Hope Blooms when you least expect it…

Many of my Canadian readers will surely know of a little organization called Hope Blooms. I made reference to them in an earlier post while I was in Ghana. The last two days I have spent helping out at their new headquarters, in a number of capacities. Having not worked in a number of months, I was pretty worn out after the first day. It’s a high-energy work environment, and I wasn’t quite used to it – but this didn’t stop me from making a one-day voluntold position turn into a two-day movie-making extravaganza.

My brother Michael, is heavily involved with this group. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this organization (the website is linked above), it’s a group of 50-ish kids between the ages of 5 and 17, who plant, grow, and harvest a plot in a community garden in an area of Halifax known to be rough. A number of years ago, with the help of Jessie Jollymore, Hope Blooms transitioned from educational/keeping-kids-out-of-trouble gardening to salad dressing producers/sellers. Earlier this year they successfully obtained $40 000 from the Canadian reality TV show, Dragon’s Den. Since then, their creations have been even more in demand.

A few days before I arrived home, they opened a new facility, which meant they kids now had their own hangout space, store front, and most importantly – kitchen! My task on day one was to help fill orders, by both producing dressings, and running errands collecting a number of items, such as ingredients and bottles. That morning, they had purchased 10 cases of bottles, which sold out shortly after I arrived at noon. The 15 cases I picked up that afternoon sold out by lunchtime the next day!

Day two was a bit more labour-intensive, but in a different way. I was tasked with one of my favourite roles – filmmaker/director. The team wanted to make sure that the countless friends, family members, businesses and strangers that helped make this new spot possible were thanked. So, with the help of a few of the ‘Bloomers’ we created a vision, and began filming. I made sure to get each of them involved as much as possible. After several takes, and a few different locations, I'm quite pleased with the final product (which I will upload once it has been officially launched on the Hope Blooms website!). 

An important message for the community to pay-it-forward, as a means of saying 'thank-you.'
Also, the focus of the video!

The truth about Hope Blooms is that it is far more than just a group of inner-city kids who grow things and turn it into delicious dressing. It’s about building capacity and community. My biggest take away from my two days with these guys (and gals) was that with the right people and attitudes, anything is possible. In just a few years, these kids have redefined the area in which they live – turning it from an undesirable, some would say, dangerous area, to one that has come to exemplify the very meaning of community. Sure, it may not have removed all the negative perceptions of that part of the city, but it has brought such positivity and, well, hope, to a community that would have otherwise been cast aside. The profits from sales go to a scholarship fund, which provides these students with opportunities beyond what may have been possible, all while teaching them a variety of skills, such as agriculture, leadership, and how to run a business. I am still in disbelief of the number of community members who stopped in just to congratulate and wish them a Merry Christmas. And, even more in awe of the non-community members, many of which would have gone out of their way, to do the same. I left on day two feeling cold (we filmed a lot outside, plus it started to flurry as we were wrapping up), but so inspired! There is still a lot of opportunity for these guys to grow their business, and I can’t wait to see what 2015 brings. The best gift I got this year, was the opportunity to be a little part of this incredible story.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or have a good day-like-any-other to all who read and follow my blog!

-the Orange Canadian

UPDATE: Here's the video we made!

No Snow, But At Least There’s Hockey!

One of the things that I was most excited for upon my return to Nova Scotia for the holidays was the endless amount of freshly fallen snow I had been anticipating for weeks. Much to my disappointment, the days leading up to my arrival involved very little accumulation of the fluffy white stuff. In fact, it had been raining…heavily for days! So, when we cleared the heavy fog and touched down on the tarmac in Enfield, I was pretty confused and disheartened. But, I thought to myself it is Nova Scotia, the weather will change, I will see snow before I go back to the UK! Well, the forecast suggests otherwise…and so far, the unreliable Weather Network had been accurate.

The first week since I arrived involved countless hours of Netflix, and little else. Thursday I made my way to my former stomp-grounds – Wolfville, to visit with some friends, professors, and to execute Operation Tampon (my one Christmas gift purchase – unlikely necessities purchased in Wolfville, for the local food bank). Unfortunately, it was rainy on this day too, so I didn’t get to snap pictures of the beautiful views that I have come to know and love over the past three or so years. It took only seconds before familiar faces were waving hello and making me feel, once again, at home.

After a busy day of many of the people I love, and my one and only shot at the gluttonous festivities of Sushi Fang, I braced myself for the drive home…with the company of my favourite winter friend, SNOW! I was pretty pumped to see the delicate flakes, although I was a little concerned about having to drive in it (the snow I had imagined would only fall when I was snuggled in a warm blanket next to the fireplace, with a cup of tea, and a good book). I attempted to take some pictures when I arrived back safely to my brother’s, but it was far too dark. 

