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Tuesday, 08 July 2008

Currently Reading
Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics)
By Jane Austen
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GPS Will Only Get You So Far (Canada Part III)

When I last left you, I had destroyed my feet after a near-disastrous meeting with my new training direction and I was still in search of a place to live.
Friday was my last full day in Canada and I visited a few more apartments in my quest to find a place to live. The first place I checked out was closer to work but in a neighborhood that I couldn't tell if it was a bit sketchy, or just not suburban Tulsa pretty. The apartment complex was gated and had locked entrances so you couldn't get into any part of the building without your key, which was nice. However, there was a memorial outside for people who had been murdered...kinda sketchy!!! I looked at the "Bachelor" apartments which were about $850/month. And what did I get for that....a large closet!! I think they were maybe 350 sq ft and big enough for a futon and that was it!!! The next biggest one they had available was much nicer and had room for a bed and probably a chair and had real clothes closets. But...that one was $1000/mo before parking costs! SO, that was a no-go. The other place I looked at was a basement apartment in a house. It's in the part of town that I like but as is true of all other basement apartments, it had low ceilings. It was nice though, so I filled out an application. I haven't heard back from those people (they may have been afraid of my US citizen status) but we'll see. I also found another grad student on Craigslist who's looking for a roommate and she has a REAL apartment so that might be an option. So the housing situation is still up in the air...

Saturday, I was scheduled to leave at 3:30, so I got up and had breakfast, took a little walk on the lake and then headed to the airport which is about 30 min from town. I listened to my handy-dandy GPS and had no problems reaching the airport area. However, that's where my love/hate relationship with Ms. GPS was renewed!!!! I couldn't figure out how to get IN to the airport!!! I drove around the airport and I found employee parking but I couldn't find the road to get into the aiport to drop off my rental car. I could see it but I didn't know how to get there! I tried all kinds of fancy techniques (U-turns, different roads from different angles, etc.) and at one point, I changed my GPS directions to take me back to Toronto so I could try to get the right ramp again. After an HOUR of driving around, I finally followed some cars and found the way into the complex to drop off my car. By then it was 1 1/2 hours before my flight. Now, if you're in Tulsa (or any other city) and flying domestic, this isn't the end of the world, but I was flying international and I still had to go through customs and they recommend AT LEAST 2 hours!!! So I hauled butt, got into the terminal and found out that all the America-bound flights were leaving out of a different terminal (there are only 2..go figure I needed the other one). So...I had to run through the Canadian/International terminal, take an elevator to a different parking garage, go to another building, take a shuttle, and then make it to the other terminal. I asked where the American Airlines counter was and of course it was at the FAR end of the terminal. So I ran through the terminal and my suitcase driving skills resembled my Toronto driving skills, but I made it to self-check in and did that without too much trouble. They won't let you check-in if it's less than an hour before a flight and I had an hour and TEN MINUTES! Phew!!! But then I had to fill out my declarations form before I was even allowed to get into the customs line (good thing I only bought a few postcards). Customs took a while because it's just one big line but luckily, they didn't have too many questions for me so once it was my turn I made it through quickly. But then there was security and making it to my gate, and going to the bathroom (I chugged a bottle of water and half a Diet Coke in the customs line because I didn't want to throw it away). But when I got to the gate, our plane wasn't there and then they had medical emergency onboard so I had time to chill out and re-arrange my backpack before boarding. And then came the flight...

I got on first and was reading Pride and Prejudice and just chillin' when the lady next to me said, "hi." Now, in my world, people on planes who talk are usually some sort of trouble. She commented on my book and we started talking about the A & E version of the movie. So far so good...She then confessed that she had consumed 3 glasses of wine BEFORE she got on the plane so she wasn't completely sober LOL Great!!! Talkative and buzzed! Sweet!!! She said she wanted me to share a glass of wine with her too, so she bought be one LOL We ended up talking about Canada and housing and a bunch of other stuff and the next thing we knew, we were landing in Dallas. She was crazy!!! She kept repeating herself and then going, "did I already tell you that?" "yep!" I managed to escape in Dallas when I decided I wanted to eat and she needed to smoke, otherwise she would've offered to buy me another drink. The funny thing is that by the time I got home, I had lost my voice...I'm sure it was partly climate and partly talking to her for 3 1/2 hours. Oh well...fun times!!! And thus ends my Canada trip...

