Eventually I had to wake from my slumber to go and get Swell from the airport. I got to use Edmonton's version of a fancy dandy ring road for the very first time. Being directionally challenged like my mother I was worried when she said; "Whatever you do don't take the ring road. I always get lost when I take it." I, being brave, ignored her advice and took the ring road. I, luckily, didn't get lost. I, unluckily, took the ring road. The ring road, being a ring road, allowed me to reach my destination, the airport, much, much quicker than I anticipated. Not having to drive through the city really cuts down on drive time.
Who knew?
My early arrival coupled with Swell's slight delay allowed me a lot of sit down and wait time at the bustling metropolis that is Edmonton Interantional Airport.
I people watched the other three people in the airport while they returned the favour.
It was a great time.
I eventually saw Swell through the security doors and in her great excitement of finally being in Edmonton she nearly fell down the stairs. I saw her do this and I laughed as she looked around sheepishly wondering if anyone else saw her.
They didn't.
It was great to see her and her first request, being in Edmonton and all, was to go to Tim Horton's.
So we did. And we talked and we felt fuzzy feelings being near each other again.
For those who don't know Tim Horton's is a chain of doughnut/coffee/sandwich/soup shops in Canada. No matter what time of day you go you will stand in line. This line standing is despite the fact that there is a Tim Horton's on every corner. If you don't like the length of the line at the Tim Horton's you can try to go to the other one down the block.
Its line is probably longer.
This wonderful gift from God is spreading to the US. If there isn't one near you drop what you're doing and drive to Canada.
Now.
By the time we were done our Timbits and Chili and "half-and-half" (half coffee half hot chocalate - a poor man's mocha) and Chocolate milk (a man can drink chocolate milk and still be a man!) it was 3 am and time to go home.
When we awoke it was time to drive to Drayton Valley, Alberta (a rural town about 2 hours from Edmonton - my sister married a cowboy) to decorate the hall for my Sister's wedding. So decorate we did. (We'll leave out the unfortunate family drama that usually accompanies weddings. I will note, however, that the RCMP were not called although they were on speed dial.)
Pictures of Decorating
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Decorating was "fun" but took a long time. I got to build an arch. You're welcome sister and cowboy.
After hall decorating it was time for the rehearsal and church decorating.
Rehearsal was also "fun" although nobody but my father and non-getting-married sister (who looked really hot in her maid-of-honour dress by the way) understood my very valid concerns/points about the ceremony/seating arrangements etc.
My getting-married sister has three boys so as part of the wedding ceremony they did a Sand Ceremony. I had never seen this before (having attended all of four weddings in my life - two of which were in languages I do not speak and one of which being mine). Its basically a unity candle dealy but for blended families. Each member has a vase of sand and during the sand ceremony part they mix the sands together in a single vase representing the blending of the individuals and all their parts (the grains of sand) into a single family composed of the individuals and all their parts.
The boys in front of the sand ceremony stuff at rehearsal
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Rehearsal done it was time for rehearsal "dinner". Hot dogs and beans. My sister married a cowboy.
The next day was, of course, the wedding. Yippee! I got to be an usher and say a marriage prayer. My brother was also an usher. He took a "short cut" to the church. We were a "smidge" later than we probably should have been. As my brother, who can't help but quote The Simpsons, said "let us never speak of that shortcut again".
On my arm at the wedding was this lovely and beautiful lady (I'm lucky, no?)
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My brother, the groom's brother and I ushed like nobody has ever ushed before. We sat those people down like nobody's business. I, knowing nobody but my family, only tried to seat one group of people inappropriately (mostly because it was a sit where ever you want wedding except for immediate family).
The groom's family was quick to point out that they were, well the groom's family, when I tried to seat them not in the front row.
The wedding ceremony was very nice. I got up and said my marriage prayer and then something completely unexpected happen. We will never speak of the unexpected again.
Except lil' Nicles. She will speak of it again as she keeps making fun of me regarding the unexpected. What can I say? I'm a big softy.
After the ceremony was, of course, pictures. (Note to Romanians - most "normal" people take their pictures after the ceremony. Not before. This is because the guests are "patient" and don't need the food to be served 2 minutes after the kiss like all y'all do. Really!? Pictures before the ceremony? Harumph.)
I rode to the picture taking with my father who "knew" how to get there and didn't "need" to follow the groom's brother.
I remain surprised to this day that he didn't just know to turn down the "road" that said "No Vehicles". Good thing we came across the bride and groom's big truck (my sister married a cowboy) after we had long passed the proper turn, eh?
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My sister married a cowboy
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Seeing as how my parent's still live in Alberta and my sister married an Albertan in Alberta in October the operative word for picture taking was neither fun nor enjoyable rather it was, predictably, freakingcold.
Note in the above pictures the distinct lack of a giant Coca-Cola stain on the bride's dress. This lack of a Coca-Cola stain is not due to a lack of trying. The sister-who-did-not-get-married tried her hardest to stain the dress when she spilled the Coke down the front of it while on the way out the door to the ceremony. But the chick-crazy-enough-to-be-marrying-my-brother was talented enough to take out said stain with shampoo and water while only delaying the wedding for 15 minutes.
It should be noted that when we (those waiting for the wedding party to arrive so that we could finish lighting candles, get the runner ready, seat the parents, i.e me and my bros) were told that the wedding would be delayed due to Coke spillage we both knew who did it. If you ever hear the words "coke" and "spillage" in a sentence rest assured that Zumi is nearby.
Yes, yes Zumi we know you have a "disorder".
After pictures it was time for "dinner" (not very good) and other assorted wedding things.
