The final days in Lethbridge

Debriefing, looking back on the last three months. Heartache, despair, happiness, anger, love, everything has happened to our group within these last three months so reflection on all these events is good. I find Katimavik is very reflective they love to make us look in on ourselves for some inner reflection. So the past few days have been a fluster of activity.

Our debriefing started with us taking two pictures the other day. We took a picture of ourselves how we felt at the start of the program. I don't have the photo but when I do I will put it up. It was hilarious seeing it, no one was standing close together, everyone was apart. I was hiding behind cole and looking at my feet. Everyone was...well strangers. Then in the second photo, we were all sitting together hugging, smiling, happy. I saw the pictures and I have to admit that it's true. We did do a complete 180 degree turn. Our group of teenage strangers, now some of the closest people alive.

Another debriefing activity was a leaf, a stick, and a rock. We gathered one of each of these items and then you had to say one thing you wanted to leave behind(leaf) one thing you wanted to stick with you (Stick) and one thing that rocked (rock) It was sweet, for my leaf I said I wanted to leave my shyness/awkwardness behind. I mean I'm not as shy as I was at the start of the program but I still want to work on that. The one thing that rocked was my job being able to hold the birds, I remember when we were learning how to hold them, and Willie and myself kept passing Mario back and forth, like we were playing catch (we didn't throw the bird, no worries) The stick for me had to be that I know that if we get in a bad state (like some people did once) and need help I know that my whole group will be there helping me and protecting me.

A debriefing activity that we did last night was the coolest I think. It was a bead activity, we all picked beads that we believed represented everyone in our group and then presented it to the others. So in the end you would have 10 other beads representing you. I have my beads and the story behind them below.
Jaz's bead-a closed shell because at the start you were more closed up and now you have opened up so much more so we're able to see the inside and see how beautiful you are
Sterlings blue bead- small little black because you tried to hide in the background and not be noticed.
Helenas bead- star because youre a star
Connors white and pinkish bead- the bead is kind and nice, its also a very pretty bead
Kristens gem like bead- because you are a gem to us
Jills flowery big bead- flowery and bright because you are bright and flowery.
Willies wood block- you know why, we work together
Morgans button- Its a button because you aren't a bead. Buttons are important. The group wouldn't be here without you, you are the button of our katimavik sweater
Cedrics small cylinder black one- representing how I was at the start of the program and how I have changed now. The black representing how in the background I was because of my shyness
Coles beadshell because I am from bc and we have the better ocean

Then cleaning the whole house, and now I am waiting for the bus to pick us up in two hours...probably going to go clean some more

Next blog post in QUEBEC CITY!