Luckily, I was able to snap a few photos for photographic proof of this light snowfall, before it melted away a few hours later.

Morning...

A few hours later...

On Sunday, I joined my step-dad Scott for a game of Midget Triple ‘A’ hockey – the team he and Mom followed for years. Some things never change…the waft of sweat that both comforts and nearly suffocates you the moment you enter a rink, and the nostalgic mural that has existed on that one wall since you can remember. As a Canadian, I had to fulfill my duties of at least one game… and of course, who can resist the intense moments involving the Zamboni?

Anyone remember this?

Our team won, and Scott and I made our way to Costco, to brave the masses shopping for last minute Christmas ‘essentials’. One of the highlights of my time home, will most certainly be the amazingly decorated car, consisting of a sleigh on the roof, with a fully decorated Christmas tree (lights and all, presents under the tree), and a small hitch with 4 tiny reindeer on the back. Each of the family members in the car were wearing reindeer onesies, while Christmas music bellowed cheerfully out of their rolled-down windows. There isn’t much about this season that I enjoy, but this was certainly one for the books.

All in all, it was a fairly low-key, but good first week back in Canada! A new week is about to begin, and I’m sure the rest I have been stocking up on over the last number of days will be needed…

-the Orange Canadian

Books are fer learnin'!

On my first full day back in Nova Scotia, I had the pleasure of checking out what some have been referring to as "the Eiffel Tower of Halifax" - that's right, I went to the Halifax Central Library! Unfortunately, I didn't snap any photos of the outside, as there were lots of people hanging around, and it was dark by the time I left. I did manage to snap a few from the inside, though.

Photo credit: CBC

Now, to call this spectacular building "the Eiffel Tower of Halifax" is a pretty big stretch! Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic - but...it's also a library. I haven't seen the Eiffel Tower in person, mind you, but, I think it's fairly safe to say the two are not comparable. 

I arrived just before 4:00pm. The grand opening had taken place around 10:00am that morning. You'd never know how much time had passed if you weren't aware of it, by the amount of people still flooding in to check it out! Luckily, I had a friend closely connected to the new facility to give me a personal tour, while we caught up.

Just inside the front entrance is a small cafe, that sells a range of hot beverages and a good assortment of treats to accompany them. I was treated to a nice cup of tea to enjoy whilst we walked throughout the building. Our first official stop was the top floor, which is home to an outdoor rooftop patio and the beginnings of a garden. It was a bit cool outside, so a few pictures were snapped before we made our way back in!

Photo credit: Julia!
(ESSTers - don't tell Glyn!)

Photo credit: Julia!

View from the roof

View from the roof

We toured around each floor taking in the swarms of people, book titles, and of course, trying out all of the various types of seating. I will tell you this - there are super comfy computer-esque chairs that have a cushy grey mesh, and some wonderful 'not too hard, not too soft' green sofa/chairs, which I would highly recommend you take a few minutes to test out! 

Other features of the library, everyone should check out, include:

• The Friendship Circle
• Puppet theatres anyone? (yep - that's right, I said theatreS; there's two!)

One of the two puppet theatres

• A massive Lite-Brite wall

Sorry that it's sort of blurry - I had to move fast in an attempt not to snap any
pictures of the many children using this fun feature!

• A Lego table (sorry no pictures - too many children!)
• And, a super sweet play kitchen!

My parents failed me by not giving me one of these as a small child...

Two things struck me about the overall feel of the place. For one, it's very open, and bright, and user-friendly. It was kind of like if a mall and a university library had a baby. The stairways and corridors across the floors were as much a part of the artwork, as they were serving a practical purpose. 

The other thing that really amazed me was the large presence of books! Now, I know what you're probably thinking - it's a library, there should be books - but the way this place had been talked about, made it seem like community space was more of the focus than physical books. It was a component of the planning that saddened me a bit. Of all the environmentally conscious decisions I make regarding reducing my consumption, books are one thing I simply cannot give up. There's just something comforting about the feel and smell of a book in your hands - I don't know how else to describe it! Anyway, the fact that there were many books on each level immediately erased all sadness. In fact, there's a good balance between traditional library, and community-oriented space. And, judging by the range of people getting their first glimpse on opening day, I'd say it will be well used.  There were families with small children, older couples, teens, university-aged students and everyone in between. It's a great addition to the Halifax area, and I'd recommend a visit to anyone who hasn't! To learn more about the new facility and/or see more pictures (including some indoor shots!), check out the Library's website at http://halifaxcentrallibrary.ca.

-the Orange Canadian

Josh Groban WITH Glasses

Who knew that the search terms for "Josh Groban with glasses" would be more popular than "Josh Groban Glee"?! I sure didn't. But, during my final night out in Manchester before heading home for the holidays, this was a discovery that will now help me sleep at night. ...not that it was preventing me from sleeping before.

