Where do I start...?

WOW, life can throw you so many obstacles and in the end they are all suppose to be life experiences - you take something away from them and move forward, but how much can you be thrown...?

So let me recap the last 4 months...

My mom became severely ill and was hospitalized, with only me here to be by her bedside.
I went to the Philippines, lots of traveling time, climbed a friggin huge mountain/jungle.
While away realized just how important a certain someone is to me. We had realized it before I left, but it really set in while we were apart.
While away a close friend of mine went on life support, is now okay.
Came down with some kind of stomach virus or parasite from the Philippines and still (6 weeks) later sick, now waiting for test results.
I had one week between my two summer adventures and in that week, I laid in hospital/bed sick. Was not able to spend any quality time with a certain someone, or talk about our feelings.
Moved to Ottawa, found a place upon my arrival and moved in.
Loving every bit of my experience, I made the most of everything related to this experience. My certain someone stopped by for a brief visit, things were good.
End of June, in a week, we found out my grandmother (never been sick in her life or been in a hospital) has breast cancer and needs to have one removed all in a week.
My certain someone came for Canada long weekend, what a great experience to be in Ottawa on Canada day, what a horrible weekend for the two of us.
Beginning of July, my landlord assaulted me, hit me and poured boiling water on me and then proceeded to kick my door down.
In a city all by myself, called my boss and was in a new place with the help of colleagues by the end of the next day.
In a great new place, in Ottawa.
Come home to Toronto, and my relationship was ended. Things out of our control just became too much for him, too much for me, and "us" suffered. Left from Toronto to Ottawa with "us" on hold until September.

We can't control our experiences day to day, even the good ones you've planned can turn out differently. I don't want to give in, because things I could not control and could not have foreseen have come up and have pushed both of us to our limits. Life is unfair, right? I can handle or rationalize events - things out of my control, but to let those things determine what I do have a say in - I won't let it happen. I am keeping an open mind, and that is all I am asking in return.

I hope now, that life will give me a break, I can work mentally and emotionally through the events of the last few months, collect myself and refocus. Refocus on being my happy go lucky self, and share that with my certain someone...

Adaptation

Adaptation, is a natural phenomenon right? In my case it is very easy, let's be honest there is not and really should not be much culture shock between Toronto and Ottawa. Immediately before my internship and move to Ottawa I was away in the Philippines, so obvisouly the feeling of closer to home and 'still in Canada' was a welcoming feeling. In Ottawa you would probably be turned away from businesses if you tried to negotiate a price, maybe in Toronto you can get away with it in the odd place like Chinatown, not so likely here.

I have had to update my wardrobe the business attire, I love the clothes, not so much the heels, so I opt to walk to and from work in flippy floppies and when I am out to lunch I do the switch - er - roo as well, its comforting that my boss does the same.

I have never lived away from home and except for my month long volunteer trips abroad and the occasional two week trip with a good friend, I have really never lived with anyone else. There has been some adjustment there in some respects I have learned you have to be feisty with space, clean, but don't clean too much (I think a good habit of mine) because if your roommates catch on, their cleaning capabilities suddenly disappear.

Lukily, there are two of us, that is two torontonians, to york students or two inters here in Ottawa, so every week we meet for lunch on good old Sparks street and have a lunch together, a good refereshing face and spirit from where we are from!

Setting the Scene

Ottawa...I live in an apartment complex with just three units, I am living with a Korean woman in her mid 30's, I figured she was a better choice over students because she has a job, she's surpassed her party/drunken days, and mature enough to be respectful of her roommates and be clean. SOOO happy with my choice, she is however moving from a three bedroom house and right now all her "stuff" is taking over the apartment, but I can deal with that. I live just up the street from the Ottawa famous "Byward Market" and just down the street from work. I take the one street all the way to work, about a 20 min walk - good exercise! I have a Loblaws and metro at my doorstep, I walk over the Rideau to get to work and have a beautiful view of parliament every morning. You can walk EVERYWHERE in Ottawa, and I plan to do so. If I want to see a Cineplex movie or I need the VIA Rail Station or the Airport they are all a short easy bus ride away. Ottawa is incredibly convenient. In comparison to Toronto, yes Ottawa is TINY, and does not have much life to it after 6pm, but my partying days are long gone, and I much prefer a stroll along the Rideau or dining at a respectful restaurant, and I can still have a lot of fun with that. That is my life thus far...

