Joe Is Back in NOTL

It is official; my Canada World Youth journey has come to an end. Over. Kaput. From the whole application and interview process, to the fundraising two-thousand dollars, to meeting the group in Edmonton, to the English teaching in China and the maintenance work at the museum in Saskatchewan and to everything in-between, it has been one hell of a ride I will never forget! It was sad to see everyone leave at the airport - but I was happy to have made some really awesome friends - friends that I plan to keep in touch with. Hey, if I ever find myself in random places like Victoria, North Alberta, Montreal or even as far away as China, I'll always have those special people I can count on to crash at their place. Muahaha. Actually, if plans work out, then three of my good chums from the program are coming down to Niagara to hang out for a bit. Already!

It's been three days since I have come home, and everything seems.... Eerily the same. I entered my room to find my day calendar flipped open to the page that said 'Fly off to Edmonton', and my unwashed clothes in the hamper. So, the washroom is painted like the inside of a pumpkin, and I am lacking a canine figure... But it seems like nothing has changed with my family and friends. And you know what? I really like it. It's nice to slow down and take a big breath. Soon I will start applying to jobs, and before I know it I will be in university. Yes yes yes, I need to save up for tuition big time, but for the moment (maybe two weeks give or take), I will embrace my inner three-toed sloth.

The 3 Stages of Coming Home (Represented by Isaac, Tom, Nicole and Joe):

Stage 1: The program is over, and so is my life

I was quite depressed when I said goodbye to my friends from across the world. I sat in the plane by my lonesome self, and would turn around when I thought I heard the laugh or some other small noise that sounded like someone very familiar. I was actually really nervous walking through the airport fretting over what I would say to my parents, and worrying about the most obscure things. The general feeling was low, scarred, and a tad bit sweaty from carrying my gargantuan luggage around.

Stage 2: Okay, so maybe it is nice to have my bed back

What was with all the worrying about seeing my parents again? After a sappy reunion at the airport - where bystanders laughed at my blubbering mom as the three of us embraced - we went home for an awesome meal of vegetable soup, samosas, and cheese and crackers. No fat and fuzzy greeting at the newly painted yellow door, which will be hard to get used to, but it was great to chill with the parental units, talk to my friends on the phone, and enjoy the moisture that is in the air of South Ontario. Note: If you ever find yourself in Saskatchewan, bring moisturizer, and lots of it!


Stage 3: Exciting plans for the future! The ACEs are reunited! I have my life back!

Waaahooooo! I had forgotten what good food had tasted like (food plays a very important role in my life); dang my parents can cook! I'm working on putting together my photo album for the program, and that has been pretty fun. Being the bad influence I am, Isaac ended up skipping part of school AND rowing so that we could hang out with Thom and Nicole all night for a crepe eating good time. Man, I forgot how good it is to hang out with the guys! Just like old times complete with mandatory video game playing. Yesssss. With six months before me until I live it up in Guelph, I am currently deciding which path of action to take - and it is an exciting one! I'm applying for a job tomorrow as a parking meter officer, and I think I will start training for a ten-mile race in July at.... Newfoundland! How cool is that? I'll work on some small art projects in the meanwhile, and see if the humane society needs and extra hand with anything. I haven't seen the love of my life in 7 months (that being my orthodontist), and I am going up to Guelph on the weekend to see my grandma, sister and cousins. If any CWY friends are reading this, yes I am going to demonstrate the Ba Shan Wu for them. Being back home is much more exciting than I thought it would be!Of course, I do still feel a bit strange being out of the program though. I miss my little CP, Song Song. I miss circle checks, EADs and CADs. I'm sure that people who never were in CWY had no clue what I just meant... Which is why I will always be in the underground Canada World Youth cult. Or, alumini. Whatever you want to call it... But someday, I would like to work for them. Whether it is just volunteer work selecting participants, or if it is an actual contract as a project supervisor. It would all be cool. Okay, so maybe it is not as interesting as going to Kosovo for two years to teach... But we can't ALL be like Terri, can we?

Okay, time to go crash in my little nest. I suppose that I will come out of the woodworks tomorrow to see some other friends and run some errands. Wan an (good night). Sweet, I haven't forgotten all of my mandarin yet....

