I have a plan. Thank God. I felt like I was going crazy this whole past week. Crazy with confusion, lack of direction and too much yoga in too little time (2 classes in 12 hours...one Tuesday evening an then again Wednesday morning, bad idea!). So I spent the whole week feeling useless and unproductive as I bumped around, staying at home, visiting with my families (2 houses, 4 parents)and reading the classified ads, I was like the caricature of an unemployed person.
Much to my relief I headed up to the cottage on Friday afternoon with my mum and stepdad and was able to chill for the weekend: shopping in a little town nearby on Saturday, sitting on the deck, watching the lake, reading the Globe and Mail and eating fresh Ontario asparagus and strawberries. On Friday night my mum sat me down, told me I needed a plan and proceeded to help me formulate one. Where would I be without her to shove me in the right direction when I'm feeling depressed and being complacent?!? So, the plan is this: spend the summer at home here in Ontario and get a short-term job and hold on to my apartment in Montreal. In September I'll return to Montreal and to my sublime apartment to start finding a real, grown-up job for a year before I head off to the States (fingers crossed) for grad school. It seems so straightforward and simple now, but last week I was so confused that a cohesive plan was far, far away for me.
I've got my C.V. together and I'm starting to plan where I want to work/what I want to do. I'm going tomorrow afternoon to a new high-end resto that's opening and looking for staff, and I'm pretty sure that I'd be a superb hostess, so...maybe that will work out?
Ran into a great friend of mine from high school (and elementary school) today, which was fantastic. I'm looking forward to getting back in touch with my friends here in Ontario. Katie's supposed to be back in town today and will begin teaching classes again this week, which I'm so looking forward to, although I'm not sure that I'll be able to take her seriously anymore after all our crazy antics in Mysore!
Yesterday my photo and a little blurb were in the announcements section of our local daily (not TOO local, still has a circulation of like, 400 000+). My parents put me in there for my graduation, but I wrote the blurb. Now my mum has been telling everyone she sees about it, and canvassing the neighbours to see if she can have their left-over newspapers!
Here's the blurb:

It is with immense pride, and memories of a few tears and much more laughter shared along the way, that we announce Andrea’s graduation with distinction from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science. Andrea plans to take a year off from school before returning to attain her Masters degree in magazine journalism. Congratulations Andrea on the successful early completion of your degree in December and your safe return from your four month journey throughout Southeast Asia and India. May you continue to chase after your dreams and to seek joie de vivre in all that you do.
With love, pride and elation,
Daddy, Gail and Jonathan, Mummy and Bobby.

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” –e.e. cummings

I was happy with it, and it was certainly more original than the other "Congratualtions on your graduation, may the future hold great things for you.." run-of-the-mill announcements.
I suppose that that's all I have to say for now.I'm falling back into the whole Ontario routine, slowly getting used to it. It's hard to get used to anything after having been in Asia for four months. I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends though and hopefully making new ones, which is why I'd really like a job working in a resto. After all that time in the pro-shop at the golf course heaven knows that my people skills are well-honed and now I just want a change of scenery. It feels so much better to know where i'm heading, for the next couple months at least. My feet are finally on the ground again, and I'm wearing my new black mary-janes.

- posted by Andrea @ 9:31 p.m.