My job/internship...LOVE IT, it is just up my alley, a lot of planning and organizing, organizing is what I am BEST at! I have been receiving a lot of positive feedback in regards to my work ethic and performance already after just my first week! I am in charge of doing pretty much everything head to toe to set up an orientation weekend event in late September for incoming American students and scholars. After putting all the work this summer into this event and coordinating the whole weekend, the foundation will cover all my costs to come back to Ottawa, stay in the hotel with the participants and join all the activities as well as help run the event I coordinated! The office itself is a big office space for only 9 staff members, 10 including me. Everyone has been very welcoming, has gone out of there way when I ask simple 'Ottawa' questions like where is the best Mexican food (they take a half hour and tell me all about 3 or 4 different places and then how to get to them from work and my apartment). The President has a short conversation with me, he wanted to know more about me, and given his busy schedule and that he is rarely in the office I was impressed he was able and willing to fit me in, even if just for a few minutes. Some of the staff play a little soccer once or twice a week on lunch and I was invited and have joined them now. Cannot emphasize how amazing the job and staff are. Now not to brag, but the office is in one of Ottawa's largest buildings and we work on the 20th floor (there are only 21) so we have a great view! I have been put at the desk of the receptionist which makes me feel important (not going to lie to you guys). I have been learning a lot about new computer programs and ones I've always been using, and I again LOVE IT!

That is the scene thus far, I know I missed a lot of things, but I am just so excited with my life here I get a bit caught up when it comes to to explain why and what I love so much!

The Late Arrival and Rough Start

June 1st I arrived home from my first summer adventure, a volunteer trip to the Philippines! I have the world's weakest immune system, and was congratulating myself and being congratulating for arriving home in one piece having no incidences for the whole trip. We climbed southeast Asia's tallest mountain, Mount. Guiting Guiting, a mountain used to train for Everest! I arrived home and within 48 hours became violently ill with a stomach virus which doctors say was from the Philippines, so joy, intense pain and sickness, so I was sedated on gravol. My mom was to drive me to Ottawa to find a place to rent, being gone the whole month of May I still had that minor detail to figure out, and then to start my internship less than a week back from the Philippines.

The departure date for Ottawa was pushed back and back, on Sunday June 6th though I had no choice. I started my internship the next day (June 7th) still had no place to rent and was in Toronto. So put some business attire in a bag with some other basics and off I went to Ottawa. Found a place by 4pm, the furniture for my rented furnished room arrived and was set up by 6:30pm, and I went to bed by 7pm.

Monday June 7th - FIRST DAY OF INTERNSHIP

My internship position is at "Fulbright Canada" or "the Foundation of Educational Exchange between the United States and Canada". My project this summer is to coordinate the orientation weekend held in September for all incoming Fulbright student and scholars (graduates and professors) and Killam Fellows (undergraduates).

The morning was a bit rough but comical, my computer wasn't working, none of the spare computers were cooperating. They finally got my computer up and running only to realize that much of the software needed updating...(I can go on). At the end of the day I had a computer that worked and a tedious project to work on, updating emails in the database. I was so excited to be here and I love the office, I love the building and atmosphere, I love the staff, and I will be more than excited to take on any project!

For the last two days I have begun my project, alot of arranging. Arranging the participants and their travel, arranging activities, and all that comes with it.

This year is the 20th anniversary and on orientation weekend there will be a gala, which I will be able to get all dressed up for!

They've kept things interesting with a couple smaller projects thrown my way. I was invited to a eco scavenger hunt by one of the staff members. Tuesday evening after work, I joined a team to do a scavenger hunt all around downtown Ottawa. I met some people and I became more familiar with the streets and different things to see and do in Ottawa.

So far, I LOVE this opportunity. I love being away from home and living on my own (first time). Ottawa is smaller and quieter than Toronto, but for those who know me, that fits me perfectly!