Hurry Up and Wait

Another busy, fun-filled couple of days!

I am finished my training at Pete's. It was definitely an interesting couple of days. I really enjoyed the people who I worked with in Halifax. They were such good people to work with. I hope my team is as good as theirs! I had my three hour orientation in Wolfville this afternoon. Basically, it was just an information session about Pete's core values and expectations for employees. We set up our banking information, ordered uniforms, and got our photos taken for our employee discount cards - pretty standard stuff.
Sergio and I had a good time at Celtic Corner in downtown Dartmouth with Kaylyn and Ryan. I had some excellent seafood chowder. Unfortunately, I couldn't join them on the ferry ride to Casino Nova Scotia for the night since I had to work in the morning. Sergio won ten dollars though!
Because Sergio couldn't go back to Wolfville alone with all his leg problems, he stayed with Grandma and me for two extra days. On Saturday night, we went to my cousin Lindsey's (7) Irish ceilidh with Grandma, Aunt Suzanne, Uncle Shane, Lauren (9), and Jake (5). We all really enjoyed the fiddle music, and it was held in the most beautiful old barn that had been brought down from Cape Breton and reconstructed. Lindsey's Irish dancing was pretty adorable too.
This morning, Sergio and I headed back to Wolfville after dropping his crutches off. We stopped at Mic Mac Mall for a few minutes to grab some last minute items, but shopping is not as much fun when you've got a wheelchair to look after.
A little side note here: This morning while I was brushing my teeth, I heard Sergio singing for Grandma while she made him an omelette. Then I heard Grandma say, "It's not everyday I get an opera singer in my kitchen while I'm making breakfast." I couldn't help but laugh. On the drive home, Sergio asked if I thought Grandma would adopt him. :)
I got Sergio new crutches and dropped him at his physiotherapy appointment before heading back to Truro for the night.
I'm hoping to move into my apartment by Wednesday. I was planning on tomorrow, but I got an email from my landlord saying they are repainting inside the apartment tomorrow. Better not move in during that!
For now, I've got a night or two left with my family before moving out into the big world. I start work whenever Pete's has their grand opening in Wolfville - sometime in the week of May 7th. I'm surprisingly pretty excited. Just another chapter ready to start.

Smoothies and Hospital Trips

You really can't plan anything without a wrench being thrown in every now and again.
Yesterday, I caught the bus down the street from Grandma's house bright and early. As should be expected, I didn't take my eyes off the street signs the whole way to Spring Garden Road (despite it being a forty minute bus trip). But I made it to Pete's before my shift started. I spent the morning with Corey and Ross, two full-time juice bar guys. They were really fun to work with and very helpful.
Training, in general, was good. It's pretty basic work - preparing fruit, learning recipes, blending smoothies. I loved using the juicer, but I'm not a huge fan of the juices. Too healthy for my taste buds. The smoothies are pretty delicious though and also so good for you. The natural sugars sweeten them up a little, so I find them quite enjoyable. It's a pretty basic job though. I don't know why I need four days of training for it.
Yesterday, when I got off work, I had a text from Sergio saying "Please pray for me when you get out of work. I might have broken my leg so I'm heading to the hospital. I'll tell you what happened later". I quickly adjusted my bus route and made it to ER in the Dartmouth hospital. I was so worried, but, when I got there, he was just in his hospital bed smiling. I had to laugh a little. Ryan and Sergio had decided to take a shortcut home from Pizza Delight that would cut ten minutes off their walk. They had to jump over a fence to get there, and Sergio landed wrong. No broken bones - just a dislocated knee. He's got it wrapped for now and is on crutches. He'll have to go see the physiotherapist once we get back to Wolfville on Monday. It could've been worse, so we're grateful.
Ryan's parents took us all back to their house, and Grandma came to get me once she was done babysitting my cousins. I got up this morning and caught the same bus. I was a little less nervous this morning. Basically I just went through more of the same training as I did yesterday. I took the bus back to Grandma's and am now about to get ready to meet Sergio and some friends in downtown Dartmouth for dinner. I'm looking forward to getting moved into my apartment next week and getting settled.

