Who knew Housekeeping was a Dangerous Occupation?

Movie night at Trappers was good fun. It seemed like everyone on hill was there and dressed up to the nines, or at least as ninesy as ski bums can get. I contemplated wearing a jumper that has red and white stripes-but only for a moment. I would never have been able to wear it again without getting 'where's Wally' jokes thrown at me. I shouldn't have worried though; I wore it a week later and the jokes came out anyway. Needless to say it's stayed in my draw since.

I stabbed my hand with the stem of a wine glass on the 10th. I was in one of the 5th floor rooms drying it off after washing it when somehow the stem snapped and I drove it into my right palm. I automatically applied pressure to it and somehow knew right away that it was deep and had done some damage. It didn't hurt as much as it should have, my pinky went numb less then a minute after it happened and from time to time odd pain shot up and down my forearm. Thankfully Beckie my supervisor on that day had just come onto that floor as I had heard her talking to Azarlia in a room a few doors down moments beforehand. Unfortunately the room I had done it in was a stay-over so the girls had to clean up the mess I left behind before the guest returned. Beckie called ERT and one of the guys rushed over to come to my aid. I felt really bad as he came into the office out of breath and seemed to be expecting something more sever then a puncture wound the doctor sewed up with three stitches. He gave me the once over, poking my back, neck and head asking if anything hurt and then starting asking me questions like did I know where I was and what was the date etc. Once he realised I was fully coherent and not dying he calmed way down. Once the paperwork was complete we headed to the infirmary to clean up the wound and get one of the on duty hill doctors to take a look at it. As we were leaving the hotel he radioed ahead to let them know we were coming and he described our passage there like this: "Transporting patient to the infirmary on foot." I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing as I thought it a rather obvious fact that we would walk-after all I hadn't chopped my leg off. Once I'd cleaned it up one of the doctors came in. He looked at it for like a second and agreed with the ERT guys that it needed stitches but for some reason he couldn't do it on hill as he couldn't access the right legal medical forms; some change had happened in the last year that meant stitches had to be done off hill now. My hand was then bandaged and slinged up, a taxi called, I went to my room to grab ID and headed down the hill in the gondola. When I finally reached base [after the gondola stopped twice due to high winds] the taxi was already waiting for me. He dropped me off at the hospital where Renee was waiting for me. She had been in Banff that morning and when Azarlia text her to inform her of my accident she offered to meet me there. The paperwork side of things [which I had been worried about] was really straight forward. I think that's because I did it at work so my injury came under the Workers Compensation Board [WBC]. When the doctor finally saw me he briefly checked out the cut and then spent a lot of time poking my hand and fingers figuring out which areas were numb/sore. From the first knuckle of my pinky up, the half closest to my ring finger is completely numb. He was pricking me with a sharp stick and when he touched that area it felt blunt as. It was the weirdest feeling. I got to watch him do the three stitches so that was a highlight and I was informed while he was doing it that if I hadn't noticed any improvement in two days I was to go back in and it would be operated on. A nurse came in after he left and stuck a bandaid over the top and sent us home. We went to Tim Hortons for a hot chocolate and doughnut before catching the staff bus back as I'd done the stabbing at twelve so missed lunch and we weren't done until four so was just a little famished. The next day my roomie Jess who works on front desk at the hotel text me to say the doctor had called for me and wanted me to call back so I headed over there and he informed me that the hand surgeon wanted me to come in the next day as they believed that I had done some nerve damage. Thankfully I had two rostered days off starting the 11th so didn't have to take time off to go in for it. Azarlia managed to swap her rostered days off so that she could come in with me on the 12th for the operation. Though the doctor who stitched me up the first time said that I wouldn't be knocked out but the only my arm would be deadened and the nurses reiterated that while they were prepping me [I had to wear one of those stunning hospital gowns] I was knocked out. I don't real mind as it was a lovely 40 minute sleep but for the next few days I felt so tired from the anaesthetic. A half cast was put on and covered with a regular bandage. I find it interesting that the hospital care here isn't as 'formal' as back home. I mean, there I've never been given a normal bandaid to put over stitches-here they obviously don't make as big a deal about such trivial things. The surgeon said that I had cut 40% of my ulnar nerve [I'll attach some photos I found of the ulnar so you can see more clearly what I've been discribing] but I didn't know the exact number of stitches until I took the cast off-there was ten. Azarlia had to leave to catch the last bus before I was discharged but I'd thought I'd have to stay in town so I'd bought gear with me. Jess and some of the other girls from front desk were coming into town that evening so I meet them at a hostel and we went out for dinner. It was quite nice to chill out in Banff as I hardly ever get down there. The next morning when I woke up I could feel the stitches catching on the padding of the cast-I hadn't realised until then that the wound site on my palm had been numb since the injury up until then. Never thought I would've ever been excited to be able to feel pain. Not being abe to board during the ten days of healing was dreadful, especially as we had a dumping and everyone was out enjoying the powder. I didn't really have much I could do at work except strip beds one handed and fetch missing items for the girls who were able to clean so I had a few days off. That was nice as I had plenty of time to get errands done but not so great for the bi-weekly pay check. While everyone else was counting down the days until Christmas I had been counting down the days to my stitches coming out and finally the 23rd came around. I had gone down to Banff for one of my English friends birthday after work on the 22nd and as I had stayed with Tracey [a Kiwi friend and one of the crowd I flew over here with] I was able to chill out at her apartment all morning before heading to the hospital. The cast and stitches were whipped out in a moment and it felt so good to be able to move my wrist around and itch my arm! I just made it to the bus and showed my scar off to Azarlia and Renee as soon as they finished work. I'm not allowed to board for another week and then I've been told to ease back into it and not rush it. I think I'll heed the doctor on that advice as The stitches came out a little too soon. The end of the incision over the heel of my palm split open a little yesterday so it's back in a bandage to protect from infection. Man I will be glad to finally get rid of all bandages for good!

