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Emily Hawling
Age: 17
Sponsor: Toronto Zoo
School:
City:
Biography:
The Toronto Zoo has always been my favorite place. My family and I have been members since I was a toddler. I recall that no visit was ever complete without seeing my favorite animal; the polar bear. I particularly enjoyed watching them frolic and play as I stood in awe of their majestic beauty from behind the glass of the underwater viewing area. I just love it at the zoo and couldn’t wait to become a Zoo Ambassador. I must admit, before I became an ambassador and saw what goes on behind the enclosures, I did not fully realize how much work is being done to help preserve the animal population of the world.
I am so excited and enthusiastic about spreading the word and doing my part to help kids and adults alike, gain knowledge and appreciation, not only for the animal kingdom, but the work that our own zoo, as well as other zoos and organizations around the world are doing in the area conservation of habitat and animals, such as the work being done by PBI to save the polar bear. A world without these beauties would be a sad place indeed. I feel like I got a little taste of what that would be like when, in the October 2006, Kunik, one of our polar bears contracted West Nile Virus and had to be "put down" and then in August of last year, Bisitek, our remaining bear, was sent away to retire at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat and Heritage Village. Sadly, now there are no polar bears to visit at the Toronto Zoo, and although there is an exciting new exhibit being built, I miss them. This loss makes me think however of how devastating it would be for the polar bear to disappear from the earth altogether. I just can’t sit around and let that happen.
When I heard about the Polar Bears International Leadership Camp, I desperately wanted to be a part of it. I can only imagine what an awesome experience it will be to observe polar bears in their natural habitat, see first hand the wonderful work being done by the organization and become enlightened, educated and armed to go out and spread the word and my passion for the polar bear. I owe it to them. They bring me joy.
Journal Entries
Friday October 17, 2008, 9:51 pm
Dearest Blog Reader,
When I last blogged I was still on the Tundra Buggy with my fellow ambassadors and adult facilitators enjoying myself and learning how to make a difference in this world.
Tonight however, I sit in front of a computer screen in my home town of Markham Ontario, bawling, as I remember the people who have become my family over the past seven days. If any of you guys (Arctic Ambassadors) are reading this blog, I want you to know that I miss you immensely and wish, from the bottom of my heart that I was still in Churchill with you.
I left Toronto with the desire to help the polar bears in their plight and returned with the tools necessary to do so.
Although I am heart-broken to leave Churchill, I now realize that a new chapter of my life is just beginning. I know that I can make a difference in this world by sharing what I have learned and experienced in the tundra with people within my “sphere of influence.” Our efforts are certainly not in vain.
This trip has been indescribable to say the least. It was without a doubt, the most wonderful experience of my life.
I will forever remember the feeling of waking up in a room filled with my closest friends. I will remember seeing a polar bear for the first time in its natural habitat with its “fuzzy bum” and inquisitive stare. I will remember talking to each other until “lights out” each and every night on the Tundra Buggy. I will remember Robert’s passionate speeches that often made me cry. “Chances are that your grandchildren will never get to experience what you have experienced today.” I will remember singing, laughing and cheering as well as the silence of self reflection. I find comfort in knowing that no matter how far we are from one another physically, these shared memories will always keep us close.
We were told on the first day of camp by PBI president Robert Buchanan, that we would leave Winnipeg as one person and return as another. He could not have been more correct.
Throughout the duration of this trip, I met a variety of people from across North America who shared my passion for conservation and the values I hold so dear.
I would like to thank the other “leaders” and the adult facilitators. I am extremely grateful to them for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for the cause. I know I am a better person because of it.
When I last blogged I was still on the Tundra Buggy with my fellow ambassadors and adult facilitators enjoying myself and learning how to make a difference in this world.
Tonight however, I sit in front of a computer screen in my home town of Markham Ontario, bawling, as I remember the people who have become my family over the past seven days. If any of you guys (Arctic Ambassadors) are reading this blog, I want you to know that I miss you immensely and wish, from the bottom of my heart that I was still in Churchill with you.
I left Toronto with the desire to help the polar bears in their plight and returned with the tools necessary to do so.
Although I am heart-broken to leave Churchill, I now realize that a new chapter of my life is just beginning. I know that I can make a difference in this world by sharing what I have learned and experienced in the tundra with people within my “sphere of influence.” Our efforts are certainly not in vain.
