Goodbye South Africa, Hello Malawi!

It has officially been one week since I have stepped foot on this continent, and I am happy to be here.  (Sometimes, though, i just have to remember that!)  :)  It has not been a problem remembering that when I was in Stellenbosch/Cape Town, with people I know and things to do.

but, when you arrive to "The real Africa" things are a little different.  Life is slower.  You arrange things as they come up.  Especially when not much has been arranged for you.  I was thinking that I would be arriving here to have a little bit more news (from McGill/our main contact at the College here) than what I actually have.  but, not really surprising, if i think about it.  How would they know more than what i would know?  So, as I got in an email yesterday: "it seems like McGill is McGill.  and Africa is Africa.  and you are in the better of the two."

I was indeed reminded that I was in Africa yesterday, when i "hurried" my lunch so that I could get back to the hotel for "just after 3pm" to meet my contact/supervisor from the college.  I got dropped off, was waiting around, read a bit.  Fell asleep for a nap.  wondered if she was going to show up.  at about 5:45, knock on the door.  "Hello Amelia!  Welcome to Malawi!  Sorry I am a bit late."  ohhhhhhhh.  Africa wins Again (AWA!).

Upon arrival... Jet lag sucks

it is 3:25 am.  I went to bed at 10.  5hrs sleep is not enough.
unfortunately, it is 7:35 in edmonton, which... is not sleeping time.


ugh.

so, i will write a quick update, hopefully to put myself back to sleep.  I guess I can start by saying that this blog is going to take vast turn in subject matter.  For, over the next 4 months, i will probably barely touch anything triathlon related. Oh sure, i brought my (now very old/used) running shoes.  I have my bathing suit, swim cap and goggles.  but.  as if i am going to get the chance to do anything close to training.

for I have arrived.

Alberta Challenge mini race report!

Today, I had a *Great* day.  I swam biked and ran like it was the last race of the season.  Oh wait.  It was. the. last. race.  And, suffice it to say, i had a good ol' time racing today, despite the fact that from about 1km into the run, i wanted to die.  i wanted to throw the towel in and curse Alberta provincial parks for their challenging forest trail systems.

so, i wasn't going to really write a race report.  but, as i started writing, it has just flowed.  I will also grace you with photos that my chum took, with a bit of a teaser of how each leg went. also, a link to my Garmin files.  which, btw, is the first time racing with the 310xt, which i should've gotten back in may.  I LOVED racing with it, and the super great soft heart rate strap.   however, one thing is forsure... looking at my files really shows me how much i have to work on.  UM.  hello variable heart rates throughout a race!!! i need to learn how to control myself!  I really wish that I had had this tool earlier, so that Mary could've used it in her coaching of me this year!  

weddings and roadtrips and work

soooooo.....

so many things happening these past few weeks.  And, because it is impossible to blog about all of them, i will do a high low list, with some pics attached (which, btw, for credit purposes, were all stolen off their facebook pages.)

Highs in the recent weeks:

• Jessie Vredevelt's and Christopher Shultz's wedding
• I mean really.  Held at Gorge Crests Vineyards overlooking the columbia river Valley in Oregon, and Mt Hood, how can you go wrong.  My lovely friend, Jessie, looked stunning.  I know Jessie from Mercy Ships Segue course, where she and I just spoke truth into each other's lives.  She and I made eachother cry on many occasions, she came to take care of me following my bike crash in 2007, and typical of her, she made me cry as she was walking towards her love.  
• and... it was a really nice occasion to be able to put on the hipster heels, and the fun black dress that i bought this spring, look fancy, and get to know new people.

• Dana Falk and Deiter Warkentin
• Held at Birken Lakeside Resort, Dana and Deiter and the little D that is growing inside of Dana's belly had a no-frills, way more casual, super fun mountain wedding which was a celebration of family and closest friends.  People wore plaid and flipflops and sat on cabin patios drinking beer.  Stanford, the dog, was looking very formal with his bowtie, and feet were hung into the lake (not to mention a sunday morning lake dip in a wedding dress!) Dana and I know eachother from our time working at Body and Soul in Vancouver, doing triathlons during my first season of competition, and getting tattoos (she is a brain cancer survivor, and got an infitinty tattoo on her wrist, in my presence!).
• this was a wonderful time to enjoy nature, have a casual dinner and dance and wedding, and just celebrate love.... while eating smores.

