I really had no intention of neglecting my
blog; I have just been waiting for something exciting to blog about. After
South Africa not many things seem exciting enough to merit a post, but unless I
get over that I will maybe never blog again. So here goes nothing.
In the 53 days or so that I have been home
I have cleaned and cooked for my mom, celebrated Christmas, and moved into
Lethbridge. I am currently taking Ed
2500 at the U of L; it is the prerequisite class before I can apply to the
education program in May. I am seriously
considering a degree in education after my time spent at the ESL Drop-In Centre
and Hout Bay High School.
Lethbridge is a new experience. Considering the fact that I have more or less
spent 20 of my 24 years in Taber (and going to Lethbridge on a fairly regular
basis) I had no idea just how unique a subculture it could be. Although I suppose that unique might be an
overstatement on my part. I am hardly qualified to pass that kind of judgment
based on my complete lack of experience living in a myriad of different places.
I have lived with my family in Taber, I spent nine semesters in Provo, and now
I find myself on the west side of Lethbridge.
Really all I can say is that to this point my experiences in Lethbridge
are quite dissimilar to my experiences at BYU.
Considering BYU is supposed to be an epicentre
of the “mormon” social scene, well it has not been recreated in Southern
Alberta in any recognizable way. I will
try not to talk in absolutes; since my BYU experience was absolutely coloured
by my liberal arts emphasis, my predominantly liberal and even often artist
friends, as well as the fact that I have only been getting involved in Lethbridge
for like a week. With that caveat I
shall share my observations and reactions.
There is a distinct and refreshing (?) lack
of irony. They do so many things genuinely; like liking dances, playing
drinking games without alcohol, getting excited about broadcasts, hanging out
at the Institute building, speaking without gender (and other excessively pc)
sensitivity, and stuff like that.
So maybe I am being super unfair. I have
met some awesomely fun, and interesting people. I am really trying to get
involved, and some of it even seems like it is possibly genuinely fun. It is
just difficult for me to get over the lack of irony in it all. Things that I
have spent years making fun of, or participating in as an equivalent of an ugly
sweater party, are now the “super fun” norm.
I
think this could be good for me…
