Inspiration

My friend just started blogging (you should check her out), which has inspired me to start again. I really do enjoy blogging: it's cathartic and I always feel better afterward. So here it goes:

Okay, firstly, I am so proud of my friends (they know who they are). One has his dream job, one is moving in with her boyfriend, one is going back to school, one is getting married. I'm so happy for them, for all of my friends. They all deserve happiness, that's for sure.

Then there's another friend who does nothing but complain about her life, about how nothing ever goes her way, about how everything just sucks. She is the one who really inspired me today. I've decided to do the same. I'll sit at home on the computer all night and pretend to look for a job all day and wonder why I have no life. I'll refuse to make any changes to my personality and lifestyle even though it is obviously not working for me. I'll dwell on the fact that everyone's life is going so much better than mine and, well, that must be everyone else's fault, not mine.

Or, ya know, I can not. I can live. I can be happy for my friends knowing that they are happy for me and my accomplishments. Yes, I'm a little jealous that their lives seem to be working out a little better than mine, but I know for a fact that they are sometimes jealous of my life. I've got good things going for me: I'm on my way to a stable career, I travel, I go out, I enjoy life, I've got a good family (even if they drive me crazy at times), I've got good friends (even if they drive me crazy at times). I've got a good life. And I love living it.

Home again, home again

Well, I've been home from Italy for about 5 days now. First, let me say that it was one of the most incredible experiences ever. Having the opportunity to teach English in Italy was well worth the expense of having to *get* to Italy. I will definitely be doing it again, maybe even next year.

Meanwhile, it's back to normal life here, or as normal as it gets. I got back last Sunday and started my second summer class on Monday. I've been going, non-stop, all week and I'm exhausted. Along with class, I've been having to deal with family and friend drama, so of course, what happens now? Oh that's right, I don't sleep. I mean, why else would I be blogging at 5am? Hello, insomnia old friend, long time no see!

I know I suck, but that's all for now.

Cannes/Monaco/Rain

I’m finding out where I’ll be placed for camp tomorrow. I’m nervous, yet excited. Nervous because I’ve never done this sort of thing before but excited because, after all, this is what I’m here to do.

Today, it was raining in Baiardo. To be honest, it was raining yesterday and all of last night as well. To prove this fact, my school bag is SOAKED, completely and thoroughly soaked. I’m so glad that my electronics were in baggies, or else they’d be ruined. I’m going to buy a new schoolbag tomorrow (mine smells REALLY weird now and is about 6 years old so I can justify a new one). I need a new suitcase as well as this one (my first ever that’s only 4 years old) is broken. This isn’t a HUGE problem for me, but the fact that the handle won’t go down might be a problem on the airplane back home. I’m going to hold off on purchasing that, though, until my last camp so that I’ll have actual money to buy it with.

We went to Cannes and Monte-Carlos today, but sadly I hadn’t set my converter to the right setting and my camera’s battery drained completely over night instead of recharging: no pictures for me... One girl was nice enough to take a picture OF me in Monaco, so that’ll be tagged on Facebook... eventually... once we all have access to high speed internet.

Well, I should probably be off to bed now: it’s 12:20 am here. Tomorrow, I’ll be sleeping in and then going to the beach. Woo!

Bajardo

On the top of a mountain, 1000 meters above sea level; the clouds look like they’ve invaded the city, much like that movie The Mist. I’m in Bajardo, a little town in Italy, population 200 or so. I’m “on hold,” which means I’m one of 37 people who could not be placed at a camp right away because there weren’t enough camps this week. One the bright side, I’m getting paid 100 € to relax and the founder of ACLE is organizing a trip to Cannes/Monaco for us. So exciting!!!

In Bajardo, there are wild, feral cats, fog all around, no breeze and, wait for it, SCORPIONS. Yep, scorpions. WHAT THE EFF, MAN!!?!?!?!?!? I really don’t know how I feel about that, other than a little freaked out. I’m not so freaked out that I’ll let it ruin my trip, but a little freaked out none the less.

I need a new suitcase too: the 10 min uphill hike on cobble stone absolutely destroyed my poor bag. Also, I think a backpack style bag might be easier to carry. And, if there are useless things that don’t fit, I can simply ship them home. I just wish I could find a plus sized clothing store to buy some more shorts and send home some pants home. I don’t need my dress pants. They’re also way too tight! I didn’t realize it when I packed them. It seems like I lost some weight, though. My size 18 pants/shorts/skirt seems to be falling off of me. That might make things awkward in the summer camps.

Well, I’m not even half way through Love, Actually and I’m really super tired. I suppose it’s goodbye for now!

OMG!!!

It's been a while, I know. Almost a month! Sorry! I had class, and work, and... well... I was lazy.

MY ROOM IS CLEAN! WOO!!! Mission Accomplished, with a week to spare (I finished last Sunday). Now, I just need to get a move on and start packing, seeing as how I'm leaving TOMORROW! Holy crap!

To celebrate my leaving for ITALIA, my most of favourite people and I got together for dinner at Zyng, then for drinks (well, a drink lol) at La Distillerie. I really like both those places. The food at Zyng is so tasty and the drinks at La Distillerie are well worth their price. Not only that, but I had a really fantastic evening with some of my best friends. These ladies have been there for me through thick and thin and I have a feeling that they will continue to support me and love me for a long time. My friend from high school was there for a little bit. She and I used to be inseparable, then lost touch in CEGEP. I'm so glad that we're getting closer again, I know that she was one of the few REAL friends to come out of RHS. Finding such good friends in university helped me realize who my real friends in high school were, and let me tell you: there weren't many of them! But that's okay. I'm a better person for knowing all those people, good or bad.

Speaking of Italy (well, we weren't really, but that's okay), I'm so excited that I'll be there to watch at least three World Cup games in which Italy will be playing. That will be INTENSE! I'm really looking forward to it: hopefully I can actually watch the games.

I'm really excited! And nervous! And kinda freaking out...

Alright, I have to go pack.

Ciao!