IBAAW

Wow, what the difference a week makes! The week itself was pretty uneventful. I think the drama is over, for the most part, since everyone is talking again. So, that's good. Plus this was a BUSY BUSY weekend!

On Friday evening we drove up to Trois Pistoles, because it was Écho-Fête (http://echofete.ca/). We hung out with the other groups for a bit, and danced for a while to some really awesome folk music! Ha ha. But we were tired from work, so then we went back to the house to sleep.

On Saturday we were volunteering! Alex and I were at the Katimavik kiosk. It poured rain for the first few hours!!! I got completely soaked, and was freezing which was nice change from cooking-from-the-inside, which is what the weather in La Poc has been like! In the afternoon it stopped raining, and 2 bus loads of anglos studying French in the area got out! Jackpot as far as Katima-publicity goes! Ha ha. We handed out a bunch of pamphlets and talked to a bunch of really nice people! At one point there was a girl who asked me where I was from, why I speak French, etc. So, I told her, and she was also from Calgary! She asked me if I knew Sarah Petersen, and I told her we went to Jr. High together, and it turns out the girl (Amy Noel) went to Bob Edwards too! Small world, huh? It was really weird. I mean, I barely run into people from Bob Edwards in Calgary, yet I managed to find one in Trois Pistoles!

Anyway, I worked a bit longer, then went for dinner, went back, did some eco shopping (ha ha), went back to the house with Gwobs to eat chips, went back to Echo-Fête because Gwobs, Nick and Jade had to start a security shift at 9, and then the bands came on, and were SO GOOD, that even though I was exhausted, I stayed until 2am to party! Ha ha. It was a lot of fun. We're really lucky that Fred is so laid back, he was partying HARDER than us. It wasn't the same for the other groups though- Stacy (male PL in 3P) made 5 of his girls walk in a straight line, and threatened CTIs if they couldn't. Oh yeah, we also met this 17 year old boy from Ottawa, who starts Katimavik in September. They must've still served him alcohol though, because he was pretty mental during the concert! Like ALL OVER THE PLACE. Ha ha. It was kind of funny. Also, Anny met a cute boy from Coquitlam, BC, and she tried to pick him up, and was kind of smitten with him all day, and he turned out to be a bit of a FIF!!! Ha ha.

Our walk home was interesting too! We started off singing, and ended up talking about how Katimavik teaches you to smoke anything. Like I will take anything, light it on fire, and stick it in my mouth, which somehow got us on the topic of penises...and... oh, I was jealous because I can't pee in the street. Then, back at the house we were gathered around a fridge, giggling, and my back is SO GROSS AND PEELING from last weekend's burn, and...

Gwobs: Ew, it looks like you're shedding your husk to become...
Me: Corn?
Gwobs: *Hysterical laughter coming from him, Joelle, and I* You're totally on the cob!

... and that's the last thing I remember!

Yesterday was our fab trip to Québec. Seriously, I want to live in Vieux Québec one day. It's so gorgey. Anyway, we visited a chocolate museum (yum, samples), the observatory (yum, Quebec from 31 storeys in the air), the civilization museum...

Oh my God, I love civ museums! Ha ha. The museum was pretty nice, and what was even more nice is that Joelle, Anny, Gwobs and I, invaded MEDIEVAL DRESS-UP time! It's supposed to be for kids, but they have adult costumes for parents, so we went, and I had a cool dress, and we took pics, but our computer at the Katima-house is broken, so I can't upload any! But, it was so much fun!

Then we went around Vieux Québec for a bit, and then ate some yummy yummy Lebanese food! It was very good! And then we went home to crash!

That brings me to now, pretty much!

Obviously, I've finished Harry Potter. I finished on Thursday night. It took me about 16 hours to read.

I am sick of typing, and should probably do some work, and the SMART goals for our camping excursion!

This is an old article I read in 2005, but I loved it, and was thinking about it, so I'm posting a link to it.
http://www.ocweekly.com/music/music/this-shit-is-bananas/18901/

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

Oh my God. I want to die. Why is Katimavik 9 months long? Why not 8? I'm sure if it was 8, we'd all be a lot happier right now, because we would all be at home. But, anyway...

Our Open House was on Saturday, and NOBODY showed up. NOBODY. I am serious. There were 0 people there! So, I went for a nap.

