WWOOF

In the great expanse of unknown that will soon be my life and my unemployment, I have discovered one exciting option! After the trip down the West Coast (fingers crossed that this will for certain work out, it HAS to), I'm considering taking 3 months for more travel, fun and irresponsibility before I start looking for work and thinking about reschooling.
There is an organization out there called WWOOF (World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), and basically members can volunteer with any of the thousands of host organic farms around the world. You work a few hours a day, get free room and board, meet the locals, see the sights and learn something new about farming, gardening, etc. These are farms are seriously ALL over the world, you can go anywhere, and your only costs are transportation and spending money! This sounds like a riot, I'm just in awe that such an opportunity is out there. And I think I'm going to go for it! Since I've already spent considerable time in Asia, it's time to head somewhere new, I'm ready for another corner of the world, and at the top of list: Argentina! Followed by Ecuador, any of the surrounding nations, and even just America.
So come September I may be saying Adios to GP once again, and hitting the road for something unlike any other adventure I've ever tried. I'm grinning just thinking about it.
PS: I'm looking for co-adventurers.

Cathartic Exercise

I was encouraged the other night by my friend Jen to consider using my blog as a cathartic exercise, even when I don't feel I have any great thoughts to write. I'll admit I had to look up the word cathartic before I could even use it above, and I discovered it is usually related to laxatives. Nice. Well, here I am...

It's not as though nothing has been happening in my life that would be worthy of blogging, it's just not a main release anymore. I think being on home soil, where I tell my stories and my thoughts with most people face-to-face, has made this spot less of a priority. But I'm going to attempt to regain some regularity (regularity and cathartic - great!) just blogging from my thoughts, my musings, my day-to-day.

I guess I should mention that since my last blog I have traveled to Calgary, Victoria and California. Not too shabby for a 4 week absence. I led a group of students down to Calgary to spend 4 days serving and learning at the Mustard Seed, which is an inner-city mission. Our time there was really exciting to be a part of, we were so welcomed and God was doing good things in the hearts of our students. So I was thrilled! Victoria was our annual Staff retreat, where we are so blessed and looked after in an incredible spot on the sea for four great days! That included time on a yacht, sea kayaking, lounging in the outdoor pool, non-stop food and I guess a bit of work in there too - vision casting and prayer. And finally I spent the last week in California - Disneyland! The whole family went, that's 8 of us for 8 days in 2 hotel rooms and we didn't kill each other! I don't think Disney and the crowds are quite my style, but it was an incredible experience and we had loads of fun. I love my family!

And now it's today. Less than 2 months remain in this job of mine, and I'm starting to get excited about what's next, what with all the possibilities! I have had plans, and then they've fallen through a zillion times now. And I'm frustrated, and sad and excited. I think the next step is going to require some big changes and for the first time ever that is a somewhat nerve-wracking prospect. But it's not as though I really want to stay here in Grande Prairie either. My inner feelings are complicated, they contradict.

Amidst that complication it is becoming more and more likely that the second half of my summer is going to be spent with small travels, friends and adventures. I am cooking up a hiking roadtrip down the West coast all the way to northern California. Stopping for some of the best day hikes along the way and seeing mountains, ocean, redwood forests! I am hoping to take sometime at a retreat or with a spiritual director trying to make sense of some of my directional confusion and the emotions wrapped up in it. I've just discovered that my friends Jen and Andrey might be in Alberta at some point and I'd love to see them! And there may be an opportunity to continue my involvement in fundraising and speaking out against sex trafficking in a summer tour. And all of those sound either very fun or at least deeply meaningful.

I finish work mid-July and then I'm free. Free to do these things. Free to figure out where I am in the midst of what I have pursued and what might be next. Free to be unemployed...gulp. But definitely free.