The Katmah Experience

The past few weeks have been full of ups an downs. The days following fair week were rough, my injuries appeared in full force causing me to realize that maybe I should take a break and rest for a few weeks. Which I have been doing, with difficulty. Resting is not my specialty! However, a week of rest did more good then I thought it would. I allowed myself a treat by going to the gym today. So we’ll see how that light workout effects everything.

Some other big news, I GOT A JOB IN NEW ZEALAND!!!!! Not even just a job, a job that I had only dreamed of! As one of my heroes Mrs. S said upon hearing my big news, “you dreamt it, so of course it happened”. I guess this is more evidence for the fact that dreaming does make things happen. I’ll be working and living at LC Horse Farms, south of Auckland, as a groom. I don’t know how much actual riding I’ll be doing, but you know what? I’m completely fine with that. The opportunity to gain experience in the industry, go to shows most weekends, and meet professionals from the business is HUGE no matter what I’m doing. Plus the guy who hired me is Canadian originally. And, Jenaya will only be 2 hours away from me at her school. 🙂 I’M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!

This week has been full of adventures too. Monday I showed up at my volunteer placement (an adult ed centre in the north end) to find out I was in fact subbing in for one of the regular teachers. So I got to do some class management and supervising instead of my regular low key tutoring job. That was fun! Then I got asked by the other teacher to come on Wednesday (today) and help out with her phys ed class while they went to a local gym to work out. Sure why not, that’s my major after all. So today I helped out the students in the weight room, and actually had a lot of fun! They were all so motivated, completely unlike most phys ed students. Granted, these students were there by choice and were somewhat more mature then teenagers. After all the students had gone, Christa asked me to make up and design a fitness plan for next week’s class! So that’s my project. All the students are all so sad that next week is my last week with them. I almost feel bad that I have to move home, I’d love to stay and help them more, now that I’m actually working with them on something I can REALLY help with. This volunteering thing has been so helpful the past few weeks in helping me realize how much I like to teach. Working with these adults in the gym today was so inspiring, and I was surprised at how well I did. If I had been asked to do that even a month ago? It would not have gone so well.

I’ve grown up SO much this year. It seems like such a short time ago that I was just moving in, and now I’m getting ready to move home again (not really, my room is still a disaster).