Thursday, September 15, 2011
Welcome (Back) to My Blog
And we're off again! I'm leaving today to go to Rwanda to do my field research for my M.A. thesis. I thought about starting a whole new blog for this trip, but I like this one. So I'm just adding to it. I really liked recording my experiences on past trips so I hope to keep up with blogging on this trip too. I'll post stories of my adventures and the people I meet and hopefully (internet speed allowing) post pictures too. Stay tuned!
Friday, May 07, 2010
A new journey in an unexpected direction
I have generally been failing at keeping this blog upto date but in general life hasn't seemed that interesting. In the last couple of weeks however, a couple of really good things have happened.
I applied for Master's programs back in January. The process seemed never ended and some of the paperwork was ridiculous in length but I finally got four applications done and on their way. Then it was the waiting game. I had gotten the impression that I should hear back from all the schools by the end of March. At the beginning of the month I got an email from Queen's to let me know I had not been accepted. I didn't even rate an actual letter. This was actually my 4th choice school since I found out the faculty member I wanted to work with was actually going to be on Sabbatical for the majority the time I would be there, so it wasn't the end of the world. Even though I didn't even really want to go there, not getting in had an impact on my confidence. "If I can't even get into my fourth choice school, how am I supposed to get into my first choice?" Most days I was optimistic but others it was a bit of a battle to ignore those doubts.
In Janurary and February I had done some short term work for WV in Mississauga while a coworker was recovering from surgery. While I was there another team approached me with the possibility of doing some work for them. I very enthusiastically said I was interested in the work but it took months to get everything approved and the paperwork signed. Finally I started back at WV at the end of April, this time with the humanitarian and emergencies department. I am loving being back at work, although it is a part time and short term contract. So far I've been working 3-4 days a week but as I catch up on everything that needs to be done it'll gradually go down to 2 days a week. A lot of the work so far has been tacking budgets and funding which involves a lot of staring at spreadsheets and building spreadsheets which are not my favourite activities (Excel is not my friend) but I'm learning a lot and enjoying my coworkers and the general energy of being back.
I had been getting a little frustrated through the months of march and april as discussions about my job were moving at a snails pace and I still hadn't heard from three of my schools. Finally I got an acceptance letter from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, one of my first choice schools. Then, on the same day that my job at WV was confirmed and was set to start the next day, I got a phone call from York to let me know I has also been accepted there. Through out the application process and in the time since my actual first choice had changed so many times I wasn't even sure anymore which program I wanted to go to the most. St Mary's and York were essentially tied for first choice and now I had to choose between them.
It was surprising easy to make the decision. I had the deadline of today to make the decision and I looked a lot at the faculty, the program, the finances and talked to some of my old professors and my coworkers. In the end though, there wasn't really much debate in my mind and I found myself instinctually leaning one way more than the other.
I was surprised at the direction though. I thought I wanted to do something different - try going to a larger, more widely known school. I was a little tired of explaining about where I had gone for my undergrad since CMU is such a small and unknown school. While I was waiting for word from the schools I honestly thought that if I got into York it would be a no-brainer. I would go there. I even told that to several of my friends. Imagine my surprise when I noticed myself defending SMU as a good choice in conversation with friends and coworkers. The cons involved in going to York seemed to outway the pros in my mind and the appeal of Halifax and SMU seemed so obvious to me. I guess once again my own plans have been subtely co-opeted by God and He is taking me somewhere else. I'm excited to see where it leads, but the journey begins again in September when I start my Master's in International Development at Saint Mary's University in Halifax.
I applied for Master's programs back in January. The process seemed never ended and some of the paperwork was ridiculous in length but I finally got four applications done and on their way. Then it was the waiting game. I had gotten the impression that I should hear back from all the schools by the end of March. At the beginning of the month I got an email from Queen's to let me know I had not been accepted. I didn't even rate an actual letter. This was actually my 4th choice school since I found out the faculty member I wanted to work with was actually going to be on Sabbatical for the majority the time I would be there, so it wasn't the end of the world. Even though I didn't even really want to go there, not getting in had an impact on my confidence. "If I can't even get into my fourth choice school, how am I supposed to get into my first choice?" Most days I was optimistic but others it was a bit of a battle to ignore those doubts.
In Janurary and February I had done some short term work for WV in Mississauga while a coworker was recovering from surgery. While I was there another team approached me with the possibility of doing some work for them. I very enthusiastically said I was interested in the work but it took months to get everything approved and the paperwork signed. Finally I started back at WV at the end of April, this time with the humanitarian and emergencies department. I am loving being back at work, although it is a part time and short term contract. So far I've been working 3-4 days a week but as I catch up on everything that needs to be done it'll gradually go down to 2 days a week. A lot of the work so far has been tacking budgets and funding which involves a lot of staring at spreadsheets and building spreadsheets which are not my favourite activities (Excel is not my friend) but I'm learning a lot and enjoying my coworkers and the general energy of being back.