It's Christmas morning here-but I've got to go and get ready for a day of work. No rest for the wicked.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Looked innocent enough..

Post op

 

After the stitches came out

I'll leave you with little panorama of the Village from one of the suites in the hotel. The buildings from Left to Right are:

[foreground] Staff Cafe/Daylodge, [just peeking out in the background from behind the far left corner of Daylodge] Laryx Staff Accommodation Building, [poking out from the right far corner of Daylodge] Daycare Centre, Gondola, [building hiding up in the trees] Arnica Staff Accommodation Building [that's where I live], [just below Arnica and beside the Gondola] Mountain Holme/Sunburst Staff Accommodation Buildings, Angel Chair Lift and [nearest you] Trappers, our staff bar.

I'm still alive guys..

The Moose Bus tour we took to get here was really cool. The first day it didn't feel like we traveled very far as we kept stopping for sightseeing but the second day there was a lot of driving.

Day one we drove from Vancouver to Kelowna [the 'w' is silent] and stopped off at Bridal Veil Falls, the town of Hope for lunch [Rambo was meant to have been filmed there. It also has lots of really cool chainsaw art all around the town] and Othello Tunnels. Our bus had a cool driver. She told us about the history of all the places we stopped at. [Don't ask me to write it all here-Google was invented for curious people.] We stayed the night at the Kelowna Samesun and most of the group headed out to bowling [which they got kicked out of for throwing too many balls down the alleys or something like that]. I went to bed early but when I got up I got told that they'd had a wild night so the stories got told during that days drive and it kept us amused. [;

Day two was Kelowna to Banff. First stop was at Last Spike and then we hiked a little ways to some waterfalls. They were pretty but nothing we haven't seen in New Zealand. ;P From there we drove to Revelstoke for lunch and then to Rogers Pass, Emerald Lake and Lake Louise before continuing onto Banff. We passed under some of the bridges they built for the migrating animals to go across. I had been waiting to see them since I first heard about them-they are so cool! Sadly I didn't get a photo as it was on dusk when we came across them but hopefully I'll be able to take a snap of one before I leave. We stayed that night in the Samesun and then us three girls headed to the HI Hostel for Saturday and Sunday nights.

I moved up hill on the morning of the 28th October. We had to meet the bus outside our hostel at 7 and we made it with plenty of time. It was pitch black still and the sun was still down when we had made the twenty minute drive to the gondola base [or Bourgeau as we call it]. We were met by all the supervisors of our departments so the girls and I dragged our baggage through the snow to the main building where we split up and went to different rooms to sign all the finial paperwork. We also got our staff passes issued right after that [they are just quick snap and print photo cards]. We were among the lucky ones as some staff members had to wait a week or so to get their cards as the machine kept breaking down. [One thing you learn while working here is to have patience for everything.]

