European craziness
I have wanted to visit Europe for oh, most of my life. Two of the top countries on my list? Italy and Greece.
Both are in chaos lately, though Greece has been falling apart for a couple of years now. Both have new prime ministers, as previous leaders were forced to step down to avoid total economic collapse.
Silvio Berlusconi’s resignation was a slight surprise, since the Italian prime minister held tightly to power through a lot of scandal and turmoil in past years. His departure was met with joy in the streets. Apparently he hasn’t ruled out a return to politics eventually, though I think he should probably focus on his personal issues for the moment. Economist Mario Monti will replace him.
In Greece, Lucas Papademos was sworn in as the new prime minister last week, faced with the daunting job of bringing the country’s massive debts under control. He’s tasked with leading the country through the next few months as new austerity measures and bailout details are hashed out; a federal election is scheduled for early in the new year. Let’s hope the riots are over for now.
West coast vacation
I’m in British Columbia. On vacation. Hanging with my sister Karen, my brother, his wife, their 1.5-year-old son Silas, and their yet-to-be-born second child. It’s good times.
So far, we’ve trekked over to Vancouver Island for a jaunt around Victoria and surrounding areas, visited the Greater Vancouver Zoo, renovated an office, wandered through Fort Langley, painted pottery, shopped, and walked around the neighbourhood of Walnut Grove. I also ventured out on my own to catch up with a few dear friends who now call this city their home. Here’s some photos of my adventures in the last week.
Silas at Crescent Beach
Yeah.... the ferry ride was windy.
The siblings
Statue of Queen Victoria outside the provincial legislature
Side note: I am pretty sure visiting all of the provincial and territorial legislatures should be on my bucket list. Three down (PEI, Northwest Territories and BC), ten to go.
A giraffe at the zoo
A peregrine falcon - the fastest animal on earth.
This is the epic cake Shannon and I made for Karen's 18th birthday.
Silas and his sweet hairdo.
I seriously love Vancouver. The mountains, the ocean, the city lights … so much diversity, so much beautiful scenery, so much still to explore. I think that I could probably live here quite happily.
Space tourism and the bucket list
I read an article this week that inspired me to adjust my life to-do list. Apparently a tourist trip to space is a measly $200,000. Totally affordable.
Okay, not really, but it’s far less than the millions I thought a voyage like that would cost. I’m going to start saving my pennies, because I absolutely want to go space.
I’ve changed a few other items on my list as well, to reflect my maturing priorities, changing location and new goals. I had write a book and write a memoir, so I amalgamated those. A few others were easy ones to knock off since they are no longer ambitions of mine, then there’s a few items that I crossed off this week, after realizing I had already accomplished the goal in some fashion (details on a few to come later).
I can’t wait to cross off ‘See U2 in concert’ this week – it’s going to be epic. The majority of the rest of the bucket list items will take quite some time to achieve, as many of them revolve around travel to foreign countries and fairly major undertakings. But hey, I have the rest of my life.
Check out my full list here and let me know what you think! Twenty-four down, 76 to go!
Recap: Cuba (part two)
As promised, here are some photos and video from my week in Cuba last month. It was a phenomenal trip – you can read details here.
The beach area outside the hotel in Varadero.
The view from my room at the camp - the church is the main building in the centre.
The crew from Mexico that I was with, and the national youth pastor from Cuba (with his wife and son, centre).
The view from the church balcony - hundreds of young people rocking out for Jesus.
Here’s a video of pieces of a few services … and even that doesn’t do it justice. You have to be in that room to truly understand the experience.
Enthusiastic, excited, charismatic, joyful, passionate – just a few of the adjectives I could use to describe these young people.
Our group in Havana, our last night in Cuba.
Recap: Cuba (part one)
In case you thought I fell off the face of the earth last week … well, I sort of did.
I flew into Havana, Cuba, on Monday, May 23. After about a half hour of waiting around in the airport baggage claim, I found the Mexican group I would be traveling with for the week. The troupe included Pastor Eric Jaquith and his wife Ida, one of their interns Edika and her mom, and two young people from their church. We hopped on a bus and drove a few hours to Varadero – a gorgeous peninsula about 30 kilometres long, sandy shores on both sides. After a couple of nights there I am officially a big fan of all-inclusive resorts. The beach was beautiful, the ocean clear and salty as it should be, the sand white, the sun hot.
We only really had a day to enjoy it though and do some exploring of the city. On Wednesday a group of 11 of us piled into a ridiculously old Toyota van, along with all of our luggage, and drove roughly five hours to Santa Clara, which is in the middle of the island country.
We spent the rest of the week at a Methodist camp called Canaan, basically going to church all day long; it was awesome. About 800 young people between the ages of 12 and 35 were there, soaking up everything the visiting pastors had to say. It was far from a five-star resort – we had to chase frogs out of our room and the shower was a cold trickle. But I absolutely loved it. I was able to meet so many people, and – thanks to my ever-improving Spanish – have some great conversations, learn a ton about the country, hear some powerful sermons and generally fall in love with Cuba.
On Saturday we headed back to Havana, but not before we prayed and cried with the pastors. We left a pile of our clothes behind and donated probably a year’s salary to the main youth leader / conference organizer.
With only a few hours left until our flights would wing us home, our group toured around the capital city and had dinner before collapsing into bed. I spent most of Sunday coming home … reluctantly. I feel like I was gone far longer than a week. So much happened … my life was impacted immensely. Photos and video will be coming soon – they will be able to provide far more than my words.