I had been getting a little frustrated through the months of march and april as discussions about my job were moving at a snails pace and I still hadn't heard from three of my schools. Finally I got an acceptance letter from Saint Mary's University in Halifax, one of my first choice schools. Then, on the same day that my job at WV was confirmed and was set to start the next day, I got a phone call from York to let me know I has also been accepted there. Through out the application process and in the time since my actual first choice had changed so many times I wasn't even sure anymore which program I wanted to go to the most. St Mary's and York were essentially tied for first choice and now I had to choose between them.
It was surprising easy to make the decision. I had the deadline of today to make the decision and I looked a lot at the faculty, the program, the finances and talked to some of my old professors and my coworkers. In the end though, there wasn't really much debate in my mind and I found myself instinctually leaning one way more than the other.
I was surprised at the direction though. I thought I wanted to do something different - try going to a larger, more widely known school. I was a little tired of explaining about where I had gone for my undergrad since CMU is such a small and unknown school. While I was waiting for word from the schools I honestly thought that if I got into York it would be a no-brainer. I would go there. I even told that to several of my friends. Imagine my surprise when I noticed myself defending SMU as a good choice in conversation with friends and coworkers. The cons involved in going to York seemed to outway the pros in my mind and the appeal of Halifax and SMU seemed so obvious to me. I guess once again my own plans have been subtely co-opeted by God and He is taking me somewhere else. I'm excited to see where it leads, but the journey begins again in September when I start my Master's in International Development at Saint Mary's University in Halifax.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
O Canada!
It is hard to believe that it’s over. The Olympic games are done. As I write this the Closing Ceremonies will start in a little over an hour and all the events are over. It has been amazing to watch. I have said before that I love the winter Olympics. That love has grown even more over the past 17 days. There is something about the games that brings out so much emotion and excitement and having them here in Canada, breaking the record for the most gold medals ever won by a country and of course winning the gold in both men’s and women’s hockey, has made them even better.
I have always been proud of being Canadian, but often that pride and our identity has been defined in relation to our neighbours to the South. During these games you began to see that change, that we were able to be proud as Canadians, full stop. Of course beating the Americans here and there didn’t hurt. Hearing crowds of thousands of people sing the national anthem reviving our collective patriotism. People in coffee shops and pubs cheering together over curling matches. The flag waving in the street and records being broken. But it isn’t just the medals that make the Olympics so great. Some of my favourite moments do have a medal attached to them, but it is more than just the medals.
Charles Hamlin and Marianne St Gelais:
She won a silver medal on her birthday and he leaves the games with two gold medals, but what I loved about these two is the way they cheered each other on. The footage of them, especially her, reacting as the other won their races has been played over and over again but there is such genuine joy there that you can’t help but cheer along with them.
Alexandre Bilideau:
I watched his race live and cheered loudly in my living room when he won. The first gold medal at home won by a young, humble and genuinely nice guy. The footage of him and his brother may have been over played and you cynics may say it was cheesy or gimmicky but it pulls at your heart and I still find it inspirational.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir:
I have long been a fan of figure skating, growing up watching all the greats. These two are so much fun to watch. I love the relationship they have with their training mates, and competition, the American team who won silver. Their relationship is fun to observe and you can tell they have been skating together from the time they were children. Their gold medal was well deserved, but my favourite moment was when Scott turned to Tessa and told her they had come in second – and for a moment she believed him. I also loved Scott’s older brothers watching in the crowd, in tears and then lifting him up from the stands in a hug.
And of course, there’s hockey. I still have memories of the wins in 2002. In case there was any doubt, it’s our game. I enjoy hockey, though I am not a die hard fan. During the Olympics however, I become very intense about our country’s #1 game, in case anyone missed my facebook statuses. I missed the women’s gold medal game because of work and I missed one of the men’s games, also because of work, but for the most part if we were on the ice, I was watching and cheering. The final game had me stressed out but of course we won. Was there ever any doubt? :)
I have always been proud of being Canadian, but often that pride and our identity has been defined in relation to our neighbours to the South. During these games you began to see that change, that we were able to be proud as Canadians, full stop. Of course beating the Americans here and there didn’t hurt. Hearing crowds of thousands of people sing the national anthem reviving our collective patriotism. People in coffee shops and pubs cheering together over curling matches. The flag waving in the street and records being broken. But it isn’t just the medals that make the Olympics so great. Some of my favourite moments do have a medal attached to them, but it is more than just the medals.
