The family feeling:

Imagine yourself sitting at the kitchen table of a house you barely know. You arrived there exactly one day ago, met the two housecats Dionysus and Artemis, had a delicious vegan dinner with the family and enjoyed breakfast together. The evening before their vegetarian home-schooled children (they rule!!!) performed in their own mini-concert in which Caitlin (the 16-year old, but quite mature for her age, daughter) was playing a heavenly harp and her 13 year old brother (named Jasper and dancing through the house in his Spiderman pyjama) left us breathless when he played a whole repertoire of violin songs (from classic to fiddle), all by heart and learned by ear. Amazing little boy, you thought while you tried to find the right words to describe how beautiful he performed. English has such a variety of words, that it must sound ridiculous for natives to hear my exclamations being limited to ‘nice’, ‘beautiful’, ‘cool’ and ‘amazing’. Great Veerle, time for you to buy a decent dictionary full of synonyms, you think (in case your name is not Veerle, you can replace this for your own name). Anyway, I don’t use my Belgian name anymore. Last Thursday I almost missed my doctors appointment, because I didn’t recognize my own name being called. At least, I didn’t understand the way doctor Fisher was trying to pronounce my name. No, just stick to Joanna, that will make things easier for all of us.

Before I start wandering around with words, I’ll just give you a quick description of the place where you imaginer yourself staying for a free weekend: Penticton. As Google Earth proudly showed me before arriving here, Penticton is located right in the middle of two lakes. No, let’s use the right expression before you think I am sailing on a ship right now. Penticton is somewhere between two lakes (Okanagon Lake and (other) Lake). Highlights of the city (at least, from the Penticton Rotarian perspective) are the Astronomical observatory, the Tinhorn Creek Winery (where we tasted our first chocolate cup of sweeter-than-sweet icewine (remember that name, because I’m sure you want to taste it at least once or twice or more in your life (in my opinion once you taste it, it’s hard to resist a second cup, even though I’m not an alcohol fan at all) and an old restored boat (the 91-year old guide would be disappointed in me if he would read I described his favourite ship, his work and his life, as an ‘old boat at the beach’. How can i describe the authentical feeling I got while walking in the big common area in Victorian style, imaging myself wearing a wide dress and gliding gracefully through the ladies sitting room (with piano and soft coaches). If this place would offer a coach surfing possibility, it would be one of the far most popular Okanagan spots. After listening together to my audio disc of Belgian music (if forgot to mention I put our CD (Available Online, made by me and Pieter) on the mp3 cd. Disorganized as I am I forgot to bring some jewels with me (who are these ignorant people who vote me to organized person on ‘compare people’ at Facebook? Ever seen my room? Ever seen the spiderweb in my mind?)
Help me, I have to many words in my head this evening. Are this the side effects of a too long time without writing? Are the unwritten thoughts taking revenge on me? Is English a more impatient language that my native Dutch? Why can’t I just tell about the line-dance evening with the Dutch Ankie (who is married to a Canadian and calls herself Anna, because she doesn’t like the Canadianse version ‘Enkie’. It makes sense...There was free Rotary food (North American of course) this evening. What do you think? Indeed, hamburgers! Oh happy day, they had a lot of vegetarian ones! I love Canada!!! In my head I was already preparing how I would teach a Belgian song to all the people, but in the end the only thing we needed to do was planting a small pin in a world map (high concentration in East-Asia ... Who knows how that’s possible? Especially Korea and Japan seemed well-represented. To make time shorter, i flash myself (and you, my friend) to the present (Saturday evening 20th of September), sitting at a kitchen table in Penticton in the house of the MeikleJohn’s-Ferrari family, enjoying their view over the night lights of Penticton city. Too bad that we will only stay for some more hours, In the morning Caitlin and mother Jacinta will leave before sunrise. A ‘wise woman festival’ offers free sunrises, so they want to be there on time. You didn’t see a free sunrise everyday J, at least not in combination with inspiring workshops of influential women from all around the region. If I would need to be back in UBC on Monday morning, I would be too nosey to let this pass without me. Hopefully mother and daughter will have a lot of fun.

I can feel my eyes getting heavy. Time to sleep for this Belgian girl... or should I shower first? Nope, the way straight to bed is shorter... let’s go for it!
Imagine yourself almost sleeping, writing with full stomach and being happy in a family you will probably not see anymore the next year(s), while the rest of the house is asleep, It’s a irrealistic feeling, but for the first time here in Canada i really feel at ‘home’. I love the way this family treat eachother, their patience, their creativity and energy, their endless talents, their warmth to eachother and to us. It’s strange how you can start loving people even when you just know them for one day. Anyway, I hope to return here soon (with Pieter....?) to visit them again.

Have a nice sleep,
Take care,
Veerle