Dementors in the Underpass

So.  Ft.  McMurray.  I’m here now, and sadly already miss home and everything there.  Mostly my bed and a certain boy.  Alas I need to make money though.

Anyway, I’ve been here for two days though it feels like 8.  I started work right away, which was good in the sense that I wasn’t given a lot of time to brood over being away from home and that I was away from Brandon.  It also helped me stay away from thinking about how horrible I was going to be at my job.  Haha.  I always seem to do that for some reason.

My to do list is still a mile long.  I have to edit my website some more add paypal buttons and fix spelling errors.  I’ve just been exhausted from traveling etc.  And honestly, I just want to chill when I get home.  Today I played on the Wii and sat on an internet board all evening.  I did catch up on my google reader though.  I think I had something like 198 blog posts unread.  People need to stop writing interesting things (so as to quote the esteemable Dr. Dickson).  Little by little I’m killing my eyes.  Seriously, I think my optometrist must hate hearing of such things. Heh.

This post is rather all over the place and a means of letting you know (if you’re one of the few who reads this and doesn’t know me in real life.  If so, congratulations and thankyou for sticking it out with me :)) that I’m NOT dead.  I made it to Alberta after a frakking long travelling experience.  10 hours on the bus, then a day spent in Edmonton.  We didn’t get in till 730.  Marina was one sad panda.

I’m going to go crash though.  Have a wonderful night ladies and gents.  If you have any plans for the weekend, let me know in the comments 🙂

Rina

(PS.  What reference (book movie song what have you) is the title?)

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Exchange: Push Your Limits

My host father from when I lived in Italy added me on facebook today.  I really miss him and my host sister and my host mum.  Italy opened so much up to me.  About myself and the world that I lived in.  Being so completely out of my comfort zone in a place where I knew neither customs nor language taught me how to adapt.  How to take charge of myself and challenge myself.  Being away from friends and family forced me to go beyond what I was used to and say hello to people.  To try and meet them on their level.  Sometimes I failed to meet half way, or I felt that I was expected to go all the way.  Culture is a funny thing, it’s full of so many twists and it surprises you when you least expect it.

All in all, it’s an experience I recommend to anyone!  It teaches you to think beyond yourself and your world.

I made this video last year of my experiences:

I hope you enjoy it 🙂

EDIT: Apparently it won’t allow me to embed a facebook video. I’ll upload it to youtube tonight and try again.

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bring me back

I wouldn’t mind being able to go back….. just to walk through the streets.  Take in the smells, the sounds, and the sites.

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Italia… mi manca

So my mom and dad are planning on going somewhere warm this February. And Italy is on their list. If you don’t know as of yet, I spent a year in Italy learning the language and whatnot. I miss that country so much. The last family that I lived with was so wonderful and accommodating and I miss all the friends I had there. LOL.

Anyway Italy is seriously one of the best countries I can think of. Though rather poor in the south, the people there are wonderful, and if you happen to be Canadian, love you :P. The landscape is beautiful and so different from region to region. The climate also. In the south there are citrus trees and Greek ruins (from their colonization waaaaaay back). The famous Greek philosopher, Pythagorus lived in southern Italy. If you’re planning on going on a vacation any time soon, I really recommend checking this place out. There is so much there. If I could have it my way, I’d be there right now. Tis so beautiful. And compared to winter in Canada, so much prettier lol.

I found this little gem while my host family and I were doing a procession in honour of Easter. There was this church there that was from the early middle ages, and this building was in the area. 🙂

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