Wednesday, August 23, 2006
For the past 5 years I have been travelling around trying to figure out what to do with my life and where i wanted to be. I've done the soul searching, tried too many different jobs, and lived in too many different towns in too many different countries. And finally, I think i have found it. The true test is that no matter how crappy my job was, I still loved every minute of being in whistler! The mountains outside the window, the lakes, the crazy nights, the lazy days, the people... everything about this town makes me happy. And yesterday I had to say goodbye to that town, those mountains, and to all those great people.
It's one of those things... I know I can stay in whistler right now and i would be so much happier than if I went back to Ontario. But logistically, it would be a nightmare. I have so much unfinished business to take care of, and i need to make some more cash. All that travelling wasn't cheep and i'm still paying for it. So that is why today i sit in Vancouver, hours away from a flight that will bring me back to Ontario.
It's funny how you can look for so long for something, then when you finally find it, how everything just falls into place. I am really sad to have had to leave.... but knowing that i will be back soon makes it bearable! The move back to Whistler countdown has already started....
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Last night at dinner time, myself and the other 2 supervisors were getting tired of our boss' little notes and msgs for us to do random things. See, she can't do anything for herself, so she keeps getting us to do all her work! nofun at all! We decided, over some sushi and a few cans of beers to start to leave her notes. The more we wrote the sillier they got... or maybe it was the more people drank. The counsellors came home from dinner with the kids to find this in the office.
Not sure if you can tell, but they taped a fork to the back of the screen to put notes more notes on it! Some of the notes are legit... others are hilarious... ie. beside the beer pyramid "Out of beer, need petty cash". There was also an "urgent" msg from karl stating that his balls needed imediate attention!
When I got into the office this morning, everything was back to normal... although the fork is still taped to the monitor. I wish I could have seen the look on her face when she walked in.
So yeah.. this is what happens when we get bored at work!!
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Last night I came home to a great email.... Head office in Vancouver has finally recognised all the extra time the Whistler staff puts in, so we each got a 750$ bonus! woohoo!!!! add that to the 240$ bonus i got on my last check, and I am one happy chicka!!
there was also a dance off going on in the lounge when I returned from the play... the counsellors had the music blaring and were having a great time! A couple of them are really great.. one won the dance contest at a bar in town last monday.
kinda fun to come back from my day off to a bonus and happy dancing people as opposed to the usual negativity!
Now, only 3 days of work until I get another day off! And my friend Lou is coming up from Scotland this weekend! haven't seen her for 2 years so I cannot wait to party with that girl again!!! woohoo!!
AND!! i just found out i'm off tonight! yipee!
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Published by cazza21: 1:00 PM
Updated On: 8/9/2006 at 1:47 PM
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I need another day off already! This place completely drains me! My throat is killing me.. and i was doing such a good job at fighting this cold! Maybe it was yesterday's 5.30am to 10pm shift that did it. Or the negativity in this place! I'm usually a pretty happy person, but damn, after working all day, on computers that regularly crash, i've had enough!
Plus, I hate stupid people. I know i've said this many times before, but never have I seen so many in one place. I think it's because my boss is an idiot and she hired them all. Sometimes, I think that if myself and the other supervisor were off, this entire camp would fall apart. On my days off, i keep getting call from boss-bitch to come in and help her, to anser her questions, blah blah. It's a pain in the ass! She has no idea how to run a camp. She'd be a fab counsellor, but when it comes to the behind the scenes she is clueless! It takes me 30 minutes to do rounds and get the 140 kids to bed. It took here 4 hour.. then she called me the next morning to take over her shift because she needs her sleep! I haven't had a real night's sleep in res since i got here! i'm getting good at functioning on 5 hours a night! Only good thing is that on weekends, head boss comes up from Vancouver and picks up her slack so that we can sorta run a decent camp! lovely!
right, so that's my rant for this very early Sunday morning!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
I finally get my 2 days off that I am supposed to get! woohoo!! The only downside of having a live in job is always being there... so I'm looking to escape for a couple days! Beach and beer are on the top of my list... meaning I must be over this hangover finally!!
WOOHOO DAYS OFF!!!
So hungover today.. it's dinner time and i still feel like crap.. my office space is cluttered with water bottles.... hurray for parties with the sb.com folk! great times!
I have to say, with all the crap going on at camp, I still heart Whistler!! People here are so nice!! Here are a few things that I have never experienced anywhere else...