Then we went to our neighbour's pool, we were having fun, playing marco polo. And Joelle goes underwater, does a breaststroke, comes up and says "I just dislocated my shoulder." And I laugh a bit, because she's not crying or anything like last time (December 29th, 2006), and then she's like "I'm serious." So, we're off to the hospital! I decided to go with her, because I'm just nice like that. So, we're waiting around in the trauma room, Joelle is wearing a hot baby blue hospital gown, she's dripping wet and in pain. I'm wearing a black top and black skirt, and I'm dripping wet, and trying to be amusing. The guy in the next bed was in a motocross accident, and is obviously howling in excruitiating pain. So, we're sitting around waiting while they take all of her vital stats. It's pretty boring. We decided that it was Xmas that is against her. Because she always dislocates it at Xmas, and SURPRISE we're having pseudo-Xmas on Wednesday! Then she goes for round 1 of X-Rays. Then we go back. This all sounds short, but actually, it takes about 2 hours. So, we're sitting around, starving, and Joelle asks me to sing a song. So, I start singing our current theme song, which is "We Danced Anyway," by Deanna Carter. And we're singing, and we finish, and Joelle turns her head toward me, and laughs, and.... her shoulder pops back into place! Oh my God! So, I run to find a nurse.... Me: "Uhhh.... excusez-moi... Elle a relogé son épaule..." Nurse: "Quoi?" Moi: "Elle a relogé son épaule?" Nurse: "*Gives me a weird look*". Moi: "Je suis sérieuse!" So, the nurse came, and looked at it, and then we waited around for a bit more. Then they said it was okay, and she could walk to round 2 of X-Rays, so we did. And then after Round 2, we got excited. YES! It was time to go, wasn't it? No. It was time to go wait another hour for the doctor to look at it and recommend an orthopedic surgeon. (Because it's twice in a year that she's dislocated it, 4 times in total). So, we've been at the hospital for almost 5 hours now. And we're starving. And throughout this whole event we'd been talking about going to the cafeteria before we call Fred to pick us up, so that we could get some Chicken À La King from the vending machine. So, we're finally released, we run down the hall, we're about to stick our money in the machine, and.... FRED SHOWS UP!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh. So instead we went home and ate cold ham. Fantastic.

Also, we were kind of sad, because we got home, and everyone just sort of took off. Nobody really cared that Joelle had been hurt, it was kind of like, "Oh, she's home, let's leave now." And obviously, she didn't want to go out because of the trauma, but whatever. We chatted for a bit. Used some of the leg cream Lissy got me for Xmas that makes our legs all tingly, and then she went to bed, and I went to hang out with Alex and Anny.

Sunday was fun during the day. We went to Lac de l'est, played all day. I got BURNED PURPLE on my back, and now it's a blistering, festering, oozing DÉGALACE grossness! And I got heat stroke, and passed out when I got home. Fun.

That night, sucked. While Joelle and I were at the hospital, the rest of the group had a bit meeting about Sean, and how they don't think it's fair that he has his own room (the secret room) and that they were mad because some of his girlfriends were wandering through the house at 4am a few nights ago. Which is obviously against the law (breaking and entering anyone?). So, he pretended to be all concerned until Fred left, and then Anny and him got in a fight. Anyway, we're not supposed to have our own rooms, but Anny thought it would be fun, to have a girls only sleepover party in the secret room. So, we're there, having a lot of fun, and Gwobs and Sean show up and start yelling at us saying we're just doing it to get back at Sean, or whatever. Well, I don't know about the others, but I have no reason to have to get back at Sean. In general, I don't give a flying fuck about Sean. So, whatever, Sean decides that we're obviously a bunch of "dykes," as he puts it, and says it's alright for us to stay as long as we're being a bunch of lesbians and having lesbian sex. Then he tells us that he fucked two girls in the bed. Okay, obviously, he is an asshole. So, I decide, I'm not fighting this, it's not worth it, so I go to sleep in my bed, while Anny, Alex, Sean and Gwobs continue to fight. Okay, so Sean fighting is not a big deal, because we know he's a jerk. It's Gwobs that surprises me. Because he usually prides himself on being un-biased and often states that Sean is a douchbag. But for some reason, they are now best friends. I think it ties in with my theory that when nice guys get involved with the "cool" guys, they morph into jerks. Because they don't realize that "cool" guys, aren't cool, and that actually most people think the "cool" guy is a douche. *Sigh* Whatever. Maybe he'll come around. Or maybe he won't and we'll realize that the Gwobs we thought we knew, isn't the Gwobs he is. It's kind of disappointing really, because I expect Sean to act this way, and we've never been friends, but I really thought Gwobs was someone I could trust, and was actually legitimately friends with. Pity.