This trip has been indescribable to say the least. It was without a doubt, the most wonderful experience of my life.
I will forever remember the feeling of waking up in a room filled with my closest friends. I will remember seeing a polar bear for the first time in its natural habitat with its “fuzzy bum” and inquisitive stare. I will remember talking to each other until “lights out” each and every night on the Tundra Buggy. I will remember Robert’s passionate speeches that often made me cry. “Chances are that your grandchildren will never get to experience what you have experienced today.” I will remember singing, laughing and cheering as well as the silence of self reflection. I find comfort in knowing that no matter how far we are from one another physically, these shared memories will always keep us close.
We were told on the first day of camp by PBI president Robert Buchanan, that we would leave Winnipeg as one person and return as another. He could not have been more correct.
Throughout the duration of this trip, I met a variety of people from across North America who shared my passion for conservation and the values I hold so dear.
I would like to thank the other “leaders” and the adult facilitators. I am extremely grateful to them for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm for the cause. I know I am a better person because of it.
Tuesday October 14, 2008, 10:25 pm
Dearest Blog Reader,
Today is our last full day on the Tundra Buggy lodge. *tear*
On a happier note, I had the pleasure of flying in a helicopter today. We were picked up at approximately 9:15 a little ways from our lodge and were given the opportunity to set foot on land (something that we had been unable to do for the past five days.)
The take off of the chopper was one of the most exhilarating moments I have ever experienced. The blades began to spin, my heart began to race and we lifted off, allowing us to see the tundra in all its glory from above. Patches of green, brown, and red illuminated the ground as soared across the virtually cloudless sky. It was breathtaking.
Upon landing we visited a collapsed maternal den and took plenty of photographs (Rachel and I pretended we were bears *grrrrrr*.) The most surprising aspect of today’s trip was the consistency of the ground. You see, it was covered in lichen (an association of fungus,) which allowed for a
bouncy/ spongy trek across the tundra.
Although awe-inspiring, the helicopter ride was definitely not the most moving component of today.
At dinner we shared poetry written about our experience at the leadership camp. Some were humorous, others made me cry and a few were extremely powerful. Our group cried, burst out into laughter and were left speechless. Elaina Wahl and I preformed a song we wrote to the tune of “In the Jungle” ( I am sure you will see it on YouTube in the near future.)
After dining, the group of ambassadors showed our “appreciation” of the adults on the trip by impersonating them. I was Lenore Nadeau, a fellow Torontonian who works for WWF-Canada.
The night ended with a photography session and a dance party.
Over the past few days we have become a family to each other. I can honestly say that I am closer to my fellow Arctic Ambassadors than I am with some people I have known for years. I really don’t want to leave! I am literally sobbing at the moment (I am emotionally drained, especially after dinner.)
I would like to thank my family, the Toronto Zoo and ultimately PBI for giving me this opportunity.
I love you all!
Today is our last full day on the Tundra Buggy lodge. *tear*
On a happier note, I had the pleasure of flying in a helicopter today. We were picked up at approximately 9:15 a little ways from our lodge and were given the opportunity to set foot on land (something that we had been unable to do for the past five days.)
The take off of the chopper was one of the most exhilarating moments I have ever experienced. The blades began to spin, my heart began to race and we lifted off, allowing us to see the tundra in all its glory from above. Patches of green, brown, and red illuminated the ground as soared across the virtually cloudless sky. It was breathtaking.
Upon landing we visited a collapsed maternal den and took plenty of photographs (Rachel and I pretended we were bears *grrrrrr*.) The most surprising aspect of today’s trip was the consistency of the ground. You see, it was covered in lichen (an association of fungus,) which allowed for a
bouncy/ spongy trek across the tundra.
Although awe-inspiring, the helicopter ride was definitely not the most moving component of today.
At dinner we shared poetry written about our experience at the leadership camp. Some were humorous, others made me cry and a few were extremely powerful. Our group cried, burst out into laughter and were left speechless. Elaina Wahl and I preformed a song we wrote to the tune of “In the Jungle” ( I am sure you will see it on YouTube in the near future.)
After dining, the group of ambassadors showed our “appreciation” of the adults on the trip by impersonating them. I was Lenore Nadeau, a fellow Torontonian who works for WWF-Canada.
The night ended with a photography session and a dance party.
