As usual I really do my things at the very last moment and risk to miss everything I planned for. Luckily, I have been born with a lucky star watching over me.
This time I risked to miss the bus because I decided at the last moment to cook my frozen chicken sticks so that I would not waste them. I found the package already open and I just received a message from Amy saying that her son Roy ate some of them. She apologized but it was not something to apologize for as she has been so kind for all of my staying and it was a last minute idea to have them for the trip. Whatever, I cooked them and it took a while so I put myself in a position where I had to do so many things in so little time.
As soon as I cooked it and had breakfast, I wrapped the sticks in an aluminum foil and then in some tissues to prevent the oils to leak.
I put everything that was in the fridge in my bag together with the chicken, except for the open tomato sauce and the onion that I already sliced. They would have been a mess to bring with me for the smell and the chance to spill tomato sauce from the can.
Before 8am I was out on the street without the chance to say goodbye properly to Amy. I was packed like a mule and it was really difficult to move around. But I thought that heroes can not be stopped by something like that. That thought gave me courage, even though I immediately wondered how tough it would be again when I will go back to Toronto.
I arrived at the bus stop at the same time that the Viva Blue arrived, so I left my baggage on the street and run to tap my Presto card. As soon as I was done with that I grabbed all of my stuff and hopped on the bus. Luckily for me, it was basically empty so I could get to a big space without hitting anyone.
During the ride I realized that I got on the bus a little too early so once I reached Richmond Hill Bus Centre I had to wait like 45 minutes. I started eating one of the bananas to get rid of them before they got bad when I noticed a guy walking towards my stuff. I intercepted him and we greeted each other.
His name was Brad and he wanted to play my guitar because it was a long time since he last played one. I gave it to him and he played few finger-picked melodies. He was really good and as soon as he gave me back the guitar he started talking about his life. He just got divorced and was going to the airport to fly to Tennessee, but he fell asleep on the bus and missed the stop. He was going back home to buy a new ticket and that is why he was at the bus centre.
I had to cut him short because it was almost time to ride my bus to Highway 407 Bus Terminal, so I said goodbye. But I was glad I met him. So many people here in Canada are so nice. And the thing that I love is that they come and talk to you even if you are a stranger to them. In Milan, you would never see that.
So the bus arrived at the same time that I moved to the right platform and the bus driver was kind enough to wait for me to board my luggage.
The ride was short and I got to my stop in around 10 minutes or less. When I got there I started to get worried though, because I was supposed to get my bus to Burk’s Falls at platform 5, but there was no platform 5. I tried to ask people, but they were as clueless as me. So, I started wandering around the building until I found an information desk.
The guy behind the desk was so kind to answer my questions that I said “Oh wow, Canadian people are so kind!”. He was surprised to hear that and asked me where I was from. I told him I was from Italy and we started to talk about Milan because he was there last year, even though it was just for less than 24 hours.
He led me to platform 5 and we started chatting. His name was Nnamdi, like the NFL cornerback. The one thing that stuck to me is that he was really sad about all the black people begging for money in Milan. He said that someone even asked him if he was legal or not, because there is no conception of a black person being American or Canadian in Milan. The people think that you can see them only in the movies or the television. I think it is because we have so many black people from the northern countries of Africa coming to Europe.
When my bus finally arrived I had to check my baggage and I had a little bit of a problem because I had so many things and I should have paid for the extra baggage. The driver let it slip and I got on the Ontario Northland Bus to finally get to Burk’s Falls.
The ride was almost five hours long, but I slept through it all because I was so tired for coming back so late from the wedding the day before. The only time I woke up was when we stopped for 15 minutes. I used the chance to go to the washroom, where an old lady forgot to lock the door. Fortunately she talked as I was getting in, so I could stop and close the door. From this situation I learned that, no matter what, you should always knock on closed doors.
When the bus left I started to eat my chicken sticks so that I would not have to do that once I got to my destination. My workaway hosts are vegan, therefore I did not want to get there with something that they do not eat. I think it would have been rude. So chicken, then gums and finally back to sleep again.
Around 2.20pm I woke up and tried to stay awake not to miss the stop. In fact, despite we started the bus ride late, we arrived in Burk’s Falls on time. I got off the bus and got my things back. It was not even 5 minutes that a smiling guy arrived on a car waiving his hand out of the window. It was the first car which was not big or fancy. I found out later the reasons why.
Jim picked me and another guy up. Apparently I was on the same bus as this old man called Larry who really loves going to Lighthouse Landing Camp every summer. Jim and his family were betting on how my name is pronounced, but when I told him the right pronunciation he laughed about the fact that no one got it right.