Speaking of my voice though...I tried to call the doctor in Tulsa who does medial exams and when I tried to talk, I couldn't speak! The lady was like, "hello? hello?" I had to hang up because I knew it wasn't about to get better! I called later but could tell that she still didn't understand me and told me about what I needed to bring, but didn't understand that I was calling to make an appointment. Oh well...I'll try again later...

Thursday, 03 July 2008

They Have Pop Tarts in Canada!!!

Good news!!! They have Pop Tarts in Canada!!! Just thought you’d like to know!!

I discovered this and more on Day 2 in Canada. My day started out with a drive around town to explore the city and then I met with my first potential landlord. The apartment was in a basement in Little Italy. The lady was super nice and they have a cockapoo looking dog named Grizzly that was really cute!! The apartment was alright...super small but I really liked the landlord. She was super helpful about the neighborhood and what farmer’s markets, etc. were there. I told her I’d think about it and let her know since I wanted to look at other properties. After that I walked around the neighborhood, got a latte at a local Italian café, went to the grocery store and did the “European” thing and bought a fresh croissant and meat from the deli and made a sandwich. This is where I discovered that they have pop tarts in Canada. They have a bunch of other American foods too including tacos, Lays chips (including ketchup flavor...random), and other basics. The also sell fresh sushi and many of the stores have oodles of other fresh foods you can buy J However, I discovered that cheese is pretty darn expensive L It made me sad! So after that tour and checking out other parts of town (and getting honked/sworn at for not being an aggressive driver and not running over pedestrians) I made it back to my hotel room for dinner. Another landlord called me and I’m telling you, she sounded like a British nanny and was SUPER sweet. So I set up a meeting with her to see that apartment as well J

So today I woke up and had an e-mail from the landlord with the apartment in Little Italy. Someone else had seen it and wanted it. She was giving me first dibs but I had to decide quickly. I told her that I needed ‘til noon and I packed up my stuff and parked near the house and tested the walk to my internship. There are some great café’s along the way and definitely a wide variety of cultures were represented. I tried to imagine the walk in the winter (although there’s a streetcar) and by the end of my walk, I decided that I had to say “no.” I didn’t want to rush my decision without seeing anything else. So I made my decision and decided to drive by the other place that I was scheduled to see, to check out the neighborhood. As I was driving around the neighborhood, I saw a community church. Now some of you are going to say, “who cares?” but here’s the thing. I had seen a lot of Catholic churches in town and a bunch of other religious institutions but this was just a community church. I didn’t take it as a “sign” but it was a nice addition to the neighborhood. So I went back to my hotel room to e-mail the other landlord and struggled a bit with the decision and then hit send. Literally, 2 minutes after I sent that e-mail I felt sick. The place had all the little things I wanted but at the same time, here’s one of the major reasons why I felt like I needed to say “no.” The neighborhood was full of other religious institutions (spiritualist center, Buhddist temple, etc.) and honestly there was something about being surrounded about those places that I wasn’t sure I could live with. I don’t mean that in a non-tolerant way, but more of an overall self-care kind of way. I had to be at peace with that part of my decision and after a little while, I was ok with it. Besides, I didn’t have time to worry too much...I had a meeting with my future training director.

