the Night Commuters

Went for a long walk the other day. The ngo I volunteer with, Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief are cosponsoring a Gulu Walk month, where two men walk from their homes to City Hall every night, sleep, and then walk back in the morning (about 10k each way) in order to publicize the cause of rurual Ugandan children who make a similar treck daily to the city. They do this in order to escape abduction by the rebel army who depend on child soldiers for their war, and spend the night in a camp called Gulu. This twice daily 10k often makes children miss school, leading to perpetuation of societal problems. The Toronto Gulu Walks taking place in July are building momentum, with more and more people joining the daily trek. So, I joined in last Thursday, and plan to do a couple more before the month is out. See www.cpar.ca or www.guluwalk.com for more details. If any of you are interested in going with me, let me know and we'll make a social advocacy date of it.

Kate

Desperatly Seeking Sublet

$415 - Cheap and Big Room for Rent (Woodbine and Danforth)
Reply to: katejongbloed@gmail.com

I have a room available in a four bedroom house at Woodbine and Danforth in Toronto for the months of July and August.

Rent is $415/month but negotiable and includes utilities.

The house features two bathrooms, a spacious porch, free inhouse laundry, commonspace and a full kitchen.

It is centrally located with quick access to subway, the beach, greek town, and downtown.

Possibility to extend lease in August. Also, there is another room in the house available if you are interested.

695 Milverton Blvd at Woodbine and Danforth

Preparing for the Third World

To quote Jen, this might just be "the greatest summer ever". I am so busy with work and play, I don't really have a free moment. But to look at it another way, they are all entirely free moments. Hurrah! With every day I feel like a more capable human being. While that might not sound like a terribly exciting evolution, it is in the face of a placement year, and imminent real life. Last night I was very sick- food poisioning or something- and there was noone there to hold my head, get me water and blankets. All I could think was "I'm glad this is happening, it's good practice for being in a developing country" because I had to get through it myself.

I don't have a computer at home, and while this is a definite plus for my social life and personal growth, it is less good for things such as emailing and blog posting. Thus, please stay tuned regardless of the sporadic nature of my blog status quo, as I'm sure that during placement I will make more use of Kidding Just.

Also, please note the recent additions to my right hand side: Marit, and the On Placements: Lauren, Laura and Jess. These three are other members of our IDS team heading away (you guessed it, on placement) next year, so perhaps it will be interesting to keep track of all of us?

Kate

Wherefore art thou Placement?

I have a bunch of really cool friends. For example, I just got an email from one who just climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, and in the email used this climb to describe his whole experience working in a refugee camp in Tanzania where he's been for the past 9 months. Another is set to leave for Mexico in August to document the Zapatista movement in Chiapas. Actually, I have two friends in Mexico right now: one is volunteering with Doctors without Training, and the other is doing a reciprocal language program where he learns spanish, and teaches english. Speaking of Latin America, one of my closest friends is leaving in September to spend a year volunteering and going to school in Ecuador, and another friend should be arriving back from El Salvador shortly. If you go a little more East, I have two friends in Brighton at the moment, busy discovering themselves. And then there's one who'll spend the rest of her summer treking around Turkey. But even close to home, they're doing interesting things: I have a couple friends from Victoria who will be showing up on my doorstep momentarily to spend a couple of days with me on their trip across Canada. And another who said to Jen last week "this is probably the best summer so far" because it has been filled with trips to big cities, episodes underwater, and as ever, Toronto urban adventure.

So, all this amazingness makes me sit and wonder, what does my next amazing year hold? Why don't I know what I'm doing yet? Is this a bad sign? Even with these questions, I feel confident that within the next three months I will be able to provide a post that paralells these friends of mine in their capacity to adventure. But for now, stop asking me about placement!

granted

My lovely world crashed a little the other day (however it seems to have righted itself now). In the blur of happiness and summer fun, combined with life-sucking jobs, I found myself in a brief crisis of lies, not getting things done, and more responsibility. The main problem in these situations is how hard I am on myself. The feelings of guilt and failure set in. I missed a deadline (I had send my application, but it wasn't up to par) for placement, because I don't have a computer and therefore neglect my inbox. My sublet decided to move out, and so I could perhaps find myself paying two rents in July. Worst of all I ditched Jen for a guy and lied about it (for about 5 minutes before I called her back in tears apologizing!). Today, however, is sunny, and I've got money in my pocket. I like the colour of my hair.

