About.... a lot of things....

It’s been a while, I am so sorry. I have enough time on my hands but I still don’t seem to get around sitting down and writing. But today is the day, I’m writing.

Since last time I wrote we moved into our new house (photos on link below) where I am very happy. The place has energy, it has light, it’s quiet and in a nice neighborhood. I can walk to most stores and the Enerplex (the indoor skate rink and running track). Bus stops outside the house (not that I’ve ever used one so far) and we live on a small park which I can see from the kitchen window. With 3 bedrooms, we both have our own room to retreat too, which is nice. I love my yoga-meditation room, it’s cozy, small and me (as is the rest of the house, really). I don’t feel so bad being by myself in this house, I love cooking (as most of you have seen on Facebook) and I keep myself busy with reading, meditation practice, yoga and the housework.

I’ve been fairly busy in the community as well. People here compliment me on how quickly I have integrated in the community. All I did was go to one workshop on “Living an Intuitive Life” and the ball started rolling. I met some pretty amazing women who do great work in the community and who took me under their wings (thanks Cheryl and Lynn). They invited me to attend one of their meetings and all of a sudden I’m busy. Meeting more and more people, attending meetings, events, etc. it’s great. I am still dealing (or trying to deal) with the fact that I am not working and not bringing in any money. It’s an odd feeling not to be contributing. After slaving for 17 years, all of a sudden my work is housework, that’s a tough cookie to deal with. I try to see it as my input in the relationship, as Lee goes to work, I take care of the home, but it’s not something I aspire to do for the rest of my life. I know it’s (hopefully) only temporary, but it’s almost an addiction I have to come down from. I get frustrated that things aren’t moving as fast as I’d like them to and it’s teaching me a great lesson in patience. We will not get married in the near future, so all we can go for is ‘common-law’ and for that we have to live under the same roof for 1 year (in Canada). After that we can file papers for sponsorship. 3 months down, 9 to go ;-).

I have no money of my own and I hate asking my parents for it, so the little I have I use to go and drink a coffee with a friend or go climbing (yes, indoor climbing hall found around here. 3 ropes, not much, but at least it’s something…). But I am enjoying life here very much. I really like it here and I am feeling more and more relaxed each day. The town is small and you run into a lot of the same people, there’s not much entertainment around or good restaurants, but I like the fact that there is little choice. For some reason I feel less stressed about being in the right place with the right people at the right time. Less is more?!

Today I had a fruitful meeting with the North Peace Cultural Center’s executive director and the immigration support office. The ED wants to hire me and provide me with a working permit which is amazing. I totally can see myself working there. For now, we just started the process, so next week the ad should be out. It’s a long, tiring process and I really don’t want to go into it, but please just send positive energy this way for about 6 months and then, hopefully I should be able to stay here on a temporary working visa, which, eventually could turn into a permanent residency visa (PR status). As long as the administrative process is with the immigration office, I will work at the NPCC on a voluntary basis to get acquainted with Canadian work ethics, the team members, and basically just being out of the house and do something. I have to do this on voluntary basis, I cannot be paid to do this, but let’s face it. It’s better to work in an office environment and get the experience and not get paid for it, then to sit at home, not doing anything and get not paid for it. Easy 1, 2, 3 I say.

At the moment I am doing a similar thing with the special needs group, but I want to cut down on those hours. It’s just not in me to work every day with mentally and physically handicapped people. Don’t get me wrong, they are wonderful and it’s quite rewarding work, but at the same time, I am a go-go type of person and I don’t have the natural patience to deal with this day in day out. The day basically starts with walking the running track for about 45 mins. Then we go to the college where they work on whatever subject they want to work on (spelling, math, sign language) from 11-12. We have lunch and from 1pm till 3pm we do group activities. Comprehensive listening, sign language +bingo, arts&crafts, bowling (on Thurs. and Fri.). I like this, but not 5 days a week. I feel bad for leaving them hanging, but I know one more person has actually been hired as a full time member of the staff, so I don’t have to feel too bad. After all, it’s all voluntary from my side right, so every hour I do put in, is already more than nothing. Working with this group does teach me patience and sign language ;-), and I am grateful to have the opportunity to try something like this, even though it’s not completely me.

Tonight I start the first of 4 training nights to tutor ESL (English as a Second Language). On a voluntary basis you put in hours to work with one or more adults (mostly landed immigrants) on their English language skills through conversation and reading and writing assignments.

All this volunteering could potentially help my case for the working permit request. It will not speed up the process, but it will show immigration that I am contributing to the community and am integrating. It will look good on my resume and I am learning a lot about Canada and Canadians by being so active in the community. They say “sorry” a lot…..

The weather has been good to us. It’s still not at freezing point (during the day) and the sun is out every day. It’s what you get with a sub-artic climate; dry Winters with lots of sunshine. The wind can be fierce, especially during the Fall. It comes in from the North over the prairies and it’s cold (in winter it will feel much colder than it actually is).

I really hope to buy a car soon. We have our eye on a white pick-up truck. Old and beaten, but that’s good, so I can run into things without feeling bad about it. And I will run into things, braking distances are longer on ice, hahaha… I hope to take it out for a test drive next week, so I have a vehicle before first snow. I ride my bike still or I walk, but it’s getting to the point where it’s not that comfortable outside anymore to be doing so.

So all in all, we’re good. Enjoying life, grateful for the opportunity and experiencing new things every day.
Write me! XM

Facebook foto links:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150342994857241.362436.821262240&type=1&l=33462e7ea9

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150317324707241.357147.821262240&type=1

PS Franka Wahler – ik weet niet wie u bent, maar u heeft de verkeerde Maartje denk ik.