It has been a crazy busy summer!
I think what I'm going to do is just go back to blogging about Bella Bella and gradually blog about the Europe trip over time...maybe.
I arrived in Bella Bella two days ago after a week of packing up our home in Nanaimo. Coming back was a bit weird. It was hard leaving my friends on the Island, they're kind of awesome.
The flight from Vancouver to Bella Bella was beautiful. As we left our stop-over in Port Hardy we soared over tiny islands, as we got closer to Bella Bella we flew over awesome tracts of wilderness with gorgeous lakes and then as the plane turned and started to descend there was the village below us and I could see my house!!
Arrival was a bit strange. Nearly everyone who arrived with me was just passing through, I was the only one who there to stay in Bella Bella. When we drove past the burnt store there was a large wooden screen up round the entrance. Demolition has begun. The taxi driver said to me as we drove by "It's the kids, this is why we can't have anything nice! They ruin our street signs too."
It turns out that only two of the girls involved in the arson were from Bella Bella, the third was just visiting. The three have apologized to the community but the police are still considering what charges will be laid.
Parked in my driveway, as we pulled up, was our new school bus -looking all orange and shiny. I refer to it as my new ride...the short bus.
One of my fellow teachers questioned the wisdom of purchasing a school bus for a community in which diabetes is a major problem, I see her point but it will be useful for off-island adventures. Bella Bella is basketball crazy! There are a lot of out of town trips for games.
As soon as I got Pumpkin settled I ran out again into the rain to go to the new store that has been set up in one of the village churches. I had forgotten to buy cat food so I needed to get something for Pumpkin and something for myself for dinner. In my humble opinion the set-up at the church is nothing short of amazing and according to those who were here during the fire, the whole set-up went up over night. I actually like the layout of the makeshift store better than the old one, it is better organized and easier to get around in.
Pumpkin was predictably annoyed with me when I let him out of his carrier but within hours he was happily curled up on my chest trying to sample my lentil soup. He is very happy here, happier I would say than in Nanaimo. I am not sure why but he seems more relaxed here.
I don't know how I feel just yet. When I arrived last March, there was a real appeal of finally having my own space in which I could do whatever, whenever, I wanted. But coming back, didn't feel like coming home. When I was at the new store I ran into a person who, lets face it, is not my biggest fan. In a larger place I could avoid someone who I don't see eye to eye with, here there is no avoiding, I will see this person every day or every other day and that is draining. The issue with isolation, for me, isn't being alone it is being constantly surrounded with the same people. In a large city I could go out to a pub with my friends and have a good time without it being remarked upon, here that is an impossibility. That isn't to say that there aren't positives, there are but I guess I'm just mulling things over.
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