BANFF

The girls of group 41164, with our lovely Project Leader Erin. (Helena, Me, Morgan, Jill, Kristen, Erin, and in front Jaz) We are in front of Lake Louise.

So here is the deal with going to Banff. You have to do a protocol for trips like this, and fill out information on EVERYTHING! It is the worst thing in the world, Helena and I had to write the protocol for Banff. It was a painful process and everyone was getting upset at us, and yelling at us when stupid things went wrong. We sent it in a week ago(Not our fault, no one gave us the list of what they wanted *cough cough projects committee), even though they are supposed to be submitted 20 days in advance. The day we were supposed to go we didn't even know if our protocol was going to be accepted.

I get home from work Friday, and quickly eat and jump in the van. We drive all the way to Canmore and stay the night there. (The canmore group was very nice, we are sad that when we go to Quebec City they stay here in Canmore because they are eco living) Saturday we drive to Banff. We go straight to our campsite in Lake Louise. Then we tour around lake Louise being tourists. After Lake Louise we drove back to Banff. Banff is truly beautiful. It is the perfect winter wonderland, its has a cottage like feel to all of the buildings in the town. We got to spend an hour in Banff, I bought delicious fudge and just enjoyed the beauty of banff. (I want to take my twin there one day:) ) We decided that it would be a good idea to climb/hike Sulphur Mountain. That involved me pushing my body up it. It was so tiring, it took us 2 and a half hours. My COAST teachers would be proud of me! (Any COAST kid, it was way worse than the devils staircase!) While we were trudging up the mountain it started snowing...in September. We get to the top and see mountain goats and a beautiful view. It was freezing, and I was already wearing a lot of layers (long johns, fleece pants, wool socks, a sweater, a jacket, a t-shirt) We took a group picture, and then wandered to the gondola. It was a two and a half hour hike up the mountain, yet it was an eight minute gondola ride down. But it was rewarding we went to the Banff Hot springs afterwards. Sunday we did a hike around Lake Louise (Just a small walk around) and then did canoeing! I love to canoe, aw Bowron Lakes! But the guy I was paddling with said he knew how to steer and so I let him. BIG MISTAKE! He kept zigzaging and not knowing how to turn, or what a J-stroke was. So I told him I would steer and then we switched positions, much better. Although he kept trying to correct my steering, I wanted to yell at this boy to stop! It was frustrating, I know how to steer a canoe buddy! After that we went back to the Canmore house and chilled there for a few hours. Then we drove back to lovely lethbridge getting there at around elevenish.

Banff was fun, and an amazing experience. I cannot believe that I actually pulled it off and planned it. Everyone seemed to have a good time. (Although house managers forgot a lot of things, so we went kind of hungy. They forgot a pot...so everything was cold...I ate apples and trail mix all weekend)

Nine days left in Lethbridge
two days left of work (Wednesday, and Friday-House managing tuesday and thursday)
Donating blood on the 27th
Travel day 28th information
Leaving Lethbridge at 2:30
getting to Calgary airport 5:35
Plane leaving Calgary 9:30
Arriving in Edmonton 10:16
Leaving for Quebec City 13:30
arriving in Quebec City with a layover in Toronto 20:52
It will be a long day

Alberta Birds of Prey

Willie and I with the Member of Parliament of Lethbridge Jim Hillyer.

My work:D

The ducks, although they did try to make a jailbreak the other day...I love them they are so cute. Putting food on your stomach and letting them eat it, it feels like they're tickling you!(This was one of the kids at our summer camps favourite things to do)

This here is little Mario. He is five/six years old and a burrowing owl. He was born at the centre as part of the burrowing owls breeding project. Unfortunately he won't be released but will be used as an educational tool for people visiting the centre. He is the nicest bird in the whole world!

This is a baby burrowing owl with no name right now. He is only a few months old.

This is where I get to eat lunch, well this is my view. It is overlooking a pond at the side of the centre. Ah the views, too bad they don't compare to my mountains of B.C.