*After our massive problem with the bus this morning, everything was sorted out in whistler dollars... a case of Kokanee gold. Much Much less then the actual price of repairs and labour!
*I walked into second cup to get a white chocolate hot chocolate (so yummy) and the people behind the counter where speaking french, so i ordered in french.. we talked for a bit and then i left without having to pay because they siad most people switch to english even if they know french!
*My boss and I were about to hike the hill to rez after the pub one night, and 2 guys said they had just gotten a taxi and since there was room no use it going to waste! Dropped off right at our door!
*Everyone on the phone treats you like they have known you forever! I deal with lots of supliers and restaurants. Each and every one of them has a great nickname for me. I also get lots of huns, sweety and babes! ha! I have to say, every conversation I have lasts forever... and we do have a list of people that when they are calling I have to hand the phone over to my coworker. She has dibs on one of the Chef's at Joey Chan's and the delivery boy at the supply store! ha! I also had a pizza delivery call last 20 minutes! I also like the fact that sometimes the suppliers throw in extra stuff for me (free dinner, drinks etc)
*The people that work in the rez are great... and since I feed everyone left overs I have tons of people dropping in to caht and keep me entertained during the day.
Why did I take a job in ontario... i should just stay here!
I swear this camp in cursed....
day one- fire in a room when children try to make jiffy pop on a stove they found that wasn't turned off
day two- i only heard about this the next day... but there was a near drowning at the lake
day three- one of the mexicans may have drugged one of the columbians.. police are still investigating what drugs were used and who may have done it... lots of fun
day four-child decides to see if the carpet will melt or catch fire when he burns paper on it
day five- 11 of the kids get caught shoplifting and had been in police custody this morning until the shop owner dropped charges
day 6- Group of 14 students get to the Airport in Vancouver, and realize they have forgotten their passports back in the camp lock box!
day 7- counsellor gets drunk and parties with the kids
day 8- head boss forgets to send bus to pick kids up.. i have night off and am heading to watch a movie with the gang at Joe's and run into 20 kids at the bus stop, and have to call into the drivers to get them back to rez before I can go out.
day 9- Mini bus gets a flat tire and our other bus is in vancouver.. so only 2 buses shuttling 120 people around today!
any bets on what will happen next?
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Published by cazza21: 1:34 PM
Updated On: 7/31/2006 at 10:56 AM
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I spent 17 hours working yesterday on 2 hours sleep... i slept one hour last night... at 6.30 I was already on the phone with head office trying to sort out sending kids back to vancouver. Right now, i'm in the office sorting out transportation and everyone is at Breakfast. Lucky for me, there is a fridge full of Quiznos... litteraly over 40 subs. If you're hungry, come visit!
I know it's only day 1 of camp... but wow, why did I think this job would be a good idea?
bit of an add on.... so it is now 2pm, still noone around, but I did find the 2 missing japanese students.... but my translator is at the beach. So i just spent time chilling with the maintenance guys, feeding them, and actually got a phone number!! woohoo for me!
So now i'm just bored, and melting in the heat while trying to uderstand the japanese version of connect 4 going on beside me!
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Published by cazza21: 10:25 AM
Updated On: 7/24/2006 at 4:07 PM
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I finally made it to Whistler! woohoo!!! And finally got the net set up this afternoon! so here is a bit of a Carrie update.
Been really busy with work... it's insane how disorganised things are here.. but things are falling into place.. sort of. And they better, camp starts on sunday.
yesterday I took the day off and took the gondola up Whistler Mountain, took the peak chair up and did some hiking around the few trails that were open. It was great to get out of the office and get some fresh air. Although our office has a great view too... of the staff housing basketball 'court'! ha!
For camp, I am in charge of food and transportation. Transportation was fine until one of our driver's quit... how could you quit a job where you get payed to drive around in a short bus!! I find it quite funny that I have 3 short buses.... i must be special!
Food is a pain in the ass because people are too busy catering to Crankworks to feed us... although there are some fun perks to the job.. ie. Getting free dinners and drinks at places that want our business (i have a camp of 140 to feed, with a decent buget..)is lovely!
I need a nice heavy night of drinking before the kids get here!
and I also got a job for september... teaching SK back in London, ON. it"s part time so leaves for lots of snowbaording time in the winter! woohoo!!!
