Home alone
My housemate for the past month here in North Bay has left today...it's so different without him in the apartment. I can't thank God enough for the awesome housemate that He's given me for the past month, and God has once again answered my prayers. Over the past month, Keith and I have become really good friends. We seem to be able to find FUN in anything we do. We had fun cleaning the washroom, vaccuming the apartment and going through a horrendously long inventory list. I was laughing so much last night that my stomach hurt! =P Hope we can keep in touch Keith, and I wish you all the best in your Scotland placement! =)
Goodbyes are never easy, but without goodbyes there are no "Hi"s. Isn't life always like this? If we don't let go of the past, we won't be able to embrace what is ahead of us in the future.
Wontons
Since my housemate will be leaving on Saturday morning, I sat down and made some wontons to "celebrate" his end of placement and departure. It took me a long while to marinate the meat, cut up everything and wrap them up into wontons. During this wrapping process, I was reminded that in our relationship with others, we tend to wrap up our negative emotions and our disagreements into wontons. We are not always open and honest in sharing our different point of views with each other, but we are good at sharing our different views behind people's back. Lately I have come to appreciate honesty from my friends a lot more, especially from my closer friends. It's difficult for me to believe that one would consider me as a close friend, but would not be honest with me. I appreciate honest negative opinion, but not "pretense" positive opinion.
Don't worry...I am not saying that you guys are not honest with me. These are just some random thoughts of mine...with no intention of finger-pointing at anyone! =P
A special run
I went for a run today...feels so good to be exercising. =) It's amazing that I can run in a city where I can look around and see hills and lakes surrounding me, at night I can walk out and see stars in the sky without them being dimmed by city lights...hehe...I guess you can tell that I am falling in love with this city, and I would really love to live by the water some day.
I haven't been running for a long time, and I have just started up my routine again. I am doing a 6-minute run, 1-minute walk routine, and hopefully I can increase my endurance gradually. I find that if I keep my mind focused on something other than the run or how much time I have left before I can walk, my run is easier.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3
Thoughts on wedding
This weekend I went back to Toronto briefly for a friend's wedding. It is the first time that I went to a wedding of my own friend, not of a family friend. I've known this couple for a very long time, and after nine years of dating I am very happy that they finally got married.
Not so long ago Boston Rob asked Amber to marry him. I can't believe how much press they got...anyway, as much as I dislike Boston Rob's guts, I really agree with one thing that he said many times during the All-Star Survivor finale. He said that Amber worked as a
team with him throughout the whole game. It's so true that as a couple, the two people need to work with each other as a team, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses. I see that in my friends who got married this past weekend...
Nostalgic scenery
Placement has been going great and I am learning so much from working with my OT preceptor, a psychiatrist, nurses, social workers and vocational instructors. I got a chance to PAINT and I haven't done that since Gr.8 Design and Tech class. I may get a chance to do some wood work on Thursday as well...hehe...I am excited. You must be wondering why I get to do these stuff in my placement. Well...I am working with clients with mental health illnesses, and these clients work at a "Wood Shoppe", which helps them engage in productive work and improve their quality of life.
Anyway...this is totally not what I wanted to write for this blog...but I just happened to be blabbing about it. =P So...there is a lake (Trout Lake) that is only a 5 minute walk away from where I live, and I have been taking walks almost everyday. It's so nice visiting the lake and admiring the beautiful scenery. (I definitely hope to live by a lake someday...=P) This past Sunday I was reading by the lake, sitting on a rock, with birds chirping and sounds of waves hitting the rocks as background "music". Today I went on an "adventure" with my housemate and we ended up walking through tree branches and bushes...the tricky part is that I was wearing Kapris and he was wearing shorts! =P Hehe...but it was fun. =)
Psalm 19 says:
"The heavens declare the glory of God,
the skies proclaim the wonder of His works.
Day after day they pour forth speech,
night after night they display knowledge."
I can truly experience the meaning of this verse taking in such nostalgic sceneries...
short review
I've had an awesome week here in North Bay. I am learning so much from my placement. Everything is so new, so exciting, so interesting. My preceptor is friendly, open and approachable which makes my learning experience so much better. Today I attended an Open Psychotherapy group and I have never seen anything like that in my life. I just wish that friends and people that I know can share the same way as we did in the group. The Psychiatrist and my OT preceptor did a really good job in directing and facilitating the group discussion, and many issues were brought into the open for discussion. A lot of times there are "issues" between people because things are only discussed behind the person's back, but not in front of the person. If things are always brought into the open for discussion, human relationships would not be as complicated.
I finally rented
Love Actually and saw it today. I guess it's because everyone has been telling me about how good the movie is, and I had such high expectations going in that I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Nonetheless, it was a cute movie...I like the multiple story lines that were developed and how all of them were linked together at the end. However, I didn't think all the graphic sexual scenes were necessary though...
Can't believe I am staying up until now....it's 3am and I have been going to bed before 12am every night this week...time to hit the sack.
So sad
The Leafs lost....=**( No more hockey for me this season...
My first day
My first day of placement was pretty smooth and I am very thankful! =) My preceptor seems pretty nice...she's actually not that much older than I am since she has only graduated a year ago. Taking the bus to work wasn't that bad, the bus ride was only about 15 minutes, and I got to work 15 minutes early. But the snow SUCKS! There was a snow storm here this morning! It's crazy! >_< So...It was a day of orientation and introduction, but I wasn't used to wearing my contacts for a long period of time. My eyes were so dry by the end of the day!! Ahhh....I just hope that I didn't look to tired at the team meeting today...=P
My new flatmate is pretty cool...we get along very well so far, which is good. =) He offered some chocolate mousse that he made...hehe...and it was pretty yummy! =)
AND...I am soooo HAPPY that I got phone calls from friends and family! =) It's just so amazing because I didn't expect anyone to call me here in North Bay. You guys definitely make my transition much easier.....=) THANK YOU SO MUCH to you lovely people who called and e-mailed me. =)
I should be getting ready for bed...being Jacqueline, I am so used to sleeping late, I need to adjust my sleeping schedule now that I have to get to work at 8 or 8:30am everyday.....@_@
Yet another move
I still can't believe that I am leaving for North Bay tomorrow...it's so hard to let this fact sink in especially when I have only been in Toronto for one week. The constant change of environment is definitely challenging for me, even though the "communicationwithparents401" course has been more challenging than I thought. I have been trying all week not to let my fear of this recent change surface, but instead of pushing this fear away tonight, I am embracing it with Joshua 1:9.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go". Joshua 1:9
It's my first clinical placement, and I don't know what to expect. How are my clients going to be like? Am I capable enough to be at this placement? How is my preceptor going to be like? Will I be able to live in a city where I don't know anyone? Will I get along with my new housemate? Tons of questions and uncertainties, but tonight's praise & worship service reminded me that it's one thing to sing about how great God is, but another thing to trust that He can do whatever He has promised. My God has promised that wherever I go, He will be with me. Do I trust Him enough to start my new journey in North Bay?