Now, here’s the deal with that meeting....I HAD to make a good impression. I got my internship through some extra phone calls and I was told that I could NOT screw up because my TU director’s name was on the line!!! So...I set out with my GPS and had THE worst time getting where I needed to be. I got to the site with about 5 minutes to spare but managed to drive past the parking garage entrance and had to go around the block. The problem was that I didn’t know which streets were 1-way and which one’s weren’t. So by the time I went around the block again I was late!!! I was freaking out!! Then I had to pay for parking which requires putting the proper amount of money into a machine to put a ticket in your window. So here I am...late, looking through my purse for the proper amount of money to pre-pay my time in parking and thinking, “is this work $.25 or $1!!” So...I exit the garage and realize that I’m at the wrong end of the block, so I haul booty in my dress shoes and make it into the building. I go up the elevator and realize, “I don’t know where his office is and there’s no one around!” So, I walk down a hallway and see Dr. Bagby (he’s a big MMPI guy). He’s on the phone but I thought I could at least ask. His response, “I don’t know...he’s in the forensic division!” and he didn’t say it nicely. So, next I see a lady talking to someone who I kinda think might’ve been a client. I ask her if she knows and she says, “sorry, I don’t!” As I was walking back to the middle of the building, the cleaning lady said, “I don’t know either...sorry!” So I found another open office and 2 people. I ask one of them and she said she knew where it was, but it was behind a locked door. So, she looked up his # for me so I could call. So here I am...20 MINUTES late, freaking out and locked out! So I called and told him that I was on the other side of the locked door and apologized for being late. Here’s the kicker....his response??? “We’re pretty laid back around here...you’re ok.” Thank God! I mean that literally!! It could’ve been the worst thing ever but he seemed to be ok. We had a good conversation about immigration and the internship and all that stuff and I was VERY encouraged!!! I’m optimistic about this next year! But..I do have to say that the visit ended on a rather painful note....my shoes are not broken in and I had to take the "scenic route" back to my car. So...I now have bloody feet...again!!! Internship is bad for my tootsies! (yes, I just used that word)

After that, I called a couple more landlords about apartments and I’m scheduled to see one tomorrow and possibly another one if the person who’s looking at it tonight doesn’t want it. So...keep your fingers crossed about that!! I don’t want to come all this way and not have housing next year!!!

And on a different note...driving in Toronto is crazy!!! I’m not sure who actually has the right-of-way at any given moment. Pedestrians just go...bikes weave through traffic and if one lane is blocked, people just merge into yours. I’ve been honked at, yelled at, given even death looks. It’s greaaaat!!! Hahahaha....I’m thankful that there’s public transportation in this city!!

Tuesday, 01 July 2008

Currently Reading
Streetwise Toronto Map - Laminated Center City Street Map of Toronto, Canada - Folding pocket size travel map with integrated subway & trolley bus lines & stations (Streetwise (Streetwise Maps))
By Streetwise Maps
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I have been in Toronto for 10 hours and it’s a bit surreal. This week is a bit of a vacation for me in the sense that I’ll be going back to Tulsa and resuming life there. And yet, I know that in a few short weeks I will be moving to Toronto for work. This is not just a place to vacation, this is about to be my home.

I took a long walk along the shore of Lake Ontario today to take it all in and to think about my life in Canada. Toronto is very different from Tulsa in the sense that you can walk a block and hear 5 different languages, and there’s something comforting about that. It could be a lonely feeling realizing that you don’t speak the same language as the person next to you and yet, there’s something about it that allows my thoughts to flow, as though my inner dialogue cannot be heard by those around me because they do not speak English. I am free to think, free to explore, and free to be myself in the midst of the many cultures.

Tomorrow I will be looking for places to live and I’m excited about that as well. The chance to live in a basement apartment or a loft in Little Italy or in the Annex, full of modern art and influence. At the same time, it’s overwhelming to be in a foreign country for 4 days and to try and find a place to live. What’s better, low rent or better location? Do I want to have a car here or not? It’s crazy to make those decisions and alone and yet, it’s a great time to be me. Exciting, eh?

There’s something else that I can’t quite explain about being here...a feeling that I might just fall in love with the city. I won’t just like this city or think that it’s a fun place to be, but I will learn to love and appreciate it. It could truly be home for me. I don’t know if I feel that way about Oklahoma. I think I’ve grown to like Tulsa and yet I don’t know if I ever feel like it’s truly home to me. As I talked to the guy at the car rental counter, it reminded me how much I LOVE the Canadian accent. Some people like Australian accents and those are great, but I think I really like Canada’s accent better. It makes me happy J Some of my friends have predicted that I might find love in Toronto, but more importantly, I want to feel love. I want to wake up in the morning happy about where I live and excited about being in this city. I want to love the people, the culture, and the life of a Canadian.

