More Wanderings

So. It's been a while.

As you had probably guessed from my last post, I have been doing quite a lot of bouncing around Eastern Canada lately. I am going to attempt to describe the last month to you in the most succinct way possible. Its been amazing, yet exhausting.

31 May- 7 June "Congratulations, you got the job"

30 minutes away from Halifax, arriving by train from Montreal on May 31st, my phone rings. I can see that it's my mom. Not the call I am hoping for. You see I had interviewed for a student job with the Ministry of Public Safety on May 25th, and unsure of how the interview went I had convinced myself that I would hear on the 31st and it was already 5 p.m. Atlantic time.

However, I was also not expecting a call from my mom. I answer. Trepedation. She tells me that Helen from Public Safety called and wants me to call back. I try, I try again, no answer. I get home. There's an email. I got the job!

Freak out:

This job seemed like a great opportunity, much better pay than the clinic, less stress, back to Ottawa. It also had its down sides: Putting off my thesis yet another semester, moving, quitting my job. Woah stress. I am excited, but start wondering if taking the job is the right decision.

I center. I take the job.

The next day I go into the clinic knowing that I have to quit. I have never quit a job before, and the timing couldn't be worse. I am helping to organize a conference for June 30th and I have come back with a lot of new ideas from Montreal.

I break the news to Julie, this is already a high stress time for her, I am not sure if she absorbs it. But I assure her I will come in every day for the rest of the week since I have to leave on Monday for Mississauga and my mom's retirement party.

I spend the rest of the week. I tie up loose ends, I find someone to sublet my room, I pack and say goodbyes. I also work dilligently with four refugee women, conducting interviews about their experiences as refugees and taking pictures of the places which make them feel most like home in Halifax. This is for a multimedia project for the conference. I put it together and it is done two weeks later. Beautiful

Saturday night I have another going away party. It's mostly friends from swing dance (Pluse Valerie from school and Chloe from the clinic). It is amazing how much swing dancing changed my experience of Halifax. I never imagined I would have so many new friends to miss when I went back.

Reflection: I can't believe the last four months were so much better than Sept '08 to August '09.

June 7- 13th: The Retirement Party

I had to leave Nova Scotia in a bit of a rush because I had bought a plane ticket months earlier to come home for my mom's retirement party. This is scary, my mom is retiring. What is her life going to look like now? How will things change? Will she be happy?

So many questions.

Tuesday I meet with friends. Wednesday is the party. Its cloudy but the weather holds. Good thing, the party is outside. There are speeches, presents and a whirlwind of socializing. A wonderful occassion, but mom's nerves are frayed. She's not so sure about retirement either.

My mom has always been a teacher, it is how she defines herself. I can't imagine having to step away from that.

June 10th Day Trip to Guelph:
This isn't really separate from my trip to Mississauga but it was delightful. I went to visit my friends Dalbir and Sarah who I met at the masterclass in Montreal. We had such a great time. I never remember hitting it off so well with two people that we could simply sit down and talk without realizing that time is passing. Hope to see them again soon

Rest of the visit: Visited with friends. Delightful. Anticipation is rising.

June 13 - June 30: Coming home or starting again?
The train gets into Ottawa. I hop in a cab. We get closer to the place I am subletting for the summer. Worry. I have not yet seen the place in person. I look out the window. I see my friend Josh sitting on the patio of a cafe. I see my friend Josh sitting on the patio of the cafe?!

I arrive at 91 Russell. I am greeted, I go in, see the room. It looks nice. I park my bags, walk back out and find Josh, still sitting on the patio. Catch up (not ketchup). Flow of ideas. Amazing.

First Day of Work: Everyone is super friendly. It seems like the Center for Mitigation Excellence will be a nice place to work. I am too new for anyone to talk to me yet though.

