Muli Bwanj Kabarti?

Hey y’all!

Well today has been an alright day, granted, I didn’t start until 1pm but I managed to last through it and survive so that’s always good news.

Clarke told me that his nannies were getting better every year, so that was funny. Then again, I tell him that when he asks for something he must say ‘please’ and also ‘oh kerryn the most awesome nanny in the world’.. or something along those lines. We have been watching/playing Kung Fu Panda and so it’s been more like ‘oh kerryn the bodacious’. Awesome, awesome word.

After work I watched a nuts game called Kabarti, also known as Kamarti since there is a guy here called Kamarti and he’s from Namibia. We talk Nyanja to each other a little. He didn’t invent the game I don’t think and it involves a beach volley ball court, lots of saying ‘kabarti kabarti kabarti’ and tagging the other teams hand-held line.. it’s a bit hard to follow at first, it requires several umpires but it’s lots of fun to watch when everyone’s into it. I have some video but my connector is temporarily missing. Bummer.

I have killed 3 mosquitoes in the last 10 seconds. It’s night time and it’s full of them. Now I remember why I recluse at night and avoid the nightlife.

I have eaten good cookies at Snacktime, which I also usually skip because I’m recluse (or maybe just picky with my friends) and saw Alesya and Tanya who are good friends of mine. Last night Alesya and I watched Kung Fu Panda on her laptop. It was not bad, totally bodacious.

Also last night I got the chance to hang out in a proper trailer home and sit on a couch and play rock band on the Wii. Friggin awesome. It was so much fun, I played guitar and then drums, both were very fun but I really liked the drums. Normally bashing things alot freaks me out a bit but this was fine but I was on easy level the whole time and it didn’t matter if I stuffed up, the song just kept on playing. It was like being in an actual rock band, without the hours of learning an insrtument and rehearsals. Our ‘band’ made it to the fifth level before we decided to watch Friends and go to bed. Also in there was a carnivorous fish and an out of water experience but that interested the girls more than me. I just wanted to be a rock star. Drummers are hot. So are chicks that play base guitar but I tried the base guitar setting and it wasn’t as fun as normal guitar.

Life is going not to bad. I enjoy life a bit here which is cool and I’m blessed to have some great people in my life who bring me some joy amongst the heaviness. The kids are getting easier to handle, so far, and I’m letting alot more things go, easing the pressure on me.

One day soon I’ll get paid.

Have a great day, since it’s night time here…catchya

Kezza

P.S. Four mosquitoes…

Something smells off… oh right, it’s my day.

Well, the 25th has been and gone, but I realised my birthday was actually on the 24th… technically. It was at 9:23pm Canadian time that was 9:23am Perth time (the next day) which signified my 23 years on this earth and so I had my birthday… a day earlier. Weird. I tried to explain it to dad but he wouldn’t believe me, maybe it just takes some time to get your head around.

We ended up finding a car (actually, finding some keys) and heading into Huntsville for a night on the town. There was Laura and Jessica and Natali (who I’ve mentioned, she is the other nanny) and we took lots of photos, which at some point I will load, and had some food and bought some bulk. It was an alright day although I got locked out of the trailer and spent half an hour trying to find someone with a master key (and it seemed everyone was more busy getting ready to go out than to help me… oh well) but eventually I found a kind soul who had a master key .. only it didn’t work on our trailers so I had to walk back down the hill again and finally got one from the office. Still, we got out of this place and it was memorable enough.

I missed the laundry truck this morning, alot of people did I believe – because it came earlier than normal. I’m not sure what the minimum time is to put your bags out but usually this is my day off so I’m not too eager to get up before I have to. Oh well, I’ll do some washing another time or something. I actually have tomorrow off as well since Scott (Leslie’s husband) is up for the week. Extra time off is nice although I’m mostly stuck here so it’s not brilliant. Tomorrow is also Natali’s day off so we might get out of here, I know she also appreciates time away from MW.

I don’t know what the deal is with Canadian postal services but no packages or birthday cards have arrived yet, so I’m still waiting. Patiently.

Time to get a coffee and wake up properly.

keep it real my friends

kez.