High Tensions

It's official. My room has been packed and moved (currently into the trunk and backseat of my car). I'm finished with Acadia for another summer.
Currently, I'm in Dartmouth staying with my grandmother. Sergio and I drove up here yesterday. We spent the night shopping at MicMac Mall and got amazing deals! We spent the night at my grandmother's then headed to Halifax Shopping Centre for today. We had a good time together, and we sure do make a productive shopping team. We both got lots of new pieces for our wardrobes. However, our navigating skills could use a little work. I'm not a nervous driver, but I've had some bad driving experiences in Halifax and am now terrified of driving in there. Because of that (and just because I like it), Sergio drives, and he is a really good driver. But neither of us know Halifax very well (thank goodness for map navigators on iPhones), and I get nervous even when he's driving, and his Guatemalan driving instincts are enough to put me on the edge of my seat. Needless to say, tensions are riding high when we drive together in the city.
We came home from our day on the town and played outside with my cousins Lindsey (7) and Jake (5). They loved Sergio (or Surgery as they preferred to call him). I dropped Sergio off at his friend Ryan's house after we had dinner with my grandmother and cousins.
Now I'm just blogging to pass some time. I have my first training shift at Pete's Frootique on Spring Garden Road in downtown Halifax tomorrow morning. I've opted to take Metro Transit instead of driving over there myself. Last thing I need is to have a mental breakdown while I'm trying to get to work on the first day. Not going to lie - I'm very nervous about how it will go. Sergio and I popped in the store this afternoon because I had never seen it. It was a lot louder and busier than I was expecting. Hopefully Wolfville's won't be like that.
I'm here until Sunday night, then I'm going to either head back to Truro or Wolfville.
So far, the summer has been pretty good - the whole two days of it I've had.

Out With the Old

Things are coming to an end.

I've got one more exam left tomorrow night, and Lindsay has officially moved out of Tully.
I'm trying to start packing, but it's difficult to pack up everything you own in such a short time frame.

I've been trying to get my friends to take pictures on the Acadia University sign all year, and we had finally agreed we would do it today before Lindsay went home. But life got in the way, and we didn't get the chance to. However, Patricia did take some nice pictures of Sergio and me.
I haven't had a chance to post all week because of my hectic schedule. I'm start training at Pete's in Halifax on Thursday until Monday then get to move into my apartment on the 1st of May. I'm so excited for that! It's going to be another hectic week.

I've officially made the decision to not put internet in my apartment this summer. I'm attempting to save up enough money to contribute to my trip to Guatemala to meet Sergio's family. He's hoping to take me down either at the end of this summer or over Christmas. By not having internet, I'm going to be cutting down on my monthly apartment spending. I'm also really looking forward to the things I will do without internet.

• baking
• knitting
• playing piano
• working out
• scrapbooking
• reading 
• puzzles

I can't help but giggle looking back on that list. It makes me seem retro in a sense - maybe more homey. 

There's just so much that I could be working on that I don't because of Facebook or Youtube. I'm hoping it will help me be more in tune with myself. But, before you get too worked up, I will have my phone for "emergency" Facebook-ing or emails. More likely though, I will use the internet on campus.
Better hit the books or this exam is going to be the end of me.

Home Sweet Home

I decided to come home for a few days before my next exam so I have a chance to pack my room before the big move and to give Sergio some space to study for his exam on Wednesday.

I spent this morning cleaning out my hope chest. There was a lot of ex-boyfriend memorabilia that did not need to make the move. Then I began packing up my room. It's so hard to decide what pieces of my childhood I don't want anymore. But I can't possibly take everything with me and I can't leave anything behind because, when my family moves into the new house, I don't have a room. So, that's my dilemma.

I also got kitchen supplies for my apartment today - all for free. My parents took me over to the golf course and just gave me pots and pans and baking sheets and utensils - even a toaster! So, for the most part, my kitchen is taken care of and all for nothing.

Other exciting news is that my dad and I found four kittens under our deck today! Earl (who my mom thought was a girl until today) and Earlene (don't ask about the names) had kittens. We guess they're about eight weeks old now, but we just found them today. They are so sweet. My parents are not too happy about it though because the last thing they want is four more cats to take over to the new house in a month... They were already planning on dumping the two cats we have now to the neighbours.
 The day just kept getting better because then I found out that I got an A- in my stats course! Who knew I could do math?!
I'm supposed to get lots of studying done for my political science final that's on Saturday, but I never get work done when I come home. I'll probably head back to Acadia on Wednesday morning just to get some work done.

Change of Plans

Things sure move fast!