After all this the sun was well up so everyone loaded baggage into yellow school buses and company trucks and we headed up the access road to the village. It was about a twenty minute ride and the cool thing is that that access road is now closed and we can board down it and take the gondola back up to base. I did it just the other day and it's quite a long run [especially when you fall over a bizillion times]. Once we reached the village we walked up three flights of rusty looking stairs to the employee services office and were assigned our rooms-which is when I found out that I was on the floor above employee services so those stairs and I have become very well acquainted. Turns out they actually aren't rusty, they just look it. And taking them twice a day as well as another flight up to my floor has been good exercise-as has running up and down the five flights of hotel stairs collecting things for the rooms. Watch out guys, between all these stairs and snowboarding I'm gonna be a fit bean when I get back.. ;P

My roomie is a Kiwi girl from Wellington and she works on front desk so eve though our shifts are completely different we see each other every day either at work or at home. She's great fun and boards as well [which is good-I'm not sure I would be able to share with a skier for seven months..jokes to all the skiers out there].

Anyway. First day we were taken to the cafeteria [a place I frequent too often] for lunch and then we had a tour of the hotel and some of the rooms. That day was kinda cool and completely different from what I expected as the manager of the hotel had a welcome chat with us after our tour and told us that we are here to 1] board, 2] have fun and 3] work. He literally said them in that order. So far it has been the other way around for our department but hopefully soon the order will reverse.. ;P At the end we were offered the 29th off but myself and another housekeeper decided to work so we cleaned windows all the next day-and then had to go back over them the day after that to clean all the drips off. It was a mish and a half I'll tell you. But after that we joined back up with everyone else and sorted out the linen cupboard. It's a typical linen cupboard-not big enough and never has what you need in it. But we get to chuck the dirty laundry down shoots so that's a perk. ;P

Halloween on hill was fun. I have never been to anything Halloweeny but there was a little do in Trappers [the staff bar on hill [ermagursh it is my favourite place] we play pool there almost every evening] and I got dragged along to it. Half of us weren't dressed up and the other half had a variety of costumes. Lucky, only two people came in the same outfit-guys in girls dresses. Sadly, I am friends with both of those fellows. [Jokes, they are pretty awesome.]

Most days before opening on the 15th November we only worked 3 hours of mostly deep cleaning bathrooms so that left us plenty of time to bum around and be bored so one day after lunch we decided to hike through waist deep snow to the top of Strawberry [one of the runs close to the hotel]. It took us just over an hour to get to the top and less then 15 to get down. But it was good fun and the view was pretty cool too. Also the sense of actually achieving something instead of sitting around all day was great. [;

Opening weekend was crazy. As is this weekend. We are more organised this time round but last weekend was stressful and insanity. During the week it's pretty quiet though so sometimes we can finish early and get a run in before the lifts shut at four. Most days though we don't so boarding only happens on a day off. One day we started at 10 [we normally start at 9] and since the lifts open at 9 myself and a lovely girl from work headed up Strawberry [this time on the lift-so much quicker!] and got two runs in before work. She was able to give me some pointers about turning toe-side and carving as well so that was really cool.

I had the 21st off and slept in-it was lovely to wake up naturally instead of to the melody of my alarm. We spent the afternoon boarding and I was able to practice what I had been taught on those two runs the other day-and I actually nailed them on my last run. I was fully stoked. My poor mate though [bless her-she has no fear] was just heading down the slope and then wiping out whenever she got too fast or was about to crash so needless to say she was sore as at the end and the next day while we were working.

