On Nerds, Nations and Education

Holy mackerel, I may just be the worst blogger ever! I get myself into these funks where I feel like I have to report on every single thing and then that's just too daunting, so I don't write anything at all, so more stories pile up and the cycle continues. That is until the masses (fine, just my mom and my baby sister... and that one anonymous person on facebook, who I have a feeling was also my mom) start demanding more brilliant blog literature. And here I am feeling inspired from reading my friends Jillian and Kayla's blogs about CWY in Moncton... so, the time is nigh to write!

Man, I'm a nerd.Who talks like that?
Canada World Youth is an educational program and one thing I have learned is just how nerdy I am... another is how much I like it! Practically every other thing that comes out of my mouth prompts my wonderful friend Tayte to chime in, "All I hear is; Nerd nerd nerd. Nerd. Nerd. Nerd", accompanied by the talking hand gesture. Beth laughs daily at my fascination with biology and, while I fully admit that it is nerdy to memorize the bar code number of your library card, Amanda insists that simply having a library card is nerdy enough. (Which is why I have created a poll to prove her wrong. See the right side of this page.) I quoted "Arthur" to defend myself in this case (That is what is called "digging a hole"). Honestly, our first aid instructor nicknamed me "Keener" within 5 minutes of my walking into the room. I don't even think he knows my real name. That is how much of a nerd I am. But why am I trying to convince you? If you're reading this you probably already know.

 Yesterday I heard a lecture by Cultural Anthropologist and Explorer (who knew "Explorer" was still a job title in this day and age?! ), Dr. Wade Davis. I was fascinated as he discussed disappearing cultures, how each culture has something to contribute to the "Council of Nations" and told stories of the people he has lived with. As he spoke of the Guarani people of the Bolivian Amazon, I was bouncing in my seat with excitement, having lived in the exact region of Bolivia where the Guarani traditionally do and knowing three words in their language: Ambue Ari, "New Day" and yassi, "moon". This in itself, of course, is nothing special but the amazing thing is how just a tiny connection to a place can make issues surrounding it touch you so much deeper.  The case was the same when Davis spoke of the Q'eros of Peru and their pilgrimage to Ausangate, where I went camping. (To read about that excursion click here: http://hooliabailey.blogspot.com/2011/02/princess-jasmine-goes-camping-at.html or for Bolivia click here: http://hooliabailey.blogspot.com/2011/04/every-day-at-ambue-ari.html) My imagination was absolutely captured by Davis' stories of the ancient wisdom of polynesian marine navigators, the sense of balance of the australian aboriginal people, the ingenuity of an inuit man determined not to move to a settlement... And in this I sensed that the world is grand and enormous and beyond understanding, even in a time when we exclaim over how small it has gotten. Physically? Yeah, maybe that american woman I met in Costa Rica in 2010 happens to know the young Brit I met in Bolivia in 2011... they met in Argentina, no big deal; but as far as the depth of experience, the breadth of realities? There is more than one person could ever know, let alone experience or understand, even a person as insightful and well-traveled as Dr.Davis. I know I won't make my amazement clear, but can you imagine that every other person on the planet is doing, feeling, seeing something different right now? Even if two people are in the exact same place witnessing the same event at the same time... they are seeing, feeling, living something completely different, based on their culture, their upbringing, their personality... based on every experience they've ever had. Not once in a story you read in National Geographic; right now.

So let's talk about something that I've done, felt, seen recently.
Tuesday night the group of us were lucky enough to do a "Discover Scuba" course at the local pool. Once we got through the obligatory cheesy-but-amusing aussie-narrated instructional video it was time to get in the pool. Our instructor (First Aid Dave), well, one of 7, was surprised at how ready and organized we were. Basically, we followed him around like a litter of puppies until it was time to get into the water. I caught on to breathing from the regulator right away and was pretty much giddy with joy the whole time I was in the pool. I somersaulted and twirled and played underwater Frisbee with the others. I stared up at Hala and Justine, beautiful swimming on the surface of the water above me. Dave even taught me to blow bubble rings... Not sure if he meant for me to try it, but I did, and was surprised and thrilled when I was actually able to do it. The bubbles were so beautiful as they rushed upwards, pulsing like sparkling jellyfish. I didn't ever want to get out,practically believing that I belonged in the water. While I wouldn't go so far as to say that breathing underwater felt natural or comfortable, that doesn't mean it didn't feel good! Sometimes it is best to be uncomfortable.

