One Week Left!

Composed Sunday, August 16, 2009

This past week was incredibly diverse. We had widely fluctuating numbers, anywhere from 38 to 50 campers throughout the day, and we didn’t know whether or plan for a morning of 12 or 27 campers. We worked it out, switching last-minute from rotations to full group plans or vice versa, and being thankful for the two summer students who have been working with us. We had a bit of violence in camp, which caused a bit of stress (nothing too dangerous, and not malicious, so all is well), but I think we have it worked out now. Overall, Ryan, Lizzy and I figured that it was a successful week, and we were really excited for this upcoming week.

After a stressful Thursday, I had baked a chocolate peanut butter cake to release late-night stress, and we were pretty excited to eat it on Friday. The cake, however, was nothing compared to how happy we were when on my trip to the post office Friday I picked up 3 care packages – we each received one last week! We jumped around the kitchen squealing like schoolgirls, and then opened our packages. They contained dried fruit, Belgian chocolate, trail mix, books, and a Cosmo magazine. Many thanks go out to Lizzy’s mom (whom I am now in love with), Ryan’s dad, and the wonderful, beautiful, amazing Carrie Rudolph. Our dentist/children’s author friend who we made while he was in town for two weeks had given us his leftover groceries when he left, so now we’re definitely set for our last week. I also received a letter from Lauren McWhinnie, the angel of a girl I worked with last year that is back in the same communities, which made me miss her and Webequie incredible amounts.

On top of all that excitement, there is also a lot of sorrow in Sachigo this week. At the Chief’s meeting in Chapeau, one of the community members of Sachigo passed away. He had been acting as a translator at the meeting, and it seems that he was a highly respected man, and with such a small community, most people knew him, were related to him, or are close with someone who fits into those two categories. The wake will be taking place tomorrow and Tuesday, and the funeral is on Wednesday, and these will be making use of the school, so we had to move out early. It looks like we won’t have camp this week except for Thursday and Friday, but tomorrow and Tuesday we will be trying to do something informal on the baseball field if council approves and the weather holds out.

Since we didn’t need to be planning for camp this week, we spent the weekend helping to clean out a house and attempting to access our own. Ryan locked the keys in the house, so we had quite an adventure trekking around town to find alternate keys, and eventually finding out there were none, and instead we were told to resort to hatching through the drywall in a crawlspace underneath the duplex, and crawl from our side of the building into Ryan’s. Watch for photos, which should be going up next week. We’ve also been playing a lot of cards, and our new friend Dan (a.k.a. Danno), a 21 year old from town, has taught us how to play Hockey, Elimination, and Steal (my favourite so far), as well as a 2-person version of President, and Lizzy taught Ryan and I how to play Spite and Malice. I hope I’ll have some willing students upon my return to Chatham/Hamilton/Toronto!

One week until I’m home. I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone – I miss you! England friends – I miss you too, and I’m sad to be gone!

Hugs and Smiles from Sachigo!

-V