-Joe

14 More Days (and 3 for the museum)!

Hello everyone!

Due to certain circumstances, I will probably not have computer access until I am back home. Which, is only two weeks, so it isn't that bad.

I would be pretty busy anyway, so maybe it is a good thing. Cait and I have been working pretty hard on putting together our groups yearbook, and it is looking pretty sweet (for such a tight budget). Other than that, we are trying to do as much as possible in Moose Jaw before we all fly back home. We've taken a tour of a farm, visited a hutterite colony, cheered on the warriors at hockey games, had our futures read by a psychic, and celebrated Steph's birthday with a Roman wine and cheese toga party.

What CWY is all about: Toga partys!

Well I will see you all soon! My flight back (if I haven't mentioned it before) is on the 28th, but don't expect to see me around until the 29th or 30th. My parents aren't letting me leave their grasp for a day or two - can't wait!

-Joe

New Year - Chinese Style

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

Do you know what year it is? No, it's not 2006... It is year of the dog! Woof! Let me tell you a bit more about the Eastern zodiac, for those who have no clue what I am talking about!

The Chinese zodiac gives us a different perspective on our modern lives, based from the ancient Oriental art of divination and character reading. The zodiac was created by Emperor Huang Ti around 1637 BC. If you believe, it can tell you all about a person’s character, lifestyle... Even a bit about their love life. The roots of this interpretive art are based deeply in the classical philosophy of Confucius. According to Chinese legend, the order of the twelve signs was determined by Buddha, upon celebration of the Chinese New year. Oh, by the way, there is no set date for Chinese New Year - it falls on different dates from mid-January to mid-February. The Buddha invited all the animals in the entire kingdom to a meeting, but only 12 different species attended. The first animal to arrive was the rat, because the rat was aggressive enough to jump on the back of the Ox, to ensure his grand entrance. The Ox, being as serious and hard-working as a real Ox is, was second. The honorable tiger and the elegant rabbit were next. Then came the outspoken dragon, the philosophical snake, the strong horse, and the artistic goat. Pulling up the rear was the spirited monkey, showy rooster, and the loyal dog. The honest pig was the last to arrive. Buddha then gave each animal a year of its own, bestowing the nature and characteristics of each to those born in that animals year.

Want to know which animals’ year you fall under?

Rat: 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996
Ox: 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997
Tiger: 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998
Rabbit: 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999
Dragon: 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000
Snake: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001
Horse: 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002
Goat: 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003
Monkey: 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004
Rooster: 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005
Dog: 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006
Pig: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995

I am a rabbit (quite different then the Lion of the Western zodiac). Think this sounds like me?

The well-mannered Rabbit/Cat is diplomatic, easygoing, refined, and a devoted friend. Detached and aloof, the Rabbit flees personal upheaval and disruption. These souls excel in the fine arts, and are highly creative. Well grounded and ever virtuous, Rabbits shun risk and emotional entanglements, choosing security, and quiet stability. Business partners extraordinare, peaceful and contented Rabbits possesses quiet sensuality and the gift of self-preservation. Sensitive and easily hurt, the private Rabbit keeps their own council and is highly sought after for their advice. The ethical Rabbit needs a loving and unselfish partner who makes very little demands on their time and privacy.

As a rabbit, my romance life will pick up in year of the dog. As you can see, it already has! This is my Chinese project leader, Phoebe. We have become quite close over the last 6 and a half months, and now - in the year of the dog - we are embracing the love we have for each other.

How many CWY participants does it take to wrap dumplings?

For lunch, our group got together at a close friends house in order to make dumplings. Can you imagine 20 people cooking in one small kitchen? Well, that was what it was like. If you have ever made dumplings though, you would know how long it takes to make. They weren't the best dumplings known to man-kind... But we had fun making them, and it has been so long since we have had Chinese food. So of course they were good.