In typical post-assignment submission tradition, my fellow IDMPers found a table at the SU bar, and began to drink away our sorrows/celebrate the almost end of first term. It was the night before I was due to fly home for a two week holiday. This little tradition appears to be drawing more people, which I will attribute solely to my awesomeness, and not the fact that a Facebook event allowed a wider range of classmates to be in the know. Either way, the evening was filled with laughter, debate, and drafting the first crack of the '2015 IDMP Bucket List of Awesomeness.' I've come to enjoy these casual, fairly low-key nights out. I'm surrounded by incredibly intelligent people, who are just plain fun to be around. I love the opportunities to learn about their backgrounds, their take on the world, and what their next steps are. Although it took a while to develop this social circle, it was certainly worth the wait!

Photo credit: Random girl sitting at the table next to us, via Arafat Safi

But, like most things in my life, as the night progressed, and I become more tired/hopped up the sugary goodness of ginger beer, I made things, shall we say, delightfully awkward/weird! Yes, folks, this is the tale of how I met 'Josh Groban'! Now, before you all get too excited, meeting Josh Groban, in this instance, is no different than that time I met Ban Ki Moon (i.e. I didn't). No, Josh Groban, is none other than my friend, Russell. After three months of spending many days with this guy, I finally figured out why he looked so familiar. Perhaps it was his post-essay crunch-time, over-tired demeanour, or maybe it was the glasses, matched with the Josh Groban-esque threads. All, I know is that out of nowhere, I semi-blurted out - "You look like Josh Groban!" And then we spend the next half hour or so debating whether or not this was true. And yes, this was how it came to be known that "Josh Groban with glasses" is a widely search Google inquiry.

Me pretending to be an excited Grobanite* with "Josh Groban" himself!

It's now two days later. I'm in another country, and I've just enjoyed a good cup of coffee. It has been three long months since the sweet, sweet, goodness of Java Blend's Dark Aztec has been happily consumed by yours truly. I slept in a bed that didn't involve being so small, that turning meant smoking my elbow into the wall next to me, and that had pillows... big, fluffy poly-filled pillows. Being home has never felt so good.

Getting here was a tale in and of itself. One that involves ripping pants, delayed flight avoidance, and almost not making it out of the country for weather- and technology-related reasons. I spent my first night with my childhood best friends, celebrating a 30th birthday! Luck girl, this one! Can hardly wait to see what the next two weeks will bring!

-the (jet lagged and slightly delirious) Orange Canadian

*Grobanite - "a rapid woman or man who enjoys the auricle ecstacy of Josh Groban's harmonious voice" (according to urbandictionary.com)

Girl's got skills!

Well, I'm happy (although slightly nauseous) to report that two out of my four major assignments have been submitted. Why I thought that assessments based on one, single essay for my mark was a good idea, I'm not sure. I'm having flashbacks to a certain undergrad prof who temporarily stripped me of my confidence by informing me I was not a writer. Thankfully I have an extremely supportive/good pep-talking brother and some amazing friends who settled my nerves post-submission. I am a writer! ...just not an editor...like...at all!

Last night I treated myself to an night off of essay-ing to support my pal, Rosie, who is currently in the Royal National College of Music's production of "The Merry Widow" - an opera by Franz Lehár. For me, the night was made before I even set foot outside of my flat, as I had an excuse to put on a nice dress and relax! Of course getting to see Rosie in action, was pretty awesome, as well!

Let me say this, I met Rosie through a few of my roommates in my first year at Acadia, and then had the pleasure of working with her when Pete's first opened in Wolfville. Until last night, the most I had heard her sing was carrying along to the soundtrack of whatever was entertaining us during monthly (weekly!) inventories. I knew she was talent, but had no idea to what extent! Mark my words, the girls has pipes - big, powerful ones! From the first note, I was amazed that this tiny lady could produce such an impressive sound! I had a proud mama moment throughout the evening - even though I had nothing to do with anything related to her or her talent!

The production itself was delightful! I quickly became engaged into the storyline, and shared several laughs with the rest of the audience. (Sidenote: the audience itself, by the way made up for a recent comment by one of my flatmates who informed me I was old and fat, for the theatre was filled with people at least double my age!) I could hardly believe that these stunning costumes and perfectly placed sets were part of the cast's education. The work that went into it was incredible. Nothing like the few productions I attended at Acadia. To say it was a step up was an understatement - more like several flights! And hey, I've been in my fair share of school plays, but they were more like the "Be Kind, Rewind" version* of what the RNCM puts on! And, rightly so - they are training these students to become professional performers and musicians!

Afterwards, I met with Rosie for a drink. It was so nice to sit and chat about end-of-term recaps and reminiscing on the good 'ol days at Pete's! Seriously first-summer-Pete's-crew, we need to have a reunion!

