next after that! I am also boyfriendless..just enjoying life (when I'm not working..) Anywhos...Hope everyone's summer is super fantabulous! Miss you! xoxo

About myself, well the updates are that I quit my job last week, I was really relieved because kinda sick of it, the work itself was getting in my nerve, so were the customers :P. But it was hard also because all my coworkers told me they would miss me and all, like enough to make me feel almost guilty, but I was really touched by their sayings, I found I was lucky to work with them, they were all truly fun and nice people :). I even organize a night out at a restaurant to see them all together for a last time, and we were 20 of us there, which was for me a total success and made me feel so happy. For now, like I text you, I'm in Jonquière, a city 5h away from Montreal, living in my friend's appartment and meeting new people everyday. It's funny how people live here, its kinda like at Kings, but everyone lives in different houses and rooms and they all visit eachother often and text people to see what they're up to and all. It kinda makes me think of a camping site, but in a whole neighborhood ! I came here actually to do something different than staying at home and do nothing really exciting, and because I have to go to Quebec city for the 26-27-28th of August for a short training for my future job. I'm excited about this, because I'll get to know other French language assistants just like me, and maybe we'll stay in touch and write eachother about our own experience or something, which could be great to know. Then I'll have 9 days to prepare my bags and see every people for a real last time, like close friends and relatives. But I'm eager to go, I can't wait to be somewhere else, to find a new home. Its been so long since I left my house for more than few days, beside when I switch between my dad and my mother, its about time that I go on my own again :P. Tho I will be missing them, of course, but its probably better that I leave again, maybe just to then appreciate more the fact that I need them still ^^.

Oh, I have to tell you how I find my roommates, its almost incredible how it happenned. I knew only since mid-July that I was the one who had to find a place to stay, because before that, I thought for some reasons that they would find for me. So I was a little bit nervous about the fact that I had less than 2 months to find myself an appartment in a town of 22 000 people by internet! I started then to post so ad saying that I was looking for a room to rent and all, that I was only staying there for a year so it'll be better if it was furnished and cheap, and close to the place I'll be working at, since I wont have any ways of transportation. So after couple of days waiting, I got a response from a certain Megan Carter who is studying in College in Corner Brook and also looking for a roommate. I was really glad she emailed me, so we started chatting together online and looking together for a place to stay. I got really lucky, because she found a place the day after we talked, and it was perfect! Everything we needed, furnished, big enough, close to her school and my work, really close to a grocery. And since it has 3 bedrooms, we needed to find a third roommate, which she found couple of days later. I can hardly believe how fast it was, luckily she was already in town to look for everything :). So now I don't have to worry anymore about this and I'm ready to move in for September 8th, because I wanted to spend the long week-end with my family and it,s my sisters birthday, I couldn't miss it ^^.

I can't wait to write about my first week there ! Until then, take care, dear Edna :)
-Robi XxxxxX

Omg that was like the best thing I have ever read! :P

That was such an awesome idea, to message everyone and finding out what they are up to. Thank you for posting it! That's awesome, to hear what they are all doing and it sounds like we're all living adventurous lives, which is good to know. It's a real shame so many of them are dating gingers though :P
It makes me miss all those hilarious people! I wonder if we will ever have that reunion?
Also, I can't believe you are moving to Corner Brook! I have a friend in Halifax who is from there, and he LOVES IT!!! Like, absolutely loves it and I'm so happy you are going there...what are the chances?! I wish I could visit you though! Maybe somehow I still can. You must be moving soon...that's so exciting! I wonder what teaching will be like.
Well, I moved back to Courtenay. Basically, I am doing all the things I never thought I would do. I found a place to live in town, but it was pretty weird and I was like, well I don't really want to live here, and there is room for me at my dad's house, so maybe I'll just move in with him, not pay rent, and be one of those lame people who lives with their parents :P
Maybe this is my payback for judging people who stay in Courtenay, live with their parents, and go to community college...because guess what, that is excactly what I am doing. To top off the utter cliche, I'm even working at the grocery store!
Ugh.
But actually, I'm not even upset about it. I'm like, whatever, I can go for this year of college, and in 8 months, I will have an associates degree in arts, which isn't spectacular, but it is something, and I can transfer to university with it and get a bachelors degree in 2 years (petentially a little longer, but not by a lot). It sounds a lot better than just one year towards a 4 year degree, and since I am now living with my dad (altho I just decided to tonight so he doesn't even know yet! Lol!), I can save up and go travelling next summer! Horray!!!
That is all I really want to do anyways, and this way I can do that, and also be a bit responsible and get at least a halfway decent education. I'm mostly taking philosophy and English, which I enjoy. Actually, they have a very limited selection so I am taking philosophy of love and sex, and narratives of love and sex, which actually I am looking forward to. I'm also taking creative writing and solar science and astrolomy (one of two sciences I was eligible for, seeing as I only took sciene until grade 11). So there is the odd class that sounds kinda boring, but overall I think it should be pretty interesting, and I can work along the way and then in May, or June, whenever I have saved up $10 000, which is how much I think I can travel for a year on, I will get myself a ticket outta this town and hopefully become a travel writer in the process!
I have a friend who is going to Sri Lanka in 6 months, it would be kinda cool to go chill with him there in a while. Or I could travel down through the states and into south america, and then go work in Australia once I run out of money...there are SO many options!!!
I intend to be totally broke and totally exhilerated when I get back, and then maybe then I will go back to school or something.
Or maybe I will be like this forever! Who knows. All I know is, I am glad to be doing what I am doing, but I want to travel, and that's what I'm going to be doing again soon.
Anyways, that's an update from this neck of the woods, the god forsaken rock as I so fondly call it :P
Hope all is well with you, can't wait to hear about your move!
Love Edna