After that we all went home to cook some more. Each counterpart pair had to make one Chinese dish to bring to the potluck that night - Hu Song and I made spicy potatoes, and they were awesome. We got together with the Chinese community in Moose Jaw, and had a gigantic feast with karaoke afterwards, and some small gift exchanging. Unfortunately I did end up singing a duet, 'What's up', with Stephanie, much to the dismay of the group. We damaged many ear drums with our screeching rendition. It was a funny night though... Vince, Jordan, Phoebe and Shirley can sing some mean karaoke.

Some of the group members in our ever so fashionable tong jongs

Unfortunately for Song Song, he got a mild case of food poisoning at the end of the night, and we went home a bit early. What a way to celebrate the most important festival of China! He is okay now though, and we still had a good time last night.

Well that's it for now! I hope you all know that the picture of Phoebe and I is *not* real. Happy Chinese New Year and I will see everyone back home soon (30 days...)!

-Joe

Countdown: 36 Days

Hey everyone!

Yes, there are only 36 days left until Joe flies back to Ontario. It seems so soon! I figured I should write another update now while I still can before I am crazy busy saying goodbye to everyone at the end of the program. Hu Song and I had our Educational Activity Day on environment just last week. It went OK - I don't think most of the group appreciated taking a nature walk out in the -20 weather... But they all need some toughening up. We also went to Buffalo Pound Park where we learned all about the Bison. For the Chinese - and even some of the Canadians - it was the first time seeing real Bison, so it was pretty cool. We also made some recycled bird-feeders, had a guest speaker give us a slideshow on all the different birds in Moose Jaw, and we planned for a prairie-wildlife-jeopardy game, but our walking tour through Wakamo valley took longer than expected, and everyone looked too tired at the end to do anymore strenuous activities.

Hu Song and the Bison

I saw something pretty funny the other day. Hu Song and I were in the change room at the spa, and this guy had a big Chinese tattoo on his back. It's not like I learned how to read Chinese characters while I was staying in Yichang, but I know a few basic words. I asked the guy if he knew what it meant, and he said 'Of course I know, it says 'red dragon'". I sort of laughed at him, and he walked away. I was laughing because it definitely does not mean 'red dragon', it is actually the character for the first part in the word 'China'. Heheh. By itself, however, it only means 'central'. Imagine having the word ' central' tattooed across your back in another language? At least no one here will really know what it means... But morale of the story is: Don't get a tattoo in another language if you can't understand it at all. And Tattoo artists don't know everything. Moments like these make me realize just how much I learned on my trip to China.

When I'm not working at the museum, I'm making our groups yearbook, and getting signatures for a petition. The more signatures we get, the bigger chance we have of Parliament enacting legislation or taking other measures to ensure that all the young Canadians who want to volunteer - either nationally or internationally - in programs like CWY or Katimavik will be able to do so. Plus, if we reach our group goal, Jordan will get his legs waxed during the half-time of a Moose Jaw Warriors hockey game. Muahahaha. I went to a youth hangout spot the other night and ended up getting 50 signatures, as well as the phone numbers of three girls. Hey, I didn't ask for them - they gave them to me. I think it is a fun project though, and it is really giving me more confidence with approaching new people.

Well I'll be seeing everybody soon! My flight back home is booked for the 27th. I'm excited to get back and see all my family and friends again, as well as finding a job to save some money before I start school in Guelph. I have to say that I'll be sad to leave my CWY buds too though... But only because some of them have stalked my blog down and are reading it at this very moment... Like that little evil girl from Alberta. Just kidding!

My Dysfunctional Family in the Cruel Winters of Saskatchewan

-Joe

1st Christmas Away From Home

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Well it was my first Christmas away from home, but it was extra special because I got to spend it with Song Song, who has never celebrated this crazy holiday before. He was treated to the big turkey dinner (which was apparently not spicy enough) with Christina's mom, brother and his girlfriend. That night Cait opened all of her presents, because she would be with her father for Christmas day. My mom was smart and sent her toys that do not sing, move, or make any annoying noises. Toys that keep Joe's sanity in check, in other words.

