Posted on May 17, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with one comment

This is how my life felt when I arrived in Kangiqsujuaq

 

“All things must pass,

None of life’s strings can last,

So, I must be on my way,

And face another day.”

All Things Must Pass – George Harrison

Yes indeed. All things must pass.

Circumstances took me to the north and now reality will bring me back home.

It has been quite the ride. I still shake my head often and wonder what in the hell happened in the past couple of years. I promise that this is the very last time I will use the word surreal in a post, but this word best sums up this latest chapter in my life. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would return to the teaching profession, especially in the Arctic, in a fly-in community. But isn’t this the beauty and wonder of life? We’re never sure what’s around the next bend in the road.

My earliest days in the north were very hard but let’s face it, there are millions of people around the world who understand real hardship. The days were dark and bitterly cold. I was like a fish out of water trying to manufacture lesson plans in the absence of a formal curriculum. I inherited a difficult class, a group that continued to push me to my limits on many days but a group that I will love and cherish.

The school year will end in a few days. In some ways, the past week may have provided more real learning opportunities than all the previous months put together. A colleague from head office told me that this was the time to celebrate a year of hard work with my class.

There are two grade 6 classes in the school, one for students learning English as a second language and the other, French. My counterpart, Pierrick and I have worked together throughout the year. The two groups were considered a bubble under Covid protocols. We did a lot of activities as a group. With the year winding down and year end testing and reporting completed, we decided to put the books aside and have some fun, but fun with a purpose. We did a big cleanup of garbage in the school yard. With all the melting lately, the garbage surfaced. We went to the school kitchen and prepared spaghetti sauce and baked some cakes. We went for walks. We watched movies and we played games. My colleague’s boyfriend is the head nurse at the local clinic. He was able to arrange to have male and female nurses come to the school and talk to our students. We had a session on hygiene and another on puberty.

What did our students learn? Yes, they learned about wellness and their bodies but something far more important. They learned about responsibility (the yard cleanup) and teamwork. They learned about effort and reward. They really enjoyed the spaghetti dinner that they had helped to prepare. As is typical, we cooked way too much spaghetti and along with the remaining sauce, we put the leftovers on a table in the staffroom. It didn’t last long!

On a personal note, one special moment from last week stands out. It is no different here than anywhere else. There are students who don’t fit in. They come from difficult domestic situations. While school provides a safe and caring environment, they struggle mightily and often rage against everything and everyone. We were in the kitchen working in small groups. I asked Donna, (not her real name), a student from the other class that I only knew by reputation, if she would like to make a cake with me. With the hood of her hoodie covering most of her face (and wearing sunglasses!), she grudgingly agreed. The transformation was stunning. She was totally in her element as she almost single handedly whipped together the cake. She obviously knew her way around a kitchen. She was comfortable and confident. In the modern vernacular, I was “blown away”. I don’t know what will become of her but for one 30 minute period of time, Donna mattered and felt good about herself. I was thrilled beyond words to be a part of something special.

What’s next? My future is uncertain just like everyone else. Until we get a handle on Covid, it is very hard for any of us to make plans. I’ll come home at the end of May and quarantine for the fourth time (Q4!). I’ll continue to work on my 7^th book and hopefully get some fresh Atlantic lobster in my belly. And rest.

In the meantime, I will finish the year and remain focused on the present. Someone sent me this quote a few weeks ago. It resonates with me.

“If I think about how long I have left to be here, my heart and soul won’t truly be where I am. I am here until someone tells me I am needed somewhere else.”

Have a great week.

 

The finished product!

Posted on May 13, 2021 under Thursday Tidbits with one comment

On the Camino with Tracy (Australia) and Marty (Argentina)

 

Oh, we won’t give in,

We’ll keep living in the past.”

Living in the Past – Jethro Tull

With humblest apologies.

It’s official. I’m incorrigible. I’m perpetually living in the past. The pandemic has brought me to my knees. I am longing for the good old days while staring into the future with uncertainty.

What is your favourite movie of all time? I think it depends on many things including the genre but for pure entertainment value, The Shawshank Redemption is still near the very top of my list. After reading this, please feel free to post your favourite.