All in all, it was a great night! The rain even held off for me, so I didn't have to put use to the umbrella I bought for the rain I thought I'd be encountering here (I'm told I haven't seen anything yet, so I may regret this semi-sarcastic comment!)!

Now that I've been cultured, I plan on spending tomorrow relaxing, and running some final pre-boarding errands, before I head back to Canada for a quick visit. That's right - this girl is heading home! First term is two remaining essays away from being complete, and although this has been a difficult semester, I am looking forward to what next term brings. In the meantime, I'd ask that you all please cross any body parts you can to hope for smooth weather as I make the trek home!

-the Orange Canadian

*For those of you unaware of "Be Kind, Rewind" it is a terrible, slightly offensive, yet amazing movie about a couple of guys who remake classic films in an attempt to save a video store. It stars Jack Black. Enough said. 

One simple gesture...

Today I bought a cup of coffee and a muffin for a homeless man. I did it as part of my commitment to the 'Season of Giving Challenge.' It was cold. It was the least I could do.

One of the differences between what I see in Manchester compared to what I see in Halifax, Wolfville, or any other Nova Scotia city, town, or village, is that it's difficult to escape the presence of those without a roof over their heads here. It bothers me. It bothers me that it's so in-you-face here, and it bothers me that it's not back home. The reality is, there are people living on the streets in both places, and whether or not I (or anyone else) can see them isn't right. No one should have to live under those conditions. We should all have the basics of food, water, clean air, and a warm (or cool, depending on where you are) place to crash at the end of each day. This shouldn't be a thing. Anywhere.

But, the point of this post isn't to rant about homelessness. To be fair, I'm not really sure why I am writing this post. I walk by people crawling out of their sleeping bags under an overpass on a weekly basis, at least. To be truthful, I intended on buying some food or something the other day, for the three or four people I usually walk by on the way to get groceries. Now, go figure, on this particular occasion they happened to not be there. But, I was determined to make this a thing that I did.

So, this morning as I walked into city centre, I was confronted by a few people asking me for any change I had. I didn't have any. One of them huffed and walked off, another made a degrading comment towards me, and the third told me to have a nice day. I went about my morning.

Now, on the way home, that same man was sitting in the same spot. It was cold. There was "ice" on the ground. My checks were red, and my glasses fogged up when I entered the mall. It was cold. I saw that man sitting on the ground wrapped in an old blanket and I thought, it's too cold to be out here today. As I approached him he smiled at me. I told him I still didn't have any change, but asked if he needed something warm to drink. He did. I grabbed a cup of coffee and muffin at a nearby coffee shop. When I returned, the look of genuine gratitude was something I cannot put into words. There was a small crowd of people around at the time I did this, and the appalled looks I received for this act surprised me. He thanked me, and we parted ways.

On the way home, I wondered what had happened in his life that brought him to where he was. I wondered what his story was. I got mad at myself for not even asking him his name. I've thought about him the entire day, between journal articles, and essay restructuring. It's supposed to snow tonight, and now I'm worried. I hope he finds a warm place to sleep tonight.

The thing is, the point of my gesture was to do something nice for someone else. It was so easy, and in the end, I felt amazing. Imagine if we all did one simple gesture every day. Imagine what the world would look like.

"It's Africa raining hail right now, with an impressive thunderstorm!"

It's no secret that I love weather - rain in particular - but really I enjoy a variety of weather.

I'm currently in the middle of end-of-term crunch time, with two essays due in less than a week. I've spent several afternoons tucked away in one of two independent study rooms (nothing like those dingy, dark closets at Acadia - which for the record I have determined I prefer). Today, the time I could book was an hour earlier than what I am used to. Within minutes of arriving, it began to downpour. It ended as quickly as it came, but I spent those few brief moments gazing out the window, taking it all in.

Fast forward three hours. I walked back to my flat, and just as I'm getting settled back into 'essaying' the sky darkens, and it began pouring again. This time, however, I was treated to a nice bit of thunder, before the rain disappeared and hail started dropping. HAIL. Torrential down pour, African rainy-season, downpour IN HAIL FORM! Unfortunately for you (well, those of you reading who were not near a window in Manchester at this time), by the time I grabbed my camera, it had ended. But, I'd just like to tell you how unbelievable amazing those few moments were. It's the closest thing to snow I've seen in months, and, I'm exactly one week away from returning to Canada. If anyone could see me, I'm pretty sure I was a small child in a candy store on Christmas morning with an unlimited bank account, and all the choice one could dream up! Perhaps, it was a "we've missed you" present from the east coast.

It's now back to gloomy cloud cover, with a mix of light rain and a calm sunset in the distance. Back to the books, I guess...

-the Orange Canadian