New Chapter

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end."

It is so strange to me.. its almost not real. In just two short days, I will be leaving my small town for who knows how many years. I feel like I have waited forever for this moment to come. This is my university or college, this is my world of work, this is my next step in life. I am finally moving on, and growing up. It is the end of a chapter, a turning of the page, to start something completely new. People have asked me how my parents feel about me leaving.. Its hard to say. I assume they feel like most parents do when they send their kids off into the big bad world. Scared, nervous, excited, happy, sad, anxious. I know that my parents have raised me with good morals and life lessons, I also know that they have good faith that I will use what they have taught me and make good choices. But like any parent would be, they are scared or nervous for what I will have to face on my own. The decisions I will make without asking them first, or the people that I will meet, the unfamiliar faces that they won't know. When people ask how I am feeling about leaving, if I'm excited or nervous.. its hard to say. Depends on my mood that day really. But to generalize.. I am the most excited I've been for anything in my life, I've worked hard and done what I had to do to get this experience to happen. I'm nervous that I won't be liked.. I do not know a single soul that will be working with me as a 'Red Coat' and I am worried that I might not be liked. I will absolutely stick out like a sore thumb, with my canadian accent, ridiculous amount of plaid shirts, and of course, my cowboy hat. I'm sad that I am leaving my family, two years will go by fast, for sure.. But not seeing my mom or dad, going to Toronto to visit Nicholas, or watching my younger siblings grow over the next two years, will be very difficult. I feel as though I am at a great place in my life, I have a full time job, a good circle of friends, a fabulous room mate, and a loving family. Which makes me sad again, because I am ending this chapter of my life, with good hopes that my next chapter will be just as happy. I know that the people who mean most in my life, will put the effort in to stay in touch while I'm gone.. but no matter what, when I come home, things will be different. People will move on, relationships will change. You can never step in the same river twice, so I will just have to hope for the best.

I have said most of my goodbyes to people, and I just have one last, big get together with a bunch of family and friends on Thursday. It will be good to see everyone one last time before I leave, then I'm on my flight the next night. Dad is coming with me for the first 10 days, to set me up and visit some friends. It will be a longgggg day of travelling. I am taking an overnight flight on Friday night, arriving on Saturday morning. Unfortunately my working visa doesn't allow me to be in England until February 5th. Yup, you are reading that correctly.. I cannot be in England until Sunday. I can't wait to sit in the airport for 18 hours, (I am not kidding at all), until it becomes Sunday. My 12 hour day of travelling, just jumped to a full 26. Then once I am finally allowed to step on British land, my journey will begin.

For those of you who don't know what I am about to spend the next few years doing.. just go to www.butlins.com I will be working and living at that resort. I am known as a 'Red Coat'.. which essentially is a host to the resort. Doing things from the entertainment shows at night, or the kids activities during the day. I won't have time to update the blog before I leave, so wish my luck, and you'll all hear from me on the other side.

Stay tuned, coming up next.. Europe.

Plan B

As this time of year rolls around again, people graduating highschool are choosing if and which university or college they will go to. Some will chose Brock or Niagara to stay close to home, some 12b to stay even closer, some the world of work, because mama ain't payin' those bills anymore, some europe because the land of wine and pasta beats Port, and some will just struggle with making a decision at all. At the young age of 17 & 18, we can at times feel so mature, and wise, yet so undecisive and childish. How are we supposed to choose what career we want to go into for the rest of our lives, when half of us can't even vote or drink. Some will choose college because their parents will foot the bill on there 2 years of alcohal binging blackout nights and failure. Some will choose university because they busted their ass in highschool for that 97.2 average and they have wanted nothing more than to study 'earth and planetary sciences'. Some will go back to 12b, or 'victory lap' because nothing beats another year of overly priced cafetaria foods, skipping class to play speed in the library, losing at OFSAA and talking grade 11 chemistry. Some will choose work because they don't know what they want to do yet, but they know it doesn't involve another year of highschool, and they need to start saving because real life is expensive.

