"vacation"

When you have things to write about you're so busy doing things that you don't actually take the time to update a blog such as this. I've been a GSV-alum for 2 1/2 weeks now, and time is flying. the month of August was supposed to be a pseudo vacation for me, being that it's my break between my volunteer year and returning to student-hood. while I've been on vacation for a few weeks now, i can hardly say I've been relaxing. in the last two weeks, I've been kayaking in Vermont, in Montreal to check out apartments, down to the beach in Virginia/North Carolina for some impromptu surf lessons (awesome, go do it), up to the derty jers for krystina's going away party, and have since had my family from Virginia in town as we attempt to move my grandpa out of his house and into assisted living. and all this while trying to catch up with my Albany friends and figure out all the things I need to get done to prep for McGill. phew. just a few days ago I looked at the calendar and realized I was planning to move next week. I don't know if that'll actually happen now, but it was quite a surprise. I've been saying I'm moving "in a few weeks" that I forgot to check exactly how many weeks are left!

On the topic of McGill, I've had several false starts but it looks like things are moving along well now. Just yesterday I heard that my visa was finally approved, and today I got an update on possible internship opportunities. My options so far are IBCR, an agency that does research, advocacy and policy on children's issues such as human trafficking, sex tourism, and child slavery, and another agency that does a lot of fund raising and philanthropic work in Montreal. I really want to do IBCR - it sounds perfect based on my academic interests and thesis. Now I have to jump through all the hoops of applying. The other doesn't interest me at all, but the woman coordinating internships seems to want me to do it because I know she has connections there. Fortunately for me, I don't think I speak enough French to do it so I can't be coerced into taking that position. I'm waiting until tomorrow to hear if I can take the apartment I liked from my visit a few weeks ago. I really hope it works out - it seems like a great fit for me and also it would mean that everything is in place for me to move up whenever I'm ready. Then I could relax for the next week here. If it doesn't work I'll be disappointed (again) and have to go up to look for another place (again). So here's hopin.

Aside from possibly continuing my apartment search, for the next week and a half I have several appointments, lots more people to see, packing, tying up loan paperwork, applying for that internship, and hopefully having some fun left to do. Plus, I'm planning to go down to NYC for a day next week to see my lovely former roommates one last time before they depart for their years as international GSVs! I'm so excited!! So, that relaxing vacation I dreamed about may need to wait a little longer..