November blues?

Hello dear readers,

I'm constantly amazed by the wonderful people who somehow stumble upon my blog. The comments really inspire me to update more often, thank you for commenting :)

This is going to be a really random post, since I'm in a rush....sorry for any confusion.
Well it's been more than two weeks. I'm sorry. I guess I just got wrapped up in school again. Let's see...this is what I've been working on. They don't call it November for nothing! (Reading that over, let me apologize for the Canadian tendency to apologize for everything!)


- My theatre independent project, actually quite fun
- My theatre research investigation
- My theatre Independent project portfolio (not as fun)
- Theatre First Year production - I'm doing lights!
- Rewriting my EE (sigh)
- Tests everywhere
-English world literature essay
- Math IA
- Anthropology IA (Internal Assessment)

Sometimes the days here pass so fast it's all a blur and I'm gripped with a horrifying anxiety at how soon it is that I am going to have to leave. At this point, I'm so scared. I know I'm going to be depressed for a while afterward. Maybe I just need to accept that. I'm planning on doing some travelling.

Ah, this brings me to another interesting topic. A teacher at Pearson has an amazing organization called Kule which sends volunteers to Kenya in the summer. It is open to anyone so if you're interested check out the website: http://www.kenyakulefoundation.org/

Maybe the trick with writing here is shorter, more frequent entries.

I went for a mushroom walk the other day with David and a bunch of students. It was quite interesting. The nature here on the coast is truly remarkable. There's nothing like breathing the sea air every day. It think it's one of my favorite parts about being here, right on the ocean, in a forest. I never forget how lucky I am. Sometimes I have these 'epic moments' at a meal or in class, when I'm in some crazily unique position and I can't help but wonder how I got here. It's such a blessing. I know I say that so much, but maybe it attests to how I feel.

I was reminded the other day that it was my selection committee that urged me to start a blog. I'm really glad I did, looking back. I'm really so grateful to them for allowing me this opportunity. So a quick shout out to John and all the great people on the BC selection committee.

The other day there was a helicopter hovering above campus taking some pictures! Apparently Chris Blondeau, our Director of Operations, pulled some favors from his time in the military so we can create a new brochure!

Pearson is currently embarking on a publicity and fundraising campaign. I think partly because we are desperate for funding but also that in Canada, we are not very well known at all! This is a tragedy because even though we are an international school we are also a Canadian school. So pass on the word!

In other news, I have applied to the University of British Columbia for next year. I can't decide whether or not to apply to other places. It may not be the most exciting choice, but I think it makes the most sense. I love Vancouver and I think it would be a great school to go to.....

Well, I have to run to grab some lunch. But sending you lots of love.

Will update soon.

Hugs,
E

Life Goes On

Today a comment on this blog brought a giant smile to my face. Thank you Danielle for the kind words, you really inspired me to write more frequently on here.

Okay so I will make it my goal to write at least every two weeks!

Well, it was Latin American Regional Day yesterday. Regional Days are days...well devoted to a region. The meals were from Latin America, we had workshops from Latin America, a great Latin American dinner and show and party! Oh and how could I forget? Infections salsa and reggaeton music all the time. You know, in my next life I really hope to be born a Latina. These folks really know how to have fun. It was a purely delightful day and I learned a lot about the unique culture this group brings to our college.

Besides that, many of us have been overloaded with work. Being at Pearson isn't all fun and games, there's a lot of dilligence required and sometimes I find that hard. Sitting at a desk for extended periods can drive me insane so today I took a much needed to break to play badminton with my lovely first year, Emily. I love the spontaneity we sometimes express here. The time is always now to have a tea party, play tennis, go swimming, jump in the bay, talk about politics, watch a hockey game, play cricket on the path....sometimes this type of education seems slightly unreal.

The other day in my Marine Science class we went on a field trip to observe a kelp forest. A couple students went scuba diving and took some video footage while the rest of us on the boat took various measurements and learned about the eco-system. There we were, sitting on the ocean on a sunny day learning about bull kelp. This is what school should be! The world as our classroom.

What does an education mean? To me, it's learning about yourself, about others, about the world. It's a lifelong mission. I hope I never stop learning. I think education isn't what we sometimes imagine it to be: doing homework, writing exams, getting diplomas. I think an education can also teach you how to love. It can also teach you how to work with people. It can teach you to appreciate nature. I look around at the magnificent douglas firs that I have the privilege of waking up to each morning, and I can't help but feel grateful.