I have just finished watching The Way for the fourth time. It stars Martin Sheen and is the story of an ophthalmologist living the good life in southern California. His son Daniel, played by Emilio Estevez,   is a PhD student and the two have a bit of a rocky relationship. The son is a traveller and a dreamer and decides to discontinue his studies, much to the chagrin of his father. His latest adventure takes him to southern France to cross the Pyrenees and start his march across Spain doing the Camino. On the very first day of this 800 -kilometer pilgrimage, Daniel dies in an accident in the mountains. His father flies to St. Jean Pied de Port, the starting point of the Camino, to pick up his sons remains. He has his son cremated and then decides to walk the Camino himself, carrying his son’s backpack, along with the ashes.

Two years ago today, I was into my second week of the Camino. I was inspired to do the walk by my late brother, Tom. A year before, he had done the Camino while in the latter stages of cancer. He raved about the experience. For many years, Tom had been an avid hiker. He and his best friend Mark had tackled some serious mountains and trails over a lifetime of great friendship. They often joked that when they were old and frail, they would tackle something simple like an 800 kilometer stroll across Spain! Mark never got the opportunity as he died while hiking in some bad weather. To honor Mark’s memory, Tom carried some of Mark’s ashes and deposited them at the highest peak on the Camino.

After hearing Tom’s anecdotes about his Camino and looking at the dazzling pictures, I knew I had to go. Tom was gracious and loaned me his backpack, his hiking poles and most importantly, a guidebook. My plan was to try as much as possible to follow exactly in Tom’s footsteps and write a book about it. For the first two weeks, I managed to match his frenetic pace but eventually I eased back on the throttle to make sure that I could actually finish the walk in one piece.

Upon completion of the Camino, I was preparing to return Tom’s equipment. He decided that his hiking days were over, and he gave me the backpack and the poles. He died shortly after I finished writing the book. I was so pleased that he had a chance to read it before he passed.

When I’m not teaching, I have a lot of time to think which is a dangerous preoccupation. The pandemic makes me yearn for happier days when I can see my family and friends and do some more travelling. At the top of the list is the Camino. Some of you who read my book must wonder about my sanity. The Camino is not for sissies. It is a long and difficult walk compounded by aching muscles and especially blisters. Why would I want to do this twice let alone once? The answer is quite simple. My plan is to do the walk when the pandemic has ended. I will take some of Tom’s ashes and take them to the highest peak on the Camino and reunite Tom with his best friend.

A few days ago, I reached out to my Camino friends. I met hundreds of interesting people along The Way and have kept in touch with a small group who are scattered around the globe. So far, I have received messages from The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, the United States, Canada, Portugal, Spain and Argentina. I expect I will hear from many others in the days to come. I can tell you that every single one of them pines for better days and a chance to walk the Camino again. And yes, they are as sick of Covid as everyone else.

It is hardly surprising that The Way is now my favourite movie of all time because it is deeply personal to me. If you are healthy enough, go and do The Camino. If you can’t and want to experience it vicariously, I would encourage you to watch The Way. It is a feel good story in these difficult times.

Buen Camino!

Have a great weekend.

Posted on May 10, 2021 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

 

 

 

Flashback. Turning on the new water taps in Kanyakumari, India 2017

 

Do you ever have vivid flashbacks? Of course, you do, and they seem to come more frequently the older you get. Not to be confused with hot flashes. I know my demographic and most of my readers would like to forget that phase of their lives!

When my cable is working (Oh Lord, grant me patience dealing with technology issues in the north), I watch news, sports and one or two television programs. I quite like one of the series , Call the Midwife. “Are you serious, Len? Did your brain freeze the day you and your colleagues did a 7km walk when the temperature was -50?” Why would I be watching a show about midwifery?

Why not. I attended four births so it’s not like I’m going to be shocked by what I see.

The program is about a group of nurse midwives working in the east end of London in the late 1950s. It tells of the pressures of their day to day lives while trying to cope with the changes in the world around them. The show takes place at a Catholic convent. The nuns are nurses and there are also a handful of civilian nurses living and working with them. Every cast member is unique, and the writing is exquisite. A narrator’s voice cuts in from time to time, always with some insightful words. While I find all of the roles quite interesting, Sister Monica Jones is my favorite. She is old, slightly demented, and always in the middle of some mishap. She is the resident philosopher of Nonatus House, the name of the convent.

