OTTAWA and BACK FULBRIGHT ORIENTATION

Just got in to Vancouver after a 6 hour flight from Ottawa this morning. I had a wonderful,albeit tightly scheduled time while I was there.The flight on Thursday morning left at 6:00 am so Jim and I got up at 2:45, showered and made the hour and a half drive to the airport. Many thanks go out to all the terrific employees of Canada Air who helped this novice flyer make it to Ottawa and back with relatively little fuss.

After making a connection in Toronto, I arrived at the Lord Elgin Hotel around 4:15. I missed the opening activities which started at 3 and had only enough time to run to my room and quickly throw on the dress that Mom made me for the gala which was held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

Mom made my dress and I got quite a few wonderful comments on it from the cleaning lady at the Lord Elgin Hotel to woman from the U.S. State Department

Friday morning we met for breakfast at 8 and walked a few blocks to Constitution Square for breakfast.Until mid-afternoon the time was spent in meetings and activities that would help us better understand Canadian culture and identity and the nature of the relationship between the U.S. and Canada.

In the afternoon we walked to the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Quebec.



Parliment building

After our tour of the museum we had just enough time to change our clothes for a reception at the residence of U.S. Ambassador David Jacobson

My roomate Toni Holland

After the reception we enjoyed a lavish dinner at Le Cafe in the National Arts Center.





More to come

STILL HERE>>>BARELY

Once school started I haven't stopped running. Orientations for graduate school, The Criminology graduate department, Teaching assistantship, and to help me find my way at the Surrey campus, took up an entire week.My own classes, research theory and research methods, are two days a week at the Burnaby campus. The restorative justice tutorial I teach is on Wednesdays at the Surrey campus as is the RJ lecture on Fridays. Mondays and Thursdays are mine to get things done. Hasn't happened yet but I'm hopeful.

Yesterday Jim and I drove an hour to go to church in Chilliwak. Iput down the book I was reading to enjoy the scenery.



Chilliwak, BC





The rainy season hasn't officially started yet...so I've been told, apparently the rain doesn't know that as it has been pouring for days now. Candles help make the RV cheery and take away the very wet dog smell..poor Monty.

Jim got pulled over by the RCMP tonight on his way home. No ticket( you can't get going fast enough to get a speeding ticket) but a 30 minute check on his VIN #,insurance, drivers license, and truck plates..and just for good measure a lecture on the appropriate way to display a license plate, looks like it's the opposite as to how we do things back home...big surprise there huh? Is it just us or do they really not like Americans around here? No worries, we can't be ran off that easily! I'm sure we'll win them over yet :)

Labour (notice the locally correct spelling) Day in BC

As most know Alexis had to return to Missouri this weekend. Jim returned at 1:00 this morning after 30 hours of round trip travel. Frankly I've been too upset to even blog but I think I'm beginning to gain some perspective and can hopefully not rant or whine when I address the circumstances regarding her return home.

Jim and I obtained the paperwork, per instructions given by the local elementary school, needed to make custodial decisions on Alexis's behalf, including enrollment in school. What they,and until this week, we were unaware of, is that these documents were not legal internationally. Upon enrolling her in school her documents were sent to an "international education committee"(I'm sure there is an official organizational title, but I'm not sure exactly what it is) informed us that our custodial status over her is not recognized in Canada and that we had two choices in the matter, 1. Go to the BC government and begin the process of legally adopting her....umm, not an option, thank you or 2. pay $12,000 for 9 months of education. Neither options were acceptable and while we could have possibly fought this had we the time or money(of which we have neither) I personally did not want to find myself at odds with the Canadian government that, along with the U.S. State Department is responsible for bringing me to BC.

So, in less than three days we bought a round trip ticket for Jim and a one-way ticket for Alexis, packed four huge bags filled with as many of her belongings as we could stuff in them, and with many tears,had Jim escort her to KC. Words really can't express how sad I am to see her go but with the situation we were faced with I'm not sure what other options we had.





PICTURES FROM THE PAST WEEK





One of the last really warm days that we had



Alexis and Lauren

Criminology Dept. at SFU

Alexis spent the entire day with me while I attended the new graduate student orientation. Even though she was bored she was a real trooper. Numerous individuals commented on her wonderful behavior and teased her about being the youngest graduate student they'd ever met!

Scenes from around campus

A rainy BC day traveling to and from the Burnaby campus

The signs points out a 12.5% grade. Fun, fun, in the snow!

Slippery when wet

Two days later the sun is back

Summer is over, my first class, Criminological Theories, starts tomorow.