To stick to my family traditions, I even went to Midnight mass with my host mom, Steph and Annie. Earlier in the night Hu Song said that he wanted to go for a real traditional Christmas experience, but when I woke him up from his nap at 11:30, he stayed true to his character and refused to get out of bed. Church was entertaining though. There was a father sitting in front of us with a little boy who was falling asleep in the pew and complaining about having to go so late at night... Ahhh, that took me back a few years. Annie went up for communion, but was not quite sure what she was supposed to do. She said 'thank you' after receiving the bread and then pocketed it. Hey, there is a first time for everything.

I think this was the first Christmas I woke up so late. Can you believe I set the alarm clock for 9:00? I skipped sleeping under the tree, too. After all, it was plastic... You'd never catch me sleeping under a plastic Christmas tree! Hu Song and I opened up our socks from home and had a few good laughs at the glow in the dark lights and Ab magazines we got. Hu Song asked 'who sent these to us?', but he did not believe me when I told him the story of Santa Clause. I guess he is a bit old for that though. We ran upstairs and eagerly waited for Christina to wake up... But three hours later and The Never Ending Story later, we were getting pretty anxious and decided to wake her up ourselves.

Hu Song opening up his pajama pants in my 'dwelling'

Song Song was happy to get some pretty cool stuff from Christina, my parents and myself - including a much needed soccer ball from home (he has been kicking it off the walls ever since he opened it). I'm looking forward to a big cross country skiing trip with my parents when I get home. Those crazy relatives in T-Bay also sent us tickets to go watch King Kong, which Hu Song has actually been talking about for the last while now (love you Judy). After ripping open all our gifts, Christina went back to sleep, and we did not see her for the rest of the day. She had been up all night with a crying Cait, so it was no surprise she just wanted to stay in bed. That was not a big deal though - we went on a three-hour walk through Wakamo valley, saw some friends, and then finished our night with a 3 hour documentary called Walking with Prehistoric Beasts. definitely the most quiet Christmas I have ever had.

Taking a stroll down the train tracks of Wakamo Valley, sporting my new 'Back to the Future' vest

I called home and ended up talking to eight different people though - it was really great to hear some familiar voices from home. Including that crazy blubbering sister of mine... Or should I now say... Room mate? Yes, for those who have not heard, Nita and I will be living under one roof come next September when I start University . We will be the 4th generation living in the Yorkshire house which is pretty cool. It is now my duty to breed like crazy so that there can be many more generations living there in the future. My best friends will be living with us too - which is the best Christmas news one could get. Guelph, here we come!

Well I wish everybody a Happy New Year! I was never much of a New Years person... I think I will just go for a long walk or something. However, for all you crazy partiers back home, I hope you have lots of fun! Yesss... Now I have a legitimate excuse for not going to that blasted clock tower for the countdown! Muahaha.

Captain Hu Song wishes everyone in Niagara, Thailand, Denmark, Australia, Mexico, England... and where ever else my friends and family might be a HAPPY NEW NEW YEARS!

-Joe

Get to Know my Counterpart: Hu Song

Hello everyone!

Well, we are more than half way through the program, and I realize that you probably don't know all that much about the Chinese boy that I live with, work with, eat with, share a washroom with, and many other things that we do and share together. Hu Song has been my best friend throughout this program - well, we've had to. We are pretty much attached to the hip. The only thing we don't have to share is a room, which I wouldn't normally care about, but... Big secret about to be released: his snores score a 5.3 on the Richter Magnitude Scale! Without any further ado, here is the biography of my little friend from Yichang:


Name: Hu Song (Song Song)
Age: 17
Birthday: April 4th, 1988 (year of the dragon) Favourite Foods: Any kind of meat, mainly beef, pork, and chicken legs
Foods you Don't Like: Bitter gourds and sweet dishes
Favourite Beverages: Milk and tea Hobbies/Leisure Activities: Playing Soccer, drawing, sleeping at noon, and going to bed late Good Things About Moose Jaw: Making new friends, trying new foods, running on the frozen water, and the beautiful scenery
Bad Things About Moose Jaw: When it gets too cold, you can't play sports outside
Future Plans: Finish high school then study science in university
Favourite Books: Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Dream Destination: I just want to find the true life
Favourite Quote: "It takes ten years for a tree to grow to full height, but a hundred for quality persons to mature" - Bad translation of a Chinese quote
About your Family: Father - Hu Hai Feng, 42, tax worker. Mother - Fu Yuan Xiang, 42, bookstore accountant

