drained

good day. i've done 3 of 4. i always get this really weird feeling after a few 12 hour shifts. like i walk around with my eyes half closed, yet at the same time i feel like being social- but just low maintenance-social where i can be dumb and tired.
i've learned sooo much in the past few days. many nursing skills that i've never done before, ever. a lot of them probably not what you want to talk about around the dinner table. :)
and also- there's snow here! argh! it's really annoying, because i can't bike to the hospital, so i have to bum rides. and i hate looking for rides. the bus doesnt get there nearly early enough for me.
oh well, if that's the only thing i have to complain about, the fact that i cant bike to the hospital- life is pretty good. it always gives me new appreciation for good health and not having to be confined to a wheelchair, have crazy bowel alterations (like stomas! you don't want one of those!), have to puke my guts up every time i eat, or other similar ills. Its nice to be able to help people out who do have to deal with these kinds of things- often, coping with grace that is a shining example to the healthy folk.

The happenings

Well, I'm almost done my 4 days off before I dive into my next set of 4 day shifts. And I must say that I am quite content. I'm actually not even minding the fact that tomorrow I have to get up at 5:50 am, stumble around bleary-eyed getting ready, and then bike to the hospital in a semi-alert state. As I eat breakfast I am always listening with dread for the pelting of rain on the skylights, and peering out the window to see if the deck is slick and shiny- so far, so good. On my 8 commuting trips it's only rained once, and I wouldn't call it rain, more of a light shower.
But getting back to the content factor. These 4 days were quite fantastic. First of all, Tuesday. It so happens that my good friend named Nanc has a good friend named Janis who has a good brother named Ryan. Ryan goes to UVic, and Nanc told him, well more kindly suggested I suppose, that I don't really know many people in Victoria yet and he shoudl show me around. Well he fully took this idea and ran with it, being very hospitable. So on Tuesday night I went with Ryan, his friend Alex, and another friend of Alex's, Lewis, downtown to hand out some meals to the homeless and have some conversations with them. I returned home feeling abundantly thankful for all the blessings in my life, and humbled to be able to show some love to some of these people.
Wednesday was another gloriously sunny day, I went with Ryan and Teebo, his dog, on a very cute little black and white checkered scooter (yes, 2 people and 1 dog on a scooter, it was amusing) up to the base of Mount Doug, which is a fairly decent sized mountain (not snow capped or anything, but still a climb) at the edge of the city. We climbed said mountain and the view was amazing. Could see all the way to Vancouver, the mountains in Washington, and the ocean all around. I loved it. There are so many beautiful places on this island. I am itching to explore more of it, that will come I suppose.
Last night I went to a new college and career group, once again courtesy of Ryan as it was at his church. Met some really great people, the girls in particular were very welcoming and 'took me in' right away. The type of people you just want to hug because you are so thankful that they are being so friendly! There's something amazing about Christian community too. Here I am, 4000 kms away from home- there was a map beside me on the wall which made Canada look huuuuge and southern ON really far away. But we're singing the same songs and these people all believe the same thing and we're all one family, really. That's the way is supposed to be. Imagine in heaven when people from all over the world are there singing... amazing.
Tonight I'll go to IVCF at UVic, and then tomorrow morning bright and early it's back to the hospital. Who knows what adventures are in store for these next shifts... that's one of the things I like about nursing, it's spectacularly unpredictable.

my surroundings

Here are some pictures of my new surroundings. The trail that I take to the hospital (quaintly called the Galloping Goose) first of all. I went in late on Sunday morning since I had stayed late the night before to watch surgery- hence riding in the light and being able to take pictures.

Speaking of the surgery, I was able to stand RIGHT next to the surgeons and look down into this man's open abdomen as they did bowel surgery on him. Quite amazing, all the stuff that is going on in there.

The other pictures are of the hospital. I'm on the the 7th floor. The road with the beautiful tall trees is the road going into the hospital. I love these trees. Most patients have an amazing view out of their window, whether it is of the city and the distant mountains (on clear days) or these tall peaceful trees.

More to come...

settling

This place is starting to feel more like home.

