New Year, New Post

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…