Today was hard and not for the reasons I thought it would be.
I should back up for those who don’t receive in person updates.
I left Montreal in the beginning of December following a less then enjoyable trip to Toronto (though I did enjoy time with Amanda and Suzy there. The rest of it was not as great)
Fast forward to now.
My plan for the day involved sending off portfolios to Concordia University.
It started with some bad news
It ended up with some very bad news.
I woke this morning to learn of the earthquake in Christchurch. My friend is okay, but what of his family. What of his friend and their families?
Life worries seem so trivial compared to this.
I did send those portfolios but after a trip to the vet I made a stop at my friend Amanda’s house to pick up my usb drive and my towel.
I came in, got my drive and then Patrick, Amanda’s dad asks me if I’ve heard.
When I say no, he lightly touches my arm and with a scarily stark look he tells me.
Rob Hall is dead. He died this morning fixing a roof when the generator blew up.
At first the news had as much impact as if he had told me it looked like rain.
I focused on the task: Finding My Towel.
I went from up to down to up to down with bated breath.
There were no tears, just a single minded purpose of the hunt.
It was like I was waiting for it to pour out. The way I have experienced death in the past is that any hint of it would open the well of tears for my big brother and it would seem as if all the sadness in the world was in my heart and my tears.
I had been thinking earlier that day about how few memories I have of Nathan. He died when I was ten and my biggest desire has always been to have a grown up conversation, to know him threw something other than a child’s goggles as I did.
But when I achieved the mission and the tears hit, there was no deeper well of emotion it tapped into, just this one loss, just this one day.
And then there was the thought of his kids..
If I have so few memories of my own dear brother and I was four years older than his eldest.
I have no fears for Rob, I know where he is. And one lesson I have learned to day is that I have some peace about death.
The deeper well is healed in some way so it won’t flood in the rainy season.
I have no fear some something I have hung over from a cliff face.
There is no fear in the cycle of life, only in the loss of the privilege to be with who you love and who loves you.
Children without a father.
My taste of loss is just that, a taste.
But in the cold desert he came
Brought berries and warmth
A sweet light in cold day
My father sings to me
From beyond the sands
He loves from beyond
And would love to break the distance
But everyone has a prison
An few a window
And everyone is here or there
Only God can set us all free.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Week of Art and Discipline
This week is probably one of the best since I've been here.
This past Thursday I went to the Atwater Poetry Project at Atwater Library and Computer Center
I was really cool. This first poet Jeramy Dodds I really enjoyed. He shared his poem tittled Oshawa Shopping Centre. He poetically described white plastic bags floating like ghosts on a chain link fence. He was enjoyable, blunt and only had slight sexual themes.
The second poet was Lisa Robertson, who I believe is a more famous poet, as much as living poets can be famous.
She was less enjoyable for me. Her second poem started with a line that had a clear sexual point. The next ten minutes were less clear though I thought she spoke mainly of leaves and sex. I didn't understand much.
It left me with a strong desire to be more educated.
After I met up with my roomates at concert in a very high class place called Burritoville.
Kay, maybe not high class, but it doesn't have a sheet plastic sign in primary colours.
Burritoville is somewhere in between Swiss Chalet and East Side Marios. I think its on level with Cora's in atmosphere.
The two bands that were playing were the Bright Road and Lizzy and the Orca.
Classic folk. It was great. They reminded me a lot of Slow Club, one of my favourite bands.
Lizzy and the Orca had some really inventive songs, with a wide variety of instruments. At different points there was a mouth organ, cello, xylophone, ukulele as well as acostic, electric and drums. It was a good time.
Left me wanting to write.
The Bright Road had great songs in the more technical way. They were well written and had catchy lyrics.
If I had money I would buy all their stuff.
It was a good night with good people. Some of you may know I was having a hard time at the beginning adjusting to the people here in the beginning. Its going a lot better with most of my roomates, but there is one who always seems to have some majoy issues. Prayer would be appreciated.
Monday we leave for Toronto. It will be nice to see Home sweet Hometario. I'll will be making a much needed visit with my family for the weekend before heading back to Montreal on the bus.