22/23/24/25 and all of the above

This being the day before my 23rd birthday, I thought I’d put together some thoughts in the form of a song. It goes, a little something, like this…

Twenty two oceans

Twenty two skies

Twenty two failures

and twenty two tries…

OOOooh, ok, so all the hardcore Switchfoot fans out there will be shouting at me. It’s not my sing, it’s actually called 24 and it’s written by Jon Foreman. I found out that he wrote it the day before he turned 25. Like I could be that poetic…

In my head I am still 24, like I used to think I was after Africa. Turning 23 then, is, well, a little bit strange.

My plans for tomorrow night are still a bit sketchy but I am anticipating a night out on the small small town that is nearby. Part-ay. Until 11pm curfew… hmmmm.

Thanks to all those people who have sent gifts here. Of course, none of them have arrived yet…

22, it’s not so bad, but 23 is better.

kez

If Only I Had A Green Sheep…

Next update, here it is.

We are at Wednesday, Week 4 of Camp / Week 5 of Being Here. I’m only here for 10 weeks which means I am almost half way through. Really? Yeah. Sweet.

Today was pirate day with the kids and that managed to entertain them for all of about 45 minutes (out of the 3 hours that take up the morning). Sigh. I buried some treasure for them and made them a map because I just don’t know how to do half-hearted and they liked that, but about as much as they like when I get them food. It’s like, ‘thanks but that’s what you do isn’t it?’

Maybe I’ll just make a week of mandatory swimming, that sounds so much easier. The thing is though, this week it has rained for about 4 hours out of every day. Rain does not equal summer.

I think I get paid at the end of this week which would be appreciated. Take out all the money I have spent on surviving here (Coke and chocolate do wonders for the self-esteem I think) and I might just have a twoonie left to keep for later. For whatever is happening later. I haven’t heard back from the YWAM base yet and I haven’t nagged them again like I have learnt to do.

My pajamas are MIA. I’m pretty certain they went into the washing bag, never to resurface the next day. Someone in the washing department stole my awesome pajamas. Granted, I’ve had them since I was 15, but I MADE them and they were green and had sheep on them. This place eats your soul.

I must go. My prayer at the start of this camp was to survive. It has not changed. Keep praying for me. And pray my pajamas turn up, there’s only so long I can wear clothes to bed before my roommates start staring at me a little strangly…

love, kez.

To: Pocahontas + 1

Hey fellas and lasses, I’m back writing again while most others are watching the ski show down by the lake. Not to dismiss the brilliance of our ski staff, but I saw it last week and decided, since I’ve never actually tried to ski, that whatever they were doing didn’t seem all THAT hard and that I’m sure I could probably pull off some moves like that… or I could sit here and do my rubiks cube.

I’ve become a girl obsessed. I’ve almost mastered it without any help from the formula sheets. It’s just like some lovely logic maths problem that needs solving, and of course that’s the kind of stuff I need at the end of the day of using my interpersonal skills. People people people, so much messier than nice equations.

Today was hotish, about 32 degrees and lovely for the lake. Despite Miles telling me on two separate occasions that he didn’t need his towel because he wasn’t going to swim, I made him, and of course he did. It’s funny how they don’t think I’m smarter than them. Clarke even said today, ‘you’re not smarter than me’… *sigh* oh to be 7 and know everything. I told him of course he was right and I am just older so I remember more (this was after I’d asked him if he’d forgotten to pick up anything of his and he got almost angry that he definately had EVERYTHING he’d brought until I reminded him of his Rashie). Pride gets us nowhere, glorified are the humble. It’s amazing how simple and easy to learn that idea is and yet I won’t see it in practice too close to where I stand. We hold so dearly to our pride, as if it defines our lives…

Tonight is Impact which is always a well done production with music and speakers and drama skits and dances and media stuff. I like it even more because I’m not involved so I can sit and watch. Sometimes it’s so nice to not have to remember where kids are. I start to call them by numbers, ‘where’s number 2?’ - that’s miles because he’s second born, but sometimes I call him number 3 because he’s always the last one I can find.