For those of you nearing graduating, the end of 12b, your first year of real work, or the end of your european working visa, please don't stress. Yes, your parents might have graduated highschool, gone to university, and have been an accountant for the past 40 years of their life, but that doesn't mean that you have to do that to. Who says you need to go into school right away? Why don't you go out and do what YOU want to do? If you aren't ready for school, then don't go. If you feel that you are ready, and you go but it doesn't work out.. thats okay too. We are only kids, the best time to make mistakes is now. We have many years to learn and fix them. If you don't get into the 'school of your dreams', maybe thats because there will be better opportunities in other places, maybe just not the opportunities you were thinking of.

When I graduated highschool, I knew without a doubt in my mind, that there was no way in hell I was going back for another year of it. I loved my highschool years, it came with many parties, lessons, boys, drama, ups & downs, committees, dances, detentions, awards, all of your typical highschool stuff. But after 4 years, I had had enough. People said that it was going to be the best four years of my life. To the people that feel that way, I'm sorry. If those are the best four years of your life, you either didn't go to lakeshore, or life just didn't get any better for you. For me, life has already been better since highschool, and it will only continue too. I chose to go into work to save up money so I could backpack and travel through Europe. Working 2-3 jobs, was not me living my dream, it was me understanding that sometimes it takes a little bit of hard work to get to your dream. Europe. This was my dream. This is my dream. And this is also, my future.

I wish that you make choices with comfort and ease. Have comfort in knowing that you are not alone, so many other people are struggling with the same things that you are. Reach out your hand, and someone will help. No one can make the choice for you, that would be too easy. Your becoming and adult now, and with that comes choices. Not every choice you choose will be right, but you have to learn somehow. Just know that if plan A doesn't work out, remember there are 25 other letters in the alphabet.

Parallel Lines

Parallel lines have a lot in common, but they never meet.. Ever. You might think that's sad, but every other pair of lines meets once and then drifts apart forever. This situation makes me think of life and the people you meet in life. How sometimes we wish we could be with someone forever and other times we wish we had never met a person in the first place. Parallel lines represent all of the people in your life that you could have met, but just never did for whatever reason, wrong timing, wasn't meant to be, anything. Other lines, help to show that we only have people in our lives for a certain amount of time, just crossing paths. No one can live forever, and not everyone you meet in your life, will be there until the end. Some people are just there for the good times, a drink at the bar, or a birthday party; others are there through work at a seasonal retail store, or bussing tables at a busy hotel; some are family, your parents, siblings, cousins; some you met through highschool, sports teams, lunch tables, business class, relay for life committee, etc. No one will be there forever, and with each person, comes a lesson, (or many). Your parents raised you with good morals and many lessons on life, your teachers taught you about specific subjects, but some did more than just your textbook lessons, your friends show you how to have a good time, and your boyfriend teaches you trust... With each person comes a new lesson.
Unfortunately sometimes this is hard to see. Sometimes when someone hurts you, it isn't the lesson in life that you see, it is just the pain and heartache, and wishing that things could go back to how they were, perhaps never having met that person. Parallel lines. Some fights are not fixable, sometimes you need to just be happy with the good times you had with that person, take the lesson learned and move on.
Enjoy your friends that are there for a good time, don't be upset that they won't be there forever, just be happy for the time you have with them. Appreciate the lessons your family has taught you, because without those, you wouldn't be the person you are today. And last but not least, remember that not everyone is meant to stay in your life forever, some are just there long enough to teach you a lesson you needed to learn.

Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus

I was on facebook, and came across a video called 'Why I hate religion, but love Jesus'. As I have said in the past, I am not a religious person, and struggle with the idea of God. There are many reasons for this, and some are highlighted in this poem. I am amazed at how well-written and passionately spoken this guy is about how he feels about Jesus. Whether you read the bible, pray before sleep, attend church on Sundays, or wear a cross... whether you drink, smoke & sin, break the law, or just don't care.. im asking you to read this, and really think about what he has to say. Doesn't matter if you agree with it, but it's a very interesting view on religion & Jesus.

"What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?

What if I told you getting you to vote republican, really wasn’t his mission?

Because republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian,

And just because you call some people blind, doesn’t automatically give you vision.

If religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?

Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor?

Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever been divorced

Yet God in the Old Testament actually calls the religious people whores

Religion preaches grace, but another thing they practice,

Tend to ridicule Gods people, they did it to John the Baptist,

Cant fix their problems, so they try to mask it,

Not realizing that’s just like sprayin perfume on a casket

Because the problem with religion is that it never gets to the core,

It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.