Your Prayers and support are much appreciated. :)
Hannah
This past Thursday I went to the Atwater Poetry Project at Atwater Library and Computer Center
I was really cool. This first poet Jeramy Dodds I really enjoyed. He shared his poem tittled Oshawa Shopping Centre. He poetically described white plastic bags floating like ghosts on a chain link fence. He was enjoyable, blunt and only had slight sexual themes.
The second poet was Lisa Robertson, who I believe is a more famous poet, as much as living poets can be famous.
She was less enjoyable for me. Her second poem started with a line that had a clear sexual point. The next ten minutes were less clear though I thought she spoke mainly of leaves and sex. I didn't understand much.
It left me with a strong desire to be more educated.
After I met up with my roomates at concert in a very high class place called Burritoville.
Kay, maybe not high class, but it doesn't have a sheet plastic sign in primary colours.
Burritoville is somewhere in between Swiss Chalet and East Side Marios. I think its on level with Cora's in atmosphere.
The two bands that were playing were the Bright Road and Lizzy and the Orca.
Classic folk. It was great. They reminded me a lot of Slow Club, one of my favourite bands.
Lizzy and the Orca had some really inventive songs, with a wide variety of instruments. At different points there was a mouth organ, cello, xylophone, ukulele as well as acostic, electric and drums. It was a good time.
Left me wanting to write.
The Bright Road had great songs in the more technical way. They were well written and had catchy lyrics.
If I had money I would buy all their stuff.
It was a good night with good people. Some of you may know I was having a hard time at the beginning adjusting to the people here in the beginning. Its going a lot better with most of my roomates, but there is one who always seems to have some majoy issues. Prayer would be appreciated.
Monday we leave for Toronto. It will be nice to see Home sweet Hometario. I'll will be making a much needed visit with my family for the weekend before heading back to Montreal on the bus.
Your Prayers and support are much appreciated. :)
Hannah
Friday, November 12, 2010
It's a Small World After All
Yesterday a woman named Daria came to speak to us DTS students. She talked about the history of 24/7 prayer and about 24/7 prayer today, in the world and in Montreal. She shared some videos and I realized that I met the guy named Brian featured in the video about 24/7 Prayer in Ibiza.
He spoke at the Deeper Conference at my church the Cambridge Vineyard a few years ago.
I spoke to Daria about it and it turns out -
She was there too! In fact Daria lived in Cambridge out on Townline while she finished up her Masters at Heritage. Heritage is about a five minute drive from my house.
Its a small world after all!
In other news I have just posted some pictures up on Facebook. They take you on a tour of my apartment that i share with five other lovely ladies. You'd think sharing a bathroom with five other girls would be hard for me...but not after sharing a bathroom with 7 13 year old girls.
With a covered up mirror.
Haha.
Tonight I am attending a conference on the Post Christian World. Its close to where Mission fest was.
:)
I also got a big package in the mail...a laptop bag to replace the one I broke. Its very pretty.
Well, that's it for today. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures.
He spoke at the Deeper Conference at my church the Cambridge Vineyard a few years ago.
I spoke to Daria about it and it turns out -
She was there too! In fact Daria lived in Cambridge out on Townline while she finished up her Masters at Heritage. Heritage is about a five minute drive from my house.
Its a small world after all!
In other news I have just posted some pictures up on Facebook. They take you on a tour of my apartment that i share with five other lovely ladies. You'd think sharing a bathroom with five other girls would be hard for me...but not after sharing a bathroom with 7 13 year old girls.
With a covered up mirror.
Haha.
Tonight I am attending a conference on the Post Christian World. Its close to where Mission fest was.
:)
I also got a big package in the mail...a laptop bag to replace the one I broke. Its very pretty.
Well, that's it for today. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The culmination of a dream
Today, a dream came true.
Let's back track.