A recent episode of the show was the one that triggered a serious flashback. A group from the convent travelled to South Africa to do some charitable work. Living and working in a rural village they discovered that poor quality, and an almost non -existent, water supply had created a crisis. There was a source of clean water nearby but between the spring and the village stood an embittered landowner who refused to allow the village to have the water piped across his land. The logistics of circumnavigating his large acreage made a water project virtually impossible. At the end of the episode, he finally relented. The final scene showed a young polio victim wearing leg braces struggling to walk up to the new water tank to turn on the tap.

Bang! I was back in Kanykumari, India.

Most of us never think about water. We turn on our taps and we have a constant supply of clean, safe water. This is not the case for many people around the world including our own country. Poor water quality in the north seems to always make national news headlines. I am extremely fortunate to live in a community that has really good water. It comes from a nearby lake and is piped into the village’s water treatment plant before being transported to homes and businesses by tanker truck. During stormy weather, we are always conscious about our water consumption when delivery of water is not possible.

Many of you followed my every move during my six- month stay in India so the next part of my Musings is well known to you. I was living and volunteering with an order of Catholic Sisters. Twenty-five years ago, they built 50 homes on their property for many people suffering the scourge of leprosy. In addition to providing every manner of support for these people, including food, medical supplies, education and electricity, the Sisters supply water to the community. There are a handful of water taps scattered throughout the village. Every day of their lives, the residents have to line up at one of the pumps to get water for their daily needs including drinking water, water for bathing, cooking etc. Many of these folks have severe impairments including loss of vision, loss of limbs and disfigurement. Some have to literally crawl to get to the taps. This was a source of great frustration and fights over the years.

After visiting orphanages, schools and nursing homes with the Mother Superior, we concluded that the single greatest need was additional water supply to the leprosy community. Spoiler alert. This next part is NOT about me. I agreed to try and raise the money for the installation of taps to every home in the community. The “Fifty Taps” project was launched online. Initially, the estimates to complete the project was $5,000 and within days of starting the fundraiser, the amazing folks at the Wishing Wells Society from St. Andrews, just outside my hometown, stepped up and agreed to fund the project. As construction began, it became apparent that the estimates were on the low side but luckily many friends from all over Canada provided the additional money to complete the work.

All of the labour required to install a new water storage tank and the lines to people’s homes was of the manual variety. I watched as men dug the trenches using picks and shovels, often in temperatures in the mid -30s. Not only were they able to bring water to the doorsteps of every home but for those residents most severely affected by leprosy, the water was brought inside their homes. Besides providing easily accessible water, the biggest benefit was providing dignity.

I will never forget the day that the project finished, and it was time to turn on the taps. It was quite early in the morning and the unofficial “mayor” of the community went to every door to make sure that every person came to witness the event. The new water tank, of course, was on a slight rise and I watched as people struggled to make their way up the hill. A local priest came to bless the tank and the new water lines.

Long after I left India, the head Sister informed me that all fights had ceased instantly after people had their own water supply.

I have been involved in quite a few fundraising projects over my lifetime, but none have come close to providing the level of satisfaction as this one. My role was quite easy. A few pictures, a couple of videos of the work in progress, and a good internet connection was all it took to change the lives of fifty families.

India is struggling mightily as Covid rages through the country. If you would like to help out, please consider this GoFund me project. Our money goes a long way in India. And donation, large or small will make a big difference. https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fgofund.me%2F5e724038%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1y-WhSxX-6pS3NFc4copWoIBSzcRmR8SXxv9pabsIvZaA5FzJCCFAS7aY&h=AT35Dl_YKUa_djJi5fp2Nhq7Xdbh0Qvv_TeWTdFxieAeml7IcWwi6CLWkz_j9sPATwLhbRH03aXX_H0rNTpZmAS8xENhvN97ahaYwl4DbpVE3EMoIMbTqih5Z3YmR1rStRNOJw

 

Thanks.

Have a great week.