When things start to crumble, though, you realize how much good there is that you take for granted.

Kate

Home?

OH! So happy to be back in the city. It's so busy and there's a million things I could do. So far I've amused myself by riding my bike to the CPAR office to pick up some stuff for the interview on Friday, on bloor near dundas west. I'd never been in that neighbourhoodand it's so nice to ride to! On my way back i went through little italy, then china town (to look for work shoes and buy vegitables) and finally up to Robarts library where I am now. I'm getting all my admin stuff done before I go to swim practice at 6 and then to meet Jen andElla for beers because she's leaving tomorrow.

I've only been back a moment but already I'm in love with the city again and everything's in full swing. I mailed the letter and chequeto the government today to start to find my birth mother, which shouldbe another interesting part of the summer.

Hurrah for unlimited things to do (even if they aren't involving mountains or oceans), and what seems like unlimited time to do them in.

Victoria and area is full of lovely things to do that one doesn't do anywhere else in the same combination. I've been here for a little over a week, and I've been busy doing nice things, because that is what one does here. Today was no different, as my mum and I went up Island to some of the local wineries for a bit of a wine tour. We started at the one pictured above, where we had a delicious lunch of crab cakes and creme brulee, and a cheaky little Damascus wine. Our next stop advertised that "visitors are always welcome to ... share our salmon stream and sunlit vineyard views". Mum and I joked with the guy behind the tasting counter (who was actually their landscaper, but was for some reason leading tasting tours today) that we were actually there for the salmon stream and not the wine. He looked at us strangely, and eventually I convinced him to let us take a look at it. As it turns out, "sharing" the salmon stream involved a precarious hike down and extremely steep and slippery slope. And there were no salmon. By the end of it I was muddy and unfit for further wine touring. I should have taken the fact that the vineyard was far from sunlit as a sign. We made one more stop before we returned home via the scenic route, with no less than 12 bottles of wine. I think my current glow is less from the alcohol and more from an entirely well spent day and recent pleasant activity.

Cowichan Winery Tour

Kate and Salmon Stream

Dance or fade out 

Smells like BC

In Victoria once again. This happens more than I predicted when I left for Toronto two years ago. Every time I come back there's a different emotion. This time I feel more at peace with the whole deal- I'm not trying to viciously reject my roots as much as I once did. But everything is sort of hazily and eerily familiar: I keep thinking that I"m going to run into someone I know, and that I won't recognize them, yet everyone I come across looks sort of familiar. It smells and smiles like Victoria, and the flowers and wind and water are beautiful. It would be so easy to slump into HOME LIFE, but I'm determined to take advantage of all the good things that I use to brag about the West. So, tomorrow if it's nice I'm booting it down to the beach in my spanking new bikini after a coffee and some italian pastries with my father. I am happy to be back in a large part because I am so happy in Toronto- you'd think it'd be the other way round.

If you're from Victoria, you may as well give me a call.

Spah-dina

The summer has begun. It's been a crazy transition from school to no school...no school for 1.5 years! I finished my last exam on Friday, and then went straight into party mode. The whole evening was great, with dinner, drinks, good people, and then the bar. I went to bed late and woke early for work, and of course the day was complete crap, but for some reason I like a good hangover once in a while. It lets me know I'm alive! I got home after work and spent the evening PACKING everything I own (which, when organized, fits into a space of one meter by two meters) before the house invaders (new tenants) arrived the next morning. By 12am I was about to lose it- exam (no sleep), party (no sleep), work (no sleep), packing (no sleep)= anger and irrationality. In a serendipitous turn of events, I managed to use the house invaders van to get my stuff to my new place, and so quicker than I thought I have a new home. It's a great location (close to everything), and the interior is pretty good too. Since the move I've had a couple of two to four hour naps in between dropping friends off at the airport, goodbye breakfasts, lunches, dinners and drinks. It's finished today, and I started my "real" summer life about two hours ago. If start as you mean to go on applies, I'm excited and ready for this summer!

