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Youth Venture Blog by Chad Frey Wednesday, July 14th - T-minus 38 hours and counting Yesterday Krystal and I went for lunch to talk a bit and get ready for the trip. We are collecting travel info from all of the youth that will be joining us and trying to map out a plan for our Friday afternoon/evening. Friday morning will not come quickly enough. I am looking forward to getting in the air and on the way to Montreal. I think most of the details that have been worrying me in the back of mind have been taken care of. There are still a couple that need to be taken care of, but I'm sure everything will come together soon enough. One thing that concerns me is not knowing if someone will meet us at the airport, or if we have to find our way to a house someplace in the city (I don't know that location yet either!) But it will all work out in the end, I am sure. Tuesday, June 29th - Getting to know you Today one of the team members sent out a survey to everyone with email as a "get to know you" trick. It's a good idea. I filled it out, most of the info is pretty basic, but good stuff. I thought I'd go ahead and post my answers here. Thursday, June 17th - Ladies and gents, we have a plan! This is going to be one amazing trip! Today the staffers in Montreal sent out a rough schedule for the Montreal experience. Man, do I look forward to this! There is a festival in Montreal during the first weekend we are there, and I love festivals as my friends will attest. There are none to hokey, none to strange. If there is a festival, I like to at least check it out. (Can you say Hooverball-that's another story for another day). Tuesday, June 15th - About a month left! mood: Pretty good There is good news today! Elizabeth, one of the team members, wrote me an email today. Based on her short note, and little reading between the lines like we journalists are prone to do, I think she is nearly excited about the trip as I am. Krystal and I will be going up a day early (I hope) and will be able to help the team get from the airport to our place to stay. That should be pretty cool. I am looking forward to this more each day. Tuesday, May 18th - Good news, good news! mood: Happier than Roscoe P. Coltrane after catching the Dukes! Great news today! I spoke with Arloa at the Youth Venture office today. Sounds like I should start packing my bags and getting ready for the trip. I look forward to this quite a bit, not only because I really need a vacation, but because I can do something extra-ordinary with my time. She confirmed for me that Krystal Stucky is likely to be my partner, which is great. She is someone I have known for years, and have a lot of respect for. Postive energy just seems to follow her everywhere, even when she is having a rough day. I am hoping the two of us can do some prep and planning before we head to the Great White North. Wednesday, May 5th - Finding places I want to go I did a little looking on the net today, to see what there may be to see in Montreal. What I found was a great website with loads of info and pics, inlcuding some of Notre-Dame Basilica. At some point during this grand trip, I certainly hope our group will go see it, as well as much of "Old Montreal." BTW, I am still waiting to hear, officially, on this opportunity. I am also still waiting to hear who will be joining me on the trip. Thursday, April 29th - Good News mood: HAPPY! Ken Regier, the local HR rep for MCC, and he said I have been "affirmed" for the Montreal trip. In Mennonite-speak that means I can pretty much count on going to the Great White North this summer. He also confirmed something I have suspected, that a friend of mine is very likely going to be the female leader of the group -- which is pretty cool. So even though today is too windy to launch model rockets with the after-school program at Hesston (I was really looking forward to that!), there is a good news today. Montreal? As of today, I am still awaiting official word on if I will be selected for a trip to Montreal. I am very hopeful that I will be. It's been a long road. The process began with a phone call to the MCC offices in November. I began the application process in earnest after Christmas. And now, months later, I am on the verge of an assigment in July. God has thrown some speed bumps in along the way ... not getting the trip I have wanted for several years, a father in and out of the hospital (He's doing better today. But if you have never seen your own father with tubes in his nose, IV's in his arms and so tired he can barely stay awake to talk or eat, I hope you never do.) I contacted my local rep today to find out if there has been any movement on the trip, and haven't heard back. I will also be checking to see if I'll have some kind of internet access while I'm in Montreal to see if I can update this weblog, once I get it set up the way I like, while I am there. |