Speaking of gratitude, it was Canadian thanksgiving a little while ago! I had a beautiful weekend at home with my family. Even though our house was getting painted, it was nice to have some time to relax and rejuvenate. I heard someone say that gratitude is the highest level of thought. I think it's true. Being grateful can shift our attitude in a moment. Oprah recommends keeping a gratitude journal. As well as writing on this blog every two weeks I am going to start naming a few things I'm grateful for each day.

It is one of my roommates birthdays tomorrow so I'll tell you a bit about her. Antsa is a wonderful person, full of kindness and generosity. She is from Madagascar and is hoping to go to the US for school. She has really beautiful curly hair and likes to go to bed early (like me). She speaks 3 languages. She takes Marine Science. She is best friends with Thao from Vietnam. She is a delight to have as a roommate and is a great person to watch Friends with. I love Antsa.

Speaking of Friends (the TV show), it is all the rage at Pearson!! It's rare to find a show with such universal humour appeal! Seriously, one day I couldn't stop laughing because people from Switzerland, Brazil, and Thailand were all singing, "I'll be there for you...when the rain starts to fall...." in their various accents.

My dear readers, please know you are dear to me. Thank you to people like Danielle who take time to see what's happening at Pearson. It means a lot to all of us. UWC is an incredible organization that is offering us the opportunity of a lifetime, and in return, we hope to serve the world with what we learn.

Lots of love and appreciation,
Emmy

Coming home to Pearson

At last, after a very tumultuous summer, I have returned to being a sane and content blogger! I can't guarantee a lot of regular posting since 2nd year has already proven to be very demanding work wise, but I will try my best.

So it's been 3 weeks since year 36 returned to the rocky shores of Pedder Bay and it has been truly lovely to see everyone again. All the memories of last year came flooding back, as my family and I drove up that familiar winding foresty driveway. I always become awestruck when passing through those tall trees. This time, it felt different though. The whole orientation process has felt very different for me, as a second year. I feel a bit less bubbly. A bit older, maybe a bit wiser. A bit more grounded. A bit quieter. A bit more familiar. A bit more rounded....it's hard to describe.

On the other hand, it has been a pleasure getting to know our 83 new first years, they bring so much fresh energy and revitalization to this place.

My roommates are: the extraordinary Nadine from Switzerland, the beautiful and melodic Belen from Paraguay, and the purely lovely Antsa from Madagascar. I'm overjoyed to be in a room with sunshine streaming in through the windows.

Some highlights of orientation week were picking up new Pearsonites from the airport, trying (more like attempting) the art of Ukranian Dance, kayaking and hiking around Sooke park, and watching the first years take their bike test in the pouring rain....

Metchosin Day was good fun too. This years performance for the local community involved singing, marjaani dancing, gumboot, hula, and tango. Despite the overcast skies, it was delightful to take part.

Besides getting back into the swing of Pearson life, I've been consumed with school work including my extended essay! Yippee! People familiar with IB will understand this "personal challenge". Second year theatre class has been diving headfirst into independent projects. Everyone but me has chosen Option A which involves creating a piece of original theatre....I'm so excited to see how it all turns out. I've chosen to do Option B which is an investigation into the more theoretical/academic parts of theatre.

Tomorrow is the 56km Great Lake Walk which a record number of Pearsonites have chosen to take part in. Coming up is European Regional Day and a host of new adventures.

I'm looking forward to an incredible year.

Lots of love,
Emmy

Real Love: Zero years, First years, Second years

Here's a link to a poem I wrote earlier, on my grief of leaving Pearson for the summer. It is dedicated to everyone in the 2009-2010 community at Pearson College, especially my friends.

picture of McL's dress like someone else (opp. gender) and then guess House Meeting

oh and reader warning: It is a very very random, emotional expression with one swear word:
http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2814351/1/Real_Love_Following_Up

It's a follow up poem to one I wrote and posted in January/February called "In Love"

I was inspired to put this new one up here, after reading about some of the incoming first years who are anticipating this adventure of a lifetime. It is amazing how this community (and the wider UWC one) has such a sense of cycle. Our second years were in the place that we are now, we are taking the roles that our second years performed last year, and I was that anxious/extremely excited zero year last summer....

