So I am writing this update while sitting at the Toronto airport. It is 2:00 a.m, I have been here for 2 hours. I have sooo much luggage –I definitely look and feel like a homeless person. As we speak I am camped out waiting for the American airlines check in to open at 3 a.m. (who knew that Toronto airport closes – how inconvenient and bizarre!). I am hiding behind one of the baggage turnstiles with a grumpy cat in a pop up dog crate sitting beside his traveling cat bag, two HUGE red duffle bags (both are the absolute max of 50 lbs and sad to say I can’t lift either of them;) ) a blue rolley carry on and a yellow backpack. I am sitting on the dirty floor quite smug that I have come this far already without becoming lost or ending up in the wrong city. Once my baggage is checked through customs the worst should technically be over and I have only got to sit on a plane all day tomorrow. It was difficult saying goodbye to everyone earlier, Mom, Dad, Tom and Keith all came to see me off. I was not going to cry until my dad started giving me the “I know you can do this” speech… I was almost done for after that. I already can’t wait for mom and dad to visit in 3 weeks. Hope I can make them all proud!
Going through security was fine… everyone seemed more concerned about cuddling with the cat then all the junk I’m carrying –haha. Figaro I have to say is the best traveler. He is being absolutely awesome and has not made a peep the entire time. I was a bit concerned with bathroom breaks for him etc and have his cat bag all outfitted with absorbent liners but he has accepted that a litter liner on the floor with the tiniest pile of litter sprinkled on top is an awesome litter box –whew, what a relief! I am also extremely grateful that mom and I found the pop up dog kennel (his “playpen”) now I don’t feel so guilty that he is in a bag for 24 hrs, he can stand up, walk around or just get comfy. Only ½ hr to go and the adventure starts again. I am definitely out of my comfort zone but it’s kind of nice to stretch myself a bit and see how independent I can be. Now if only I can get me and this mountain to the next gate…
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
The Big Day
And so the excitement begins and after today my life will never be the same:) I'm still madly packing up last details to try and get ready for tonights flight. It's crazy insane trying to guess what I'll need and what I won't... My flight leaves at 6:20 tonight and I'll be getting into Toronto slightly before midnight. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up on some sleep during the layover...
The last couple of weeks have been absolutely amazing... I've been fortunate to catch up with mostly everyone on my list and thanks to all of you that made the extra effort to get together.
The last couple of weeks have been absolutely amazing... I've been fortunate to catch up with mostly everyone on my list and thanks to all of you that made the extra effort to get together.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Post Christmas Ski Trip
We just got back from a most excellent ski trip to Marmot on Dec 27-29. It was a blast, my family went with boyfriend keith, lauren - my brothers girlfriend, her family, my aunt's and uncles and a couple of cousins. We tore it up for both days at Marmot Basin and enjoyed both excellent weather and snow conditions. We stayed at the Tonquine inn, which was really nice but a bit noisy (lots of partiers by the hot tub outside our room.) I love the atmosphere in Jasper, I could definitely see moving there one day and renovating one of those cute little houses. People there have the best of all seasons, hiking, mountain biking, climbing, whitewater rafting, skiing/boarding and horse back riding. Lucky Gromit was babysat by Jessica's family, Thank you so much to the McClay family for looking after him for us. I almost felt guilty taking him back home last night because he looked so comfortable there! Only 8 days until departure and not enough time for everything I want to do...
Update for the latter part of December...
TIme on Christmas day seems different then other days -I can't believe how quickly the day goes. It seems almost like you wake up, are awake for an hour and then it is time for bed again. The whole last couple of weeks has gone like a blurr and it is time for a much needed update.
The fun all began last weekend with the scuba course I took with Mike. It was really fun but surprisingly intense -5 hrs on Friday (3 in the pool), 12 hrs on Saturday (5 in the pool) and 8 hrs on Sunday (2 in the pool). We covered all the basics from what equipment you need, how to check it, maintain it and put it together to more complex maneuvers like sharing air with a buddy if you run out and snorkeling with weight belts. The instructor knew her stuff but was a bit odd from the start. Mike and I were a couple of minutes late for the first class and we hadn't even sat down yet before she started telling us she was an excellent matchmaker and were we dating?! Luckily she seemed to normalize after that and by the end of it she was kind of cool to talk to. The other people in the class were from really different backgrounds, there were six other people besides Mike and I. Two were pipefitters, one had a wife that already knew how to dive so he was supposed to learn as well, the other, Bob, was an interesting character who both amused and scared us several times over the weekend by asking redundant questions and almost drowning Mike by refusing to share his air. Lisa, works at an oil company in Olds AB, she was cool and hopefully we can stay in touch and do some diving together down the road. Lastly there was a family of three learning to dive for their trip to Mexico. Highlights of the whole course were definitely the first session when we were breathing underwater for the first time -so cool!! The regulator makes the neatest sounds!! Also, when we were allowed to just play around at the bottom of the pool with neutral buoyancy, we were doing the astronaut rolls and hovering -very very cool! Last highlight was the final, I got 100% so hopefully I'll be able to keep myself safe when it comes to the open water dives. So I am hooked on the sport and have started looking into dive shops down in Grenada. I've found at least three near my dorm and the third one has discounts for SGU students. I'm hoping that because I get to school a week earlier then orientation starts that I'll be able to get some diving under my belts. All the dive shops seem to have all the PADI courses, even the more specialized ones like using the mixed air, rescue diver and divemaster... I'm very excited to see how far I can take this.
