northern lights, skagway

In Skagway, on the 26th, I ventured along with Mel, Sarah and Dani (girls I work with in YA-youth activities) to a little restaurant called Northern Lights. I’m positive that it was the best pizza of my life. Best pizza and definitely the best garlic bread. When I eat off of the ship it’s almost like I’m tasting something for the very first time and it’s always delicious. Ship food isn’t that bad, there’s lots of variety, but it’s all starting to taste the same already. Better than camp, yes, but man sometimes you really crave something greasy, or really healthy ('cause I fiends fer some Subway all the time, I already told you that.) but obviously you can’t get it whenever you want. Makes for an unsatisfied tummy fairly often. But I didn’t come here to talk about ship food, so moving on.

Northen Lights gave me the best pizza I’ve had in the last month. And that is my story for today.

We're going to be in Juneau tomorrow. It was raining last week so I didn't go out, but I'm not going to let it stop me this time! I hope to make the most of my little bit of free time while we're there. I'm into week two of my YA training and it's going good. I want it to last as long as possible, I'm not ready to fly on my own just yet...

Lots of love!

Week One of my Alaskan tour

Tracy Arm was amazing. The ship travelled through a fjord and then stopped in front of a huge beautiful, intensely blue glacier. All around us in the water were chunks of ice and more seals that you could count. I’ve never seen so many. We hung out on the crew deck for a while taking it all in.

After awhile I went up to the higher guest decks for a different view, and watched everyone else enjoying themselves too. I have to say, I really enjoyed myself and even though it was chilly out, it was pleasant. No rain is a good day.

Skagway on the 19^th was a pretty cool little town and the highest north that we go on this journey; the darkest it gets up here is dusk. This was our first chance off the boat since Tuesday. It is only one long street full of lots and lots of jewellery stores and tourist trap souvenir spots. Really fun to explore though. Apparently it’s great for hiking too, which I might try next time we’re there. Most of us from our Traditions training course went out together to explore which was nice, since our schedules will be drastically different starting next week. I love exploring with Carlos. Any time there’s a photo opportunity he looks at me with his Spanish accent and says “Emily, you have camera? Take picture!” When you’re with people who love picture taking as much as you do, it’s way less awkward. But I’m not going to shy away from playing tourist to the full. Alaska is super beautiful with all the trees and haunting mist that creeps over the mountains. I’m really loving it so far.

We stopped in Juneau yesterday but no one from my group got off, so I stayed on board too. The weather wasn’t great and I didn’t want to be by myself. Instead, I stayed on the boat and worked out my internet issues.

Today we stopped in Ketchikan, and even though it was another rainy day I didn’t want to miss another chance to get off and visit this new place. No one else wanted to face the rain so I ventured off on my own this time (Sorry, Mumsie). It was similar to Skagway in the types of shops but much bigger. I took a brief look around, bought myself a hot chocolate and waited for the free shuttle that takes you to Wal-mart. My Scottish friend has never heard of Wal-mart so I have to take her there sometime.

Since I’ve become a frequent visitor to Subway in the last couple of months, I was happy to see that there was one built in to this Wal-mart.  I was even further enthralled to learn that they have spinach and pepper jack cheese as some of their options! Um, yum. Someone tell me why is this not available in Canada, please?!

After that I rushed back on board and met up with our training coordinator to go around to some of the different kid spaces and chill with the kids. I love how many different nationalities you come across on board. I met a girl who said she was from Hong Kong, another from London. Tonight was the Pirate Party which was held indoors because of the gross weather, but was lots of fun nonetheless. You can’t go wrong with dancing along with the Disney characters dressed as pirates. Benji, Stephanie and Shiv conspired together and tried to convince Sarah and I that we had to get up there on stage and dance around with them because it was part of our ‘earning our ears’. Luckily they were just kidding. I’m not quite ready for that yet.

This is getting long so I’ll end here. If you read it all, you are awesome! I already feel like I’ve been here for ages, even though it’s only been a little over a week since I left home.  

I promise I'll add pictures soon, once I find some free and quicker internet on land somewhere. xo

I'm in Alaska!

Sorry for my absence you guys! I had some difficulty figuring out how to get internet on board the last few days! It's stinkin' expensive, but I'll try to keep you updated when I get some free time.

We've been doing endless and often repetitious training sessions all week long since we arrived on the ship on Tuesday and it's been so much to take in. I'm having a good time so far though and trying to build my mental map of this place. It is overwhelmingly huge, but really beautiful. Everyone here is so welcoming and helpful, especially in pointing me in the right direction when I've lost my way.

For now,  I'll just leave you with the gorgeous view I had while we were stopped in Tracy Arm a few days ago.

Training: Day Two & Three

The safety training we went through yesterday was the most fun and the most exhausting. We had some swimming exercises to do in the pool while wearing life jackets. If I didn't have a hard time swimming on my own, the life jacket definitely made it rough. Actually, I'm a terrible swimmer so it took all of my energy for the day. We had to swim the length of the pool and back wearing them, then take turns pulling a partner across one way, switching for the other. Andrew from Poland was my partner and he pretty much did all the work. haha.

