02 January, 2008

The last time I post from work!

Last shift! Woo! I'm so very ready for a break.

It feels very fitting to be ending now, with the new year. I spent New Year's Eve at Daybreak, and it was a wonderful way to celebrate the passage of time. Despite all the unfamiliar faces, it still felt like home. The Taizé service was much too short, and had me in tears by the end, wishing that I was still a member of the community.

I've discovered in the years since I left that many people in disability services have never heard of l'Arche, and that is a darn big crying shame. Although perhaps it is to my advantage, as someone else might have been inspired to investigate my research area before now. It was telling, to me, that when I explained my ideas, people there actually listened. There was none of the usual "They were persecuted as witches right? They thought they were demon-possessed! Didn't they kill them at birth?" reaction that I have gotten over and over at Oaklands. It was quite remarkable, and very refreshing! Because of the mindset l'Arche encourages, people there didn't immediately assume folks with mental impairments were always treated and regarded poorly. I do wish more people were aware of l'Arche, and its wonderful mission.

The service felt time-out-of-time. Kairos. I can't explain it, but if you ever find yourself in Toronto on a Friday night, and are looking for a more meaningful experience than the bars downtown, I highly recommend visiting.

Moving on to a more mundane topic, I have begun making lists in earnest. Lists for things I need to do to be able to leave. Things I need to pack. Paperwork I need to copy and account for. People I want to visit again before I go. Things I need to arrange for arriving and ensuring residence. Medical appointments I need to book before leaving. Things I need to do once I am housed, in order to settle. Dominoes and more dominoes. I think this morning I will make my medical calls (dentist, optometrist (Jan 09), chiropodist, family doctor [medical records copy, immunisations and prescriptions], TB x-ray). Huzzah* for being insured again! Then, after I have slept, I will get some photocopying done (all school paperwork/letters, all ID and money-related cards, degrees, visa forms). I think that's enough for one day!

Later this week, I will be in Toronto for visa stuffs (you have to get fingerprinted) and visiting. Go me!



* Did you know that Firefox's spellcheck rejects "hurray," but not "huzzah"?

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