He is a funny creature, for Wacky Wednesday, he decided to wear his clothes backwards. Luckily he wore Clarke’s pants of otherwise there might have been some difficulties… ouch. Clarke wore his pajamas for his wacky wednesday effort and we went Canoeing in backward clothes and nightwear. Sabrina brought her fishing rod and dragged it around as I navigated us through knee-deep waters. I felt like Pocahontas. With three little kids attached. Kills the image…

Miles asked me what I did for wacky wednesday and I said, ‘feel my legs’ and he did and they were PRICKLY and I said, I didn’t shave my legs and he seemed to think that was good enough.

Tomorrow is the Amazing Race with the kids, and I hope they like it. Half of me thinks they’ll love it, the other half thinks they’ll hate it. Alesya has offered, if they hate it, that the kids can work in the kitchen washing dishes because she an always do with an extra hand. I think I might make them!!

We have another roommate now, bringing our trailer to 6 girls and even less room. Not that it matters, it’s encouraging me to cull my stuff. I sometimes forget I will be travelling and so need as little as possible. Alesya wants me to stay here and I’d love to hang out with her for another few months after summer but we’ll see what YWAM says. This place might drive me nuts by then.

Peace out for now, I’ll be 23 soon and too old and arthritis-bound to type anymore so start sending your packages now. One girl’s college roommates are having a competition who can send the biggest package to her… *sigh* what a burden…

Catchya, I’m off to shave my legs and see if I’ve tanned or if it’s just dirt.

kez.

The Giant Tongue at SciTech

It’s been awhile between posts and I’ll admit today hasn’t been the best day. I’m definately not used to doing the same thing 6 days in a row. I think once I worked at the cafe 4 days in a row and then I was so sick of it.

Tomorrow is my day off and I can’t even imagine what that is anymore. Hopefully we’ll get into Huntsville, which is another local town, just to get out of here and see real people. Who aren’t branded with a orange wristband.

I am slowly taking photos of my new friends, because I am notorious for leaving it to the last minute when we all look ugly and the photos turn out bad. It’s hard to make deep friends at the moment because I still don’t see anyone all that much. I could befriend my kids but they don’t ever want me, they just want their mum. Always.

“I want mummy!’ they whine.

This is how I answer.

‘Yes, well, I want my mum too but she’s in Australia and you don’t hear me complaining, hmmmmm?’

Ha! Children.

I’ve skipped dinner to be on the computer which is, in most probability, the stupidest thing I can do right now because I’m quite hungry and there is no more food until the morning (and it’s only 6pm now!!) and I’m even sick of eating cookies. I don’t care. Only the weak eat.

Maybe Canada isn’t a whole other class of world, but sometimes it sure feels like I’m in another culture. Who are these Camp People who proclaim Jesus but charge $1000+ for a one week stay? Even the children of weathy people need Jesus. But I dislike money, in any context.. with the exception of it helping the poor. So to me this might have to just be a job, not a vocation.  (Ha! Or a vacation!) Except I’m not even getting paid much (what I could earn in one day at the zoo, is my entire paycheck for the 6-day working week)… but then again, didn’t I just say I dislike money?

Right now, I dislike everything –  go away, you cute and cuddly chipmunk. Be gone toddling baby, I cannot be persuaded. I am determined to dispair at the world and wallow in it’s inconsistancies.

Like rich Christians in a hungry world. And hungry nannies who skip dinner.

Insane.

Kez.

Down Town

I really shouldn’t blog without adding my photos.. including some hilarious ones of Natalie’s parking…and other random Canadian parking… but the news is that finally, FINALLY yesterday, when all hope seemed lost and our dreams were dashed, we got a ride into town. Well, a kind lady lent us her car. I didn’t drive, that would have been nuts, have you seen which side of the road these people drive on???? Natalie did, oh so successfully and we navigated our way into Bracebridge.

After walking around and asking for directions to the nearest TD Bank for Natalie (we asked SEVERAL people because we forgot what they’d said) we got there, she banked her cheque and then we went to Walmart!! YAY!!