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Published by cazza21: 8:59 PM
Updated On: 7/19/2006 at 9:00 PM
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I'm starting to get a bit frustrated with this job.. if I have to stay in vancouver for another few days, i may expload! i was supposed to be in Whistler by tomorrow night to see Jay and the gang... but looks like that' not happening... I may not even make it up until Friday now. If they do that, i'm taking thursday off. Screw them i'm tried of being at this camp and having to hel them out (because they are pretty clueless here) and i am not getting any of my work done!
But the kids are great, for the most part. And as much as they are here to learn English, I have picked up on some spanish and am working on my Asian languages (jap, taiw,etc). The staff here is also tons of fun, very international.. from colombia, australia, hong kong, tons of Ontario folk, and a few from BC. Also doing some interviews and nterviewed an actor yesterday who wasin Blade (the series) and the stargate series! so hilarious when you ask when are they available to start and they answer ' have to check with my agent' ha!
Anyway, hopefully i'll bein whistler soon and having more fun! i have a feeling i won't be sleeping much this summer! ha!
Well, it's finally time. Tomorrow morning I fly off to BC for the summer! I'll be in Whislter from July 3rd to 5th, then back to Vancouver for about 2 weeks of training, then in Whistler until August 22nd!
I'm looking forward to hiking in the mountains... I haven't done any real hikes since I left France, so I cannot wait to get out on the trails... as long as my ankle holds up! I'm also looking forward to meeting up with some of you crazies! Can't wait to party with those of you I know already, and meeting those I don't!
I am really happy to be getting out of this town. The past week has been overly emotional for me. I've wanted to leave Peterborough and the school since November!!!! And now the time has finally come. Telling the kids was so hard. So many of them cried, so many begged me to stay. And if you had been following my blogs when I was trying to figure out what to do at this school, you know that I only stayed for them! I have received so many letters and cards from the kids. Most wrote to me about how much I changed their attitudes about french, but most were letters about me being missed. I didn't realize the effect I had on this group of kids until I had to say goodbye. As much as I felt that I didn't do my best this year as a teacher, from what was said to me, I finally fell as though this was a successful year. Even though I didn't reach all 174 of my students accademicaly, i sure did reach them on a personal level! I want to share some of the things that were said... spelling mistakes and all... some made me laugh, some made me cry... but they are all so important to me!
'.. you have really taught me how important french really is. '
' I know i can misbehave sometime (okay, all the time) but I really learnt a lot! I prbably would have learnt more if I was listening!'
' Hope to see you on the slope sometimes'
' Thank you for never giving up on me when I got a little out of control'
' I didn't really like french, but I always knew that you would have something fun planned for us'
'You have A LOT of energy'
'Hope there is always snow on the mountains for you'
'thank you for making french fun and easy'
'Unlike some of the other teachers, you gave us respect and i felt like I was respected for the first time in a couple years'
'I wish you could stay and follow us into high school'
'I know I was a pain in the but sometimes, but hey, I had to keep you on your toes!'
'can you adopt me so I can move in with you and go to the school you teach at next?'
'because of you, i've decided to be a teacher too!'
'you have taught me a lot, and i've taught you that Airheads make everything better!' (I may or may not bride kids with candies)
'you know, I really did like you as a teacher, even though you got me suspended for swearing in your class'
Last night, I went to the St-Jean Baptiste celebration here in Peterborough. I have discovered that the entire Francophone population (save 10 of us) are either under 13 years old or over 35! it wasn't the best celebration I've been to, but met some great people, listened to a great band from Quebec, and heard a bit of a rumour that led to my next adventure.
I heard that Davey Jones from the Monkeys was in town giving a free concert. I had to find out if it was true! So I left the St-Jean celebration, dropped my car off at home, and headed down to the waterfront. I started listening for loud music and following the noise... first place I stumbled apon was the Greek Festival.. Not quite Davey, and they were just closing up for the night, so no good food left! So off I went again... more loud music, but I wasn't getting my hopes up.... until I saw it... a stage, and hundreds of people sitting on lawn chairs singing along, with Davey!!! It was awesome! Although I missed the first 45 minutes of the concert, the last hour was great! Plus, to finish it all of, a fab fireworks presentation!!! My only regret is not having my camera along for this random adventure!
Apparently there is a 'festival of lights' and every saturday and wednesday they have a band play, and then fireworks or boats that are all decorated with lights perform routines on the river. Too bad all the good bands are playing while i'm in BC! ah well, c'est la vie!
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