Anyway, yesterday I was home sick with heat stroke, but I tried to be cheerful and have conversations with Gwobs and Sean, and it went well. But right before French class, he made another "dyke," comment, so I was a little upset. So, I talked to Nick on the walk to and from class, about how I didn't even have a problem with him, and it's not like I'm out to get anyone. And then I started joking about people seeing me and going "Oh, look, there's Aisling, she's here to ruin my life." So, we get home, and they invite me to go watch the sun go down with them on Pierre's rock, and I don't feel like it, because of my sickness, so I say, jokingly "Nah, I'm just going to stay here and plot my revenge." And Gwobs takes it seriously, and is like "What, against me?" And I'm like "No." And some stupid part of me decides to confront Sean, even though talking with an asshole is like... talking with an asshole. So, I say something about how I don't like the "dyke," comments, he tells me to fuck off, and that it was a joke, I say I didn't see it like that, and he calls me a lesbian under his breath. So, I say, in the same joking tone "Exactly, and that's why I'm staying home to plot my revenge!" And Nick is like "Aisling...." because obviously, now I'm starting to stoop to his level, and I know it. And Sean yells "Yeah, well, whatever it is, I'll come back 10 times harder!"

Yes. He really said that.

Honestly, and he's the one always pointing out how "mature," he is. Seriously, he is 22. I know more mature 13 year olds.

Anyway, since I'm not actually planning revenge, since I'm not an idiot, 0 x 10 = 0.

But I still called my dad, and he told me not to worry about it. My mom pointed out that obviously we're living with a bunch of boys, since if there were men around, they would've stood up for us, when Sean was calling us "dykes." So, yes, I guess it takes something like this to see real characters come out.

I think the general female concensus is that Sean is just trying to ruin the end for us, so that he can feel powerful. But we're not going to let him. The boys have obviously a team, so, we'll just band together as girls, and have our own fun.

It's only 29 more days, that's really not that difficult. And we have so much planned coming up, that we won't really have to spend time with anyone we don't want to before the end.

Anyway, this is long, so I will just highlight upcoming events!

Tonight, to celebrate Christmas Eve 2.0 we're going to see Harry Potter et L'Ordre du Phénix again, but this time with the whole group, funded by the Langues Officielles Committee.

Tomorrow, we're having Xmas dinner (red and green fettacine with alfredo sauce), and opening presents.

Thursday night is Physical Activity night, I believe.

Friday night we're off to Trois-Pistoles for Écho-Fête. Going to see the shows on Friday and Saturday nights, plus 3 hours of volunteering Saturday.

Sunday we're hoping to hit up Québec City, including a trip to the chocolate museum, the museum of civilization and the observatory. I.E. Lots of fun-filled HISTORY activities that I am sure to love, plus a few more hours exploring Vieux Québec before heading back out West were everything is new.

Work on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Community Involvement Project Thursday, and then camping the whole weekend!

And then 2 more weekends, and then I'm hoooooooome.

I am really excited.

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

So, yes, tonight at midnight around the world, the 7th and final Harry Potter book, and therefore, chapter of my childhood, will hit bookstores. Unfortuently, my own copy will not be arriving until next week! Therefore, I will be avoiding the internet and English people like the plague. I will be hiding out in the Katima-house, and only leaving when absolutely necessary. So... yes. Just be aware of that!

We weren' t up to much yesterday. We had a bit of a stressy "group issues," meeting, which are always loads of crap. Joelle provided us with some entertainment we were lucky enough to catch on film later in the evening.

Tomorrow afternoon is our Open House, and I really really really hope people show up! We've put posters all over, including some large, hot pink, you-can't-miss-it ones at the CÉGEP and Youth Centre. Plus we did a radio interview, like I mentioned, that people, including our French teacher, apparently heard. So, yes, fingers crossed that this works out!

My legs are all crampy. It's pissing me off. I think it means I need more potassium!

Anyway, I'm going to go disappear somewhere now! So, have a good weekend, and I'll be back once I know the ending to Harry Potter (i.e. probably next Friday). And I'll probably be quite depressed, so watch out for that!

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

So, I did my second radio interview today on CHOX FM (http://cibm107.com/chox/index.htm) which is the local radio station, here in La Pocatière. I doubt anyone heard it since it was a 7.20am, but... yes. Alex and I put in an excellent performance. We're arranging to have bodyguards sent over, to aid in keeping the mobs of obsessive fans at bay.


Also, I thought this was pretty funny. Aisling, the sport. It is totally the kind of sport I would love to be involved in as well. And it's insane. So, check it out at GoAisling.com ( http://goaisling.com/).

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

Whoot! Billeting is over, and I never have to do it again in my entire life!!! Happy dancing for everyone!!!