I lost Natalie twice while in there and we were famished by the time we left but it was all worth it. O bought som scissors to cut my hair (which I did this morning and am much happy with it) and some shorts since it has finally gotten warmer up here and some sports shoes so I can now play tennis with Alesya without my 5 blisters coming to pay a visit too. We ended up going through the self-checkout whicih has just come into Perth recently so I felt way ahead of the times. It was so fun but the voice over lady was so loud so I shushed her. I paid with Visa card and I love how the people don’t even check for verification. I could have been anyone!!! Oh well, note to self, don’t ever lose visa card.

Today it is rainy and coldish but I’m getitng more used to it. I’ll have tpo find some fun inside activity for the kids since I’ve got them all afternoon and evening. I think that we’ll finally visit my friend Eric at the gymnasium and get them jumping on some trampolines. That’s always fun. And then, a babysitter’s best friend, we’ll watch tv! Woohoo! I’ve got some help once in awhile, from the girls who work with the special needs  kids here because they aren’t always with a full schedule. Plus, the other nanny who is in the cabin has just lost her kids for 3 days so I’ll be quick to snap her up. Alesya, who is the dish washing supervisor has told me to send all my help her way but I don’t think people really want to help in the kitchen. I know I never did when I was at the zoo.. that is, unless the customers were incredibly annoying that day. It’s not uncommmon. Maybe if the kids are really bad I’ll just drop everything, hand them over to the new babysitters and run to the kitchen, play with Aleysa.

THat’s all for now, lunch awaits.

kez

Getting To Know You, Getting To Know All About You…

Hey y’all, and greetings!

Since I wrote last, another Super Saturday has been and gone (and yes, Luke, I’ve now also seen the Sears Super Saturday ad – they totally copied us) and I have arrived here at another day off. Beloved. There’s talk of borrowing a car and driving into a town and hanging out at Walmart – still such a novelty to me – but as the hours pass I’m getting less and less certain that we’ll pull it off. A girl can dream.

I usually spend at least 8 hours with the kids each day, and by now I’ve pretty much figured them out.

Ooh, there’s a chipmunk in this room… sweet.

So, as I was saying, the kids and I are pretty well sorted and that makes for a semi-enjoyable day. It is still work and it means I’m never relaxed because I always have to know where they are, but it is a bit easier. I think we made a breakthrough the other day, Sabrina and I, where maybe she realised that yes, EVERYTIME she went further when I told her to stop, she would go on the naughty step. Everytime. Consistancy, maybe it’s paying off.

I’m hanging out with Aleysa (my roommate) a bit and we played tennis yesterday. She’s good and I’m not bad so we have some good shots. I’m sure we’ll keep playing and be Greats by the end of the summer. She’s Russian and I always try to copy her accent.

We have another roommate these days, she’s another nanny – now there are three at camp.

The weather is heating up a bit which is finally nice. The kids and I went paddleboating… I did all the work but it was a good work out I suppose. Getting a bit of muscle! The water was cool and I got a bit wet but it is still lake water, not sea water so it’s not as appealing to me.

Well, I’ve found my washing in the big piles of washing bags…I’ll take a photo one day and post it, it’s hilarious as people search through them trying to find theirs in the sea of colour! I’ll probably take it back to the trailer and then see if I can work out the car dealio. Would love to escape here for an afternoon…

have a great one!

kez.

P.S. Thanks dad for the grea update in the comments! It’s always good to hear news from home.

If a Picture’s Worth 1000 Words… Well Then Dictionaries Are Quite Superfluous

Here is the proof you all need that I certainly am still alive (ahh, the photo to the left, not my consistant blogging…) Can you believe that I’ve finally been granted enough internet access to figure out how to use wordpress? I can insert photos in my blog and everything. This photo was taken a few days ago when us two nannies had the day off and walked into Rosseau. This was taken by their water front and it’s a good indication of what the whole place looks like. Natalie, the other nanny, made sure to include the hanging flower pots on the lamp posts because I told her about my intense curiosity for them.

“Who puts them there? How do they get watered? How do they get them up there? What happens when they die at the end of the season? What happens if they die before the end of the season because they will look yucky? Does anyone prune them? How do they do it? Who is in charge of it?”

 

Ths photo is a great representation of my new life. In the foreground is Sabrina and out further are my two boys plus Natalie and her boy. She’s got another one but at the moment he’s involved in the actual camp this week so he’s off her hands for awhile.

