A Single Story

Just in case anyone was wondering....I am alive...

It would be an understatement to say it was one incredibly overwhelming, yet very enlightening, week. Wait. It hasn't even been a full week. Just five days have gone by. I will try to re-cap what I can.....

Day 1:

I got to the airport too early. I used to like airports. I'm not so sure that's the case anymore. Maybe it's because what excitement I feel nowadays is overpowered by anxiety. That's besides the point though. The flight was uneventful. I arrived in Calgary, five minutes behind schedule, and proceeded to meet up with the group! It was both good and awkward. Good in that it was nice to put faces to names and to meet both the South African and Canadian girls...awkward in that I was exhausted and really not in the mood to make conversation and start developing relationships with 17 other women....
After about an hour, we along with our 100+ suitcases, were shuttled onto a big yellow school bus and we left for Banff. I don't know about you, but I haven't been on a school bus since....elementary school maybe? Anyways. We got to Banff at around 5ish, and after visiting Bow Falls and the Hot Springs, we went to the YWCA hostel, which is where we would be staying until Friday. We spent the evening in a group session. To be honest with you. I cannot for the life of me remember what the session was about. There were probably introductions thrown in there somewhere...along with group discussions...but as I said. I was exhausted. We ended up being split into two rooms. 18 females...in two rooms? It was insanity. So that's about the gist of Monday. Abbotsford to Calgary, Calgary to Banff, Banff to bed.

Day 2:

Tuesday we spent the majority of the day doing group activities. From breakfast till about dinner, we would meet and discuss certain issues pertaining to our program. I don't remember all of it, but some stuff really stuck out. The major topics of discussion were surrounding culture, stereotyping, and so on. These are all things I thought I had a pretty good grasp on. I'm well traveled. I've lived in other countries. I like to think I am a very open minded person and accepting of others. But after the session I wasn't so sure....

I won't go into all the details, but I will highlight one particular topic that stuck with me. We watched a Ted 'Talks' video of Chimamanda Adichie called: The Danger of a Single Story.
Here's the link: http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html
I recommend that you watch it if you have 20 minutes to spare....

To summarize the talk, the speaker discusses how we have a very innocent, yet dangerous, tendency to form and hold on to a single story about another person/people. I have a confession. Before coming on this trip, I too believed a single story about Africa...one almost exactly as the speaker describes, as a land of 'incomprehensible people fighting senseless wars, dying of poverty and AIDS, unable to fight for themselves, and waiting to be saved'. I don't think I could describe my image of Africa any better than she did....and the sad thing is, I wanted to be the one to do the saving. This is how I pictured Africa...a continent with 54 countries in it...all with very different histories, people and culture....54 countries... But, this is the Africa that I've been imagining for the past 20+ years of my life...and I'm sure it's the Africa that many others have seen, and believed, as well.
Chimamanda goes on to say that these single stories that we may hear or see, creates stereotypes which aren't 'untrue', but 'incomplete': 'They make one story become the only story'. Though this seems pretty obvious when you think about it, it's makes me feel more than a little foolish for having believed this one story all this time...without looking for all those other parts.

Anyways. The point of all that was that I learnt something worth sharing. It really made me think of all the other people I've formed single stories of. I never once thought that by me, believing that one story, I would be robbing that person of their dignity...or dehumanizing them. Nobody deserves, nor has, a single story.
Also, the more I interacted with the South Africans, the more I was learning other parts of the story...at least for those 9 girls. So I'm happy to say that my story of Africa (or at least South Africa) is starting to gain more depth and dimension.

Day 3: (i'll make it quick)

Today we spent more time in workshops doing more group discussions, and we also did a tour of the Banff Hospital. This was more enlightening for the South Africans as the Canadian Health system is completely different from their own. It was interesting for me though to see what 'rural' Canadian medicine might potentially look like. Mind you, I don't know if you can call a wealthy, tourist town like Banff rural....

Day 4:

Again. The first half of the day was spent doing group discussions and learning more about the specifics of the program. The highlight of the day, and the moment I think everyone was waiting anxiously for, was that our Counterparts (CP) were chosen that night. Our CP is the South African who will partner with us for the next six months. Together, my CP and I will be living with the same host family.....we're supposed to act as a main source of support for each other as we adapt in each community.
In the end, our CP were selected 'randomly' by the staff. I ended up being partnered with someone I wouldn't have chosen at all if I had selected myself. At first I was disappointed....and more than a little scared. We didn't connect at all, and there were huge cultural obstacles to overcome (especially when communicating)....and the first thought that came to my head was, 'How am I going to get through these next six months?'. But then I think about what I just learnt the day before. I've clearly formed a single story. I don't even know her...how can I say after just a couple days, that this is going to be a disaster? Who knows how things will turn out. This will definitely be a learning experience...and perhaps I will learn more from this relationship than if I had been paired up with any one else!

Day 5: (today)

So. I'm going to make this quick cause, once again, I'm staying up way past when I should be...
This morning we left the hostel and got back on the yellow bus to leave for Camrose. Along the way we stopped in two places. The first was Lake Louise. Wow. Not much else I can add to that. It's spots like these that remind me there is NO other place I would want to live (permanently) than here. I know Banff is in Alberta...but it's close enough! We continued on to another lake and look out...the name of which is escaping me. The lake was formed by this particular glacier, and the colour of the water was the most brilliant, almost majestic, turquoise colour I have ever seen. Pictures will never do these beauties justice. I will post some eventually though.

Anyways. On the bus ride to Camrose, as a group, we wrote a song (with me on guitar) to perform for our host families upon arrival. It went well! I was a little doubtful it would turn out..but it did. Someone recorded us at one point...I'll see if I can post that another time....
Then we had a picnic in the park with all the host families, after which my CP and I were on our way to our new home....which leads me to where I am now...

I will describe in detail later. There is much to say, but for now all I can think of is sleep.

But before I do that. Here is a song for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DUCKGyojpE&NR=1&feature=fvwp

It's by Trentemoller, a Danish electronic musician. The song's called 'Miss You'. It sums up how I feel right now. I miss you. I miss my home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I am missing a whole lot right now.

Good night for now!