Over the past few days we have become a family to each other. I can honestly say that I am closer to my fellow Arctic Ambassadors than I am with some people I have known for years. I really don’t want to leave! I am literally sobbing at the moment (I am emotionally drained, especially after dinner.)
I would like to thank my family, the Toronto Zoo and ultimately PBI for giving me this opportunity.
I love you all!
Monday October 13, 2008, 8:14 pm
Dearest Blog Reader,
To all my dedicated readers I would like to apologize for the lack of a blog yesterday. I was cooking! Due to both the packed schedule of the cooking crew (cooking and preparing for our presentations of Impacts of a Warming Arctic,) group B was exempt from blogging.
When I left off Sunday night I had just eaten dinner and was preparing to clean the washrooms with Rachel (a fellow member of group B.) The following morning I awoke at 6:15 thanks to the adult facilitator of our group Lenore Nadeau. The group on cooking duty is expected to be in the kitchen 6:40 in order to prepare breakfast for the rest of the crew by 7:30. Surprisingly, I was not as tired as I was Saturday morning and in fact I was rather chipper.
Sunday’s breakfast consisted of sausages, grits (which I made,) canned fruit, cereal and toast with variety of topping options. During my cooking experience, a bear was spotted right next to our Tundra Buggy. *Wahoo.* He was estimated to be a sub adult of about 3-4 years of age because of his “small” size. He was HUGE though!
That night we staged a karaoke night at “Polar Bear Pub” (the kitchen.) Each table preformed a number in front of the rest of the group. Some of my favourites included “It’s Raining Men,” “Yellow Submarine,” and of course “We are Family.”
Although lights were supposed be out by 10:30, we stayed up until 11:00, simply talking. I don’t think I have ever laughed more in my entire life.
Today, I had the luxury of sleeping in for an additional fifty minutes.
We spent the majority of the morning preparing for a video conference to a Pittsburgh High School. I was the weather/ climate girl. “I can take that question! It is currently -2C or 28F, however with the wind chill it feels like -8C or 18F. It is overcast at the moment, with intense fog causing reduced visibility. The days are continually getting shorter here; the sun rises at eight o’clock in the morning and sets at approximately six o’clock in the evening.” I was actually ridiculously excited to answer that question.
Our afternoon was spent speaking to Jim, Betty (two aboriginal trappers) and Parker. Although I did not disagree with the hunting and trapping practices of those in the North prior to their presentation, it certainly gave me insight into the matter. Even though they make their living trapping animals, the three of them have unwavering respect for the land and its creatures. Over time they have developed ways to take the lives of the animals as humanely as possible. They also have such incredible knowledge of the land and its animal populations that they know when to stop harvesting each year. They are in no way careless or overly concerned about their profits this is their way of life. In fact whenever Betty spoke of her arctic home, she became choked up. I have never met people with such passion for the environment.
Oh my goodness I forgot to mention the Northern Lights.
Last night after I had taken a much needed shower, the Northern Lights appeared in the sky. They were awe-inspiring. Although it was chilly, everybody ran outside when they heard the news. Wearing our blue coats, we huddled together on the deck between buggy “cars” using each other’s body heat for additional warmth. A hush came across the lodge as we admired the brilliant greens, reds and purples as they danced across the sky. It is an image that will be forever engrained in my mind.
To all my dedicated readers I would like to apologize for the lack of a blog yesterday. I was cooking! Due to both the packed schedule of the cooking crew (cooking and preparing for our presentations of Impacts of a Warming Arctic,) group B was exempt from blogging.
When I left off Sunday night I had just eaten dinner and was preparing to clean the washrooms with Rachel (a fellow member of group B.) The following morning I awoke at 6:15 thanks to the adult facilitator of our group Lenore Nadeau. The group on cooking duty is expected to be in the kitchen 6:40 in order to prepare breakfast for the rest of the crew by 7:30. Surprisingly, I was not as tired as I was Saturday morning and in fact I was rather chipper.
Sunday’s breakfast consisted of sausages, grits (which I made,) canned fruit, cereal and toast with variety of topping options. During my cooking experience, a bear was spotted right next to our Tundra Buggy. *Wahoo.* He was estimated to be a sub adult of about 3-4 years of age because of his “small” size. He was HUGE though!