We stopped at a store to pick up some things for Larry and the we headed to the camp. He gave me a tour of the camp while we drove Larry to his cabin. Throughout all the ride he kept talking and I noticed that he keeps asking if I understand. I thought it was because he was making sure that I was able to understand everything. The real reason is simpler: Canadian people just use those kind of expressions a lot. One more thing that I noticed it is that he puts lot of emotions and energy in his talk. And when he talks to people, he always has a great big smile.
Done with the tour, he helped me to take my stuff in the trailer I will be staying for the rest of my stay. It is a trailer 20 meters far from the closest building. Though it is remote, it is close to the lake and it has a pretty nice view. When I saw the little space inside of it, I thought: “well, it is time to get frugal and wild”. I remember thinking about growing a beard, not shaving anymore and just get in touch with my inner wild self.
As soon as I finished making myself comfortable in the trailer, Jim introduced me to his family. I do not really remember what went on exactly, but I met Alyssa, Asher and Francine, respectively Jim’s wife, son and mom. Francine is also called “Fran” or “Granny”, and Jim made fun of her telling me that she always changes people’s names because she is deaf. In fact, without an ear device planted directly in her head she would not be able to hear at all.
After a little chat, they invited me to swim in the lake, so I changed and tagged along with them. Before getting into the water, Alyssa offered me some “Ants on the log”. It is a snack they make out of celery, with peanut butter and raisins on it. Right after that we got into the water. It was so nice, and the view was stunning. I always dreamed of going to Canada and live close by a lake in the woods. The only thing missing now is chopping woods shirtless early in the morning.
I played a little bit with Asher who is a really nice and smart kid. Everyone mistakes him for a girl because he has really long blonde hair, but I read on workaway that Jim had a little guy so I was prepared. Jim and I swam with Asher to a raft in the deep water close to the shore. I stayed in the water for a while because it was so windy and I would have died of cold would I climbed on the raft.
Asher played with Jim and swam back to the shore with him, so I started talking to the girls who were sunbathing on the raft. One was the other workaway volunteer, Laila while the other one was a girl named Karma. Apparently Karma’s mom has Italian roots, so she was kind of amazed of where I was from. She thought that Milan is exotic, which is funny because to me is ordinary since I was born there and I have always lived there. The three of us talked about traveling, volunteering and the fact that Karma loves Japan and her dog’s name is Busan. It was nice to meet someone who loves Japan and South Korea as I do.
After a while we swam back to the shore and I started right away my new job. Basically, Jim is building a little cabin that he calls “house for glamping, or glamorous camping”. He told me that the little cabin is the most booked one on airbnb because nowadays families just go on vacation in a different way compared to the past. My job was to help him build that cabin.
We started right away with the floor, so we had to nail and square the frame for the floor. I never used gears and tools in my life, so I was really scared of having a bad impression on Jim. That is why I gave it my best. I remember that drilling the screws was harder than expected, but just because I was expecting the drill to do the work without putting any pressure on it.
By 5.30pm we finished the frame for the floor and we put in on the foundation. It was squared luckily, but not leveled. Jim told me that working with someone was ten time faster than doing things alone. We still had like some ordinary conversations because we were not close enough, but I noticed his positive attitude and I really liked him as a person.
We were lucky to finish because they usually have dinner around that time. It is mainly because it helps Asher go to bed early, but I do not mind changing my habits for a while. I mean, it would be rude to do as I do at someone else’s place. For example, they are vegan so I will just have a vegan diet while I will be here. I mean, I will not die because of that. I can eat meat everyday, but I can go without it no problem. So I enjoyed my first vegan supper. It was chili and tortillas. I enjoyed it and I spent the evening listening to the explaining all the positive stuff about veganism.
After dinner we moved to the office, except for Alyssa who took Asher to sleep. Jim talked to me about veganism again, in particular the nutritional intakes that we need. It was interesting but as respectable as his sources could be, one thing that always astounds me is that everyone has undeniable sources. So, until I will dive deeper into this topic, I think I will live in peace eating whatever it is convenient for me to eat at the moment.
Later on we moved to Jim’s cabin and we spent the night reading his travel blogs. He had them printed like a university essay and the idea was so cool that I decided to abandon my vlogs and start doing the same thing. Once you print the journal and the pictures together, you get a nice book full of memories that you can stack up on a shelf and read to your kids when you are older.
Jim explained to me the different things that happened during his trips with Alyssa and then with Asher too. It was so cool because I learned so many things and I realized how caring, loving and consistent parents Jim and Alyssa are. Their story is incredible and happens once in a billion cases. They grew up together, they married and they try their best to be the best people they can for themselves, their son and the world.
With a renewed feeling of motivation and joy I headed back to my cabin with Laila. It was so dark that she lent me a torch so that I could get back to my trailer. I changed in my pajama, but then changed again into a longer pajama because the blanket was a little bit itchy for my skin.
It took me less than one minute to fall asleep.
Godyl Go! 