Our computer at the house is broken at the moment, so I'm using the one at work!

Friday afternoon was congé, and so was this morning, so that was pretty great!

Friday, I went to see Harry Potter 5, which was fantastic, albeit odd with the French voices! Obviously I can understand French, but sometimes I found myself reading lips a bit, which was odd. Oh my God though, the door to the theatre opened at 7pm, we got there at around 7.10pm and the line was out the door! By the time we got into the cinema, there was practically no room for the 3 of us to sit together, except in the front row, stage left. We were so close it was like being under Harry Potter! But, we want to maybe go and see it on a Tuesday or Wednesday when it's cheap so we can see it again, but from a better viewpoint. In any case, it was amazing, and I loved it!

Speaking of HP, the book comes out on Saturday! Therefore, I will be avoiding the internet, since I am not due to receive my book until Wednesday to Friday of the following week! But I'm planning on reading it in record time, a feat I will achieve by not sleeping during the night, and dozing at work.

On Saturday we asked our neighbour if we could swim in her pool, and she said yes! So, that was a lot of fun! Then we had our House Meeting, which was as uneventful as always. And then we watched "Ma Fille Mon Ange." It was pretty good. The whole thing seems really realistic, until the end, and they just throw you for a loop, and you're like WTF? Laurence Lebeouf is GORGEOUS. She was by far my favourite part of the film!

Yesterday Anny went to the hospital because something was wrong with the dangly thing in the back of her throat. So, I went to wait with her. I went to the "cafeteria" to get a snack, and discovered a vending machine with entire meals in it! So, first, I bought a snack. Then Anny and I went to talk to the doctor and found out that she most likely scraped it with a Dorito (I KNEW Doritos were evil!!!). So, we went to the cafeteria again, and spent SO MUCH money on food from the vending machine! I swear, we bought one of everything!

Then we went back home, and were planning a few things for upcoming events. All of our weekends are booked! We thought that was a weird feeling in Kelowna and Orléans, but it was even weirder here, because THAT'S IT. We're planning another day trip to Québec, and then a 3 day camping trip. One night on Île Verte and then two in Rimouski. And we're going to Écho-Fête one day at the end of July. And our Open House is this Saturday, and then the last weekend is obviously dedicated to cleaning and packing up the whole Katima-house since there won't be a project in La Pocatière next year. On the 18th of August, I think, is our Final Presentation, which will be a big deal since we are the last, so we have to make it special since work partners, billets and PLs from the last 6 years will be coming. We're thinking of doing an Awards Show for everyone, and our acceptance speeches will be about our experience and what we learned, and then we'll arrange little entertainment pieces as well. It should be pretty sweet if we go through with it!

Last night was free time, and... Oh my God, it was hell. Earlier in the afternoon, Gwobs found out that his dog died, but didn't tell anyone, he was just really out of it. Then he told us, when we went to the mountain, and proceeded to drink a mickey of vodka. He was so sad and.... argghhh. I felt so bad for him! It really made me realize how good of friends we are though, because I sat with him, and all I wanted in the whole world was for him to feel better. Aggghhh, I don't mean to be sappy about it, but... yeah. Also, I don't think I ever mentioned the Joelle-Nick-Jade triangle of tangled emotions thing before, but that sort of was weird last night. Firstly, Joelle and Jade were getting along really well. Then they went off to talk. Then they came home, and were all crying. Joelle was out of it, pissed, and flipping tables (which I mean literally this time, and not in an ironic way), and... yeah, it was weird. But everyone seems alright today. Joelle and Jade are HMing together, and they seemed pretty cheerful. Hmmm. Anyway, to summarize, lots of ups and downs last night. It was a bit hard to handle, but one of those nights we'll learn and grow from, hopefully. I also cut open my foot on something while going down the mountain in the pitch blackness. So, that sucked.

Well, that's all from me for now!

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

Shockingly enough, there are only 42 days left of Katimavik! What?

So, let's break down some recent events, shall we?

I went to the mall with Anny and Gwobs on Saturday, which was fun, and then to the fleuve with Anny, Alex, Gwobs and Joelle, which was additional fun.

On Sunday, we went to a cool accordion and violin concert in the courtyard at the ITA. It was to honour the students from the University of Alberta, who are here learning French this summer. It was weird to hear them mention U of A here! Then, that night, Joelle picked up Gwobs and I, and we went, with her mom whom was in town visiting, to the fleuve, and got ice cream. We also visited the newly opened TIM HORTON'S! Which was fantastic! But it's weird, in Ontario and Québec, they have no debit machines at Tims!

