What A Summer

This summer I have had an eclectic range of jobs. Let's recap...

When i came home in May, I had just moved back home from good ol' London, Ontario and decided to take a comfortable 3 weeks off of working or even finding a job. I went to Sasquatch music festival despite my lack of money, but it was well worth it...probably one of the main highlights of my summer.



Anyway, I had ONE goal this summer: Make enough money to go away traveling for the year. After Sasquatch I knew it was time to kick my own butt to make some cash.

I got a job with a restaurant staffing/ banquet serving company. They first placed me at a Fairmont Hotel restaurant and random serving gigs at the Vancouver convention centre/ Vancouver club serving at some pretty cool events. I served at the BC Liberals bash and my favourite of all... a pig doctor convention with over 700 PIG DOCTORS. Not creepy at all. At one event, I got painted like a tiger for a jungle themed party. My friend, Heather, was painted like a snake, but instead, her face turned out like Rihanna...

Wait... it's even worse from afar:

(I Love you Heather, and that is why I know you will forgive me for posting these)

Just as I thought my summer was going to be all gross and grimy, smelling like half eaten food and crabby restaurant/ party goers who tend to ignore you, I got a call from a special needs camp that I had applied to almost 3 months prior. It was a delightful surprise seeing that I didn't think the job was happening anymore.

I had previous experience working with kids with special needs and I really, really liked it. Prior to my interview I prayed to the god I sometimes forget exists:

"Dear god, I know we don't talk much but... PLEASE, I really want this job! I NEED this job! I am going to be so unhappy this summer if I don't get this job! I don't want to smell like half eaten food anymore. I really don't ask you for much but this... I beg of you...this is the only thing I will ask of you this summer... and umm I will go to church more often!"

Low and behold...
I went for my interview and a couple hours after, I got a phone call saying I got the job. I WAS ECSTATIC. My summer was no longer going to be serving but it was going to be playing with kids and touring my own city doing things I have not done since I was in grade seven. And the pay? It just happened to be fantastic.

I remember biking to work, going to the Aquarium with the amazing kids, biking to the gym and then biking back home past the lovely honey-suckle and sweet-pine-smelling community gardens along the railway tracks. I had the BIGGEST, HAPPIEST, endorphin-filled SMILE on my face thinking "this is what summer should be all about". I felt pretty lucky.

I learned many things from the campers... like 90s music is an absolute drug to children of all generations...especially Spice Girls and "Life is a Highway," which we often played on repeat for the kids. I learned from a camper named Tommy, that HE, in fact, killed Justin Bieber. I was also informed by Tommy that Justin Bieber is not a boy but a GIRL. I learned that puzzles are actually really hard and that the campers are way better at them than me. I also learned not to be so self-conscious when I dance because when these kids dance... its like no one is watching, and that is the way it should be.

On another note, I taught the kids a thing or two as well! My highlight is teaching camper Michelle the phrase "Don't go there girlfriend! Don't even think about it"... which I then heard on instant replay almost everyday, but that's ok. I don't mind.

Here's some pictures with some campers I worked with this summer. They were simply the happiest part of my summer.









Camp ended about two weeks ago and now I am working with CTV with their promotions team. I worked with them last summer and during the Olympics so it's nice to have a consistent job with them. I really enjoy the people at CTV and the things we get to experience on a daily basis. I get to chill by Coleen Christi, Pamela Martin and Bill Good while they broadcast news and get a live version of the news at five and again at six. I also get to hang out with the weather man and his crew while they wait for their gig on the news. Pretty cool to see the recipe for a successful news broadcast-

1 tablespoon of serious music
1 cup of a comforting and wise voice
1/4 cup of make-up and hairspray
2 cups of interesting local and international stories
1/2 teaspoon of light conversation and laughter between anchors
3 pinches of weather, traffic and sports

Whisk lightly together, bake with some commercials and kaboom...you got the NEWS. I love it.

so...

Fairmont--> pig doctor convention-->jungle parties-->camp with special needs-->CTV.

what. a. summer.

Now? Onto my travels! Hellloooooo white, sandy beaches, tuk tuk rides, elephants and floating bungalows. I can't wait!