• the epic wedding roadtrip
• and, you may ask, how did i manage to get to two weddings, in two places, in two days?  did i fly?  did i drive?  did i sleep?
• Well, i drove through some of the most stunning landscapes that Western Canada and the Pac Northwest has to offer.  This was my route. I saw so much amazing landscapes and saw so many peopel i love (including my papa) and was able to get excited about living on the Left coast again. I listened to good music, and great public radio (thanks to the amazing car that the boy i love rented for me).  3,330 km of driving... 1 day, 17hrs, according to google.  
• i love road trips, i love driving, and i love the solitary time that you get while in a car.  you get to a lot of thinking, and a lot of talking to god, and a lot of outloud singing.

• The birch parent's visiting.
• the family of the boy that I love is great.  And, about 2 weeks ago, his parents visited.  The visit included nice round-the-town activities, dinner in at his place, and dinner out at a fancy restaurant with my mum.  So nice to catch up with them prior to them going to Laos for the fall, and my heading to Africa.
• The final preparations for going to Africa
• I have gotten emails from people in the past few days ironing out the details for my week in the Capetown region, and the 4 months in Malawi.  I am starting to get really excited, because when emails like that come together, it makes things more of a reality.  I cannot believe, many mornings, that in 9 days... I will be flying away to the continent that I LOVE oh so much.  
• The last weeks of training
• I have loved training this summer. I am not going to lie and say that it has been fantastic, because i lost a lot of my focus, following my olympic races in June/July.  I was just so tired.  But... swimming with the Master's group I have been swimming with this summer, and going out for the early morning long rides through the Alberta Prairies, and slogging out those runs.  wow.  I love it.  I LOVE doing this sport. 
• Spending time with the boy i love and talking about getting married
• This summer has been close to unbelieveable, to just see Sean so often.  we have had so many good times, like getting pedicures, and eating amazing food, and traveling to the mountains, and hanging out with friends, and hanging out with eachother and talking about future plans.  i LOVE this boy so much!

Lows in the recent weeks:

• my 1/2 ironman was cancelled.
• not enough participants.  But, i get to do an olympic.  however, you don't plan a season, and training around having a race be cancelled.  And, this caused me to loose LOTS of my motivation.
• My africa freak out.
• alot of the time... it seems like it is going to be a gongshow, and that i just don't know what is going to happen.  and, that causes stress, and worry.  but... we can see how it goes.  honestly, i could look at it like there is lots of expectations, because i am the first mcgill student to go from my program, or I can look at it like there is no way i can REALLY screw up bigtime, because i am the first mcgill student.  I choose the second.
• the epic wedding roadtrip
• it was too much driving for a short period of time, with not enough time to enjoy being with my friends at their weddings.  There was a lot of late night driving, and a very bad borderwait in the middle of the night.
• Mary's coaching switch
• A GREAT opportunity for her, but something that was not totally expected.  It just throws lots of thoughts to run around with as an athlete. 
• Talking about getting married
• it's complicated.  it's confusing. it takes a lot of patience and understanding and strong efforts at communication.
• Feeling disconnected from my friends and teammates out east.
• 2hrs time difference makes a big difference.
• feeling fat
• good food and good times has meant that i have not leaned down as much this summer as i would like.  but, honestly, i know it is ok.  its not a bad deal, but, i do recognize how much effort it takes to keep on keeping on.
• stress
• I know that the boy i love is experiencing a lot of pressures these days with a big city move, and a big job move, and a first time trip to africa being booked, and the selling of his house, and the thinking of wedding plans.  And, i wish i knew how to make lots of those pressures go away, but, I can't.  and, i don't like that, and i wish it was easier.
• Mosquitos
• edmonton sucks because of the copious amounts of rain, and mosquitos that are in this city.  it is really ridiculous.  and, it means lots of itchy skin.

that's it for now, folks!

T-7 days till my last race.

T-9 days till I am on a plane to africa!