Let’s dress up the outside, make things look nice and neat,

Its funny that’s what they do to mummies, while the corpse rots underneath,

Now I ain’t judging I’m just saying be careful of putting on a fake look,

Because there’s a problem if people only know that you’re a Christian by that little section on your Facebook.

In every other aspect of life you know that logics unworthy

Its like saying you play for the lakers just because you bought a jersey

But see I played this game too; no one seemed to be on to me,

I was acting like church kid, while addicted to pornography.

I’d go to church on Sunday, but on saturday getting faded,

Acting as if I was simply created to have sex and get wasted.

Spend my whole life putting on this façade of neatness,

But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.

If grace is water, then the church should be an ocean,

Cuz its not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken

I no longer have to hide my failures I don’t have to hide my sin,

Because my salvation doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him.

because when I was Gods enemy and certainly not a fan,

God looked down on me and said, “I want that man!”

Which is so different from religious people, and why Jesus called em fools

Don’t you see hes so much better than just following some rules?

Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and I believe in sin

But my question, is if Jesus were here today, would your church let Him in?

Remember He was called a drunkard and a glutton by “religious men”

The Son of God not supported self-righteousness, not now, not then.

Now back to the topic, one thing I think is vital to mention,

How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums,

One is the work of God one is a man made invention,

One is the cure and one is the infection.

Because Religion says do, Jesus says done.

Religion says slave, Jesus says son,

Religion puts you in shackles but Jesus sets you free.

Religion makes you blind, but Jesus lets you see.

This is what makes religion and Jesus two different clans,

Religion is man searching for God, but Christianity is God searching for man.

Which is why salvation is freely mine, forgiveness is my own,

Not based on my efforts, but Christ’s obedience alone.

Because he took the crown of thorns, and blood that dripped down his face

He took what we all deserved, that’s why we call it grace.

While being murdered he yelled “father forgive them, they know not what they do”,

Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you

He paid for all your sin, and then buried it in the tomb,

Which is why im kneeling at the cross now saying come on there’s room

So know I hate religion, in fact I literally resent it,

Because when Jesus cried It is finished, I believe He meant it."

Well, Amen to that!

3 Weeks Until The Big Move!

Ok folks.. this is it, the reason I made this blog in the first place! As most of you reading this already know, I am very interested in travelling the world and learning about new customs and cultures. The reason I started writing this blog was to keep friends and family back home updated on all of my experiences whilst I am travelling. I ended up starting the blog before I even left my little ol' town of Port Colborne. Finally, after all the years that I have waited, my dreams are coming true. A little over a month ago, I got my dream job of working in England at a resort called 'Butlins'. I am an official Red Coat. Two days ago, I found out that I got my visa, which allows me to work in the UK for up to two years. I am booking my flight shortly, and im planning on leaving February 3rd, then starting work on February 10th. I can't believe how fast this is approaching, and how in a month from now, I will be working in a whole new country. I am so excited, words just can't show. For those looking at your calenders.. yes you are seeing that correctly, I am out of here in just over three weeks.. This gives me just enough time to pack up everything in my life into either boxes, or my two luggage pieces.. moving to a country for two years, and I have TWO BAGS TO PACK THAT INTO. Are you f'real? Yeah right.. I doubt this is going to work out. Ill keep you posted.

I don't know a whole lot about the experience I am going into, but thats part of the excitement. I don't know how many other redcoats work in Butlins; who my room mate / mates will be; if i will be liked; how challenging my job will be; the nightlife in bognor; my paycheck.. so many unknowns, but im just so excited that I am not to worried about any of those.  I am thrilled that I can now tell people about my goals and what I am going to be doing for the next few years of my life, because I have had to keep it quiet for a long time due to my jobs. If I didn't get my visa, or the job itself, but I had quit at my current job, then I would have been S.O.L.. Now that I have a job & a visa, I told my Sandwhich boss that I am moving, and gave them three weeks notice. Yup, I'm pretty much working til a few days before my flight. There are so many people I want to see, say bye too, get updates on, finish any unfinished business, but I'm not sure that three weeks will do the trick. I guess only time will tell, and the people that really want to see me before I go, will make the time, so it should all work out. So any friends reading this, give me a message on facebook or text me if you'd like to grab coffee before I go. As for everyone else, stay tuned.. my blogs about to get interesting.