We will not talk about these things because I don't enjoy them and I was outside "helping" my father and brother set up a big inflatable movie screen and sound system to entertain "the kids" (read my family who don't drink or dance or much care to talk to "people"). It was Alberta and it was night and it was cold and we will never speak of that night again.
The wedding wrapped up. We went to bed. We woke up in time for brunch and gift opening. "Fun".
We cleaned up and we went back to the hotel.
The next morning we drove back to Edmonton dropped off a bunch of stuff and then headed to Calgary.
I had a meeting in Calgary on Tuesday with an NGO that works in blindness prevention in developing countries. I also wanted to show Swell the city as we might end up there some day.
We arrived in Calgary in time to go to a Thanksgiving dinner buffet (yes it was Thanksgiving) which was good but lacking in key things. Like Turkey and Potatoes. They "ran out" but were making more. Turkey eventually came (we think it was deep fried because they didn't have time to roast more) but potatoes were not seen until we were leaving.
The next morning we went to the Calgary tower which was fun.
Swell met a moose.
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We went up the tower and were scared.
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After the tower I went to my meeting. I wrote this organization out of the blue and was surprised to get a response. They had no jobs available but thought if I was in town I should drop by to speak with them. I made a point to be in town. I sat down with a few of the higher ups and we spoke and it was ok and then they handed me off to a lady who gave me a sales pitch for a different organization I know very well. It was awkward as I think they misunderstood my intentions and gave me a sales pitch to donate to a group we already donate to. I was also told by the others that I should really speak to this person and this other person whom I've already spoken to and met. In fact one of them has called me a wanker and then I stalked him in Florida to give him my resume. Anyway they now know my name and thats what I wanted.
After the meeting (during which everyone else was eating some yummy food) we went exploring ending up at the farm my Grandpa (who died four years ago) used to work at. We used to go out to the farm quite often when I was a kid and I have many, many fond memories of this place. I hadn't been out there in years and years as Grandpa retired from farming after he got sick (he was probably in his 70s when he stopped farming). It was quite emotional but an awesome albeit brief-hurry-up-we're-trespassing visit.
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Grandpa and Grandma's house
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That other guys house. You know the one that didn't do anything
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Cow
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We went from the farm to Bragg Creek where we used to go and get penny candy when we were kids. (The farm was a vacation spot seeing as how we lived 4 hours north). We bought candy which I then forgot back in Edmonton so somebody has to go find it and eat it.
After Bragg Creek we drove to Banff and looked around all the while freezing half to death. It was fun.
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We drove back to Edmonton following Banff. A long fun filled day.
The next day Swell and I had an appointment with an immigration lawyer who said "Its super easy to immigrate to Canada as an American married to a Canadian. Should take six months. Now give me $100."
Then it was back to Atlanta.
While Swell was in Romania I spoke with a woman about a job in a place. She wanted me to talk about said job with said Swell when Swell and I were in the same place at the same time.
Swell and I spoke. Swell emailed said woman with some questions about said job.
Said woman emailed said Swell with some answers to said questions.
We then asked what the remuneration would be for said job.
After a few days a different woman emailed us back with those details.
The pay was more than we thought it would be but still FAR less than what we could make working as optometrists here in the US (or Canada).
This job, however, is something that is very attractive to us. It should leave a lasting impact on populations across a large geographic area of the world. This job is in a resource poor area.
Note: this job is in a resource poor area. I know those of you who know where we're going (See previous post) are saying "they're going to a paradise." While it may very well be a paradise it is still poverty stricken and considered a developing country. Whats more is our job will train people from other developing countries as well.
We accepted the job the other day. We are waiting on details/further information.
A few points:
1. The previous post is the only one in which our location will be divulged. We do not wish for people to be able to do a Google search and find our blog based on our future location. This is simply to protect our future employer and ourselves. We have nothing to hide and won't speak badly but we think its best to use discretion.
2. Our employer will not be listed on this blog. I am not sure how they would react to our "blogging" and don't really wish to ask them. It is immaterial who we work for and we don't wish for people to Google this organization's name and find our blog. Suffice it to say it is a very professional, large, active organization that is doing good work and research in the blindness prevention/treatment world.
3. Both Swell and I have accepted jobs. We will be working in the same place at the same time although my position MAY require some travel within the area.
4. We will NOT be seeing patients rather we will be training people to see patients in their home countries/cities/towns/villages.
5. This may all fall apart still. We hope it doesn't. We're very excited about the possibility and think that its perfect for us.
6. As I've written in the past we kind of fell into this position as I wrote the organization about a different (and temporary) position and was then offered this one.
7. We believe we'll have a two month break every year (December and January) where we'll travel back to the US/Canada.
8. We will welcome visitors at anytime. And gifts. And money.
9. We have not sold our condo. Our condo will, more than likely, not sell in the next two years. We are not allowed to rent our condo as the buildings 25% rental capacity has already been filled and there is a 15 unit wait list to get on the approved rental list. HOWEVER, there is a clause in our HOA bylaws that allows for an Undue Hardship rental agreement. This will allow us to rent our place OUTSIDE of the 25% rental capacity. We will apply for this ability at the next HOA board meeting. They will approve it because of the three possible reasons to allow for an undue hardship rental we meet two. The third will not be met as neither of us plan on dying anytime soon.
10. We believe that our job will be starting at the end of January, although we'll probably go in mid-January.
That's that. If any of you have questions about anything feel free to ask. I know some optometry students read this at times so you can feel free to ask questions as well.
We're off to San Diego on Saturday. Will post from there if not sooner.
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