TWC: Until Next Time...

The past few days have been bitter-sweet. I was finally able to complete my volunteer hours, but more importantly I was finally able to spend a few days in Kitchener & in WTC, which was very enjoyable.

Last Thursday I took part in my last "Speak English Cafe" for the term. It was nice to see familiar faces and catch up with them, and to meet people I would have never have had the opportunity to meet if it weren't for BB. I spoke with my friend from the Middle East, Krista's friend, and a few others. It was great to find out what they've been up to, their future plans, and get some closure. During SEC, we had to answer questions that related to Earth Day (which was on Wed). I always love hearing about other people's experiences. My favourite part of the night was learning about ways different parts of the world conserve. For instance, in Columbia and China, among other places, people are only allowed to drive every other day. Thus, half of the people (organized via licence plates) drives one day while the other half drive the next day. If they are caught driving on the wrong day they get a pricey fine. We also discussed a need for better transportation systems in KW and other large cities like a subway system or cable cars. We also discussed how some countries conserve energy during the extreme seasons: they allow their employees to dress season appropriate and keep their AC/heat to a minimum. For instance, in the summer employees are allowed to wear shorts and short-sleeve shirts, and the AC will only turn on when the temperature reaches a certain point. If only Canada could jump on some of these bandwagons...

After hearing raving reviews from Kate- another BB student- about baking in the kitchen at TWC, I was finally able to volunteer there yesterday. Although it was stifling hot in there, I enjoyed my volunteering experience tremendously. I loved the people there and I was allowed to bake and test out brownies, double chocolate cookies, carrot cake, and coconut balls. It was heaven! Then I helped the staff clean the place, which reminded me of my jobs at an outdoor education camp during my second year of university and a restaurant in high school. The people there were very kind and very appreciative of my hard work which was nice. One person said she was sad that it was my first and last day, while another joked, "See you tomorrow?!!" Unfortunately I won't be back today because I'm leaving KW, but I definitely plan on coming back to the kitchen and the SEC!

Before leaving TWC I noticed an elderly man front SEC drinking coffee by myself in the Cafe, and I decided to chat with him; it was very nice.

Finally, as I made my way to my bus, I noticed representatives promoting Greenpeace on the sidewalk and decided to chat with them. After having an in-depth conversation about conservation initiatives and Tar Sands, I decided to sign up and received a book, which I'm very excited to read in BiH.

As the days go by I am falling more in love with KW. The people are always so helpful and the atmosphere is great. Moreover, I am so happy to have had the opportunity to get involved within the community; it has definitely humbled and grounded me. I can't wait to help out when I return to Canada.