One of our facilitators at Orientation camp said, "You are uncomfortable when you are learning." If this is case, which I wholeheartedly believe it is, I will be a frickin' genius by the time March rolls around. Working with people from completely different realities than my own for weeks now, discomfort is pretty much my default setting. In only ten days' time I will be plunged into a situation where my reality isn't "the one that makes sense" any more. It is just a fact of my personality that I will have to work extra hard to remind myself of this truth. I can hope for the support I need, but in the end it is up to me to make this work. That's another thing I will need to fight to believe; that if it is up to me to make this work for myself it is equally up to the others in my group to make it work for them... In other words their success is their own responsibility, not mine. I would be even crazier than I am already if I didn't have Tayte here to remind me this when I need it!

Thank you to everyone at home who knows and understands me. You are worth so much to me... just thinking of how you would react to my struggles makes me better, even if I don't tell them to you.

Maybe I will tell some more stories about Newfoundland tomorrow... but this is what's in me tonight.

Don't forget to laugh at yourself.
Sending love on these howling St.John's winds,
Julia

Links in the Chain

If you haven't heard about it, here is the link to my groups "Logbook" blog page.
http://logbook.cwy-jcm.com/ghana-st-johns/ 
There you can see updates on most of the activities we do, plus a full calendar of upcoming events and biographies on each volunteer, posted weekly. I update it a lot more frequently than this blog, but it is much less detailed... maybe that's more your style than my usual ramblings anyways.
Here are two interesting blog entries from my Moncton group friends,
Jillian:
http://jillianackert.blogspot.com/2011/11/reflect-and-move-forward.html 
and Kayla:
http://worldcanadakayla.blogspot.com/2011/11/stories-from-karing-kitchen.html

Enjoy,
 J

I am thankful for ___________.

I am thankful for Thanksgiving weekend! Which is convenient, since it is a time to be thankful for stuff...
We agreed to take the weekend off from our regular schedule in order to spend some more time getting to know our host families and counterparts. For me, this was a big success.

Saturday we had what my host family decided to call a "Chief" day, after their cat, who spends the large majority of his time lazing about, usually sprawled on the kitchen floor, an easy distance from his food bowl and in reach of any fingers that might give him a nice scratch. I am thankful for "Chief" days!
(Though no one scratched behind my ears...)

That evening we were introduced to Jennifer and her three little boys, Max, Charlie and Rudy, who came over for a supper of peanut soup and Thai rice. The boys, including Angus, nearly killed themselves laughing over a montage of funny cat videos on YouTube. We laughed too, but at the kids, not the cats! Little Rudy was just hilarious, he appeared to be having the time of his life... Watching and hearing children laugh must be one of the most enjoyable things in the world.
I am thankful for kids!

Sunday we had pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast. Ethel seemed to enjoy her pancake but thought the syrup was too sweet... I am still nursing hope that she will come to love it! At 10 Ethel and I trotted up to our usual haunt (the Sobey's Community Room) for a meeting for volunteers of the St.John's International Women's film festival, where we got our schedules for the film fest as well as free volunteer t-shirts and Tim Horton's!
I am thankful for maple syrup, downtown living, free T-shirts and Timmy's!

Back at the house we packed our overnight gear into the car and crammed in for the hour and twenty minute drive to Alison and Geoff's cabin in Whiteway. Here is a map showing where it is in relation to St.John's (Whiteway is on the left side of the map) :


View Cabin in a larger map

"The Cabin" is excactly what a cabin should be but so often is not; a tiny, somewhat run-down house in a quiet place. No running water (but they have a rain water system, which is awesome!), no electric lights, no TV, no computer. A perfect little patio with hand-laid paving stones picked up from the beach (Geoff finished laying the stones this weekend). Driftwood decor. Campfire and barbeque. Bunk beds, hide-a-bed. Mossy woods behind, rocky beach in front...  complete with friendly newfie neighbours!