We learned the 'caterpillar' technique wear you line off horizontally head to foot, hooking your feet under the arms or around the torso so you stay together when you propel backwards with your arms. Then we inflated a life boat, got inside and squished all twelve of us inside. Cozy little floating tent.

In the night a few of us took the sky train to downtown Vancouver and went to a little bar and grill by the harbour. Pretty sight with all the yachts and city skyline. The night was warm and it felt good to spend some time in the city for a few hours.

Today we had "Traditions" where we learned about the Disney company and how to best treat the guests. Disney is way bigger than I ever realized. I had no idea that they owned ABC or ESPN and had so many companies and projects under its wing. Walt Disney was quite the visionary, from humble beginnings with a genuine desire to make people happy. At the end of the session we all got our name tags. I have to say, it looks pretty cool.

When it finished at 3:30, my friend Nicole came to visit and we did a little shopping at the Pacific Centre and walked on Robson street. It was so so good to spend some time with her. Really just what I needed.

We're off to the boat tomorrow morning. We are to leave the hotel 'promptly' at 6:30 and so now I shall go and enjoy my last night in a big comfy bed. Wish I could take it with me!!

Training: Day One

I've finally met the rest of the group. There are people from all over the globe which has been amazing. Portugal, Trinidad, Jamaica (yah man), Poland, Oklahoma, to name a few. My roommate is from Scotland and we'll both be youth counselors.  We met the rest of the group at 7am while waiting for our ride to our first day of Personal Survival Training.  I'm loving all of the accents but sometimes I feel rude asking some people to repeat themselves. Sometimes I just smile and nod. Oops.

Our instructor for the course, Barry Walker, is an easy going bloke who used to captain a ship in the 60s I think, and has been on all sorts of different ships. He said that for the last 7 years he has worked here doing all sorts of training courses. The first part of the day we talked about various emergency situations, and he emphasized life jackets like crazy and successfully made me frightened to death of drowning or dying of hypothermia. Or walking into a non-ventilated area with bad air and dropping dead from lack of oxygen. It happens. Yay. Ummm, do I still want this job? (Now, Mom, stop worrying! I'll be okay!) But then he showed us silly videos of people failing at getting onto boats, and it lightened the mood.

We had an hour off for lunch so a few of us wandered beyond the doors of our little training school to a market close by. The last time I'd been in a place like that was in Florida. Lots of little trinkets to buy, fresh fruit, and apparently a mean bowl of minestrone soup according to Mackenzie. Afterwards we all got a crash course in lifeboats and got to experience going lowered down in one. Rocky and uncomfortable to say the least. Once we were in the water it wasn't so bad. There were otters in the harbour and it was a beautiful day.

Now we're back in the hotel, relaxing, cleaning up before we all meet for supper at 7:30. Many are still jet lagged, myself included, because despite my fantastically comfortable bed, I kept waking every few hours. Tomorrow we'll be getting into a pool while wearing survival suits and practicing with a boat to some capacity. We're hoping to explore the city a little bit after that session. Should be fun!

That's pretty much it! I'm liking it all so far.
Love and miss you all back home and wish you were here.
(I'll add pictures later.)   

at long last

I have been up since 4 to catch my flight at 7am and after a lot of travellin' I have arrived safely in Vancouver! Phewf. Why am I in Vancouver? Well, I haven't wanted to say much about my job because I was afraid something would go wrong and I'd jinx it. But all is well and I'm in Vancouver for training for my work on Disney Cruise Lines. I'll be working with the kiddo programming while heading to Alaska, then down to the Mexican Riviera. Can't. Believe. I'm. Finally. Here. Today is literally going to be the longest day of my life, with the time zone changes. My body feels like 9pm but its only 4:30 here. I'll sleep tonight for sure. I've never been on the west coast before! Flying over the Rocky Mountains was probably my top favourite flying moment ever. So crazy pretty.

 

I'm both excited and nervous to start my safety training tomorrow morning. It requires jumping in a swimming pool and it'll probably be my first time swimming this summer. Yikes. But get this, in this place, in this province the sun actually SHINES! Ever since I left NL, I have seen sun and I am so happy to see it again, friends, no joke.

Anyway, I'm checked into my hotel and my roommate hasn't arrived yet. I think I might go back out and explore the airport a little more, or take a walk outside. I don't know how often I'll get to update you all on what I'm up to in the next few months, but I'll sure try my best to catch a moment here and there or post a photo or two.

