Winnipeg Days

Winnipeg, Manitoba

I arrived safely in Winnipeg on Tuesday feeling a bit lighter than I left. That's right one of my four bags was shipped to who-knows-where for who-knows-how-long. Convientienlty enough it was the bag with everything in it, including my toothpaste, and PJs (which I would usually pack in my carry-on, but due to terrorist threats had to be checked). This slight detour made me laugh, especially when one of my new co-workers asked me if I had anything to change into I replied "nope, all I have is my snow pants, my ski jacket, mitts, toque, and ski boots". Funny, Winter in Winnipeg is COLD... but it generally doesn't begin in late August, thus rendering all my clothing a bit too warm for the summer heat here. Sine that fateful day things have been returned and I was reimbursed for the hassle with future travel credit which will come in handy soon enough.

In other news,.. I met my new people (aka: the people I will be working under, beside and with for the next eight months). What a group! We've been having fun. I took today "off" and stayed behind when the rest of the group went quadding (is that what you call it when you drive around on four-wheelers through the bush?). I need some down time as I know staff training will be intense and I'm tired already.

There was talk that we might go ski diving over the long weekend. Now that may sound thrilling to some... but to me it sounds like something that makes me nervous just thinking about it. I have no trouble boarding a plane, but I have no idea how I would physically force myself to step out of a plane in midair only to freefall long enough to pray my parachute would open. Needless to say, I was relieved to find out that we will instead be going go-carting instead. I have recently been informed that bungee jumping is part of the second semester adventure in South Africa. When I said I wasn't going to go, and that there is no way I would ever be able to do it, I got laughed at. So my latest stress in life is trying to work up enough courage over the next five months to find a way to throw myself off a bridge attached to a cord... or else come up with a really great excuse as to why that would likely be more terrifying than fun for this kid!