Saturday night of the same weekend I went to the Uncas Christmas party. Because the class had run so late and Mike was driving he came too and it was really neat to show him where I've been working the last couple of months. The food was soo good and It was fantastic to see everyone all dressed up and have a chance to talk to them, I only wish we could have stayed longer:) The clinic has been such a big part of my life this fall, I feel like I've made a whole new family and I've learned sooo much. Everyone there is really friendly and they go out of their way to help each other out and they have fun! I've never been to a clinic with the same kind of atmosphere, you feel at home as soon as you walk in and everyone is just amazing at their job! I hope they'll have space for me to come back and work with them this summer:) I'm looking forward to Jan 2nd because I'm taking my Grandma's kitty, Sheba, in to be spayed and Figaro has his health check for our trip, it will be great to see everyone because I'm already starting to miss them.
The day after the scuba course was Christmas eve and I spent the day with Vicki at WEM. I'd have thought it would have been busier but luckily everyone had thought the same thing so it was pretty quiet. We went for a yummy breakfast at Alberts and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping at all the good stores. Vicki is so much fun, I've really missed her since she left this fall but I am really proud of her, making it into vet school is tough and it sounds like she is really excelling. She has the most discipline of anyone I know, hopefully I can follow her lead. Christmas eve I spent with Keith's family, they had some company over and way to much good food. It was a bit bitter sweet because I won't be home for Christmas eve next year. Next I went home and family friends, the sylvesters and some of my parents friends came over. We played catch phrase, kind of like charades but you're allowed to talk and it was hilarious to see how stressed some people got when it was their turn to have us guess the right word.
Christmas went FAST, I got to sleep in a bit which was awesome and spent the morning with family opening presents and eating french toast and fruit salad- yum! Keith came over to open his presents, and then we went to his place to open mine:) I got spoiled rotten with clothes for school and keith got a new computer with a webcam! I'm most excited about that because now I'll be able to talk to him more often and we won't seem so far apart.
Boxing day was in a word stressful. Spent the day packing for school, trying to fit bedding, kitchen and bath stuff, cat stuff, textbooks and clothes into 4 small 50lb bags. My mom was wonderful, she helped me decide what would be crucial to take and when. Luckily my parents have decided to come down to visit about a month after I leave for school and they've graciously offered up half their luggage. I don't know how kids who go to this school and don't have other peoples luggage allowances do it?! I'm getting pretty excited about going but i'll be even more so once all the organizing/packing and paperwork is out of he way!
Merry Christmas everyone!
The fun all began last weekend with the scuba course I took with Mike. It was really fun but surprisingly intense -5 hrs on Friday (3 in the pool), 12 hrs on Saturday (5 in the pool) and 8 hrs on Sunday (2 in the pool). We covered all the basics from what equipment you need, how to check it, maintain it and put it together to more complex maneuvers like sharing air with a buddy if you run out and snorkeling with weight belts. The instructor knew her stuff but was a bit odd from the start. Mike and I were a couple of minutes late for the first class and we hadn't even sat down yet before she started telling us she was an excellent matchmaker and were we dating?! Luckily she seemed to normalize after that and by the end of it she was kind of cool to talk to. The other people in the class were from really different backgrounds, there were six other people besides Mike and I. Two were pipefitters, one had a wife that already knew how to dive so he was supposed to learn as well, the other, Bob, was an interesting character who both amused and scared us several times over the weekend by asking redundant questions and almost drowning Mike by refusing to share his air. Lisa, works at an oil company in Olds AB, she was cool and hopefully we can stay in touch and do some diving together down the road. Lastly there was a family of three learning to dive for their trip to Mexico. Highlights of the whole course were definitely the first session when we were breathing underwater for the first time -so cool!! The regulator makes the neatest sounds!! Also, when we were allowed to just play around at the bottom of the pool with neutral buoyancy, we were doing the astronaut rolls and hovering -very very cool! Last highlight was the final, I got 100% so hopefully I'll be able to keep myself safe when it comes to the open water dives. So I am hooked on the sport and have started looking into dive shops down in Grenada. I've found at least three near my dorm and the third one has discounts for SGU students. I'm hoping that because I get to school a week earlier then orientation starts that I'll be able to get some diving under my belts. All the dive shops seem to have all the PADI courses, even the more specialized ones like using the mixed air, rescue diver and divemaster... I'm very excited to see how far I can take this.