We were riding the green runs [the easiest] but the lift up Wawa [my favourite run to say] is over a black [that's the third hardest and double black is the absolute hardest]. We were heading up for another run down the green when my mate made a joke and I laughingly hit her with my gloves-and managed to drop both of them. My board caught one of them but the other fell right smack bang in to middle of the black run. So once we got off up the top I headed down to get it. Jeepers. I'm not quite up to taking on blacks ae. I went down as slowly as I could over the humps and lumps and steep sides and lost balance too many time to keep my pride in tack. Thankfully a mate came along who was more then competent enough to manoeuvre to where my glove was and dropped it down at me on his way back up on the lift while I was still half way down the slope. I eventually made it down to the bottom in one physical piece but my pride was in tatters. Little kiddies on their skis were passing me with ease all the way down. Seriously. Why are kids here so good!? It's nearly enough to make you give up-nearly..

The girls and I hired a car and headed to Calgary the other weekend and we stayed in a hotel. How nice it was to have someone come and clean our room instead of having to clean rooms ourselves! ;P We went shopping at the mall on Saturday morning and then that afternoon we went for another shopping mish at Target. Needless to say I spent my pay check three times over that day..was kinda shocked but seeing as I did buy necessary items I let myself off the hook..

When we finished one of our three hour working days the girls and I decided to make a snowman. We had been told that the snow was too dry to form a snowman with and it turns out that it was true-we could build a standing snowman. So we did the next best thing, an unconscious snowman. It was great fun and he actually looked alright at the end of it. We even gave him snow arms and legs-no twig arms for him! [That was really only because we had none and had to improvise.] Drunko McSnowman lasted a week or so but now he is resting peacefully covered by a blanket of snow.

We have been working like crazy in the hotel. I've been reliably informed that we have had one of the busiest opening weekends ever, so it's nice to know that it's not that we aren't working hard enough but that there are slightly too less housekeepers to keep up with everything. But we are hiring some more hands so that will be lovely as it'll mean we get more then one day off a week and we can do more boarding-which is the reason everyone is here anyway. [;

The other day we did a little health and safety course that all employees have to go through upon employment. As part of that we had to go into Banff for a little history lesson about Banff and the surrounding mountains and at the end we had to stand and say a little pledge thingymabob and just like that-we became Banff locals. Sorry guys, I'm never coming back. ;P

Well, that's all that I can think of that I've been up to since that last entry forever ago. I'll try get the photos of the Moose Tour up soon and I'll try to get my camera working long enough to take photos of up here.

Tomorrow evening there is going to be 'A Night At The Movies' evening at Trappers that we are meant to all dress up for so that should be fun and hopefully I'll remember to write up about it sooner rather then later.. ;P

xxx

Last night in Vancouver, Snow boots, and a free Samsung Galaxy Ace II

Hae guys. It's my last night in the Vancouver Samesun, and I think I'm gonna miss it. But at the same time I'm excited that I'm going to making my way across the province to my new job. Each day that passes I feel more excited and less like a fish out of water. [Yayness. ;P ] Speaking of fish, we are going to see Salmon spawning tomorrow on our tour. Hopefully my camera will work and I'll be able to take photos.
Today I bought snow boots and got on a $30 per month cell plan [here, that's like one of the cheapest options there is]. Part of that monthly plan payment goes towards paying off my new Samsung Galaxy Ace ll which came free with the deal. I didn't even have to pay a cent today at the shop for it! I was able to walk out after giving them my passport information and email address. They are so lax here!! [It is locked but I can unlock it and take it home with me - if it survives that is.] I was also given a $50 gift card so I was able to buy a shock proof case and a screen protector as well. I had to pay $17 for them on top of the $50 gift card, so Matthew and Sophie [I know you're reading this], you can do the math as to how much I would've had to spend to get those two items without the gift card. ;P I also thought you might be interested in the fact that an iPhone 5 costs not even $700 here. It's ridiculous how much we are charged for them in NZ.
We meet our two bus drivers tonight; they pretty much kept to themselves though, so we really just had a free dinner tonight - didn't learn much about the tour except that we meet tomorrow downstairs at 8AM. Some of the guys coming with us said that they've been getting up at 12 one 1PM so I hope they all make it.. ;P
After dinner I headed up to my room to pack and I think I've got everything. I feel like I've got a whole heap more stuff but I really don't, so I'm not sure why I feel surprised that it all fits...
Well I had better get to bed. I'm sorry it's short today but I can't live the high life everyday.. ;P

Downtown Vancouver

This is a map of the area of Vancouver I am based in

The promised photos

Vancouver Tower Lookout

Terrible view of one of the cobblestone streets in Gastown

More Vancouver Tower..