I had an interview yesterday and heard back today that I am being offered the position of juice barista at Pete's Frootique's new Wolfville location! A summer of making fruit smoothies. That has to be some sort of step up from the dairy bar.. Regardless, I'm pretty excited about it. Mostly because it means I get to spend the summer in the valley.

I'm a little disappointed that co-op didn't work out. I thought it was going to be really great, but it turns out that there isn't much for a second year sociology student in rural Nova Scotia. Who would've thought?

But, despite that my summer job didn't turn out to be what I wanted initially, I know that there's a reason God's putting me in the position He is. We'll just have to wait and see what that reason is. In the meantime, if you want some killer smoothies, stop on in to Pete's Frootique in Wolfville!

I'm Never Going To Catch My Breath

I am anxiously awaiting my social stats exam tonight. I've studied as much as I can. Not too brag or anything, but I'm pretty confident going in. I've done extremely well in the course. Probably my best university grades since I took German - maybe even better than that.

Nonetheless, Sergio and I are tucked away in a corner of the BAC "studying". I found the most amazing Disney study soundtrack for anyone looking for symphony music. It's so good.

I'm still on the job hunt. It's amazing how long people will take to get back to you. Just trusting every day that God knows what He's doing. He's definitely teaching me some patience along the way.

Only twelve more days until I move out of Tully! That's hard to believe. It seems like I moved in just yesterday. It's going to be weird to move out after living there for the last two years. The next bunch of girls had better take good care of it...

On that note, it's also crazy to think I'm halfway through my undergrad! Just two more years until I'm finished with Acadia. That wouldn't be so scary of a thought if I knew what I was going to do afterwards, but, for now, only God knows.

I'm totally procrastinating right now, so I should get back to stats.

You Are Enough

I stole this from Kate Elizabeth Conner's blog. 

This is what I would want my little sisters to know. 

1.  If you choose to wear shirts that show off your boobs, you will attract boys. To be more specific, you will attract the kind of boys that like to look down girls’ shirts.  If you want to date a guy who likes to look at other girls’ boobs and chase skirts, then great job; keep it up.  If you don’t want to date a guy who ogles at the breasts of other women, then maybe you should stop offering your own breasts up for the ogling.  All attention is not equal.  You think you want attention, but you don’t.  You want respect.  All attention is not equal.

2. Don’t go to the tanning bed.  You’ll thank me when you go to your high school reunion and you look like you’ve been airbrushed and then photoshopped compared to the tanning bed train wrecks formerly known as classmates – well, at least next to the ones that haven’t died from skin cancer.

3.  When you talk about your friends “anonymously” on Facebook, we  know exactly who you’re talking about.  People are smarter than you think they are.  Stop posting passive-aggressive statuses about the myriad of ways your friends disappoint you.

4. Newsflash: the number of times you say “I hate drama” is a pretty good indicator of how much you love drama.  Non-dramatic people don’t feel the need to discuss all the drama they didn’t start and aren’t involved in.

5.  “Follow your heart” is probably the worst advice ever. 

6. Never let a man make you feel weak or inferior because you are an emotional being.  Emotion is good; it is nothing to be ashamed of.  Emotion makes us better – so long as it remains in it’s proper place: subject to truth and reason.

7.  Smoking is not cool.

8.  Stop saying things like, “I don’t care what anyone thinks about me.”  First of all, that’s not true.  And second of all, if it is true, you need a perspective shift.  Your reputation matters – greatly.  You should care what people think of you.

9. Don’t play coy or stupid or helpless to get attention.  Don’t pretend something is too heavy so that a boy will carry it for you.  Don’t play dumb to stroke someone’s ego.  Don’t bat your eyelashes in exchange for attention and expect to be taken seriously, ever.  You can’t have it both ways.  Either you show the world that you have a brain and passions and skills, or you don’t.  There are no damsels in distress managing corporations, running countries, or managing households.  The minute you start batting eyelashes, eyelashes is all you’ve got.

10.  You are beautiful.  You are enough.  The world we live in is twisted and broken and for your entire life you will be subjected to all kinds of lies that tell you that you are not enough.  You are not thin enough.  You are not tan enough.  You are not smooth, soft, shiny, firm, tight, fit, silky, blonde, hairless enough.  Your teeth are not white enough.  Your legs are not long enough.  Your clothes are not stylish enough.  You are not educated enough.  You don’t have enough experience.  You are not creative enough.