We got to the cabin in the afternoon; unpacking the food, water and supplies, sweeping, starting the wood stove and making up beds. Soon enough we heard jingling bells and Geoff called us outside to meet the neigbours, Cliff George (epic name!) and Renee, who were out for a ride with Renee's beautiful Friesian mare, Zirena. Ethel tried to stroke the horse's nose but jumped back and laughed nervously when she tossed head at her. This picture was a feat to capture as the mare kept moving towards Ethel, making her squeal and jump back each time!

We took a short ride down the road, the bells on Zirena's harness jingling as we plodded along.

The neighbours said farewell and all but Geoff strolled down to Drover's Store (selling a bit of everything from fireworks to fabric and cereal to Christmas decorations!) to look for some lamp oil, then wandered back along the beach. We combed through the kelp and fish bones, driftwood and stones for interesting objects. As soon as I consented to let Angus use my camera he was snapping away at about a hundred shots a minute, having a grand ol' time and setting me up for a good, hearty photo-sorting sesh later.

Back in the cabin I taught Ethel and Angus to play the card game Cheat. A little later we gathered out on the patio for a delicious meal of lamb and veggie kebabs,  rice, nugget potatoes (with butter and onions) and broccoli, all cooked on the barbeque (minus the rice). We had peanut butter cake with chocolate icing and tea after supper. We also taught Ethel how to roast marshmallows on the campfire... home-whittled roasting sticks and all! Angus had started to get clamour for fireworks to be set off, though it wasn't quite dark enough yet, so I got out my glow poi and put on a little demonstration before handing them over to Angus and Ethel to try. The poi proved to be distraction enough until we headed down to the beach to set off the fireworks. My favourite was the green burst which released golden tails little creatures which dashed around madly for the joy of having escaped the firework before disappearing into the night. Poi playtime on the beach, then back to the cabin, where the warm wood stove welcomed us. I taught everyone Dutch Blitz by the light of an oil lamp and several flashlights. Alison professed herself addicted (and also kicked all our butts!) and assured me that we would be playing frequently from now on.  By the time we were done it was definitely time to hit the hide-a-bed hay!


I am thankful for the beauty of light in all it's different forms;  a headlamp to brush teeth by, a lamp to play cards by, fireworks, campfire sparks, poi. I am thankful for good food to eat, traditions to teach and oceans to admire. I am thankful for enthusiastic Dutch Blitz players and my Nikon D40!

This morning's breakfast was bacon, toasted cheese bread and scrambled eggs with peppers. What's that I said about good food to eat? We spent the morning playing games of Crazy 8's, Go Fish and Oware (a game which Ethel taught us that I knew as Mancala http://www.macpri.com/macpri/oware/ ) and drawing pictures with crayons.

My magic garden scene

Geoff and Angus' robot

Later Geoff continued his patio project while Angus and Alison took Ethel and I for a walk down the road. We stopped at a wharf to check out the shore down the hill from us and found two near-perfect sea urchin shells...

  On our way back to the cabin Alison introduced herself to some neighbours called Doug and Irma Miller and we were invited into the garage to see Doug's prize possession, a tiny, red, 1950's car made by Vespa. Cutest car I have ever seen!

Ethel, Angus and I in Doug's tiny car.

Sometime after turkey BLT's for lunch. more drawing and games and checking out the forest behind the house it was time to clean everything up and pack ourselves back into the car to return to St. John's. But we had to make a quick stop before truly being on our way...

"Greetings from Dildo, Newfoundland!"

I am thankful for hilarious and too-good-to-pass-up, though slightly inappropriate, photo-ops!
I don't have anything to say that can compete with that photo, so I will leave it at that for tonight.
Sweet dreams, all!
Julia