That night we staged a karaoke night at “Polar Bear Pub” (the kitchen.) Each table preformed a number in front of the rest of the group. Some of my favourites included “It’s Raining Men,” “Yellow Submarine,” and of course “We are Family.”
Although lights were supposed be out by 10:30, we stayed up until 11:00, simply talking. I don’t think I have ever laughed more in my entire life.
Today, I had the luxury of sleeping in for an additional fifty minutes.
We spent the majority of the morning preparing for a video conference to a Pittsburgh High School. I was the weather/ climate girl. “I can take that question! It is currently -2C or 28F, however with the wind chill it feels like -8C or 18F. It is overcast at the moment, with intense fog causing reduced visibility. The days are continually getting shorter here; the sun rises at eight o’clock in the morning and sets at approximately six o’clock in the evening.” I was actually ridiculously excited to answer that question.
Our afternoon was spent speaking to Jim, Betty (two aboriginal trappers) and Parker. Although I did not disagree with the hunting and trapping practices of those in the North prior to their presentation, it certainly gave me insight into the matter. Even though they make their living trapping animals, the three of them have unwavering respect for the land and its creatures. Over time they have developed ways to take the lives of the animals as humanely as possible. They also have such incredible knowledge of the land and its animal populations that they know when to stop harvesting each year. They are in no way careless or overly concerned about their profits this is their way of life. In fact whenever Betty spoke of her arctic home, she became choked up. I have never met people with such passion for the environment.
Oh my goodness I forgot to mention the Northern Lights.
Last night after I had taken a much needed shower, the Northern Lights appeared in the sky. They were awe-inspiring. Although it was chilly, everybody ran outside when they heard the news. Wearing our blue coats, we huddled together on the deck between buggy “cars” using each other’s body heat for additional warmth. A hush came across the lodge as we admired the brilliant greens, reds and purples as they danced across the sky. It is an image that will be forever engrained in my mind.
Saturday October 11, 2008, 10:05 pm
Dearest Blog Reader,
Today is my first full day aboard the Tundra Buggy Lodge, and it is incredible. The lodge consists of five interconnected “cars.” The boys’ living quarters are located at the far end of the lodge, followed by the girls’ accommodations, the common room (where we attend presentations and write our blogs,) the kitchen /dining area and a restricted zone. Although it was a little chilly in the girls’ area, we were definitely the lucky ones as, the heating in the boys’ room spontaneously went out in the middle of the night.
This morning I was woken at 6:30 by the extremely loud and screechy Robert Buchanan as he sang “Oh what a beautiful morning,” a song from the musical Oklahoma. The wind assisted him in waking us up, as the freezing gusts were certainly startling. I have been informed by the adult facilitators that this is a daily occurrence.*yikes*
Our breakfast (chip beef on toast and scrambled eggs) was prepared by the lovely and talented group A (Katya, Trisha, Abhishek and Molly M.) Meal times bring me joy, as it is an opportunity to interact with fellow ambassadors. Following breakfast, the entire group congregated in the common room to learn about field biology from Lenore Nadeau and Bill Watkins. My favourite part of the presentation was hearing the personal stories (mainly near death experiences) of the facilitators. We then spent roughly an hour in our groups working on our presentations regarding various chapters in Impacts of a Warming Arctic. My group, which consists of myself, Rachel, Alex and Katie, decided to transform our presentation into a beauty pageant. We were working diligently until an arctic fox appeared near the lodge (which of course required our immediate attention.) Elaina named him Freddie.
After our lunch at 12:30, we ventured out in Tundra Buggy 16 to see more polar bears! I was so excited it was unbelievable. You can’t understand what it is like to see wildlife in its natural habitat until you have experienced it firsthand. On our journey we saw multiple arctic hares, ptarmigans, buntings, golden eye ducks and the feature attraction MC2 (mama and cubs squared.) Once again the ambassadors were in a frenzy to capture both video footage and still photographs of the bears. Even though it was not my first polar bear sighting, the sheer thrill I experienced was identical to the heart-pounding excitement I felt yesterday.
Despite the stupendousness of viewing the polar bears, my favourite part of today was dinner. Group A created a restaurant style meal entitled “Winter Wonderland.” When I entered the dining area, the fire was glowing, Winter Wonderland was playing and dozens of paper snowflakes decorated the ceiling. Although it doesn’t seem like much, the feeling of warmth (not physical warmth) was overwhelming. It was the first time on this trip thus far that I have cried. It was then that I truly realized that leaving this group of people will be one of the most difficult heart wrenching things I will ever have to do. I know that this trip will be life changing. It is the most wonderful experience of my life.