There is a beauty industry, a fashion industry, a television industry, (and most unfortunately) a pornography industry: and all of these have unique ways of communicating to bright young women: you are not beautiful, sexy, smart or valuable enough.

You must have the clarity and common sense to know that none of that is true. None of it.

You were created for a purpose, exactly so.  You have innate value.  You are loved more than you could ever comprehend; it is mind-boggling how much you are adored.  There has never been, and there will never be another you.  Therefore, you have unique thoughts to offer the world.  They are only yours, and we all lose out if you are too fearful to share them.

You are beautiful.  You are valuable.  You are enough.

Sometimes, You Just Know, Right?

One thing you might not know about me is that I love to document my life. I started writing in diaries when I was 12 and kept going with them every day until I started university. You just run out of time to write for pleasure in university.
And that's a shame. Because university is full of life changes. I call mine Sergio.
I actually didn't meet Sergio until the beginning of my second year in university. We met one night at the campus bar. My friend Lindsay introduced us. He asked me to dance. I said no. We never spoke again.
Well, not never.
Have you ever felt that push inside you to do something completely irrational and so out of character? On November 15, I did. Something pushed me to send Sergio, who I had only met once briefly months ago, a message. We just talked about school and his home country (Guatemala). To this day, I still can't believe I did that so randomly. He claims it was enticing.

Just five days later, he asked me out on our first date. He picked me up at my residence, and we walked downtown together at night. He bought us hot chocolates then we sat on the rocks overlooking the Bay of Fundy. My biggest fear about this date was that I wouldn't be able to understand what he was saying because of his accent, but his English was exquisite! When we were finished our drinks, we went for a long walk around Wolfville, just talking more about high school and our friends and families. I remember being so nervous. I could barely look him in the eyes.
A week later, he asked me to be his date to the formal. This was a big step for us. Skipping details, this was the night of our first kiss.
After that, the dates kept coming. We watched movies together, ate meals together, went to the bar together, and he even took me to a concert the music school was putting on. I was on cloud nine.
I was very cautious when we first started dating because I'd been hurt by guys I liked before. I never really expressed that I liked him, and I tried to play it very cool. He says he knew right from the start.
Finally, on December 3rd, after dating unofficially for a whole two weeks, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I was a little surprised at how early the offer came, but I knew it was inevitable. We were a perfect match. After a little hesitation just to keep him guessing, I eagerly agreed. Sometimes, you just know, right?
We're working on our fifth month now and have had so many defining moments. We laugh. We cry. We argue. We forgive. We grow. We plan for a future together.
He's my love. He's my best friend.

In this moment

As I'm writing this, Sergio is playing "Two is Better than One" on the guitar for me. In this moment, that's exactly what I need. I've been so stressed about finding a summer job. Stressed to the point of tears. I've got interviews coming up this week mixed with final exams. It's just too much right now.
But when I'm worrying about tomorrow and Sergio attacks me with tickles that make my belly hurt from laughing, I know that no matter what tomorrow holds, I've always got today. I may not be completely prepared for my finals. I may not have a job lined up. But today I've learned the best things in life are free.

Hola Amigos!

Who knew blogging could be so addicting?

I really decided to create a blog because I'm finally starting out on my own. This summer, I am living alone in my apartment for four months. My boyfriend will just be on campus working as a summer RA, but I am living on my own. I'm really nervous about it but so excited! I can't wait to decorate my own place!

I thought a blog would be the perfect way to share my experiences with people, especially since my best friends are going separate ways for the summer.

I can tell you right now, there will definitely be some cooking disasters, day trips with Sergio, and just fun times spending a summer in the valley.

Sergio and I have already talked about a few things we want to do this summer.

1. Go on bike rides - he bought his bike yesterday! 
2. Make hamburgers filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon - his idea; not mine. 
3. Learn Spanish - that one's just for me. I have to be able to talk with his family when I meet them :)
4. Day trip to Sherbrooke Village - I love that place
5. Smoothies - these are just delicious 

We've got four months to fill, so we'd better get working on our list! Just can't wait for an amazing summer! 

I welcome visitors. Just don't count on the food being that great.

Inspiration

Life is short.

If there's one lesson I've learned in the past month, it's to forgive and forget.

Things happen. People hurt you. Life goes on. It's not worth getting held up on.

Sometimes, you just have to ignore the bad and remember the good in people, because there is always more good than bad.

Be an inspiration.