Sometime last July, my faboo friend Sheri took me Issie and Alberto to a rodeo in Steinbach with some other camp people. When the restivities and amusing animal cruelty ( I'm kidding...kinda. Feel free to send me a punch in the face via Canada post, Sheri) broke for lunch issie, Berto and I wandered over to the various trailers of fried food. Berto decided that he wanted to get poutine. When he asked what kind of cheese they used, the women said that they used mixed cheese.
Berto: "That's not the proper way to make poutine. That's not the french way"
Woman " We're not French, we're Canadian"
Alberto got the poutine, which did not taste right at all, and walked away with some righteous french anger.
A few weeks later I got really sick and the camp nurse took me to the Gimli hospital. They thought it was just a headache, until we left the hospital and I went unconscious. They took me back and did a scan and saw an anomaly on my scan. They sent me to the Winnipeg Health Sciences Center. They did an angio gram and discovered i had a blood clot. They called my parents and sent me in for surgery. I didn't remember much beyond the camp nurse telling me we were going to the hospital and then some one telling me i was going into surgery. And then I remember poutine. I was in a life or death surgery and all I could remember about it was poutine.
Its been four months, but tonight....
Tonight i had true Quebec poutine.
A dream came true.
Oh and we watched a b it of the hockey game between the Canucks and the Canadians. I didn't really pay attention. but tonight was good. Thanks for making my dream come true Amy.
Let's back track.
Sometime last July, my faboo friend Sheri took me Issie and Alberto to a rodeo in Steinbach with some other camp people. When the restivities and amusing animal cruelty ( I'm kidding...kinda. Feel free to send me a punch in the face via Canada post, Sheri) broke for lunch issie, Berto and I wandered over to the various trailers of fried food. Berto decided that he wanted to get poutine. When he asked what kind of cheese they used, the women said that they used mixed cheese.
Berto: "That's not the proper way to make poutine. That's not the french way"
Woman " We're not French, we're Canadian"
Alberto got the poutine, which did not taste right at all, and walked away with some righteous french anger.
A few weeks later I got really sick and the camp nurse took me to the Gimli hospital. They thought it was just a headache, until we left the hospital and I went unconscious. They took me back and did a scan and saw an anomaly on my scan. They sent me to the Winnipeg Health Sciences Center. They did an angio gram and discovered i had a blood clot. They called my parents and sent me in for surgery. I didn't remember much beyond the camp nurse telling me we were going to the hospital and then some one telling me i was going into surgery. And then I remember poutine. I was in a life or death surgery and all I could remember about it was poutine.
Its been four months, but tonight....
Tonight i had true Quebec poutine.
A dream came true.
Oh and we watched a b it of the hockey game between the Canucks and the Canadians. I didn't really pay attention. but tonight was good. Thanks for making my dream come true Amy.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I posted a picture of my class mates. This picture includes staff.
Back row ( from left to right): Nicolas Marin ( Leader, France, husband to Kelly) , Thomas Reist (School leader, France) , Denny Flanagan (Leader, USA), Jeroen Van Der Zeeuw ( The Netherlands)
Middle Row: Kelly Marin (Leader, USA, Wife to Nicolas), Evelyne Hebrard (Administration , YWAM Montreal). Philipe Gondar ( Brazil), Piere Salson (France), Maurice Vand Der Spek (The Netherlands)
Bottom Row: Hannah (Wife of Jonathan), Me (Canada), Jisca Marcellin (Quebec, Canada), Dennis Flanagan ( son of Denny and Lauren), Demaris Fankhauser (Switzerland), Alyce Hardee (USA), Amy Bahnman (B.C., Canada, my roomate!), Marie-Lorraine Reist ( wife of Thomas)
Enjoy!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Updates
i haven't updated in a few weeks. I have to tell you, some days of been good and other days are not so great.
This week I had three amazing meetings. One for my internship and two for my volunteering. The first was with my new mentor, Andrea Beverly. She's pretty awesome. I even walked out the door with some new reading material. :).
The next day I had my meetings with the Black Theater Workshop alack Theater Workshop was first. They wanted me to help out with the opening night of Raisin in the sun, but I'm in Toronto that week (can't wait to hit my sweet home Ontario turf!)
