No sooner did I come back from classes did I get plopped into the receptionist area because of a voluntary evacuation. I spent the week during Canada Day week answering calls and hoping things would get back to normal after the week. However, that same weekend, there was a mandatory evacuation where I was forced out of my apartment with my cleanest dirty clothes in tow. What a return (sarcasm).
The evacuation was a nightmare to begin with when we were put in a gym in Prince Albert with no place to lie down so we had to stay up all night sitting on a chair. My daughter and her sisters and their mother were at least away from the danger. The bus ride to Prince Albert was horrid because there was so much smoke but after the night over in PA, we were about to be sent off to Cold lake Alberta. At the last minute, a person came into the bus and informed us that Hall Lake people were to get off and get on another bus to Saskatoon.
There was no way I was going to Alberta, I’m sure it’s a fine province because I went there on a class trip once, but my daughter’s mother was from Hall Lake so I got off with her and joined them on their trip to Saskatoon.
In Saskatoon, the routine was consistent, 3 meals a day with an evening snack, and some of the greatest volunteers you will ever meet. The volunteer staff was great and got along with most of the evacuees. We were given red wristbands which gave us free rides on any city bus and there were free movie tickets which gave us an opportunity to watch Terminator and Jurassic Park in 3D. Carnivals were hosted and third party volunteers came over to the centre to have games with the children. It was almost like a vacation (one I could never afford on my own). The two weeks took forever but I was happy to be back home.
Being back at work again was kind of surreal. New people and new ideas. Knowing I was going to be going back in a short while I opted out of going back to my old office (which still has my old stuff by the way). I moved into the old Project Venture office and got a new 27 inch Apple computer with the latest software and new tasks involving a new Office 360 system which promises to be a good one in the near future. I did the usual web design and troubleshooting tasks I did before but I also learned many new things and how they worked.
Things are going a different direction from what I can see and I hope to be a part of it when I graduate from my teacher program. I hope I can learn more from the new direction because I do not see myself going anywhere else to work. I will conform where I can and hope to make a place for myself in the new system of things and where they are headed.
Back to classes on Monday, August 17, 2015, I wonder what kind of journey lies ahead.
cv
Links:
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Forest+fires+disaster+historic+proportions/11194028/story.html
http://aptn.ca/news/2015/07/14/exhausted-lac-la-ronge-indian-band-fire-crews-fear-losing-right-now/
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/residents-return-to-la-ronge-sask-as-wildfire-risk-passes-1.2476298
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Fires+devastating+Ronge+region+economy/11209015/story.html
