Life and Why I Love It So Much

The Title: once again stresses how amazing it is to be Niki. I'm not being cocky. I'm not trying to make you jealous (it's normal if you are). I'm not overreacting. I'm not trying to rub anything in your face. I'm just feeling really fortunate. So let's go into the "Why are you so fortunate, Niki?"

WELL!

1. I am the chairperson of the group.
2. I have a fantastic job.
3. We're in the paper
4. I am a certified in Nonviolent Crisis Management.
5. We had curry for dinner on April 13th, 2011
6. The Simplest Joys
7. Package from Mum

1) I should first clarify the role of Chairperson for those of you who don't know or don't remember. If Katimavik was a human body, the brain would be the CCK (also known as the KCC). It stands for something, something we never remember. It's a collective meeting where we discuss the week, activities, rules, and house managers. The group is divided into three commitees, with a fourth executive committee which oversees the meeting. In Montreal, there was the Activities Committee, the Collective Projects Committee, and the Second Language Committee. Here our committees are based on the Katimavik Competencies which we are working on. Katimavik has 8 competencies, here in Sioux Lookout, we named them:
          1. Mudkipz: To interact with others in a variety of situations.
          2. KSLARC: To adopt an open attitude towards the diversity of social and              multicultural realities.
          3. Yes, No, Toaster: To communicate in both official languages.
          4. Whorin' Orange (Whorange): To engage in diverse work experiences.
          5. Don't Stop: To apply habits that favour a healthy lifestyle.
          6. It's Not Easy Being Green: To develop an integrated vision of
              environmental protection and sustainable development.
          7. Yo, Degage: To engage as a citizen.
          8. Que Sera, Sera: To prepare to integrate, as a citizen, into the job
              market, school or other life event.
Our targeted competencies in Montreal were: 1,2, 3 and 7, I think.  Here we have 2,7, and 8. My committee is Yo, Degage. However, I was also nominated and unanimously elected to be chairman of the executive committee. Yay, for me! I really wanted that role so I can work on my leadership, which I feel is always lacking.

2) Meno-Ya-Win Health Center is so cool! I play bingo, and test desserts and it is just a fun place to be. I feel that saying  "I'm going to work" has such a negative connotation associated with it, I can't use that sentence. I enjoy my every waking minute at that place. Gift store, extended care, patient wing, or just being lost in the hospital.

3) Page 15 of the Sioux Lookout Bulletin April 13th edition.

4) My wonderful boss, Sharon, managed to get me a spot in the Nonviolent Crisis Management course. Sharon, if you're reading this, thank you very much.  So, an extra little addition to my katima-beautified resume. The course was fun, useful, and all around a very good use of time. I'm proud of my little certificate.

5) There was curry for dinner. A much needed curry. I've been like a drug addict going through withdrawal, I miss my curry so much. Unlike drugs, curry is good for you, so this was a much needed indulgence.

6) Simple joys have kept me abnormally happy since I've been here. If you could see me right now, you'd be the slightest bit worried. Exhibit A, the bicycle: When we got here there was one token bicycle. I managed to uncover a bicycle from the snow with the help of Cody. The epic saga was written out in our PFE form:

"Driven by a boundless passion for a bicycle, Niki ventured through the vicious tundra that is the backyard in search of shy handle bars, just peeking out from the snow. Once the victim was spotted, Niki fixated all her efforts on the target. The bike never stood a chance. The great warrior summoned Cody to help with the intensive digging to rescue the metal contraption. Water was boiled to combat the ice, and after a good 4 hours of valiant labour, the bicycle was rescued. However it was broken ....but that's another story."

Later, other bikes were donated, and sadly, a selection of them were broken. Despite the quality of the bikes, there's something really special about riding my bike through the sun rise in the morning and listening to music. The sunshine hits the water tower and I think, almost every morning, "I will never forget this".

During this week, while I was speaking to G-ma and G-pa, I ran down to the train tracks while the train had stopped, and I laid a variety of coins on the track and then I stuck around to watch them be smushed.

There was also the fancy crackers and blue cheese, I brought at Johnny's (the local grocery store). Simple and joyous.

7) The package from mum was a real highlight. When I got back from work on Friday, there was a wonderful package from mum! My glasses, Vidaela Onion Fig Sauce, Mini Eggs, and Tic-Tacs. So much good stuff. There was a string of canoe christmas light that we put up in the living room. Then there was the Canucks Jersey, don't forget your roots right? Don't worry, mum, I'm not a total Habs fans. I wore it until we won the game, an all around good night. THANK YOU, MUMMY!!

I actually wore that jersey to our welcome party on Friday Night. Our self-hosted quaint  party. It was fun though. We had music and food, and we socialized with some members of the community. We had microphones set up for impromptu Karoke, and the musical stylings of Francois the guitarist, Andrew the violinist, and Valerie the mandolinist.

Other stuff happened too:

Saturday's Ice Fishing brought fun times and no fish. Here's our group out on the frozen lake, smiling hopefully for fishies.

 Later we found that using the fishing stools as ice sleds was a good idea. This is Sarah and I traveling wheel barrow style across the ice.

On Monday we volunteered at the legion for a hockey banquet. The highlight of the night was shoving cupcakes in one another's faces.

 Francois demonstrates the activity of the night.

The next night we split up, half went to help out at another banquet at the legion. The other half went to the volunteer appreciation night at the Extended Care Facility. Val and Francois played music and the rest of us handed out desserts, and of course, ate a few along the way.

We have a lot of fun.

Coming up next time ... the katimavikians try to vote, will they register in time? Snow fell, what will happen to the beloved bikes? Bonfire story time scheduled for Saturday night, will everyone find a story in time? Find out, next time, on Niki's Blog!