10 things I've done that you probably haven't

[jaala]

In no particular order:

1. I've gotten a university professor to say "fuck" in class--cheerfully, loudly and repeatedly.
2. I wrote to Equinox magazine as a child and received a return letter from John Theberge.
3. I sang Flanders and Swann's "Ill Wind" at a coffeehouse. Unfortunately, it didn't go so well.
4. I impressed/freaked out a folk duo (by knowing the words to all of the songs in their set) to such an extent that they gave my family a free copy of their only record we didn't have.
5. I've intentionally stayed up all night in a university music building to practice and finish an essay, brought face wipes and a change of clothing and a toothbrush, and attended classes the next day without going home.
6. I learned accordion in order to play it in the orchestra for Fiddler on the Roof.
7. I attended so many shows at the first Toronto Improv Festival that I was given free admission to the last show and interviewed for feedback for the artistic director. (Yes, I went to these shows alone. I did have a really nice conversation with Andy Bush at one point though.)
8. I've been to an arts camp that was evacuated because one of the cabins burnt down.
9. I've voluntarily opted to read the Bible in a cabin rather than attend a dance party. (This took place at the same arts camp. I sat as far away from the speakers as possible, complained about the noise and said I had a headache until they finally let me leave. I wasn't allowed to go back to my own cabin, however, but had to sit in the director's cabin. My little Gideons New Testament was nicely portable.)
10. I've collected maple sap, snowshoed, chopped wood, carded and spun wool, collected eggs from chickens, ridden a pony (weekly), and acted as ringleader of a circus... at school. It was an alternative school that, much to my dismay, only went from kindergarten to Grade 3.

Comments

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

You have such an interesting life :D

I've done something similar to #5 as well: intentionaly stayed up all night at Mac-Corry, studied for a final exam, brought toothbrush and such (but not a change of clothes), and had an exam the next day without going home.

Where's this alternative school? It sounds amazing!

[out4astroll.livejournal.com]

Mac Corry is evil...how could you possibly work there???

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

Where there's food... =P

Those vending machines are evil! But they gave me a chance to reward myself during study time.*




* study time = reading everything for the very first time

[out4astroll.livejournal.com]

Ouch...you didn't eat the sandwiches...PLEASE TELL ME YOU DIDN'T EAT THE BROWNS VENDING SANDWICHES


(actually, I used to eat those on my daily 16 hour rez shifts....barf)

[jaala]

They let you stay there all night? I should try that some time... because of the access to snacks, of course.

The alternative school was (because it no longer exists) the East Gwillimbury Country Primary School. Beyond the fact that it was on a very small farm in East Gwillimbury, I can't really tell you where it was. But I still remember what the last five minutes of the drive and the school itself looked like. Gosh, I wish I had some photos; those were the most educational and enjoyable years of my life. I saw the principal/owner volunteering at the Georgina Pioneer Village a couple of times but haven't heard anything about her for more than five years.

[echomyst.livejournal.com]

Yup, you can stay in Mac-Corry for as long as you'd like, as long as you get in before 5pm (I think that's when the doors are locked)... but often you'd see people inside or leaving the building, in which case you'd try to get someone to open the door for you =P

I wish more of these cool alternative schools exist. I love the city but I'd like to experience rural life for a little bit and learn how the "other world" works.

I think many parents are afraid to send their kids to alt schools because they think their kids might fall behind in the "regular" curriculum. I was semi-homeschooled (my parents taught me language arts/literature, math, etc. from Hong Kong curricula while I still attended "regular" school in Toronto) ... and I seriously think I learned a lot more at home than at school.

[jaala]

Oh, there's no question in my mind that I learned more at this school than in all of Grades 4 to 8 at elementary school. And I learned to be self-motivated, a skill that was drilled out of me almost instantly at public school.