Welcome Andrew

A few weeks ago, a homeless Newfie stumbled upon our world with the help of Craigslist, and has since been occupying our couch and cleaning our kitchen. He is lovely and makes me laugh, and is incredibly useful in many ways. You can find him here: Dorkosis.

Method to Live

Blogs induce a certain degree of guilt, and I have decided that this guilt is completely not useful. Moreover, it implies a feeling of responsibility to one's readers, and since I have very few, it is still more irrational to feel guilty. As a result, this is my last apology for infrequent posting: I am sorry that I post infrequently. From now on, I am adopting the attitude that infrequent posting simply reflects my status quo, and is therefore a fundemental element of attempting to document my life online.

Today it is rainy, and I feel sort of like I am in a subtropical semi-arid montane forest because I have my windows open and a fern near my window...okay it's a long shot, but entirely satisfying no less. I am trying to study for my three upcoming exams- south asian politics, french, and conservation of tropical forests- but am consumed by thoughts of my future.

I was thinking about something Grant said on his blog about lifestyle careers, and have decided that I am either not trendy enough, or too trendy, and don't want that at all. I've decided that through my life I've succeeded entirely by chance. Basically, nice things just keep happening to me. So, flipant as this sounds, it is my aim to go on in this fashion. As long as I can keep running into new opportunities every time I feel the need for transition, I am happy to just go with what presents itself to me, as one thing always leads to another. Perhaps it's what is known as the "hands off" approach to life...or maybe the "I have no idea what I want, but just about anything sounds good" approach.

The fact that I've got about 5 years planned that completely complies with this notion of floating career bodes well for this experiment. Constant monitoring and evaluation to follow.

Loca

Disclaimer: we are all crazy.

Post body:

Living in a house of crazy people has helped me to relax. Illogical you say? No. Crazy people make me want to be less crazy, more accepting of the status quo, and appreciative of the things I do have in life that are wonderful. So, when people stress disproportionatly about school, or put too much emphasis on comparative marks, or cry because the vibe in the house is overwhelming, I feel able for the first time in my life to step back and not be influenced by people around me as much as I have been in the past. I have finally figured out how to live beside people, and not become them. So, with this very zen attitude, I have found peace and love in my house. Of course, I have long loved the individuals in my house, but the entire makeup- building, inhabitants, auras and all- has emerged in my mind as this entirely entertaining and entirely wonderful component of my current happy life. No doubt this has something to do with the fact that our time together is coming to an end and things are always better when you know you're leaving, but still I'd like to think that I've grown this year: grown in happiness, grown in tolerance, and also grown in less streamlined ways.

Uncertainty is not a pathology.

Mini Break

It had been so long since I'd hung out with parents...not only mine but anyone's in general. Also, I felt ridiculous when I tallied the sheer number of nights spent in my own bed since moving into this house. So I went home with Jen this weekend for a Cambridge Minibreak. My easter weekend had been diverse already, with a gallery opening, a punk show, breakie with the girls, a long downtown walk, a night at the races, and work, and the theme of diverse fun continued in the small Ontario town. I felt a little like I was in Victoria again. We parked about a block from the club, there was no line up, we could arrive in our tshirts, there were no girls in miniskirts and stillettos...none of the Toronto clubbing difficulties, like hikes to and from the club, fashion obsession (to the point of ignoring the FUN of going out). Anyway. Night one was great. The next day was even more like good old Vic because there was little to do, and so we ended up at a coffee shop, going for a run, playing some frisbee, taking pics, and dropping in on friends around the town. Very different from my life in Toronto where I can usually always think of something to do, to the detriment of my random visits to friends and physical play time. But that love has been rekindled. The highlights, of course, included portuguese shrimp, kissed lips, Jen 24/7, tequilla, B-52s, turkey dinner, fish cakes, the Newfies and seeing what Jen's life was before me...