First week: I become certified in Basic Emergency Management, I get a box full of office supplies, get to know my coworkers, write a research proposal. In the evenings I visit with friends who are all anxious to see me. It seems the universe is coming together and bringing everyone to me who I have missed for so long without me having to move a finger. Even people from outside Ottawa. I run into Madut from my program who is working at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, on the same street as my office. Even Kai and Judy, Niko's room mates from Halifax are in town for a wedding. I drank a lot of Sangria. I try swing dancing for the first time and it is totally worth it.

Second week: I settle in at work. Still getting to know colleagues. Monday there is a fire alarm and we are evacuated down 17 flights of stairs earlier than we should. This does not bode well for Emergency Management. Two days later there is an earthquake. We evacuate again. Let me tell you, you do not want to be on the 17th floor of a building when there is an earthquake. Terrifying. But, I can't wait to tell my grandchildren some day "When I was you age, I started a job with the emergency management division at PS when there was an earthquake!" what an adventure. My socializing dies down. It turns out that all of my old friends are now occupied with boyfriends and girlfriends. I wonder how much longer I will have to wait before I find a boyfriend of my own. I am also getting to know my knew room mates. They are a couple and just bought a kitten. They are really lovely people. I get more into swing dance. Its lovely, but not quite the same feeling as in Halifax.

The Guy who sits in the cubicle next to me:
The guy who sits in the cubicle next to mine read my blog and demanded to know why I hadn't mentioned him, knowing full well that my last blog post was written before I even arrived in Ottawa. We made South African Chicken Curry for a potluck, and get in trouble for talking too much. Thanks for keeping me occupied Suresh :).

On the 30th there was a picnic for Public Safety. We went, we ate, we won a karaoke competition. What more can you ask for.

July 1st- 4th Canada Day.

I come home by train the evening of the 30th. The morning of the 1st my mom is upset. Yesterday was her last day as a full time teacher. Having just left a job, and trying to adjust my identity from "Kirsten Van Houten, overworked intern!" to " Kirsten Van Houten, assistant policy analyst!" has been somewhat challenging. If this is challenging, I can only imagine what my mom is experiencing is 50 (million) times worse. I worry.

Canada Day evening I go over to Claire's house and have dinner with some of my favorite people. We roast marshmallow. The conversation drifts to politics, fatal error but I recover beautifully. We canoe down the credit river to watch the fireworks sitting in our canoes. Happy Canada Day!

Friday evening I meet with my life-long friend Karen. We have dinner with her boyfriend, whose companionship strangely is a catalyst for both he and I to become more than bonkers (in a good way) and we bounce around. That evening blues dancing. I have only been here once before but I recognize some faces. Martin. Kyle (the one who we met in Halifax) joins us. Awesome. I have to drag myself away.

Today, more catching up with friends, with a slightly more urgent tone. Tomorrow back to Ottawa.

Heavier Things

I realize that my words seem heavier than normal. Moving around takes its toll. I find it incredibly hard to say goodbye to people and worry because I am still not sure where I belong. I know I will always have a place in Mississauga which comforts me. Yet, when I think about the autumn I am not sure whether to return to Halifax or remain in Ottawa. There are really pros and cons to both. Not to mention that I keep mixing up Ottawa and Halifax, I say the name of one when I am talking about the other.

I am also left with a mild sense of loneliness. It has been 2 years since I was in any sort of stable relationship. I am so happy for all of my friends who are in wonderful relationships but when all of your friends who live in a particular city are dating (or married) to someone except you, it kind of starts to weigh on you.

Lighter Things

I am so very blessed inded.

The last year has just been amazing (incidently it was just over a year ago that I started this blog) I have seen so many things and made so many beautiful and wonderful friends, and I have got to spend so much time with the old ones too. I have been to new places experienced new things. I could never have imagined that such a life changing trip would be followed up by a position in Halifax that would challenge my patience and courage but have me come out swinging on the other end and then see me move to Ottawa where I think I could easily be working with the nicest group of people who I have ever had the pleasure to share an office with.

Wow. Enough said.

What an adventure.

If you're reading this, chances are I am missing you a little bit right now.

Hope you like the new design.