Constantly Talking Isn't Necessarily Communicating

How happy is the blameless Vestal's lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd.
-Alexander Pope

I just watched "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind," It is an awesome movie. The above are a few qotes from it. It is just an amazing story, and i suggest you go out and watch it.

Rob and Dapo

Rob and Dapo
Originally uploaded by Rob Rutherford.

So the following are some photos i up-loaded at home about a week ago using a phone connestionat my parent's place. it is painfully slow and i just gave up adding them to blog.
Since i'm here at Jarret and Jill's place for the weekend, i figured i'd finally get them up and riunning. so enjoy.
Rob.
ps. this photo is of me and Dapo at Erin's going away party.

Rob at Sentinle Pass

Rob at Sentinle Pass
Originally uploaded by Rob Rutherford.

A week later i went to Banff National Park to go camping with some friends, here is a shot of me on top of the world.

hard day's toursting

hard day's toursting
Originally uploaded by Rob Rutherford.

Here is a photo of me after our long day in Jasper. Best day-cation ever!

Rob-Jarret-Jill-Jasper

Rob-Jarret-Jill-Jasper
Originally uploaded by Rob Rutherford.

this is a photo of Jarret, Jill and I at Jasper, or rather, high above it.

Things i'm already beginning to learn about South Africa

1. They speak with thick accents and probably think i am a bit dim when i get them to repeate e-mail addresses 5 times over
2. they have the coolest "hold" music, its like someone playing the xylophone in a fun-up-beat manner. not like out sleepy elevator music here in Canada
3. Don't even bother trying to understand what they say when they answer the telephone, you won't undrstand it, start speaking immediately otherwise they'll hang up!

The Visa hunt continues, as i still need to get proof of accommodation and the letter from Dr. Goldin regarding my internship, my chest x-ray, medical form signed and stamped, and finally my passport, which will be ready at noon on wednesday!
I now know that VISA stands for Very Irritating Stress Accentuator! don't let anyone tell you different.
Peace.

Stress and Fears

Exactly 2 weeks until I leave and I'm really starting to freak out. I don't have a place to live in Pretoria yet, I don't even know where to begin looking! I've found a website with student accommodation in the city but it hasn't been too helpfully.

I need to have a place sorted out so that I can apply for a visa. I also have to wait until my passport arrives before I can put it all in the mail! I don't get that until the 21st and I leave on the 27th. So in short I have one week to get an apartment or house sorted out in South Africa, then apply for a visa, go down to the Passport office and convince them that I need my passport sooner than the 21st.

To top it all off. None, I mean NONE, of the past participants in this internship, nor the other guy who will be traveling with me to South Africa have responded to my requests for the contact info I need in order to make such arrangements as accommodation. They've responded to me, but have not given me the info that i've asked for. i"m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I also have the huge paralyzing fear that the people at IRES are going to realize that I'm not the best person for the job and fire me, before I even leave Canada. I'm trying to not think about it, but it is always there in the back of my mind. Stupid irrational fears, what good are you? To get me motivated to do the best that I can possibly do, well yes there is that. pfft....they always have an answer for everything!

anyways, I'll stop this internal dialogue in my blog (that rhymes!)and get back to apartment hunting.

Start Spreading The News!

So I really should have up-dated this thing as soon as I heard. I was just so excited. I GOT A JOB!!!!! Well not a "real" job, but the best one I could have possibly hoped for. I scored myself a research internship in...Wait for it....SOUTH AFRICA!!! That’s right, this way-ward, wandering Canadian is on the move again and has set his sights on Africa.
It all came about rather randomly, as I applied to go to Senegal to work with water resources and allocation. The funding for that internship fell through and I was interviewed by UBC's IRES (Institute for Resources, the Environment and Sustainability) to go to India. They didn't give me India, but really liked me and offered me South Africa. So now I’m going to Africa.
I leave on Aug 27th, so in 26 days! I have so much to do, so many people to see and not enough time to do it all. But for some unknown reason, and it's a phenomena that even boggles my mind, I always seem to be able to meet my deadlines, so I’m confident that I’ll be able to pull this all off. I'd better get cracking, lots of research to do and whatnot.

In other news, I’ve moved back home with my parents. I’m no longer living in the city. I'll be contacting everyone later this week with my new phone number and address. I’ll also, hopefully, be planning a big going-away bash to say bye-bye to all my friends.
Finally, I’ll be posting some photos up here of my recent trip to Jasper and my up coming trip to Banff next week. Now that I am at home and we only have a phone line for the internet, uploading and blogging a photo is way too time consuming. I’m going to have to hit up Cafe Dabar or Jarret and Jill's house to get it all done.
Yah, so that’s all. Well I’d better get back to work. Enough slacking for me!
Later!