The big event of the week so far was Nick's 21st birthday, which was last night. We had a party at Pierre's house, which was fun thanks to some beer and whiskey, and because we're so fantastic. Needless to say I was pretty much gone after 2 shots of whiskey! Which made it even a more fun night. No major drama, a little chatter over some issues, but not a bad fête overall! Joelle made a fantastic cake (after setting her first attempt on fire, which was quite a funny story!)!

Upcoming events include our return to the house on Friday night! And hopefully going to see Harry Potter!!! I want to see it sooooo badly! Ha ha. But that's typical, I guess!

Anyway, I'm going to go now, because I think the thunderstorms have stopped, so I might have to do actual work soon!


Edit:

OMG. The first time a HP star attends a première in Canada (Rupert Grint, Toronto!!!) and I wasn't there!!! Gahhhhhh.

Also, while I'm here, last night was fun as well! Ha ha. I went to bed at 6pm-ish! Then Joelle called at 6.40 to go out for coffee. So, I woke up, went for a shower, somehow got a bleeding gash on the back of my leg, and went to meet her and Gwobs. Then, we went to the Katima-house porch, and it started to rain! And it poured for 3 hours!!! Sometime around 11pm it lightened up, so we all ran for it! Ha ha.

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

So, yesterday wasn't too bad as far as evenings go!

After work I was walking ''downtown,'' which is to say the street with the majority of the shops on it. I spotted a payphone, and decided to ring up my mom, to see what she was up to, and so I talked to her for about 30 minutes in this payphone, often shouting in English and getting weird looks! It was funny. But then she had to go, so I was like ''Okay, now what?'' So I called Anny's cell and arranged to meet her by walking down 7e rue Sirois, which is kind of a bizarre street because it's not straight, it just kind of stops and then you reach an intersection and walk over a few feet and it starts again. So, we met and went to the Métro to buy stuff for Greek Salad (which was soooo good) and ice cream, to eat with spag at her and Alex's billets. So, that was good, the food was amazing and gormet, and we all ate way too much! Seriously, the maple crunch ice cream was overkill!

So, then we were bored, so we walked to the katima-house, to hang out on the front porch, when Gwobs randomly shows up, and tells us he's meeting Nick here in an hour. Nick is staying with a completely French family that he can't communicate with in Rivière-Ouelle, so he often makes the 30 minute bike ride into town because he's bored out of his mind. Anyway, we sit down and talk, and Gwobs goes to get snacks, which we eat even though the 3 of us feel like vomitting from the vast amounts of food we've consummed. And we played a weird game where you pick a number, and when that number car goes by, that's your car. Or that's who you'll be one day (I will be a weird man in argyle) or you have to make up a name and profession for the person (Georgio Armani, Mobster; Shelly Field, Stay At Home Mom). Yeahhhh. So, after about an hour, Nick still isn't there, so we made up stories about his death on the highway. But, soon he stumbled up, sans bike, because it had a flat tire, so he walked the 1h20mins to get there! So, we sat around and played the games with him for a while. Then gradually began to leave. I was the last to go, so Nick decided to leave when I did, and he took one of our crappy bikes, with a dodgey pedal and no brakes! I really hope he made it home okay! I mean, I probably would have heard about it, but who knows! We also discussed, like, if one of us were killed in a gruesome accident, would Katimavik pay for us to go to the victim's funeral? Would they send us home? Would they try to keep us together to grieve as a ''family?'' Hmmmm. Anyway, it's too morbid!

And I have to go now, because actually, I don't start work until 1pm today, but I have to be home for lunch at 11.30am!!! So.... yes! I'm computerless for the weekend, so happy weekend, and I'm also devestated since I am missing Stampede which started last night (Sneek-A-Peek).

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

The title pretty much explains it!

So, more details about billeting are probably in order! I'm living with a lady and her 3 dogs. Kind of. I eat dinner with the lady, and spend the rest of the time out or in my room, which is located in the basement. There are 2 other rooms in the basement, and 2 other guys live there, but I don't know them. So... yes, it's kind of weird, and makes me realize how much I need people around! My journal realizes it too! I've almost filled up my whole book, so I'm going to go and buy another after work. Also, the lady I'm staying with won't be home until late, so she gave me 10$ to go out to eat!

Well, I'm pretty bored, and actually don't have much to say... so I'll just be going now!

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière

... Yeah, so quick update! Billeting is good so far! I've been MAJORLY obsessed with writing in my journal. I filled 20 pages JUST YESTERDAY! I'm going to need a new one soon!

I have no internet at my billets, so, that's why I'm not online often!

Labels: Journal, Katimavik, La Pocatière