IBAAW

So, when we last left our heros, they had just volunteered for Youth Action Day.

The following day, they were off once again, to volunteer for the Tulip Festival. Tulip Festival takes place every May. The main point of it is to show off the lovely 10,000 tulips we receive from the Dutch Royal Family as a thank-you for allowing them to take refuge here during World War II. We were told that some people would be working at 8.30am, and that others would start at 11am. So, we showed up at 8.30am (at 2 different parks- Major's Hill and Commissioner's) and nobody from the festival was there. And they didn't show up until after 11!!! We were all sort of angry, since we all got up early, and then we sat around for ages. Anyway, Anny and I eventually walked to the Gliebe to get a coffee, so whatever. The day was pretty much unorganized and uneventful. Anny and I were working in a boutique. We didn't get volunteer shirts though, so we sort of just looked like obsessive compulsive people, folding shirts at random. After 6 hours of that, we were allowed to leave! Yay. We went and looked at tulips. Some of them were FREAKING BRIGHT!!! AHHHH. Ha ha. The red ones almost blinded me!!! At 6, Natasha picked us up, and we went to the other park to get everyone else. They had been working all day, with NO WATER. So... yeah, it kind of sucked on both ends!!

That night we did our obligatory house meeting, and then International Prank Call Joanne (our PL in Kelowna) Day commenced!!! We spent about 10$ on phone cards, and left about 20 messages, that were about 5 minutes long each. It was pretty awesome.

Monday, not much went down. I'm house manager this week, so I pretty much cooked and cleaned. We worked on our Welcome Package for the group following us.

Tuesday (yesterday) was Joelle's birthday!! Alex, Jade and I made a big banner and paper chains to decorate. Then I made a chocolate cake (from scratch!!!!), and Alex decorated it. Because we'd been cleaning, and felt ugly, Alex and I got all skanked up. Then Joelle came home, so we all sang "Bonne Fete," and she blew out the candles. We'd all agreed to go out for dinner, so we went to Tucker's downtown! It is like this huuuuge buffet. I always forget that I'm a vegetarian until I go out to eat, but the veggie food was pretty good. I had two big plates, and a huge plate of dessert!! We then decided to walk to Quebec so we could all go for a drink, so we walked across the Alexandra Bridge, and found a place called The Whip. Ha ha. Sounds kinky, but actually, it was just a taverne. So, we all had a drink, and then walked back to Ontario and took the bus home. Good times, overall.

Today, Alex and I did some major cooking, which was fun, but made slightly unbarable by the +27 temperatures and lack of wind! I made peanut butter cookies for our trip, and bread (which was perfect and squishy... the secret? Add a bit of milk!!). Alex assembled 2 lasagnes, one meat, one veggie, for tomorrow night's dinner, since we'll be baking muffins and more cookies tomorrow. Oh, and we made a red bean rice salad for lunch tomorrow. Plus there's leftover pasta salad from today, ha ha. Tonight for dinner was a hot chicken sandwich, which is like... a chicken sandwich with gravy and peas on top. Weird. I didn't have any, since I don't eat chicken, but everyone enjoyed it!!

So, yeah, tomorrow is another big day of baking for our trip...

....oh my goodness, our trip!!

I don't think I mentioned it, but we're going to Toronto this weekend!!! We did the excursion, and seriously, it was sooo close, I didn't think we'd make it! Anyway, yesterday we got it from regional office, with a few things to fix, so I fixed it and sent it in. Then the lady from there called me, and told me that Carleton Place will be there the same day, and that they got a discount at the CN Tower. So, I called the CN Tower and got the same discount, which will save us 100$! And then we got the excursion officially approved!!! Yayyyy. So, I'll be chillin' in Toronto this weekend.

Next week is our last week here! On Monday we're doing a planning and organizing workshop. Tuesday is the French Organic Workshop we're hosting, that I mentioned briefly. Wednesday is Meet Your MP Day, and Friday is our Final Presentation! Then, I think we're volunteering at Tulip Festival again on Saturday, and Sunday will be dedicated to cleaning and last-minute wrap up, etc.

Then we're off to rotation camp, for all the debriefing etc. And before you know it we'll be on the 5 hour bus ride to La Pocatiere!! In no time at all I will be at home again!!! That's scary/exciting.

Speaking of home, my mom and dad said I don't even need to find a job for a month after I get back, as long as I sort of do a house manager thing there. I.E. cook and clean. To which I say, NO PROBLEM. I'm used to cooking and cleaning for 10 people! Four? That's childs play!!

Oh, and FYI, May 7th was ONE YEAR of consecutive blogging on this thing!! Whooot. It's the longest I've gone without jackrabbiting somewhere else! I think it is a sign of maturity, or something. But probably not.

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, Orléans