Still listening to Blame Game- www.myspace.com/thebottlebreaks
It's a beautiful day, I wish I wasn't trapped at work. Well The Smoker's get out Every half hour, maybe I should "pretend I smoke, just kidding. What can I tell you? I realized on my last post I didn't mention our Bilingual night my competency put on last Friday. We had Canadian Pizza, and this yummy french pudding cake. However, we could only speak in our second language, it was very difficult to keep the conversation flowing especially when the phrases I prepared to say, would have nothing to do with the topic that came up. Hopefully over time, this will get easier since we have french and english lessons every tuesday night!
This week I was in a slum, as most of you know. I am finally peaking out of the covers, and seeing light. With it being thanksgiving week, the soup kitchen has been filled with warmth and smiles. Everyday more food is donated, more donations are made, and the people who come here are leaving with full belly's. This place makes me so happy, and I can be so sad sometimes with what I see here, and sometimes I am so happy that these places have a place like this to come, and a voice to share their story. The last few days we have been rehersing for the play "In my shoes" I know I mentioned earlier how I am playing a girl name Tinkeka. It's her real story, she is just not available to play the part this time. It's such a heartfelt story. The first part of the play I am telling Liz a volunteer at the soup kitchen, that I can't afford lunches for my kids so they stay home sick alot, because someone will call childrens aide if my kids continue to forget their lunches. I want to share the poem I read in the play that she wrote. "What does it mean to you to be poor? How does it feel to be living without? What would this look like in a painting? It is really hard for me particularly because I am pregnant. I am on social assistance, so finding a place to live for 350$ a month, everything included is impossible. Once the rent is paid I receive only 180$ to live on for the entire month. After my bills are paid, I have next to nothing to spend for food. Honestly, if it wasn't for the soup kitchen I most likely would have started to death by now. It is also a pain because anytime I need to go to the doctor or even to the Soup Kitchen, I usually end up having to walk or trying to get a ride from someone, and I can't even offer them money for gas. Then there are times when I get thinking about what it is going to be like raising a child this way, and I cry. If i were to put this in a painting or a drawing.. picture a desert, desolate, isolated, devoid of all life except one person in the very middle on hands and knees. This person would make an anorexic look healthy. Skin draped over bone, that skin dried and cracking. The face sunken and looking little more than a skeleton. The sun would be directly above this person, glaring down on them. If is hot; it hurts too much, AND NOBODY CARES!". This is a very powerful poem, I will have to recite. I have lots to memorize, and our first showing is for the legal clinic I believe on the 19th. People just book a time for us to come to them or they come here free of charge. Many people have us during their union meetings and such, its our way of raising awareness, and showing them what goes on my real voices, and people who come to the soup kitchen everyday. I am very excited to be part of it!
My goal this week was to, sit down with someone random, and learn and get their story. Well yeserday I did just that, and a little bit more. I sat down with a man, let's call him John. He is in a wheelchair, and his leg is covered in Ulcers. It is extrememly uncomfortable and painful for him to get around. He has a doctor apointment every week, and all he does is sits at home because it is too painful to leave. He is lucky to get to the soup kitchen once a week, because he needs someone to push him over here. He is lucky to have a good friend who helps him out. Well anyway, he was telling me this, so I took the initiative to call red cross and set up an apointment for him to get assesed, because he can't get on the city bus or out of his apartment alone. This way they can give him more personalized help To and From his apointments, and perhaps get him out of his home more. Today his friend came up to me, and put his hand on my back, and thanked me for helping him out, because red cross was coming today to see him. It was such an amazing feeling. Also today was the thanksgiving lunch, there was 2 seatings, so lots of people here. I once again sat down with a few people. Today there was a girl who just got back from Detox, and it didn't go so well, and I showed her the poem "Desiderita". I hope she finds more life direction soon.