Of course me holding little Mario all by myself. Notice no glove?! Yeah, cause I work there one of the things I get to enjoy...his talons aren't that sharp its like if someone was grabbing onto you and their nails are touching your skin, no big deal. I love mario:)

My work has been so amazing. I am lucky to have been placed here almost two and a half months ago. With eight days left of work I realized that I havent really posted much about my work. So here it is. I work at the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre located in Coaldale which is a twenty minute drive from Lethbridge. I have worked there from July 15th until September 23rd, Monday thru friday. I get picked up at 8:20ish, and then work until five and get dropped off at the Katimavik house at five twenty ish. For the first week of work I got to work at a summer camp! The kids got to learn about birds, build bird boxes, plant little plants, go looking for pond creatures, do some steve spangler science stuff, play games, and feed the ducks. It was a fun and hectic first week of work but it was tons of fun. The next week we just did misc. work. Cleaning the bird baths, raking, weeding, cleaning, a little bit of everything. Then we were asked to water trees, so thats what we did most of the summer. Although we did get to spend some time with the birds. We cleaned out their compartments, their baths and changed their baths. Then towards the middle of august we finally got to hold some birds, we learned the knot needed to tie them to their perches and got to hold the burrowing owls. So for the last few weeks we have been holding burrowing owls. Now the centre is closed though, so I have no idea what we are going to be doing. Although one of the things we are probably going to do is prepare the nestboxes for the next season. meaning clean them out, bleach them, write down what nest was in there, and then tape it shut. Always a new adventure. I am sad its almost ending but hey its life, at least I got to enjoy this experience. How many other people can say they get to work here? Spray off eagles? hold burrowing/barn/great horned owls? skin chicks for flight demonstrations? See an immature bald eagle fly in a flight demonstration? Have ducks eat food off their stomach? See these amazing birds everyday?! I'm going to miss my job!

Katima Famjam

I love my Katimavik family...so here is a look at our time in katimavik via group pictures!!!

Our first day together in galt gardens..oh how we've all grown up *tear

Here is us at the end of july at the Heritage Acres antique farm festival's BARN DANCE! (notice the plaid) finally Jill has arrived:) In order of appearance, Erin our lovely PL, Cedric (Quebec), Kristen (Ontario), Morgan (Quebec, originally PEI), Sterling (Ontario), Willie (Ontario), Cole (British Columbia), Connor (Ontario), Me (British Columbia), Helena (Ontario), Jill (Saskatchewan) and Jaz aka Yartiza in front (Quebec). Now I will never have to repeat that...although I probably will:)

Taken last week after our volunteering at the Dunk Tank. Notice me being so freakishly short...I was bending over slightly since I didn't want to cover someones face (I thought, and still do, I was taller) We are missing Jill and Jaz since they disappeared to get mini donuts...

Well thats a review of our group in group pictures! ONE A MONTH! Now only 27 more days until Quebec...15 or so more days working at birds of prey, eight more days of billeting (Post about that after billeting), and I still have to post about us meeting the MP of lethbridge (With pictures hopefully) Buzy buzy...but seriously I just want to finish billeting and go back to the Katimavik house!

Pre-Billeting/House Managing update

So we go billeting tommarrow...I know somethings about my billets...which is amazing and awesome:D But that is for later. HOUSE MANAGING UPDATE! Well, as you should know, I am house managing with Jill currently! *insert applause here. We work so well together and mesh quite wonderfully it makes me truly happy! We get everything finished early and start cooking for the next day in the evening, frankly we have this down pat. Except the only bad thing is the fact that one of our members who is a vegetarian has decided this week to go full vegan and it is scary because we have already planned our meals (Like before our 48) so it is difficult trying to make it work. I wish she had told us before we started our week that way we could have at least made something for her. Luckily a lot of our meals were vegan anyways, but some of them werent so we might have to fudge our menu around as well. Word of advice always tell your group anything about your diet BEFORE they plan their meals. Also another word to the wise that if you are sick DO NOT lounge around the house in your boxers all day seriously you get in the way and if you bend over or do something wrong and I am behind you it is not an attractive sight in the least! Also don't be a total cow, please only do one load of laundry a day! Argh I tried washing the towels that had been used in the kitchen but alas a second load of laundry for said boy in the boxers had been put on...I MEAN COME ON!