Today I explored some more. Yesterday I climbed my first BC mountain. Mount Tolmie. I don't think they really consider it to be a mountain, but my Ontario classification determines it to be a mountain. :)

Tomorrow I have my first shift at the hospital! I'm excited. I've had my orientation days there and now I'm ready to see some real patients. They remind me that I really do love this job.

Biking here is fantastic. Victoria is a city meant to be biked. With the warm weather and the bike-friendly roads, it makes it a lot of fun. There's so many places that I want to go and see.

Just for nosalgia's sake, and because I love pictures, I'll post a couple randoms. Not from BC (yet), when I get more I'll post an album or something but I haven't done much picture-taking yet. It'll come.

I'm learning so much. It really shakes a person up to move to a new place, I think. I'm learning to be patient, to be brave, to trust, and to just go for things. To cling to God when it feels a little too quiet out here. And to go for the opportunities that He places before me. To do my work with joy and to appreciate creation. Tonight there was a glorious sunset- which apparently is fairly commonplace around here- but the pink sky was so beautiful to me. I love the sky, and clouds, and being outside.

which also begs the question, should I go planting again this summer?

We'll see.

Have a good day, wherever you are, whatever you're doing- take some time to slow down and breathe life in way down to your toes.

thoughts

Close your eyes My child, let My love wash your cares away
Sleep under the heavens as the start twinkle above
Heart beating, every breath known to your Father
How much more do I know the plans I have for you, dear daughter?

from the west

Here I am. I currently reside in Victoria, BC.

I don't even really know where to start.
Just a few thoughts, then...
Air travel is unbelievably efficient.. in comparison to the Greyhound.
There are real west coast hippies.
The UVIc campus is full of rabbits.. and not cottontails... they look like straight-out-of -the-backyard-cage-pet-rabbits.
It rains a lot here. It's true.
Ontario has a bit of a reputation.. 'On-terrible'
It's really scary to go to a university club meeting if you don't know a soul, but worth it.
Relatives who you've never spent time with in your life can turn out to be amazing people who quickly become 'real family.'
The west coast is more laid-back in general.
I can be suckered in by bike shop salespeople.
You can wreck parts on a brand new bike by either, a) taking it apart, b) shoving it into a box, or c) trying for 2+ hours to put it back together unsuccessfully.
Avocados on salad are fantastic.
Organic yogurt is delicious.
I rush around far too much. I need to learn to give things time. Be patient.
BC people are a lot more environmentally friendly. And they exercise more. Both of the previous statements are huge generalizations, but probably true.

I like it here. So far. It's different. I need to adjust. But it's going to be good. It is already.
So much to learn, to see, to do.

westbound

Tomorrow morning at 5 am I leave for Toronto... fly to Vancouver... fly to Victoria.. aaaahhh! I can't believe it. I am basically pretty much very excited. I think I'll have to temporarily convince myself that I'm not going or I'll never get any sleep tonight...

ps- I changed the settings on here (I didn't even know that was possible!) so anyone can comment, not just people with google accounts- because I know that setting up yet another account with password and all that for something is basically pretty annoying and no one feels like doing it.

[In reference to the photo- next time you go to Niagara Falls- you know the stone tower thing that the lights shine out of onto the falls? If you go and knock on the door, a man might let you inside, and then you can change the lights and it is altogether quite a fun activity. Thanks Amber our tour guide for letting us in on this on Saturday.. I thought it was just a rumour when I heard about it in high school.. :)]

getting closer

Only a few days left now. Bought a new bike helmet today as I am soon to become a bicycle commuter. Have to sort through my mountain of nursing notes- it's amazing how much paperwork can accumulate from university courses- and decide what I want to bring with me to study for the RN exam. Yesterday I went on a hike with Chris up the escarpment along the Bruce Trail. Well, not really along the trail. We couldn't find it under the snow so we blazed our own trail through the bush and actually ended up where we wanted to be anyway. There are outdoor opportunities in the Niagara region, they're just not very obvious. It was nice to do that with Chris. I enjoy the company of my brothers, they have turned out to be quite hilarious and fun to be around. I wish that we saw more of each other.