Swift Current

The past week and a bit I have been working to support a Canada World Youth programme in Swift Current, Sask. It has been a great little town to get to know. There was a cool kite festival all last weekend, where I had a display booth at and was constantly meeting new people from all over the province who had come to partake in the kite festival and the long summer nights music festival. When I came we had only 2 host families and now we are at 7 families... however, we really need 11 families. So there is still a lot of work to be done!

Today the team arrived and I had the pleasure of meeting them. It was great, they truly look like an all star team, very keen, enthousiastic and energetic! I am impressed and reminded of all the magic that takes place on Canada World Youth programmes. Especially as I ate dinner with a pair of participants and their new host family and the conversation we had was in Spanglish---a complete mix of Spanish and English! I LOVE IT! and it is moments like this that I really miss the job and the programme. However, it is other moments when we are running around like crazy, trying to find the last three host families, that I dont miss it and think its in fact at little crazy!

I leave for home this Friday and will be a little sad to leave, as already I am beginning to feel at home. I have developed relationships, I have been welcomed into so many homes, workplacements and into the general community. Funny how life works, where we can make this relationships and then have to leave them. The internet, email and phone make all these relationships easier however there is something about physical interaction and when its not there its just not the same in turns of maintaing and nuturing relationships.

Well,just some of my thoughts at midnight regarding my time here in Swift Current.

Final Week of Classes

Hard to believe it but I am nearly finished my 6 week intensive community service learning class at the Univeristy of Alberta. Without a doubt it has been an adventure, a lot of work, challenging and highly engaging. We travelled up to Fort McMurray, the frontier town for the present Oil Boom taking shape here in Alberta. It was quite an experience as each of us were placed with different community organizations where we learned first hand some of the issues and problems facing the people of Fort McMurray.

I had the privilege to be placed with the YMCA in their Immigrant Settlement Services. I was shocked and amazed at how many new immigrants are coming into Canada and travelling directly to Fort McMurray as they believe that is where its at--- unfortunately what they dont hear is that earning a $19/hr job in Fort McMurray isnt enough to make ends meet, as rents are so inflated that to find a basic room, nevermind your own apartment will run you approx $1000. The average on bedroom apartment is approx $2000 and to look at renting a house you'll need somewhere between $3000-$4000/month. Due to this harsh reality, many working people depend on social services such as the Salvation Army's soup kitchen and emergency shelter. We saw many people not able to make ends meet. It's hard to understand, really, how a place with so much wealth can create so much injustice and inequality.