And despite how I feel about myself on camera, here is a little tour of my hotel room right now.

unexpected kindness

{escape the city, a photo by emma-lily on Flickr.}

I like being surprised by kindness.
Someone taking a few seconds of their life to wait and hold the door for you;
someone who isn’t afraid to look you in the eye and smile as you walk past, even when they don’t know you.
Last night, for example. I had stopped into Irving on the way home from town, and on the way back out a man held the door open for me. That was nice enough, but he went on and asked me how far along the highway I was driving. He told me to drive close behind him in his transport truck because of the moose that could be lurking on the roads. He went from potential creeper truck driver, talking to me in the middle of a gas station parking lot, to nice man taking the time to help a lone driver be a little safer. I thanked him and we set off. When we reached my turn off in the highway he turned off to the side just before it and honked as we parted ways.
It was nice to have a stress-free drive home for a change;
nice to experience a ‘lil kindness from a complete stranger.
And, side note, I really need to tone down the urge to hug people when they are nice to me,
you know, once the fight or flight rush disappears.
Yeah, I’m definitely a hugger.

typewriter art

(images from her fb group)

I'm in awe. Keira Rathbone creates incredibly detailed art

using little more than paper and her vintage typerwriter. 

Gorgeous work.

To help me ward off this sickness, I made myself a big pot of minestrone soup. I started off using this recipe, but I added a few other things too. Soup really is one of my favourites especially on sick, rainy days. 

 I feel more comforted already.

Here's what I put in mine:

1 onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, two fresh mushrooms, can of diced tomatoes, 2 carrots, 1 stalk celery, 1/2 cup frozen spinach (thawed), 1/2 cup frozen corn (thawed), 1 cup (or so) of shell pasta, 1 can of rinsed 6 bean medley, 2 cartons of chicken broth, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil.

One thing I recently learned about onions and garlic is that you should chop them and let them 

sit to the side for 5-10 minutes to maximize flavour and health benefits. 

Worth a shot anyway. I need all the benefits I can get!

baby gullies

This summer, for the first time in the history of living here, a gull set up his nest by the harbour, behind our house. Dad watched them every single day with his "spy-glasses" (aka binoculars), worrying about their survival. They faced some pretty close calls. Like when an evil bird tried to attack the nest, and the time when they had to replace the light and risked disturbing them altogether. 

Unfourtunate was the day that Dad finally said that they didn't make it. 

I don't even know the cause, but the spot they chose is kind of vulnerable. 

We were hoping for the best.

That's why I'll always be glad I took the time to take a few pictures of them one morning. 

Mostly for my Dad, since I love seeing him get so excited about nature. 

For such a serious seeming man, he loves animals and it's really endearing. 

I also never thought I'd consider gulls adorable, 

but these little babies were the cutest, fluffiest creatures I've ever seen.

lazy day

today has been an incredibly lazy day

spent the morning reading The Hunger Games

got up long enough to eat breakfast & run a few errands

came back, discovered i'd received my official job contract in my inbox (yay! finally!)

continued reading and slept the rest of the afternoon away

i've been a little under the weather lately anyway

makes sense since our weather is so out of whack bipolar this summer
today was damp and rainy again, encouraging the sleepiness

i'm glad my bed has been my kitty's go-to nap-all-day place the last few weeks

he's been the most excellent company

pandamania

Last week (24-29th) I helped out with the Pandamania themed Vacation Bible School they were putting off at my church. It was a total blast. For a few hours every morning I got to sing silly songs, help with crafts, 

play games, listen to their stories and give them hugs.
At first I was leader to a handful of nine year old boys (Cameron, Caleb, Logan, Ethan and Brandon). They were good kids, but as the week went on they pushed the limits more and more, as that age tends to do. They got Jared to take over on the second last day, but it turned out that they listened a lot better to an older father figure on the final day. I was willing to stick it out the whole week--I've definitely faced worse in my years of camp counselling, but I was moved to watching over an adorable group of 5-7 year olds instead and I was in my glee. I'll admit, that's my preferred age group and they were the absolute sweetest: Damon, Ava and her identical twin brothers Luke & Robert, and little Emily. Funny enough, once I was moved, some of the nine year old boys wanted me back!  I also missed being there for Amber, Chloe and Alicia in the older group since they were usually found at my side and some of the adults said they missed having me around too. It surprised me to hear it and goes to show that you don't realize the impact you're making by simply being kind.

This week helped fill the hole in my heart from not being at CWJ this summer. I love the atmosphere of week long activities with kids. My heart swells and I want to protect them from all the horrible things in the world. You get to laugh with them, teach them things, watch them grow and slowly open up to you. Like tiny little Emily, she was the youngest and quietest and took everything in with her big blue eyes, but on the last day she wanted to hold my hand everywhere we went and tell me all about her pet hamster. 

That's how I spell success. And cuteness overload.

 Even if it's a rough week, in the end the smiles on their faces make it all worth it.

hey rosetta!

Last night we got to take in Newfoundland's own, Hey Rosetta! at another festival downtown.  

Plants and Animals opened up for them, and I liked their sound too. Despite the massive amounts of second hand smoke inhaled, and damage inevitably done to my poor ear drums, it was a fun night!

light

 a few more from the lantern installments

lantern festival

 Victoria Park Lantern Festival brought a little bit of magic to our city this weekend.