Today is my first full day aboard the Tundra Buggy Lodge, and it is incredible. The lodge consists of five interconnected “cars.” The boys’ living quarters are located at the far end of the lodge, followed by the girls’ accommodations, the common room (where we attend presentations and write our blogs,) the kitchen /dining area and a restricted zone. Although it was a little chilly in the girls’ area, we were definitely the lucky ones as, the heating in the boys’ room spontaneously went out in the middle of the night.
This morning I was woken at 6:30 by the extremely loud and screechy Robert Buchanan as he sang “Oh what a beautiful morning,” a song from the musical Oklahoma. The wind assisted him in waking us up, as the freezing gusts were certainly startling. I have been informed by the adult facilitators that this is a daily occurrence.*yikes*
Our breakfast (chip beef on toast and scrambled eggs) was prepared by the lovely and talented group A (Katya, Trisha, Abhishek and Molly M.) Meal times bring me joy, as it is an opportunity to interact with fellow ambassadors. Following breakfast, the entire group congregated in the common room to learn about field biology from Lenore Nadeau and Bill Watkins. My favourite part of the presentation was hearing the personal stories (mainly near death experiences) of the facilitators. We then spent roughly an hour in our groups working on our presentations regarding various chapters in Impacts of a Warming Arctic. My group, which consists of myself, Rachel, Alex and Katie, decided to transform our presentation into a beauty pageant. We were working diligently until an arctic fox appeared near the lodge (which of course required our immediate attention.) Elaina named him Freddie.
After our lunch at 12:30, we ventured out in Tundra Buggy 16 to see more polar bears! I was so excited it was unbelievable. You can’t understand what it is like to see wildlife in its natural habitat until you have experienced it firsthand. On our journey we saw multiple arctic hares, ptarmigans, buntings, golden eye ducks and the feature attraction MC2 (mama and cubs squared.) Once again the ambassadors were in a frenzy to capture both video footage and still photographs of the bears. Even though it was not my first polar bear sighting, the sheer thrill I experienced was identical to the heart-pounding excitement I felt yesterday.
Despite the stupendousness of viewing the polar bears, my favourite part of today was dinner. Group A created a restaurant style meal entitled “Winter Wonderland.” When I entered the dining area, the fire was glowing, Winter Wonderland was playing and dozens of paper snowflakes decorated the ceiling. Although it doesn’t seem like much, the feeling of warmth (not physical warmth) was overwhelming. It was the first time on this trip thus far that I have cried. It was then that I truly realized that leaving this group of people will be one of the most difficult heart wrenching things I will ever have to do. I know that this trip will be life changing. It is the most wonderful experience of my life.
Friday October 10, 2008, 9:49 pm
Dearest blog reader,
I am pleased to inform you that I have safely arrived in Churchill Manitoba with my fellow arctic ambassadors *yay.* The past two days have been amazing to say the least.
My journey to the PBI leadership camp began at 1:00 Thursday afternoon when I boarded a Winnipeg bound airplane at Pearson International Airport. Upon arrival, I was greeted at the luggage carousel by the friendly Robert Buchanan, president of Polar Bears International, who proceeded to escort me to Four Points Winnipeg, the hotel where our group stayed for the first night. There, I met my roommate Kasey Rahn and all 14 other ambassadors in attendance, who are some of the nicest I have ever met. Our first evening commenced with ice-breakers, continued with a PowerPoint presentation from photographer and naturalist Robert Taylor, and ended with the distribution of the warmest and most adorable jackets in existence, but not until we had thoroughly debated the use of animal furs. After the various presentations we went straight to bed in an attempt to get as much sleep as humanly possible, before our 4:00 wakeup call the next morning.
At 5:00 am on October 10 (this morning) our crew was ready to make the two and a half hour expedition to Churchill. We travelled via Calm Air (whom we adore because of their support for PBI.) Our arrival, although not the most pleasant experience, was extremely exciting. We were welcomed by a grey sky, relentless winds and rain, that burned your face as you walked into the gusts (we were extremely lucky to have our giant blue coats.) We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Churchill area. We had the opportunity to visit D-20 (a polar bear holding facility,) the local post office and community centre, Wapusk National Park Interpretative Centre and last but certainly not least Gypsy’s, where I had some of the best food I have ever tasted (no exaggeration.)
