Future Plans / Passport

A week ago my friend and I were discussing future involvement opportunities within the University. After more than a year on SJ Union, we've decided to embark on new experiences. The only question left was what should we do? Right away I thought of creating a conference. Initially I wanted to create a fun, leadership conference, similar to the ones I participated in during high school, i.e., HOBY, MYAC, OSSA, and GO. However, after conversing with one of my close friends from WL and my BB professor, I have started to refocus creating a conference that will allow students to become aware of ways they can become involved in the local community and on campus. Moreover, with the approval of my BB professor, I am fairly certain this conference will be a component of my final BB project. I know that it will be A LOT of work, but I know it will be worth it. I've wanted to co-create an initiative-based project since grade 11 when I co-founded a volunteer club. This will definitely be an outside the box project and it will be a great way to end BB and my university experience.

Side Note: I JUST received notice that my passport has arrived! :D:D Now I need my tickets! (One of the IC students going to BiH has just received his today.) It feels so surreal that in less than 2 weeks I will be in BiH. Although I'm already half packed (I got excited a week ago), I have a lot more prepping to do.

BB/Intercordia Meet-and-Greet

Earlier on in the week, prospective BB students had a chance to meet Alumni and this years BB students. Before attending, I sent an informal invitation to all my University friends who are still going to be in UW next year. I was happy to see 2 of the 20 people at the meeting, and 3 others expressing an interest in the BB program. The meet-and-greet, in my eyes, was a success. After Elyse, Lisa & Elyse (people working for BB/Intercordia/the University) presented, students previously and presently enrolled in the program had the chance to speak to the prospective students about their BB experience. After a Q&A period and refreshments, I was able to speak one-on-one with Sarah, an Alumnus who went to BiH. A lot of my last-minute questions were answered, which I then relayed to the rest of my BiH group via facebook. After conversing with/visiting the blogs of 5 prior BB/Intercordia students who went to BiH, I feel A LOT more prepared for BiH.

Back from a Busy Weekend

The weekend was fairly busy. I went home to pick up the cheque from my Parish, received some donations, gain some more contacts, and discuss a fundraier with my old boss. I still need to raise $1150 (I have received $550 and will be getting another $300 during reading week). After visiting my old job (my home away from home) my boss agreed to hold a fundraiser at his restuarant on the last week of March, which is also the 4th anniversary of his restaurant. Right now we are seeking entertainment. Hopefully by the next week I will be asking local companies for items I can auction off during the event. We are all very excited for the event but it will definitely be time consuming and a lot of work. :D I have also gotten into contact with the two other Intercordia students who are going to BiH. We are all really excited to be going and I'm definitely glad to have the chance to converse with them beofre leaving. Lastly, on Thursday myself and Jen will be giving presentations on our countries, and our class will be discussing a group fundraiser that will likely be on the first Sunday in March. Our last Intercordia seminar, which I'm SO excited for, will also take place during that weekend.

That's it for now,

~G

The Speak English Cafe

Last night was my first 2 hrs volunteering at TWC. I participated in the “Speaking English Café”. Last night, the SEC consisted of two parts.

The first was a "BINGO" type activity where we were given roughly 25 questions, i.e., Are you afraid of heights? We had to circulate the room finding people who could answer "yes" to the questions. When we found those people, they had to sign their name beside the question. Each person could only sign each page once. The goal was to be the first person to complete the task and receive a high five, and more importantly, to start warming up to each other and practice speaking English. This was a great ice breaker. Personally it helped me meet different people and remember them by word associations (which many of you know is the key way that I remember people's names).

The second part of the evening was working through a verbal activity in our table groups. My group consisted of two gentlemen recently from Columbia, an intelligent and worldly man from India, my friend Sebastian, another person from KW and a woman from India. As a group we decided to discuss each question presented on the paper. An example of a question was: If you could write a book what would it be about (i.e., genre, type of characters, etc). After answering these questions we had to look at some Idioms. After reading them aloud, we allowed the recent immigrants to guess on the different meanings. Then we would help describe any idioms that they had difficulties with. These activities were a fun way of getting to know people as individuals and in a small way we helped their understanding of the English language.

Relating this to Friere, this was much more effective than getting the people to attend a lecture on the English language. We all got to engage in a dialect together and to educate each other on our different views, knowledge and experiences. It was very satisfying.

After leaving TWC, I couldn't help but wonder if Bosnia has a program similar for foreigners, like myself, or locals who are seeking to learn foreign languages. In the weeks prior to overseas adventure, I hope to find out if such a program exists.

