Last Exam; Unofficial U of C Alumni

I am so excited! Yesterday I wrote my exam for CNST 451: Culture of the Calgary Stampede. It was my last exam. Ever.

After four long years in University and swearing I would never make it to the end - I did! My amazing brother who has been an incredible support the last four years always told me that some point during writing the exam, I would a certain point where I would realize it was my last exam. He was so right! The feeling of leaving that exam room and knowing that I had accomplished a challenging, difficult, University degree was an awesome feeling.

Now I'm off to Vancouver this weekend for the BC Soccer Conference. I return on Sunday only to leave on Saturday May 9th for my Contiki trip to Greece and Turkey. So excited!

Sunburns and snowfall

Sometimes I wonder why people are even surprised by Calgary weather anymore. On Monday it was absolutely stunning out - in the mid-20s. As I was writing my English paper I was also working on my sun tan outside and enjoying some additional Vitamin D. I even reffed my first soccer game on Monday afternoon and reminded myself why I LOVE refereeing, soccer and the sunshine.

Then Wednesday comes along.

And it snows.

But not even a little bit of snow. Like A LOT of it. It has blanketed the houses, the roads, the sidewalks, the backyard and everything else it could cover, it did! Now it's windy and it's cold. Typical Calgary.

I was supposed to referee soccer this weekend: Saturday at a high school tournament and Sunday for McKenzie Lake. I'm guessing that the games will be cancelled since the weather forecast isn't for anything much above freezing, so I doubt the snow will melt. Too funny.

In other news, I'm off to Vancouver in a little over a week. I still have to book the hotel. Note to self. I'm going from Friday May 1 - Sunday May 3 for the BC Soccer Conference and CMSA is covering the costs for me. I'm really excited for it. Plus it'll be nice to see my brother, sister-in-law, and a few friends that I have down in Vancouver.

But in even BETTER news, I'm off to Greece on Saturday May 9th. From booking the trip in January to now, it has gone by so fast! I can't believe in just over two weeks I'll be boarding the plane. I'm so excited.

Finally, I lost the mail key for the mailbox. I have no idea how to get a replacement key... which is an issue. I know I have a cheque in there from ASA which I need for my trip, plus all my trip documents. Stupid keys!

Easter Sunshine and Homework

On Thursday night I was feeling really lonely and sad. I think a lot of it has to do with the overload of course work I have on my plate right now as well as the huge amount of work demands. It's been a challenge the last few months balancing the two and finally on Thursday I had a serious melt-down! I decided Thursday afternoon that I needed a break from Calgary so Bobbie and I drove home (!!!) first thing Friday morning.

How happy am I that I made that decision!

Right now we're at the Merritt house doing homework as dad is on call here this weekend. The sun is so warm through the front window so I moved the laptop onto the floor so I can bask in the sunlight. If the couch wasn't so heavy I would've just moved that, haha. It's a good thing he's on call though because this morning a semi-truck rolled over and both directions of the Coquihalla are closed down! Suckers.

I'm actually being really productive too - for hating schoolwork, that is. I have two research paperes and a self-evaluation due in the next week. Today I finished the self-evaluation and the research for my INDG 201 course. Now just to write the paper! Since it's on indigenous people, I am writing on the Westbank First Nations which is an incredibly successful group of Aboriginal people. I'm writing on their successes and juxtaposing it against the difficulties most other bands/reserves endure. Did you know they are a self-governing body? So under the Federal Government the WFN is actually considered their own government. It's pretty cool! They create their own taxes, laws, etc AND even cooler is that the Indian Act (racism act?!) doesn't apply to their People.

Anyways - back to the sunshine. It's incredible and it's only April. That's why I love the Okanagan so much. How can you hate life (hate school?! haha) when it's warm, sunny and blue skies outside? It makes me miss the fact that I don't live here full-time anymore as I really do miss waking up to good weather and spending the majority of the day outside because you want to. Hopefully it's even more sunny in Greece and Turkey when I head there at the beginning of May!

Enough procrastinating... I better get to writing that research paper.