Introduction

Hi there. I'm writing this from my desktop computer in North Vancouver, British Columbia and I have only 1 hour until I have to leave for work. More importantly I have 1 week until I embark on Katimavik, a volunteer program for Canadian youth. So I'm starting this blog for a couple reasons. First off as an  outlet to fill in my friends and family back home, I really don't want to have to call to relay the whole day to each and everyone one of you, or else I'd never have time to do anything fun. Secondly, as some insight to people who may consider applying to Katimavik. Hopefully friends reading this will consider applying too. And finally as a way to keep memories, because I plan on doing so reminiscing.

Now, for those of you who don't know my journey to find a Katimavik started a year ago when I was in grade 12. It seemed as though every school in the world had come to visit to remind my planning class that we were prefect for their school. Of course in my graduating year of school I was more excited to leave then to find a new school. Then there was the issue of "what would I even study". The whole ordeal was unappealing, but school counselors, and teachers, and parents all want to know what's next for Niki. My dear sweet mother who I owe all this too suggested Katimavik. Which she knew little to nothing about. My interest grew drastically over the next few months leading up to my sign up. Katimavik even visited my school and always was going swimmingly. I graduated happy as a clam ready to get going. Then came the speed bump, yes, it seemed Katimavik sounded fun to a lot of people. That summer I received my first taste of the real world: a sad e-mail stating that there was no room for me on the September 2010, 9 month program. Ouch.

So, at this point I'm breaking all the "break in case of emergency" cabinets, and hoping that some other person from my socio-demographic was accepted to the school of their dream so that there could be a spot for me. Shook up from this I quickly signed up for the 6 month themed program starting in January. By September I received and e-mail letting me know I was on the wait list. So, I made myself busy, I signed up to do Chemistry 12 online, I started cooking dinner for my mum so she'd let me stay in the house, and I started looking for a job. This is my low point. Lucky for me, when things get bad, we go on vacation! So in October we left for Mexico! What a great distraction! We went to isolated beaches, and zip-line into a cenote (google that word, I didn't know what it meant either), and ate fantastic food, and then as I was walk back to our shack from the beach I heard a quiet sound coming from the bushes, and it was a baby sea turtle I directed him to the water and let him take over, you just can't buy memories like that. When I got back I was just typing up would would later become my most liked status on facebook, when I decided to check my e-mail. There is was, my e-mail, the one I need most:

"Niki, we have a place for you"
 -Katimavik

I responded in an enthusiastic fury, "This is the best e-mail I ever received!", "I can't wait to go!", "When can I go?", "Where am I going?". My unavoidable mistake was that I mentioned I wouldn't be back from Mexico until October 15th, woops, because they wanted me to leave October 18th. The response was little more than "no". It turned out I was being accepted for the 9 month program that was already well under way, not the 6 month program that gave me at least two months until the start. Then that was it I had my chance and I lost it. All I could think is "At least I held that baby turtle."

When I got back it was time, time to start sending out those resumes, and this was something I had no clue on how to do. I never applied for jobs during high school, mostly to focus on my school work, but this left my resume looking incredibly bare. I had done so much volunteer work, oh so much volunteer work, but they were only really interested in if I had a job before. I had an interview with Pizza Hut, and they never even called back (Pizza Hut if your reading this, I'm still waiting). I had an interview with EB Games a little later on, which went really well, but then they hired someone else, and I was back to waiting. Then I eventually found season employment at Michaels Arts and Crafts Store. I liked it there, actually, I had nothing to complain about. Then on December 16th I received this email:

"Hello Nicole,
We are happy to inform you that you have been selected for the Cultural Discovery and Civic Engagement program and that you will be a member of group 22143. Your program will begin on January 5th 2011 in Montréal-Ville Émard, QC and end in Sioux Lookout, ON on June 22nd 2011."

I imploded. A couple days after frantic calls and paper work I had to hand in my two weeks notice, which was really embarrassing because they keep season safe on until January 15th, and I would be leaving January 5th. But I can't pass up the opportunity I had been waiting all year for.

So here I am, a 40 minute until I have to get on that bus and go to work, and it's not so bad. Because I know that Michaels is going to continue having sales and supplying paintbrushes and flower arrangements, but I'm going to Montreal. I'm going to meet new people, speak french, an bake bread. Only one week to go.