Needless to say, God is flippin’ awesome. And he’s doing some pretty incredible things on an impoverished and communist island called Cuba.
Cuba
In a week from right now, I’ll be en route to Havana, Cuba.
The trip basically fell into my lap, with plans beginning to form during a phone call with my pastor when he said, “Hey, do you want to go to Cuba?” It’s pretty obvious what my answer to that kind of question would be.
I’ll be spending a week on the island, tagging along behind a pastor from Mexico to a youth conference. Needless to say, it’s essential that I brush up on my Spanish. Most of it has come back to me, but there’s plenty I’ve forgotten as well and I don’t expect to have a translator. We’ll also spend a couple of days in Varadero, where I plan to sit on a beach for a little while at least.
I’m pretty stoked … another country to explore, new people to meet, more Spanish to absorb. No matter how great my own plans are, God always has something better up his sleeve.
Road trip recap
Newcastle. Durham. Three Rivers. Hammond. Chicago.
I had a marvelous time. Long talks about birth, death and everything in between. People watching. Photo shoots. Games and movies. Snowstorms and warm spells. Window shopping. Souvlaki and deep-dish pizza. Dancing.
I crossed three state lines and one international border. I drove roughly 2,700 kilometers, filling up my gas tank five times.
My favourite day was Tuesday, when Amy and I took Isaiah to the SkyDeck in Chicago’s Willis Tower. It was fantastic! The glass floors were pretty cool – standing directly 130 feet above the streets of the Windy City. We took hundreds of pictures, of course.
Good times. I can’t wait for my next adventure …
On the road again . . .
I love Cornwall. I love my job. I love my apartment.
But I also love the road … airports, trains, highways, seaways, bicycle paths, etc.
Tonight I am embarking on a trip of epic proportions – if you count 2,750 kilometers as epic. I sure do.
- First: Orono, ON. I’m leaving the city after work this afternoon, and crashing at my cousin’s house along the way.
- Second: Durham, ON. My cousin and her new husband have invited me for a visit – it’ll be my first time spending significant time with them since they married in May. They’re also expecting a little guy (or girl), so a preggo photo shoot is definitely on my agenda, along with exploring the western Ontario town that I’ve never been to before.
- Third: Kalamazoo, MI. I’ll have to cross the rather intimidating border in Detroit on my way to church Sunday night to hear my other cousin’s husband preach (sensing a theme yet, possibly related to family members?). We’ll head back to their home in Hammond, IN, later that evening, where I’ll spend a couple of days. We’re also hoping to take a jaunt into nearby Chicago – Yes! Three states in three days! – for a spin up the Sears Tower.
- Last: Back home. If I have time during my return journey I may make a pit stop in Toronto to cross an item off my to-do list – I’ll let you guess which one it is.
I’m stoked. Let the adventure begin . . .
Oh, Canada
It was a quick, whirlwind of a trip, but I was in Ontario for about four days over the weekend. It was fabulous! I was a bridesmaid in my beautiful cousin’s wedding (pictures coming to my photography blog soon) and then spent a couple days with my family. Here’s a few photos to show what I did with my time.
I drove a car! It had been over nine months, but it felt totally natural to be back behind the wheel.
I ate lasagna! It was one of the foods I missed most in Colombia.
I met my nephew!! Tayte is SO adorable.
I played Settlers - I even won a game of Seafarers.
Tim Hortons. Enough said.
I also ate some delicious barbecue, hung out with my other nephew and niece that live nearby, and generally had good times with family.
I am now back in Colombia and back to work teaching. We have exactly two weeks minus one day left of school before presentations and graduation. I take off on July 3, and will be back in Canada to stay.
I didn’t have time to see too many people outside my family when I was home over the weekend, so I can’t wait to make some trips to Ottawa and Massena to visit everyone.
Nine months later …
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I said a tearful goodbye to my family at the Montreal airport and got on a plane bound for South America. Nine months ago today I arrived in Cali.
It’s hard to believe it’s been so long since I moved here, and almost as hard to believe is that I only have about six weeks before I go home.
Nine months. Nine months since …
I wish I could take a palm tree with me when I go home.
- I drove a car.
- I was able to properly communicate with strangers.
- I ate lasagna.
- I hugged my nephews or niece. (Two nephews have arrived since I left!)
- I visited a Tim Hortons.
- I bought new clothes – believe it or not. I just bought shoes.
- I could understand every conversation around me, whether or not I was a participant.
- I wore a coat … and I’ve only worn something with long sleeves a few times.
- I rented a movie.
- I watched live English TV, including hockey, which is just wrong. Internet radio doesn’t cut it.
- I had waffles.
- I ran for longer than about five kilometers. I can only go around in a circle here and it gets pretty boring pretty quickly.
- I played Settlers. I’m going to get creamed when I go home.
Since the date on my return ticket is fast approaching, I have been trying to prepare myself for the culture shock I expect to hit me. It’s actually really odd for me to picture myself back in Ontario, to think about being able to communicate with receptionists and cashiers, to remember what it’s like to drive a car … alone … anywhere. It will be an adjustment for sure. I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye to everyone that I have come to know and love here in Colombia, but of course I’m ridiculously excited to be with my family and friends again.
Only one week until I return to Canada for a wedding!
Cheryl