This day was quite overcast but it didn’t deter the children from their aquatic endeavours. Clarke would come up to me every five minutes to tell me what crazy thing he saw in the water and with their boogie boards they were set. Sabrina was happy to dance around and frolic. Yes, frolic, if there was ever a child that frolicked, it would be her. Classic.

 

 

 

This is a great photo capturing the walk we would take everyday up to the hanger during staff week. I don’t go there so much anymore because we don’t have our meetings so much, but these days it’s used as a gymnasium and since I am now tight with the Gym Instructor and the Trampoline Instructor, a great way for the kids to kill time is to play there. Let’s hope it can kill lots of time.

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, here is a photo of me and S-dawg, or S-to-the-brina as I like to call her (not that she answers to it.. not that she always answers when I call her real name either!). She such a crazy character, so full of life and buzz and intensity that is exhausting but cool. We clash wills at times but I always win because I’m 3 times bigger than her and she’ll go angry-to-happy in just under a second. Crazy kid.

 

 

Well, that’s all I’m doing for now, hoping that I’ll get more opportunities in the future to show you all what my life is like. At this very moment we are being confronted by a thunderstorm (*sigh* so common now) but I chide myself for leaving my raincoat NOT in my bag but in my trailer. I had carried it around for the last few days and nothing (!!) so on this cloud-free morning I decided it was just taking up too much room. I’ll put this in writing: there is no predicting Canadian weather.

Keep it real my friends, enjoy.

Kezza

Super Nanny Does Sleep Deprivation.

Yay is the sound I make for good internet connection and the non-eating of beloved blogs.

I am currently working, and the kids are in bed which makes for an easier job. I love it when they sleep. I love it when they are used to sleeping with loud fans going so that any clangs or bangs I make during their sleep times does not cause a disturbance. And I love it when they sleep for it means I can use super-staff internet which does not equal slow. It, in fact, equals fast and hi tech. Prepare for photos on facebook at some point (yes, at this point, that for me is hi-tech).

I am feeling the brunt of this cold again, not appreciated. I told it to leave and I thought it obey but it would seem cold needs some time on the naughty chair, hmmmm?

Haha you know I have moments of feeling like the super nanny sometimes here, not because I’m great with kids, but because I have an accent and tell kids what to do. I look them in the eye and tell them exactly why they are being disciplined and what consequences they can expect.

I bathed all three kids today which was, in my opinion, quite a good effort. We were quick and efficient and Kerryn didn’t really care if you didn’t wanted to wear the satin pink pajamas and would only wear the princess one, unfortately, satin pink is what was going tonight.

I love to teach children good life lessons. The best, I would have to say, is that sometimes in life you have to do things you don’t like. There is no escaping it. And whether you like brushing your teeth or not isn’t the issue, it’s that you are going to do it and then it’s done and then we can do other more fun things.

Right now I am quite tired. I am here until 1am, when Leslie gets home from night duty, then I must walk to my home and crash into bed. I am not sure when time I start tomorrow, I don’t think it’s early, but I am hoping that I will sleep well tonight. With no coughing. Yucko.

I called mum tonight from Leslie’s husband’s skype phone. What a guy, first he lends me his skype phone with $11 international credit and then he explains how I don’t need a transformer for my battery charger saving me quite a bit of money and hassle. So tonight I called mum and I was so sure that she would be at tennis but yay for me, it was her turn to sit off. And yay for her in the end I suppose too. We talked for just over an hour and only a dollar credit was gone. Sweet deal. It was lovely to hear from her, and sometimes it’s like I never left. Same mum. Same me. Same rhythm.

I would have a sleep now but Leslie will come home shortly, well, in awhile and it’s just not worth getting weary only to wake up again. And be coherent. And so, as I’ve done countless times in Australia, I shall endeavour to stay on the internet doing meaningless tasks while I am sleep deprived. Some things never change.

And some things do, I haven’t seen my NZ boys in awhile. Must go scout them out and search for adult conversations to balance all the child-like ones I’ve been having.

“Does a tadpole grow into a frog?”

“Of course not, it grows into a dolphin.”

Mwahahahaha

Kezzah.