Thursday, 28 February 2008

My Chaotic Weekend and the Results!!

Friday:
Match Results
Current mood: sad
Hey all!! As many of you know, internship Match was yesterday. For those of you who don't know about the process, it goes something like this...We rank sites based on our preferences and at the same time, the sites rank all their applicants and a computer attempts to match people to internship sites.
So yesterday, I got an e-mail saying that I did not match I was definitely distraught yesterday full of catastrophic thinking, lots of crying, feelin' sick to my stomach, and trying to figure out what to do. There were some awkward moments too because my training director didn't get our results, so we had to call her and let her know. I also had to tell my advisor in person because he didn't get results either. That was rough. I went shopping to get out of the house for a while and to get the red shoes I promised myself for Valentine's Day. So I did that and bought a red purse, new sunglasses, and earrings :) Yea! Retail therapy!! I also went out with the classmates for some fun times at El Guapo/McNellies!!

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I met with my training director on Sunday who told me that I needed to try every option possible to get an internship (some people hold off a year or only try other options). I had decided that I would move ANYWHERE, take any amount of money (or lack thereof), apply to every site that I was remotely interested in, sign up for a separate college counseling center clearinghouse, and go for it....So then I had to come up with a plan....
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Monday....
I recruited my "dream team"--Patty, Jenn, and Lincoln, called Shan and Nina for advice (thanks ladies!!!! You guys rock my world!!!), and created a gameplan. I arrived at school an hour early, set up all the computers in our lab and then gave a thorough description of how we were going to e-mail everyone on the Clearinghouse list quickly. And we did it!!! In about half an hour, my vitae/resume' was floating around cyberspace in 2 countries, multiple states, and then I had to wait...and wait...and wait...Meanwhile, my training director was calling people for follow-up and to get them to look at my application. I had a couple of calls, including THREE from the Air Force (they are excellent at recruitment), and at 4:30, I got an offer for an internship!!!! YAY GOD!!! So...after much pain, tears, 8 million e-mails, and multiple phone calls from my training director, I will be moving to.....

TORONTO!!!
Yep, I'm moving to Canada in August!!! I will be working at the Center for Addictions and Mental Health (Google it if you want). I have a lot of hype to live up to between my training director and advisor, but I'm excited!!

Thanks everyone for your prayers, support, and GO DREAM TEAM!! (and our red attire)

Thursday, 21 February 2008

Keeping My Mind Off of Things

So, my friend Molly has unofficially tagged people to tell 6 quirky facts about themselves. Since I'm trying not to think about what might go down tomorrow, I'll share a few quirky facts about me....

6) I have an irrational fear of storm drains. I always worry that I will slip and fall and get sucked into the gutter. I know, it's know really possible, but I hate walking near them...I think it goes back to elementary school when my Mom opened our van door and one of my toys rolled out of the car and down the drain
5) I clean when I'm upset...if that doesn't work then I go walking and if all else fails, I do something to my hair. So if you see me this weekend and I'm running on Riverside with dishpan hands and I have shaved my head, it's been a bad weekend
4) I always have to touch the acclerator before putting my foot on the brake when I start my car...it's not an OCD thing but I ALWAYS do it!!
3) I once got my finger stuck in a fishtank...I was in preschool at the time and my school had a fishtank with holes on the top. Unfortunately, I stuck my finger in a hole that was a little too small for my finger and my teacher had to pull it out. I still have a scar from it!
2) I can wiggle my ears...but if you ask me to do it, I'll probably have "stage fright" and not be able to do it!!
1) I took fencing in college and was women's champion. I only lost by one point to the boy in the championship round

And now, consider yourself unofficially tagged....I'm going back to dissertation land for now...