Moving off my gripes, trust me there are tons more, but happier things. TOMMARROW!! We meet with the MP of lethbridge! AT MY WORK?! YES! I am excitied, but also because that means I get to see my lovely birds! Anyways after that we get to go BILLETING! Yeah, I am getting more excitied and more nervous. Well I dont know much about my billets right now... I am excitied, yet nervous...lets see where this adventure takes me:)

I dunno if I will be able to write since I don't know if they have internet...also I think this two week break is much needed by our lovely little family!

Crazy 48

Not really...it was actually nice and quiet. Friday we went out as a group to a place that had chicken wings for a good deal, it was fun. We had a really nice chat and then went over to two of our group members hotel room and hung out and played games. Also we had a bit to drink...not me though, personally I find drinking disgusting. Then Saturday we tried sleeping in...that didn't happen. Then we got dressed and went out to the Galt museum. I love museums! Below is a link to our pictures from the museum.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150259466756813.327130.602296812&l=263a22d42c&type=1

It was fun I love museums. Then when we went to the mall and some random stores around town. There was this amazing store that someone from Katimavik was there! she was an alumni and she wants to billet one of us! She also offered us food because according to her you don't eat much during your 48. I found a necklace I want to buy when I have money next time, a bug incased in resin. I find it interesting and fascinating so I want one.

We went to Fort Whoop Up (By we I mean me and Willie again) it was SO much fun. Words cannot describe...then again I am a crazy history nerd so anything historical will have me going cocoa for cocoa puffs. More pictures for you to look at...cause it is faster to upload them onto facebook instead of blogger...go figure

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150259778391813.327258.602296812&l=8db0e4e331

House managing next week...wish me luck!

OH! and more pictures....of my group

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244410101813.322631.602296812&l=347b4b263a&type=1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244145366813.322548.602296812&l=fe7053650b&type=1
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150244115056813.322535.602296812&l=4e0efb1d62&type=1

Have a great week!

Avada Kedavra?

So this week definately takes the cake in terms of Katimavik awesomeness! Seriously, great news all around and its only wednesday! Let me break this down for you...well my week so far.
Monday- Work 9-5, also started feeling better, and then a Project Leader from assinibo, sk (I KNOW I SPELT THAT WRONG...sorry) came to visit us and had dinner with us, VERY NICE (seriously if she is your PL treat her with respect she said nothing but nice things about you guys!) and then we went to go swimming but something got mixed up and it wasn't a "free" swim it was a class, so we took this class instead...FML it was called Deep Water Jog. Pretty much everything it says, but in water. I looked like I was having a seizure under water! And then most of the group hung out in the kitchen, and we had some fun with sparklers! EPICNESS! On the front step all of us with our sparklers, we were such wizards...except Helena killed me (SHE USED AN UNFORGIVABLE CURSE!! NO!!! shes going to azkaban)
Tuesday- Work 9-5 again (EVERYDAY!) felt much better this day still couldn't eat anything. Then we had our french lessons, I feel like we aren't going to learn enough to be sufficent in Quebec City seeing as the next time we see each other is September 13 (Because next tuesday she is gone, and we have our mid rotation reflections, and then for two weeks we billet)
Wednesday- Work 9-5 but something exciting happened today...I LEARNED KNOTS! Aka the knots I need to be able to hold the birds for people! Cheers all around! And then I walked in the door a few minutes ago and heard this EPIC AMAZING AWESOME SEXTACULAR NEWS!!!....

-drumroll please-

We can volunteer at an event where our band (Our theme song is "SAIL" by AWOLNATION) is playing at...

AND!

The local Member of Parliament wants to meet our group! So next Thursday he invited us to a pizza "party" (I don't know what the means exactly, I think pizza party and a seven year olds birthday party) to meet him! Its going to be held at my work too!

Also KYRA! For some reason I keep trying to comment to your comment and it won't let me...so hopefully you read this... I dunno
Kyra, yes my second rotation is Quebec City, like yours was. A few of my group have already creeped out your blog and been so happy to hear that we have two bathrooms in Quebec compared to the one we have here.

I am loving the program! Although it is hard being away from my twin sister... But this opportunity won't come along again :)

Any advice for Quebec City? things to see? jobs that sucked? Which bed to pick?
My response:

New News News

A few of my lovely katimavikers were in the news.
http://www.globallethbridge.com/video/scene+and+heard++aug+9/video.html?v=2087420788&p=1&s=dd#scene+and+heard go until 3:20 and thats where the segment starts. Ah look at little morgan and cedric. How I love them:) and our lovely PL:D

Well...it has been a long time since I posted. Two weeks. Ugh, too much free time, then no free time. It's frustrating but I guess thats what Katimavik life is. Ah well, we have done SO much in the past two weeks its crazy!