It seems very appropriate that this quasi-spastic blog just sort of trickles out. Perhaps I will work more on content next time???

Kate

Mini Break

It had been so long since I'd hung out with parents...not only mine but anyone's in general. Also, I felt ridiculous when I tallied the sheer number of nights spent in my own bed since moving into this house. So I went home with Jen this weekend for a Cambridge Minibreak. My easter weekend had been diverse already, with a gallery opening, a punk show, breakie with the girls, a long downtown walk, a night at the races, and work, and the theme of diverse fun continued in the small Ontario town. I felt a little like I was in Victoria again. We parked about a block from the club, there was no line up, we could arrive in our tshirts, there were no girls in miniskirts and stillettos...none of the Toronto clubbing difficulties, like hikes to and from the club, fashion obsession (to the point of ignoring the FUN of going out). Anyway. Night one was great. The next day was even more like good old Vic because there was little to do, and so we ended up at a coffee shop, going for a run, playing some frisbee, taking pics, and dropping in on friends around the town. Very different from my life in Toronto where I can usually always think of something to do, to the detriment of my random visits to friends and physical play time. But that love has been rekindled. The highlights, of course, included portuguese shrimp, kissed lips, Jen 24/7, tequilla, B-52s, turkey dinner, fish cakes, the Newfies and seeing what Jen's life was before me...

It seems very appropriate that this quasi-spastic blog just sort of trickles out. Perhaps I will work more on content next time???

Kate

Wereld Stad

A novelty: a day completely free of responsibility. As a student, this rarely happens as in the subconscious there's always this sense of the next paper, the upcoming exam. But, today I've shed these preoccupations for the sake of our saviour. Nix that. For the sake of myself. Really, it started last night with a gallery opening followed by a punk show (choosing an outfit to match both: trying), and a greasy breakfast this morning featuring past and future travel stories with four girlfriends. Up next is a walk through China Town, Queen St (Fashion District), Downtown, to my current favourite neighbourhood around the St. Lawrence Market for Starbucks and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. And what's really nice is that what comes after that is open to discussion!

Happy Easter.

Multiple choice

I told a friend of mine last year that it wasn't often that I felt I had to make big decisions, or rather that my decision is usually 'both'. Yet, every once in a while the need for a decision comes by and virtually debhilitates me. I think this comes from the same place that my desire to be a secretary plus comes from. I want to work for a genius, enabling his/her decisions, but not making my own.

The case is similar now. I have two almost placement offers...two maybes. Both provide me with completely different information, making comparison very difficult, and for both the information is only half there. Yet, both want to know where I stand in the placement process (ie: if I'm working for a different placement, they want to drop me out of the selection). Okay, so I tell both that I'm interested and prolong the decision for one more step. But what then?

The first, I talked about earlier. It would be with WUSC and a small local NGO on the south east coast of Sri Lanka, working with Tsunami victims. So current! So exciting! Buddhists, civil conflict and rainforests oh my!

The second is with PWS&D and the Institute for Development Education in Chennai, India. I would work in the villages outside of the city for 6 months, and then in the city slums for 3 months. The final three months would be research based. The work would be based around women's empowerment, literacy, economics, and child labour issues. Wow! So intense! So self directed! So throwing me in the deep end!

In multiple choice, when you don't know how to decide, they say to pick the longest answer. I don't think the decision will be so easy!

Kate

Bailarphobia

There is something that terrifies me about salsa dancing. My friend is a fan, and people back from placement in South America do it at any chance they get. But it scares me shitless. Is this a legacy of dancing lessons with my father taught by Bernard? Or what? Really, this phobia is ridiculous and obscure. Simply for that reason I must overcome. I almost made it out to learn tonight, but not quite. Manyana.