Moreover, as most of you know, I aspire to become an elementary teacher. What most of you don't know is that that has been my ideal job since I was a little girl teaching my Croatian grandmother, Baka, English on my weekly visits. Being able to not only be involved in these adult’s journey through improving their language skills, but also learn more about their worldly experiences, is such a blessing to me. It was just amazing to interact with such a diverse and positive group of adults. I am so thrilled to have had this opportunity with TWC and I am looking forward to volunteering there in the weeks leading up to my departure to Bosnia.

The Working Center: KW's Very Own "W. Wonka's Chocolate Factory"

http://www.theworkingcentre.org/

Two weeks ago we went to The Working Center, which is where myself and the rest of the BB crew are going to be doing our volunteer services for the remaining months in this term. It's located in Kitchener, and consists of two buildings adjacent to each other. Joanne, your instructor, was right: it IS an amazing, magical place. While getting a tour, one of the students in our class compared it to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory because there are so many hidden corridors and it seems like the possible resources for the underprivileged in KW are never-ending.

Rebecca, our tour guide, and whose family created the center, showed us around. The objective of the tour was to give helpus understand the history of the center. As well, it allowed us to explore our volunteering options within the buildings.

Within the builds there was a bike shop that people can go to buy inexpensive bikes or get their own repaired, a computer area where people can get their computer repaired for a small fee, a soup kitchen where people can get breakfast and or lunch and
where people do arts and crafts, and there are lofts for people coming back into the community after spending time in rehab or jail. They also have a media centre where low-budget films can be edited, an arts and crafts area where people can make papers, soaps, rugs, and clothes, which can then be sold in the cafe downstairs. Their cafe also hosts musical talents, and practice sessions for whose with English as their second language.

It's so inspirational to see a family so passionate about helping those within our community; they dedicate their lives to helping others and creating a resource centre available to everyone. I am very excited to start volunteering.

Last week I had an interview with Rebecca to discuss my potential volunteer opportunities. The two placements that I would love to get involved in are assisting with the arts and crafts & the conversing with people to help improve their English. Hopefully, I'll know my placement by the middle of this week.

Stay Tuned,

~G.

1st Ever Blog Entry: "Congratulations! You will be spending Summer 2009 in ... Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Hey guys,

So, mid December I found out that I am going to Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje in Bosnia-Herzegovina for my Beyond Borders summer volunteer placement. I'm SUPER excited. Since then I've spoken to my family, who are also very excited for me. I found out that the placement is in a central town in Bosnia-Herz., which was one of the first places that suffered from the war between Bosnians and Croatians. Since then, many youth centres have been built to try and encourage the youth to peacefully coexist and interact with each other, regardless of cultural differences. During May-August 2009 I will be volunteering at one of the youth centres and staying with a host family. However, before leaving, I have to take courses, participate in seminars, and volunteering within my local community to prepare for the experience.

Last term I took a course called "Current Ethical Issues". I thoroughly enjoyed the course and professor. Throughout the term, we independently read and then collectively discussed "The Plague" and "Pedagogy of the Oppressed". We also had presentations about different summer placements, and discussed some theory on ethics and any concerns we were having with the program. In comparison to this term, last term was very theoretical; however, I think that Professor Kline sucessfully created a balance of theory and discussion. Moreover, I am greatful that Prof. Scott Kline always told us straight up the difficulties each placement will present (instead of sugar-coating them).

We also had to take part in two off-campus conferences/seminars with people from Intercordia. I did one with the students from my university, and another with people from Kings University. I am glad to have had a chance to meet with both sets of students. The conference with people from my class allowed me to get to know them on a more personable level and bond with them. The Kings students were awesome as well, thus I am glad to have met them. It also allowed me the chance to meet one of the students who I just found out will be going with me to Bosnia-Herz.. I can't say enough good things about the seminars. They were fabulous! I also must credit Lisa, and the rest of the people from Intercordia for getting me to FINALLY enjoying writing journals.


I have just starting my final preparation term before heading to Europe. Next week I will be getting a tour of "The Working Centre", which is a centre that I'll be volunteering my time for the next three months. I am also trying to get myself organized so that I can send out letters

and speak with churches, and my family and friends to ask for donations. Today, I filed my

papers to get my passport, and I've completed most of my other papers. The more that is accomplished, the more real it feels.

I'm extremely excited. At the same time, I'm nervous to get all my donations in on time. Stay tuned for my next blog entry.

-Georgie