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On another note:

If I could say anything to my 17 year old self (how I was last summer), it would be this:

- Relax, Take it Easy...like Mika says
- Enjoy your summer at home
- Wait until you get to Pearson (in PERSON) to build strong relationships and friendships
- Don't overload yourself on information
- Don't stress about packing, things will kind of pack themselves
- Do not bring your whole life's belongings, just bring you and some helpful things they do not talk about in the handbook, which I will further detail later
- Cultivate only your best and most fulfilling friendships and relationships at home
- Don't worry that no one understands, you understand.
- Don't worry that no one really cares that you've just won this amazing scholarship, it's just that their lives are continuing on a different road
- Give yourself a WELL DESERVED pat on the back for all your hard work
- Nothing really matters as much as you think it does
- Life is not about doing, doing, doing, until you burn out. It's the things that make you feel more alive that you should do. And that is all.
- Light the fire within you and keep it well tended,

once you feel steady, once you feel ready, reach out into the world
- For a wise man, named Blaise Pascal once said, "We must learn our limits. We are all something,

but none of us are everything."

And maybe another quote from the classy Coco Chanel to counterbalance that one:

"How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something, but to be someone."

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It's an ongoing journey to practise trust and faith and following our own individual truths.

Thanks, Blaise. Thanks Coco.

This blog is celebrating its one year anniversary. Hooray! I cannot believe I managed to keep it going for that long, and hopefully a long time to come.

Love, hugs, peace, and blessings to you.

-Em

Kay's Amazing Remarks

My good friend Kay is an extremely bright and sharp one. This is what she presented, beautifully, at the end of one village meeting. I found it very insightful and very close to what I believe, personally, this place is about.
Rock on Kay!

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Often a hang-up of the Village Meetings I've witnessed have been that we are spending too much time addressing small issues like the size of the cafeteria's spoons, flossing our teeth, and the time at which we go to bed. Some people think we should be using this forum as a mini-UN to change the world from the comfort of the Max Bell, or at the very least, discuss the pressing issues that go on in the world beyond our enclave in the woods. Historically, this has always been a fine balance between the importance of global and domestic issues during village time, according to our resident Pearson historian, Mr. Andrew Spray. Personally, I, like many in the community, have come to value both levels of discussion. This is an excerpt of a piece I wrote on living in a five person room this year and the things I've learned from communal living:

Largely, any troubles in my room have arisen from deceptively small domestic matters: the overhead light being left on, the heater being too high or too low or the mug with the mouldy tea bag that nobody seems to remember owning. Rarely will we talk about what finally ended El Salvador's 23-year civil war, whether Morocco has a legitmate claim to the Sahara desert or if Canada should be sending more troops into Afghanistan. Though these are the very issues that an educational institution like Pearson should seek to explore and prevent through its education of young leaders, it cannot force this level of conversation upon its students. Part of the duty falls on the students to push themselves and each other to the next level of understanding of the world that will be demanded from them in just a few years time. It is then a balancing act between the two types of conversations within the little time we have together.

Because if Pearson scholars are to have any meaningful impact on the world through the course of their lives, they will have to distinguish themselves as individuals who have tremendous knowledge and insight about both the world they inhabit and their own selves. Both they can learn through those conversations but it largely a choice in the students' hands. Pearson's challenge, for its scholars and its own survival, is then truly based on an United World College value: personal challenge, personal challenge, personal challenge. We must rise to this opportunity presented to us for growth.

Growth comes in many forms and there is no doubt that we have done well so far, juggling all that Pearson demands physically, socially, academically and emotionally. Unfortunately, what Pearson demands morally is too often pushed to the back burner. We have a social responsibility to others—be they our national committees, home communities, sponsors or families—and to ourselves to pursue excellence in hopes of bettering our world. This moral commitment is one of the unwritten stipulations of our scholarships: to find our life's grand passion, pursue it doggedly and become forces for ruthless good in the world. This is what our mission statement should read.

You know if we can solve these 'deceptively small domestic problems', we stand a chance at solving the bigger ones. My friend from Egypt—or sorry, make that my friend, Martinos—once said that perhaps we need to tackle the small problems first, before they stockpile and turn into larger heaps of unresolvable issues; that is, after all, what global wars are waged on. It is what the El Salvadorian civil war, Western Sahara desert dispute and Afghanistan conflicts are. Nations do not just decide one day to go to war with each other. The conflicts first start on a smaller scale, between city-states, religious groups, neighbours, peer groups and perhaps even roommates. So if we can solve our problems about the overhead light, the heater and the mouldy tea bag, we can lay the foundation for going forth and solving some of the more serious matters in the world. The relative importance of our conflicts to the rest of the world is slight but we must start small; we have no other choice if we are to start learning the real lessons of life. If we realise we can live together, it is the first of many stones we can take off the heap of problems. As Mr. Pearson himself said in his Nobel Peace Prize Lecture, “how can there be peace without people understanding each other, and how can this be if they don't know each other?” This is our chance to look behind the flags to the faces. By getting to know our first-, second- and co-years, teachers and roommates, we stand a chance at standing together.