Well tomorrow my 72 hours off begins after work, I am excited. Tonight we are labelling everything in the house in french and english, it should be interesting. Also I am home manager starting next week, so that means I stay at home, and clean and Prepare meals all week. It should be fun, I hope I am capable to cook for 11 other people ha ha.
I should get going though because it's the childrens program and I tutor a girl on Thursday's.
Ill post sooner next time:)
Much Love!
This week I was in a slum, as most of you know. I am finally peaking out of the covers, and seeing light. With it being thanksgiving week, the soup kitchen has been filled with warmth and smiles. Everyday more food is donated, more donations are made, and the people who come here are leaving with full belly's. This place makes me so happy, and I can be so sad sometimes with what I see here, and sometimes I am so happy that these places have a place like this to come, and a voice to share their story. The last few days we have been rehersing for the play "In my shoes" I know I mentioned earlier how I am playing a girl name Tinkeka. It's her real story, she is just not available to play the part this time. It's such a heartfelt story. The first part of the play I am telling Liz a volunteer at the soup kitchen, that I can't afford lunches for my kids so they stay home sick alot, because someone will call childrens aide if my kids continue to forget their lunches. I want to share the poem I read in the play that she wrote. "What does it mean to you to be poor? How does it feel to be living without? What would this look like in a painting? It is really hard for me particularly because I am pregnant. I am on social assistance, so finding a place to live for 350$ a month, everything included is impossible. Once the rent is paid I receive only 180$ to live on for the entire month. After my bills are paid, I have next to nothing to spend for food. Honestly, if it wasn't for the soup kitchen I most likely would have started to death by now. It is also a pain because anytime I need to go to the doctor or even to the Soup Kitchen, I usually end up having to walk or trying to get a ride from someone, and I can't even offer them money for gas. Then there are times when I get thinking about what it is going to be like raising a child this way, and I cry. If i were to put this in a painting or a drawing.. picture a desert, desolate, isolated, devoid of all life except one person in the very middle on hands and knees. This person would make an anorexic look healthy. Skin draped over bone, that skin dried and cracking. The face sunken and looking little more than a skeleton. The sun would be directly above this person, glaring down on them. If is hot; it hurts too much, AND NOBODY CARES!". This is a very powerful poem, I will have to recite. I have lots to memorize, and our first showing is for the legal clinic I believe on the 19th. People just book a time for us to come to them or they come here free of charge. Many people have us during their union meetings and such, its our way of raising awareness, and showing them what goes on my real voices, and people who come to the soup kitchen everyday. I am very excited to be part of it!
My goal this week was to, sit down with someone random, and learn and get their story. Well yeserday I did just that, and a little bit more. I sat down with a man, let's call him John. He is in a wheelchair, and his leg is covered in Ulcers. It is extrememly uncomfortable and painful for him to get around. He has a doctor apointment every week, and all he does is sits at home because it is too painful to leave. He is lucky to get to the soup kitchen once a week, because he needs someone to push him over here. He is lucky to have a good friend who helps him out. Well anyway, he was telling me this, so I took the initiative to call red cross and set up an apointment for him to get assesed, because he can't get on the city bus or out of his apartment alone. This way they can give him more personalized help To and From his apointments, and perhaps get him out of his home more. Today his friend came up to me, and put his hand on my back, and thanked me for helping him out, because red cross was coming today to see him. It was such an amazing feeling. Also today was the thanksgiving lunch, there was 2 seatings, so lots of people here. I once again sat down with a few people. Today there was a girl who just got back from Detox, and it didn't go so well, and I showed her the poem "Desiderita". I hope she finds more life direction soon.
Well tomorrow my 72 hours off begins after work, I am excited. Tonight we are labelling everything in the house in french and english, it should be interesting. Also I am home manager starting next week, so that means I stay at home, and clean and Prepare meals all week. It should be fun, I hope I am capable to cook for 11 other people ha ha.
I should get going though because it's the childrens program and I tutor a girl on Thursday's.
Ill post sooner next time:)
Much Love!
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