So the weekend of August 6th and 7th we volunteered at the Canadian Little League Championships. It was fun, we did 50/50 raffle tickets, sold merchandise, and sold door tickets. Best part is they fed us breakfast one day (And they had a TON of pancake mix left over and they gave it to us) and then the next day we got to have lunch. Ah French fries my favourite (this is where I drool, seriously I love french fries) Um Whalley (They represented British Columbia! It's in Surrey, near Vancouver) won and I really liked giving it to the Ontario kids, it was funny because we kept trying to prove which province was better. We got a free t-shirt volunteering there (seriously if I get any more free t-shirts I will never have to buy another one again!)

Then working at birds of prey. two weird stories...funnier one first. This guy came into Birds of Prey Centre with a puppet, and his son. He looked more concerned about his puppet than his son. Anyways he asks us if he has to pay for his puppet to come in. Weird... second story is that I got to ride home in the backseat with a baby short eared owl. He kept trying to jump out of his little box, it was so adorable!

apologize for the bad photo, jumping bird, plus bumpy car ride...bad picture.

This week we also did YOGA! Which I find interesting. I like that it keeps my mind buzy for the hour it takes, also hot showers that I dont have to wait for. Ah, I cannot wait for quebec city and that way our group will have more than one bathroom.

This weekend was interesting to say the least. I am so tired and ready to go back to work tommarrow. So Saturday we went to a Hudderite Farm Tour! Interesting, it was crazy. Okay this is just my opinion so if you want ignore it but like I say its my opinion and I am allowed to have one. I hated it there! I know its their lifestyle and such but ugh. We got to see everything, the capentry shop, the metal shop, the cattle place, the kitchen, the garden, the preschool, and the school house. But most of the guys were VERY sexist! It was so hard to hold my tongue! We were talking with one guy in the capentry shop and he looks at the guys and was like "This is mans work, Women always say they want to be treated equally until it comes to hard work" I was like "Calm down, this is their culture" BUT SERIOUSLY! ARGH! Most of the guys around the farm/colony had that attitude though. Anyways, we went to the area where the cows were and got to see the calves. They kept licking my hand and sucking on it, it was adorable. We also found a kitten that the girls were smitten with, it reminded me of my cat Nardo (My little orange kitten I had, he got killed by a cougar, always tried to attack things bigger than him:( ) We also got to go to their garden which is AMAZING! They kept handing us cucumbers, tomatoes, raspberries, I loved that part. Their rolls were amazing too! Oh those rolls, light and fluffy and homemade...I am drooling just thinking about it:) We also went to their school house. They learn German as children, and then when they get older they learn English, then learn German some more. They go to school Monday thru Friday 7 until 3:30, and then Saturday Sunday 7 until noon. Wow, they also finish school at 15, I don't think I would have ever been ready to finish school at 15! All in all, the women that showed us around were amazing and the sweetest ladies you would ever meet, and the children following us made me giggle, but the guys yeah its their lifestyle whatever. Except the guy that we asked to do the tour with named Jason, he was nice and very polite to the girls.

Then later that afternoon the Medicine Hat Group came! Crazy night proceeded. Although a lot of them went off and did their own things, a few of us helped with murder. We played a game called Werewolf, it was fun. It is so much better with a larger group, it was weird though when I woke up and their was so many more people! Except our one bathroom was definately in need of a clean after 22 people.

Sunday we volunteered at the BMX event in Lethbridge. People there actually knew where Maple Ridge, B.C. was! Apparently there is like a giant track there and thats why they knew it. My job there was helping with food, I got to serve people their burgers and ask if they wanted sauce on it or not. Medicine Hat group helped there too, so there was like no real jobs for them. It was crazy! We keptt having people come up and thank us. We also were asked to sing O' Canada and explain Katimavik to the people in the stands. All in all it was an amazing weekend. Except for the fact that I have been crazy sick and am going to go to the doctor hopefully with Helena tommarrow. i would rather be safe than sorry.