And I suppose the lack of small spoons, sleep and civilization are a fair price to pay for such an opportunity.

I'm Alive (in case you didn't know)

I don't know if I have any regular readers, but in case I do, you may have thought I have disappeared off the face of the Earth into some dark abyss and secret land in the universe. As cool as that would be, I'm sitting at a computer at my Dad's company's office and writing to you at long last.

I don't know how to explain why it has been so hard to write besides telling you that I haven't felt such unique grief in my life. Saying goodbye to the second years and the first years was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. It's tougher to explain Pearson to people who haven't been there. Nonetheless I am devoted to spreading the UWC message whenever I can (even if it means ice cream shop owners and skytrain store women and some odd glances from my friends). Alisha thinks I have a fan club at this adorable ice cream place in Kits, which is really sweet. Haha. Anyways, I got home last Wednesday. It has been 9 days since I left Pearson and the first two were absolutely brutal. I wasn't functioning that great at all.

Then step in, wonderful second year saviors! Alisha, Aneke, and Daphnee from Toronto, Manitoba, and Whitehorse, respectively came to stay with me for a few days and helped extremely to smooth this transition from


- Middle of the forest, on the water ---> Middle of the fairly big suburban city

- 200 people on campus -----> 216 000 people in this municipality

- Deep friendships formed by living together 24/7---> people I haven't seen in 9 months whom I'm used to seeing on an ad hoc basis

- Going back for my second year in September ----> all of my old friends have graduated grade 12 (their ceremony was the day after I got home, I didn't go)

Btw - CONGRATS to a lovely, beautiful, and sweet Sarah for being an incredible valedictorian for our class of 2010

- Family in a community ----> family of four

- Old house wooden house that is 36 years old----> We're building a brand new house this summer



Anyways, you get the idea. Some things change, some stay the same. And I'm appreciative for all of it.

So my therapy in getting back to a good place (which is very closeby) is going to be filling in some gaps of this year, that I wasn't able to do in the midst of scary exams. I finally have access to my photos and videos and will put them up from Pearson. I also wrote a poem last night detailing all of my innermost feelings about this process and will put it up soon. Juicy stuff, eh?

If any Pearson people are reading this, just know that I love you and miss you very much! The door of my heart and the door of my house is open to you. Everyone else out there who is interested in my adventures, I love you too!

Gonna quickly post up Kay's amazing village meeting remarks after this.

Will write soon,
Emmy

Hunkering down

Exams are on the horizon. I'm trying my hardest to be dilligent about studying and not too stressed, so I might be absent for a while. Maybe I'll keep up with the shorter posts. What have we been up to?

- The boys upstairs in McL woke up early last Sunday morning to make all of us ladies breakfast. It was very impressive and very kind of them

- The Golden Shoe - an epic inter-house soccer tournament - took place. It was some intense playing and McL brought the shoe back for the second year in a row.

- The babies on campus are growing up and pulling at my hair:)

- My roommate has started to take down all the things on her wall....and a lump of anxiety has settled inside of me.

- My practice "Independent Project" for theatre is tonight! There are three of us in the group: Makyla from Ontario, Chezev from Trinidad, and I. It has been a whirlwind journey of writing, directing, and acting in our own piece. We struggled and triumphed and hope to convey some truths tonight. It has been a delight working with these very talented ladies.

- I've had some great conversations with people, I guess to me, that's a huge part of what Pearson is about. Learning about other people in a very deep way, to a point where you can recognize yourself in the process.

I am looking forward to a relaxing summer with my family! At the moment we're planning to go to Belize for a short vacation. In the meantime I have a lot of work to do re: extended essays, internal assessments, universities, scholarships, theatre production planning, etc. etc! I'm planning to do my summer service with 10 000 Villages, and with my last position on co-op radio (hopefully, if they take me back), and maybe some work at women's shelters on the Downtown Eastside. The sunshine is warming the days and our tired souls here... hmm...have I mentioned how BEAUTIFUL the campus here is (especially in the sun)?

No matter what, it is going to be incredibly painful to leave in just under 3 weeks. I can't really think about it yet, I'm trying to look at this as a "see you later" not a final goodbye. There are so many beautiful people here, it will be hard to let them go.

Lots of love,
Emmy