Day 303

there's a line from a song that i once idealized. this one phrase would roll through my mind and i'd replay the song over and over in order to feel the momentum and then the outburst during the part of ''i think i'll go to boston, where no one knows my name.'' the rest of the augustana song was about leaving california and now looking back it all seems a bit too emo.

but yesterday it struck me that when i left in may, nobody from now on would know my name. i was getting my wish.

and so it makes it somewhat harder to now say goodbye to two friends who have shared this canada experience since nearly day one. besides the month or two in late fall, the kiwis shaun and paul and i have gotten used to canadian life and culture and overall new place. we had musical bonding as well and had formed 'the three shnapadees'' jam group at camp. we have one recording.

they're leaving fernie tomorrow. shaun mentioned a few moments ago how weird it was to not have anticipated plans for reuniting as we'd had when we split up temporarily after camp. fernie had been our plan.

the two of them have worked extremely hard on paperwork and requirements and have made significant financial investment for their united states work visa. they've left their dreaded jobs as ticket checkers for the green-eyed corporation that runs the hill in order to have a final meeting with the embassy in vancouver and then, if all goes well, to trek down to southern california hoping for a summer experience somewhat like they've seen in the movies. some of their plans include perusing the origins of the lords of dogtown and, maybe, even trying to see 'the governator' life and in person.

i didn't know much about the people of new zealand before. we all found it kind of hard to believe that we as strangers could become such good friends during a summer and then winter season but it's happened and in a place where neither of us had anyone who previously knew our names.


and with this, the momentum shifts once again. our household is now only four-strong.