But there is opportunity to even work onstage in their next production as a mover, which is cool. I'll definetely be working with their next production if I can. :)
My second meeting was with Infinitheatre. They gave me some work right away, which I did on Friday. I walked down Monkland Ave in the Notre Dame de Grace area and asked store owners to put up posters or take some pamphlets. Some of them were really nice. Some of them weren't. I got the job done though. Only six posters left. I kind of want one.I also gave them my new Theatre Resume. Abigail, the woman I spoke to put me on the agenda for their staff meeting the next day to see if I can work in house (in the theatre). She was very impressed with my resume and said that I would definitely get into Concordia for Playwriting with a resume like mine. That was encouraging.
On a more melancholy note I've been feeling lonely at not myself. I'd really like Camp Hannah to be here. Happy, fun, encouraging, all those things that people from camp tell me I am.
I don't feel like I can be that here. I feel more like high school Hannah, desperately trying to get someone to listen to all my crap.It's a gross feeling.
I'm working on it.
I went to a Messianic church this morning (Jewish christian, though "gentiles" are welcome)
It helped. And my family just called.
I feel like a giant suck most of the time. Things have been great for me since the blood clot, but I seem to have fallen on hard times. The money issue scares me because I want to go to university next year and I don't even have enough for this year, really. My parents are helping me, but I just...
whatever.
This blog is called A Life adventured, not here's The Most Depressing Thing Ever!
Here's some better news.
I entered the CBC literary awards in the poetry level. Grand prize is 6,000.
Wish me luck!
I'll try to post more this week.
TTFN,
Hannah
This week I had three amazing meetings. One for my internship and two for my volunteering. The first was with my new mentor, Andrea Beverly. She's pretty awesome. I even walked out the door with some new reading material. :).
The next day I had my meetings with the Black Theater Workshop alack Theater Workshop was first. They wanted me to help out with the opening night of Raisin in the sun, but I'm in Toronto that week (can't wait to hit my sweet home Ontario turf!)
But there is opportunity to even work onstage in their next production as a mover, which is cool. I'll definetely be working with their next production if I can. :)
My second meeting was with Infinitheatre. They gave me some work right away, which I did on Friday. I walked down Monkland Ave in the Notre Dame de Grace area and asked store owners to put up posters or take some pamphlets. Some of them were really nice. Some of them weren't. I got the job done though. Only six posters left. I kind of want one.I also gave them my new Theatre Resume. Abigail, the woman I spoke to put me on the agenda for their staff meeting the next day to see if I can work in house (in the theatre). She was very impressed with my resume and said that I would definitely get into Concordia for Playwriting with a resume like mine. That was encouraging.
On a more melancholy note I've been feeling lonely at not myself. I'd really like Camp Hannah to be here. Happy, fun, encouraging, all those things that people from camp tell me I am.
I don't feel like I can be that here. I feel more like high school Hannah, desperately trying to get someone to listen to all my crap.It's a gross feeling.
I'm working on it.
I went to a Messianic church this morning (Jewish christian, though "gentiles" are welcome)
It helped. And my family just called.
I feel like a giant suck most of the time. Things have been great for me since the blood clot, but I seem to have fallen on hard times. The money issue scares me because I want to go to university next year and I don't even have enough for this year, really. My parents are helping me, but I just...
whatever.
This blog is called A Life adventured, not here's The Most Depressing Thing Ever!
Here's some better news.
I entered the CBC literary awards in the poetry level. Grand prize is 6,000.
Wish me luck!
I'll try to post more this week.
TTFN,
Hannah
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Ding Something
While the other does give my mother peace of mind and that is very valuable, I want to help other people.
On the other front, I am making progress with my DTS internship. I am currently waiting to hear back from people about a mentor of which to help me pursue my writing career.
We had a prayer meeting today that was quite interesting. We read recent stories about the persecuted church and prayed for the people. I greatly enjoyed the experience.
Tonight we have community meals at the boy's apartment. Should be a good time.
I hope to make more updates inthe future (with pictures). We are getting internet at the apartment on Saturday. For now, here is a picture of my school to tide you over until next time.
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