Saturday night of the same weekend I went to the Uncas Christmas party. Because the class had run so late and Mike was driving he came too and it was really neat to show him where I've been working the last couple of months. The food was soo good and It was fantastic to see everyone all dressed up and have a chance to talk to them, I only wish we could have stayed longer:) The clinic has been such a big part of my life this fall, I feel like I've made a whole new family and I've learned sooo much. Everyone there is really friendly and they go out of their way to help each other out and they have fun! I've never been to a clinic with the same kind of atmosphere, you feel at home as soon as you walk in and everyone is just amazing at their job! I hope they'll have space for me to come back and work with them this summer:) I'm looking forward to Jan 2nd because I'm taking my Grandma's kitty, Sheba, in to be spayed and Figaro has his health check for our trip, it will be great to see everyone because I'm already starting to miss them.
The day after the scuba course was Christmas eve and I spent the day with Vicki at WEM. I'd have thought it would have been busier but luckily everyone had thought the same thing so it was pretty quiet. We went for a yummy breakfast at Alberts and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping at all the good stores. Vicki is so much fun, I've really missed her since she left this fall but I am really proud of her, making it into vet school is tough and it sounds like she is really excelling. She has the most discipline of anyone I know, hopefully I can follow her lead. Christmas eve I spent with Keith's family, they had some company over and way to much good food. It was a bit bitter sweet because I won't be home for Christmas eve next year. Next I went home and family friends, the sylvesters and some of my parents friends came over. We played catch phrase, kind of like charades but you're allowed to talk and it was hilarious to see how stressed some people got when it was their turn to have us guess the right word.
Christmas went FAST, I got to sleep in a bit which was awesome and spent the morning with family opening presents and eating french toast and fruit salad- yum! Keith came over to open his presents, and then we went to his place to open mine:) I got spoiled rotten with clothes for school and keith got a new computer with a webcam! I'm most excited about that because now I'll be able to talk to him more often and we won't seem so far apart.
Boxing day was in a word stressful. Spent the day packing for school, trying to fit bedding, kitchen and bath stuff, cat stuff, textbooks and clothes into 4 small 50lb bags. My mom was wonderful, she helped me decide what would be crucial to take and when. Luckily my parents have decided to come down to visit about a month after I leave for school and they've graciously offered up half their luggage. I don't know how kids who go to this school and don't have other peoples luggage allowances do it?! I'm getting pretty excited about going but i'll be even more so once all the organizing/packing and paperwork is out of he way!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Sink or Swim
That will be the question... I signed up for a weekend scuba course with Mike on Dec 21. What better way to spend the weekend before Christmas then to drown numerous times in a freezing pool with friends:) We are taking the course through Ocean Sports and are expected to make our way through the larger manual before then. The book is pretty funny, there are review questions every few pages to make sure you're keeping up. My favorite question so far has to be: What should one consider when picking out an exposure suit? a) fit b)comfort c)diving environment d) how attractive it makes you look
-the answer is most definitely d) right? ;)
I think the owners of this poor small horse, Twink, have experienced a brain squeeze a couple too many times.
-the answer is most definitely d) right? ;)
I think the owners of this poor small horse, Twink, have experienced a brain squeeze a couple too many times.
Tickets and Timelines and all that jazz...
The countdown has begun and in less then a month I'll be half way across the world. With the usual blustery winter temperatures it should be nice to have some tropical weather. So after all of the ticket mix ups the final travel arrangements are: Take off from the Edmonton International Airport on Monday January 7 at 6:20 pm (for those of you who want to stow away in any luggage, you should arrive sometime around then. Anyone wishing for last minute goodbyes -this is also the time to show up!) I will then arrive in Toronto with a grumpy cat at 11:54 pm and attempt to transfer my bags (which are too heavy to lift) to the other side of the terminal. At 6:40 am I takeoff and land in Boston shortly thereafter only to takeoff again for San Juan. I have roughly 2 1/2 hrs in San Juan before leaving for Grenada resulting in a final arrival time of 8:09 pm. Upon arrival, I will be staying at the Candle Glow Apartments until dorms open on January 13.
In other news, Fig's cat carrier or his "house" for the 24 hrs of travel arrived in the mail a couple of days ago. He seems fond of it now but we'll see once he's been in it for longer then 1/2 an hour. It is a lot fancier then it looked in the catalogue, lots of vents and pockets...
In other news, Fig's cat carrier or his "house" for the 24 hrs of travel arrived in the mail a couple of days ago. He seems fond of it now but we'll see once he's been in it for longer then 1/2 an hour. It is a lot fancier then it looked in the catalogue, lots of vents and pockets...
Friday, November 9, 2007
sigh of relief
So big sigh of relief... bank funding went through today. Big Thanks to mom and dad for cosigning such a large loan. It's a bit intimidating I must admit but they will not be sorry. So it's official, I'm going ot school in January:)
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