Below is some history for you..

Above is how the Vancouver Tower measures up to other towers around the world. [All the middle ones are Asian, but the tallest and smallest are Canadian. The Vancouver Tower is the smallest shown.]

Below is a sort of panoramic view from the top

See!!? It's the Shaw building!!

We think this is the Olympic Stadium..

Trees grow on the tops of buildings here..

Some church..I can't remember walking past it on our travels but it's quite pretty

The 'Team' as Tracey puts it

L-R: Renée, Tracey and Matt

Me.

Bendy Buses, Waffle chips, walkingwalkingwalking...

Wow, I've done a post a day. I'm quite impressed, I must say. But no promises this consistency will keep up once I start work.. ;P
Today was tourist day. We literally walked kilometres - I swear. I will add a map of Downtown Vancouver which is the area we are staying so you can see for yourself. We live at 1018 Granville St and [after starting off at Starbucks] we walked this morning over the Granville Bridge to 4th and Burrard [for some snow board gear shopping] then back up the Granville Bridge to Gastown [for a Peruvian themed lunch, souvenir shops and a ride up the glass elevator to the Vancouver Tower Lookout where we got to see cool views of the city] then along the Waterfront and into Stanley Island. [That is where my camera decided it didn't want to extend the lens out - I actually didn't know that the cold effects the working capabilities of a camera..] But!! We saw squirrels in the park! I was so super excited. There were two black ones and a few grey ones and they were super tame and let us get quite close. Of course and sadly, I have no photos to show you. We then headed to the Aquarium but they were closing as we arrived so we headed all the way back to Samesun. We left there at just past 10 and returned at 5, so we were pretty tired. But we still headed out at 7:30 to the Irish pub just around the corner for dinner with one of our girls friends who now lives in Vancouver. It was cool getting to met him and hear a bit more about Vancouver and Canada. We didn't get back to our hostel until 10:30 even though it is literally not even 100 metres from the pub.
I know that I have mentioned that we have eaten at pubs for every meal - so let me just clear up for you that we haven't been drink every night and getting drunk. They actually serve water with your meal so that is what we've been doing most of the time. It's cheaper and healthier and also - pub food is really yummy. So in case you were wondering; No, I am not turning into an alcoholic. Just thought I'd explain it.
There is a joke between us three girls and Matt [we adopted him today-he is also going to Sunshine] that I live under a rock because I had never seen a bendy bus until we came to Vancouver. Apparently the girls went on them as kids for school trips, but they are both from Auckland so I'm hoping that they are just up there.. Matt is from Dunedin, and he had never seen them either until he arrived. So each new thing I learn we put down to me living under a rock. Like me never having heard of waffle chips. I swear I have been reminded that I lived under a rock every day we've been here. But that's totally cool - it's been an awesome experience so far!
Cars here just come up on the side of the pavement and park. It's the oddest thing. And it's still weird looking at the moving cars and seeing only a passenger with no one in the drivers side seat..I still double take sometimes.
Well. I had better sign off now as it'll probably be midnight by the time I get to bed.

xxx

My family name is an Internet Company and [it also appears to be a] TV Channel

We had our SWAP orientation this morning at 11. The office building was about a 20 minute walk from our hostel so it was quite nice to stroll there with a group of fellow IEPers. They gave us a talk all about how we go about setting up a bank account, obtaining a SIN card [Social Insurance Number], which cell phone company to use and which plan is best etc. There was also a talk about how they add 12% tax to non-food items and 5% to food items here in Vancouver. It's a bit hard to get used to because they'll advertise something for what seems a really reasonable price-but turns out to not be so great at the counter. Alberta where we three are all going adds only 5% to everything, so needless to say we are waiting until we get there to buy random knickknacks. [We were told quite passionately by a lady who over heard us talking about how random the tax added at the counter is in a store today, that the reason Alberta has 5% tax across the board is because they rape their land of all it's natural resources so can afford to be more lenient on it's inhabitants. We didn't know quite what to say to that..But it makes sense. Everywhere in Vancouver there are different bins for recycling. They are really into being green here. I think it's actually quite cool.]
Anyway. After the SWAP information meeting had finished, us three girls who have sort of banded together broke away from the main group right and headed for the office block that distributes the SIN cards. [It sounds so much like SIM cards, it's a bit confusing-but they are totally different.] We then set up bank accounts and got debit cards and deposited some cash so our accounts weren't so bare. Shopping for snow boots was next on the list [which is when we ran into the afore mentioned passionate customer]. I didn't get any as I was wearing jandels so had no socks, but tomorrow we are hitting the town again for sight seeing and more snow boot buying, so hopefully there will be photos for you then.
On the way back to the hostel I found a little store with water bottles in it. It made my day. I seriously have never been consistently this dehydrated in all my life!
It was bar food for dinner again, but we tried a different bar then last night. Bar food is quite good, but seeing as I have never eaten bar food in New Zealand I can't really compare the two. While at the bar the TV there had a Shaw channel. There is also free WiFi around our hostel called ShawOpen as well. Random little fact I learnt at the SWAP information meeting-Canadians call beanies 'toques'. It's pronounced too-k[as in 'kick']. Who knew.
Anywho, all this learning has left me ready for bed, so night. xx