The highlights of my day however were the polar bear sightings. We saw five bears today! By joining a cluster of Tundra Buggies our group was able to locate a mother bear and her two cubs. That experience in itself has made my trip worthwhile. As soon as they were spotted our entire group became a pack of crazed animals. We began climbing on top of each other, no longer concerned with personal space, all in an attempt to capture the moment on film. They were literally just a few feet away from the vehicle. When one of the cubs began to play with a stick, I couldn’t help but “awwwwwww.” I never knew that simply the presence of a creature could make me so cheerful. I was absolutely elated. My heart started pounding in my chest, and all of my troubles seemed to vanish (if I had any that is.) I know that the vision of those white bears frolicking across the barren landscape will stay me for the rest of my life, not to mention the vision of their fuzzy bums as they waddled away. *giggles*
We arrived at the Tundra Buggy Lodge a little bit later than scheduled. Upon arrival, we claimed our bunks, unpacked our bags, ate a delicious dinner of “Tundra Chow” and proceeded to the common room to begin blogging.
Although I have only been with the group for two days, I already feel a strong bond forming between us. I have learned that “food is the most important thing,” and that I will return from Churchill as a different person... so prepare yourselves mom and dad. This experience has already surpassed my expectations. I can’t even imagine what the future will bring.
I am pleased to inform you that I have safely arrived in Churchill Manitoba with my fellow arctic ambassadors *yay.* The past two days have been amazing to say the least.
My journey to the PBI leadership camp began at 1:00 Thursday afternoon when I boarded a Winnipeg bound airplane at Pearson International Airport. Upon arrival, I was greeted at the luggage carousel by the friendly Robert Buchanan, president of Polar Bears International, who proceeded to escort me to Four Points Winnipeg, the hotel where our group stayed for the first night. There, I met my roommate Kasey Rahn and all 14 other ambassadors in attendance, who are some of the nicest I have ever met. Our first evening commenced with ice-breakers, continued with a PowerPoint presentation from photographer and naturalist Robert Taylor, and ended with the distribution of the warmest and most adorable jackets in existence, but not until we had thoroughly debated the use of animal furs. After the various presentations we went straight to bed in an attempt to get as much sleep as humanly possible, before our 4:00 wakeup call the next morning.
At 5:00 am on October 10 (this morning) our crew was ready to make the two and a half hour expedition to Churchill. We travelled via Calm Air (whom we adore because of their support for PBI.) Our arrival, although not the most pleasant experience, was extremely exciting. We were welcomed by a grey sky, relentless winds and rain, that burned your face as you walked into the gusts (we were extremely lucky to have our giant blue coats.) We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Churchill area. We had the opportunity to visit D-20 (a polar bear holding facility,) the local post office and community centre, Wapusk National Park Interpretative Centre and last but certainly not least Gypsy’s, where I had some of the best food I have ever tasted (no exaggeration.)
The highlights of my day however were the polar bear sightings. We saw five bears today! By joining a cluster of Tundra Buggies our group was able to locate a mother bear and her two cubs. That experience in itself has made my trip worthwhile. As soon as they were spotted our entire group became a pack of crazed animals. We began climbing on top of each other, no longer concerned with personal space, all in an attempt to capture the moment on film. They were literally just a few feet away from the vehicle. When one of the cubs began to play with a stick, I couldn’t help but “awwwwwww.” I never knew that simply the presence of a creature could make me so cheerful. I was absolutely elated. My heart started pounding in my chest, and all of my troubles seemed to vanish (if I had any that is.) I know that the vision of those white bears frolicking across the barren landscape will stay me for the rest of my life, not to mention the vision of their fuzzy bums as they waddled away. *giggles*
We arrived at the Tundra Buggy Lodge a little bit later than scheduled. Upon arrival, we claimed our bunks, unpacked our bags, ate a delicious dinner of “Tundra Chow” and proceeded to the common room to begin blogging.
Although I have only been with the group for two days, I already feel a strong bond forming between us. I have learned that “food is the most important thing,” and that I will return from Churchill as a different person... so prepare yourselves mom and dad. This experience has already surpassed my expectations. I can’t even imagine what the future will bring.