Charles Hamlin and Marianne St Gelais:
She won a silver medal on her birthday and he leaves the games with two gold medals, but what I loved about these two is the way they cheered each other on. The footage of them, especially her, reacting as the other won their races has been played over and over again but there is such genuine joy there that you can’t help but cheer along with them.
Alexandre Bilideau:
I watched his race live and cheered loudly in my living room when he won. The first gold medal at home won by a young, humble and genuinely nice guy. The footage of him and his brother may have been over played and you cynics may say it was cheesy or gimmicky but it pulls at your heart and I still find it inspirational.
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir:
I have long been a fan of figure skating, growing up watching all the greats. These two are so much fun to watch. I love the relationship they have with their training mates, and competition, the American team who won silver. Their relationship is fun to observe and you can tell they have been skating together from the time they were children. Their gold medal was well deserved, but my favourite moment was when Scott turned to Tessa and told her they had come in second – and for a moment she believed him. I also loved Scott’s older brothers watching in the crowd, in tears and then lifting him up from the stands in a hug.
And of course, there’s hockey. I still have memories of the wins in 2002. In case there was any doubt, it’s our game. I enjoy hockey, though I am not a die hard fan. During the Olympics however, I become very intense about our country’s #1 game, in case anyone missed my facebook statuses. I missed the women’s gold medal game because of work and I missed one of the men’s games, also because of work, but for the most part if we were on the ice, I was watching and cheering. The final game had me stressed out but of course we won. Was there ever any doubt? :)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Go Canada!
I am a bit of an Olympic nut. I love the Olympics - especially the Winter Games. There are so many incredible sports and I love the spirit of the Games, the challenge, the heart warming triumphs, the scandals and the victories. I LOVE the Olympics.
I missed the Turin Games in 2006. I was living in South Africa at the time, and really who in South Africa cares at all about the Winter Games? So there was no coverage on TV and with very limited internet access I could only keep a loose count of medals. So in my mind 2002 was the last Winter Olympics. In my mind Canada still has gold in both Women's and Men's Hockey. I like it better in my mind :)
So given how much I love the Olympics you can imagine how frustrated I was to be working last night during the opening ceremonies. I love watching the different teams coming in, critiquing and commenting on outfits. I love seeing what the host country puts together to showcase their cultures to the world. So I was a little annoyed to be working at the coffee shop last night. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun. We had permission to turn off the music and turn up the volumn on the TV. My coworker Sarah and I did most of the cleaning during the official speeches and other boring parts. We served several people during the pagentry, although I caught the whales and the tap dancing with the flaming feet among other peices. It was really cool! :) We had several customers who had come into the cafe to study or to hang out who ended up staying and just watching the opening ceremonies with us. There were people cheering and applauding when the Canadian team walked in. There was comments and fun conversation about the singing and dancing - a bunch of strangers hung out for the evening and enjoyed the spirit of the games together for the evening. We let them all stay until the flame was lit even though we techinically closed before that happened. All of that and Sarah and I still got everything done and closed in a very reasonable amount of time.
Now the Games are officially on and I will be spending most of the next two weeks watching and following the different events. I am especially looking forward to speed skating, figure skating, skiing and of course hockey! GO TEAM CANADA!!
I missed the Turin Games in 2006. I was living in South Africa at the time, and really who in South Africa cares at all about the Winter Games? So there was no coverage on TV and with very limited internet access I could only keep a loose count of medals. So in my mind 2002 was the last Winter Olympics. In my mind Canada still has gold in both Women's and Men's Hockey. I like it better in my mind :)
So given how much I love the Olympics you can imagine how frustrated I was to be working last night during the opening ceremonies. I love watching the different teams coming in, critiquing and commenting on outfits. I love seeing what the host country puts together to showcase their cultures to the world. So I was a little annoyed to be working at the coffee shop last night. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun. We had permission to turn off the music and turn up the volumn on the TV. My coworker Sarah and I did most of the cleaning during the official speeches and other boring parts. We served several people during the pagentry, although I caught the whales and the tap dancing with the flaming feet among other peices. It was really cool! :) We had several customers who had come into the cafe to study or to hang out who ended up staying and just watching the opening ceremonies with us. There were people cheering and applauding when the Canadian team walked in. There was comments and fun conversation about the singing and dancing - a bunch of strangers hung out for the evening and enjoyed the spirit of the games together for the evening. We let them all stay until the flame was lit even though we techinically closed before that happened. All of that and Sarah and I still got everything done and closed in a very reasonable amount of time.
Now the Games are officially on and I will be spending most of the next two weeks watching and following the different events. I am especially looking forward to speed skating, figure skating, skiing and of course hockey! GO TEAM CANADA!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)