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