First Impressions

Today has literally been the longest day of my life - departing at 8PM Sunday 20th October and arriving 1:15PM Sunday 20th October. o.O We didn't get checked into our hostel until 4PM which I feel has added to the apparently long length of today.

The plane ride was 13 long hours. It's quite a horrible experience being stuck in a air conditioned plane which keeps going from too cold to too hot.. a absolutely yucky-feeling person is what it equals at the end. Then you must face Immigration. Standing for over an hour in a line that hardly moves, lugging around heavy baggage is definitely the ideal start to a working holiday..[it confirmed that I had packed too much stuff! ;P] [Note-to-future-self; Always take a drink bottle with you!] Vancouver is a lovely Airport visually though. There is a massive wall waterfall with a massive wooden carved disk in the middle in the arrivals area and they keep jelly fish in wall tanks. [No I did not take a photo - you shall have to fly into Vancouver yourself to see them.]

The train [when it goes above ground] gives a lovely view of Vancouver-it is honestly a cool looking city. All the buildings are different, the streets and pedestrian crossings are different..during the day it isn't that cold, but when the sun sets it does get chilly. [;

Back to the plane; I was seated next to pretty much the only other two girls who are going to Sunshine Village. We were able to get to know each other a little and we stuck together in a little group going though our terrible ordeal at the Airport. [; They have been an answer to prayer - I seriously don't think that I would have been able to get through today without them. It's the small things like companionship that make or break days.

The SameSun Hostel is pretty alright. The two most outstanding things here so far that I've seen is the huge toy moose in the entry area and all the room doors are painted like different countries flags. There's a pub downstairs if you're into that - with a wide screen viewing either hockey or football games..pretty soon I think I'll have a handle on their national games rules.. ;P

It's just gone quarter past eight here - I think I'm about ready to turn in. Hope you all are well. Sleep well [even though it's just gone four o'clock in your afternoon ;P].

xx

Nearly time to go..

First entry in my travel blog..and I'm sitting in the familiar surroundings of the dining room in our family home in New Zealand. ;] I'm [almost] all packed and we are getting the house ready for a small farewell party tonight with some families from church before Dad, Mum and I start our two day journey to Auckland tomorrow. I'm leaving behind half the stuff I bought to take with me as it doesn't fit in the tramping pack I bought yesterday-needless to say, Sophie is thrilled-and I haven't cried yet, but I have a feeling the illusive tears aren't too far away [bring on the red eyes and tissue boxes..! [Not.]] ;P
But on a serious note, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to take this massive step and for all support you've given-it has seriously meant the world.
God has blessed me so much in the build up to going. He has been with me every step of the way, providing the answer to my need every time. It hasn't always been easy as most times the need hasn't been answered until almost on the deadline; and all you who know me well will testify that I like to be prepared weeks in advance-not mere days or hours! I am so grateful to still be feeling His peace about this, and I continue to pray that I will keep in His will as this journey begins in earnest..in about 17 hours from now.
I've been sworn to promise to update this extremely regularly-and I hope to keep my word. [Once a week/fortnight is counted as regular, right? ;P] Next post should hopefully come when I'm in Vancouver..!

Love to you all,

Meh