I'd say we are now all pretty well acquainted with Moose Jaw. We've been so busy with our work placements, petition campaigns, helping out with the food bank, spending time with our host families, planning family craft days, and going to the YMCA and spa. Heheheh. Actually - not funny - Song Song is making us boycott the spa, because last week everything from his locker was stolen - right down to his underwear! Good thing he brought two winter jackets, and three pairs of shoes. His other jacket isn't as warm as the stolen one, so it was very nice of Shirley to lend Hu Song her poofy pink jacket equipped with a fur collar. He said he would rather wear nothing than that monster... But it was the thought that counts. We went and reported the theft to the police station today, but I think the chances of getting all his belongings back is as good as my chances were of finding my camera that I left on a taxi way back in Yichang.

For those who didn't know, there was a lot of drama going around the house concerning a crazy ex-boyfriend and custody over my host mom's baby, Cait. It has all (sort of) been sorted out now, and Christina has joint custody. We see Cait for about 4 or 5 times a week. It was pretty stressful in the beginning of the program when Song Song and I were hearing all these crazy problems, but it is slowly quieting down. A new stress has taken over, and that is the baby itself! Oh my god... I've never really had to deal with babies before, and now I have confirmed that I NEVER want one when I am older. Sure, she looks cute... But the screaming and the crying and the constant need for attention... Holy cow! I'm sure my parents are laughing at this, thinking something to themselves like 'Good, now he knows how WE felt when HE was a rotten little baby!' But Christina is happy, and Cait is on-and-off happy, so everything is okay.

Yesterday, after helping out at the Multi-Cultural Center's Christmas lunch for newcomers to Canada, I went over to Cat and Jiang's house to watch Mulan and eat tacos with their host mom. It was the night of the CPR Christmas train tour, featuring live FAMOUS Canadian stars: Amanda Scott and THE MOFFATS! Yaaaaaay! It's pretty sad when the first concert you go to is the Moffats. Oh well, it was a good time, and Song Song actually enjoyed the music.

Hmmm... What else has happened in my little world? I guess I should update more often so I don't forget. On Saturday mornings, I have been doing some of my own extra volunteer work at the humane society. Last time Christina came to pick me up, she also ended up taking home a rabbit. Now I can't complain - we have a family pet! But, Booba isn't the brightest little bunny (I shouldn't say little, it is actually almost the size of my dog); she ate through the phone lines the first day. Damned rabbit! Now I know why I was never allowed to own one before!

Well, I must be going to the Y now. I've packed on a few pounds with this 'Body for Life' weight lifting program I have been doing with Cait, you might not recognize me when I get home. By the time the end of February comes, I'll be HUGE! Muahahaha. Hope everyone is enjoying the good weather in Ontario while we are freezing our willies off over in the snowy 'Jaw'. Happy holidays, and I wish all my friends (and Nita) good luck with their exams!

-Joe

Back in Schedule

Greetings from the chilly Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Life out in the West is okay. I'm in my office at the Museum of Western Development, where Hu Song and I will be working for the next three months. It's a pretty cool place - and all the staff members are really nice. Our job duties include painting back-drops, working in the gift shop, cleaning artifacts, and helping construct an exhibit. Right now we are currently taking a break from setting up Christmas decorations.

My host mom's name is Christina, she is a single mom with a one-year-old baby, but the baby is not living with us right now. There is a big custody battle going on, but she should be home soon. I don't have any experience with babies, especially babies from Saskatchewan, but I think it will be okay. On the weekend she will be taking us to Regina for Agribition, which is some sort of rodeo (I think). Unfortunately we do not have a dog... Heh, but I think I will be doing some extra volunteer work at the humane society, so that's okay. My dog Beau is the only thing I miss from home ^^

In my spare time, although I really don't have much of it, I have been going to the YMCA with a few of my friends to work out or play sports. I've also been reading a lot, lately. Now I know why my mom was always so keen on getting me to go to the library... It's a pretty cool place.

Okay, time to get back to work. I'll talk you all later!

-Joe