Merry Christmas(ya ya, I'm a little late)

Its hard to believe that it is over already. That somehow, another Christmas has snuck up and passed by.

My time in Calgary went pretty well. Although the store is short staffed and some of the staff is still undertrained, they were super friendly and I definitely enjoyed getting to know them. I can honestly say that I will miss the people there and look forward to going back to visit them. They were Fantastic (WINDEX!).

Coming home took a little getting used to. In numerous ways. First, I walk into the house(on Dec16) and there are Christmas decorations up. Christmas? Since when? I know, who would of thunk that it was coming whether or not I was paying attention. We didn't have decorations up in the restaurant, I hadn't decorated my room, I didn't even have Christmas music with me because I thought I would be home sooner. I hadn't begun my Christmas shopping. In otherwords, it was a little bit of a busy week trying to get things together.

Next different thing about life back home, less than 24 hours after I arrived back home after being gone for 5 weeks, my Brother and his Wife arrive from Denver. Now, other than the two short trips up for family weddings the last year and a half, both of which I was in the wedding party, and the week at family reunion where I definitely didn't get a chance to talk with them, I haven't seen them in almost 3 years! So it was super awesome seeing them and having the chance to get to know them a little bit.

The next day I go back to work. Well it turns out that I am finally getting crosstrained. Which means they are teaching me positions in the restaurant other than the Serving and front of house stuff. Awesome right? Well the thing is, somehow it feels like the reason they are throwing me in there is because they don't know what else to do with me. But its been almost 2 weeks of being home again and slowly I feel like I am finding my place again. I miss Calgary though. It might be time for a visit.

Finally, and what might be my biggest struggle with coming home, is the social adjustment. In Calgary I don't have much of a social life. Sometimes I hang out with the friends I am making on staff, but thats it. It is normal for me to go back to the hotel and sit around by myself, watch some tv, curl up on one of my queen size beds and sleep for as long as possible. While that makes it hard to come home, where I really don't have a social life, and not because of work(although I admit I blame my work) but just because... I don't really know why. Little desire to go out I suppose. It just gets frustrating because here it is not so commonly accepted and being home means being around people. I fear I am becoming a hermit...

Ok. So we had Christmas on the 23. Just worked out better for everyone. It was an awesome day for the most part. Church, lunch, games, gifts, games... Lots of family time, hanging out, snacks, great food, lots of laughter, and catching up. It was a ton of fun. We drew two names each this year and it was kinda neat to have some curiosity while opening a gift, wondering who it was from. My niece did an amazing job, she was such a good girl!

I got a guitar... Well technically I don't have it yet but we are going to go and pick one out real soon. Pretty psyched about that. I decided about 2 weeks ago that I want to learn and am raelly looking forward to it. I also got some Oilers stuff, including sweet tickets to the Rangers game next week.

But it feels as though I may be on Santa's 'naughty' list as well. Christmas Eve the brakes on my car went after the evening service. And late Christmas Day Night, my cell phone died. Add in to that my useless laptop battery(did I mention I bought a laptop?) and its been a very anti-technology week... Oh well...

On that note I feel like I should stop. I've been rambling for some time now. perhaps with this new laptop that I have owned for almost a week and a half, I shall blog more frequently, but we will see.

God Bless!

Haiti a no go

So I have been talking to people about the likelyhood of my returning to Haiti in the new year. I had it in my mind that I would go in mid-late Jan and return late April. Well it turns out this isn't going to happen so much. You see, they are full-volunteerwise- for Jan and Feb. I really want to be back by early May, and I had my heart set on 3 months or so. Anything less would simply seem like not enough after believeing I could make it that long.
And so, along with this discovery comes a few things. I have to tell some people who were thinking of coming down to volunteer while I was there that I will not be there. I have to keep working at my job. And I have to try and figure out something else to do in the new year. I want to travel. I am 21. I have so much ahead of me yet in this life, but I am getting to that point where I might be ready to slow down, get a place, find a career or go back to school. That means that I have to try and get the travel bug a little more out of my system. Although I do wonder, can you ever be rid of the travel bug once you've been bitten? Me thinks not... in which case I have to tame it, quiet it. And make plans to go to New Zealand or Australia, Ireland or the Netherlands, Italy or Greece, Spain or.. you get the point. Most currently I am thinking the Netherlands. I would see about getting my duel citizenship, I think I am eligible(sp?) for that, and maybe find a really part time job while I am there. Finally learn some dutch. Maybe get in touch with some distant family. But that might not stick. We'll see, I have to figure out someother things first.
So I am a little bit bummed that Haiti isn't working out. Ok. Alot bummed. But I will try my darndest to make it back there anyways. Eventually. It'd be nice to make it before my kids are gone, but perhaps it isn't a reality. Or maybe it'll be just a two week jaunt. We shall see. Only time will tell.
Otherwise, I am still working in Calgary. I have a weeks worth (7) of shifts yet and then I am done here. For good? No idea. They hope so. Not because they don't want me around, but because like anyone, they don't want to keep the 'trouble shooters' around. They want to be self sufficient. Things are improving from when I got here am onth ago. That I will gladly admit. But I will miss it. I enjoy the overtime and the pay check yes, but it is so much more thanthat. I love feeling like I am making a difference. Like my being here is helping. Like people are enjoying my company, but also that they are learning from me. I suppse it is human nature to enjoy that, but that doesn't change that it is how I feel. I don't mind living in the hotel room. Iam becoming buddies with the front desk guy, the graveyard one. I am building friendships with the staff at work, and like always, just as they get there, I shall be on my way. But it was definitely worth coming down.
On a humorous note before I take off. I went to the country bar with some people last night. Now, when I go in Edmonton I almost always run into somebody I know, but I figured since Iam in Calgary, not gonna happen. So we hang out for an hour or so, we are dancing and I see this guy walking by. I look at him and think, huh, that looks like my cousin. A little while later I hear ppl singing happy birthday, to this guy I think is my cousin, and its the rright name. So about an hour an a half after I first see him, he is walking by and I grab his armand am all like "Hey! Hows it going? I haven't seen you in forever! WHata re you up to these days" etc. We talk for like 3 or 4 minutes and the whole time he is looking at me kinda funny. So we part and say goodnight. Well another 90 mins later, he walks up to me with a shot glass and says "Hey!Come have a shot!" I look at him a moment and ask him, "you didn't recognize me did you?" His answer, "nope. I had no Idea who you were"...You know you have a big family when!