Winter Break 2013

I've been in Winnipeg since December 14th! It's my winter break now so I'm trying to take it easy. Being back in Winnipeg after being by myself (with roommates) is nice. To be honest I miss my family, but I miss being by myself and coordinating my own schedule. I hate working rides out with my family, and not having my own vehicle. Someday when I'm able finance my own car.. I am going to be so happy!!! For now.. I will have to suffer a little bit.

I've been doing a lot of job shadowing lately. I've met up with wonderful mentors and I appreciate the experience so much. Here's a list of what I've seen lately:

• interviewed a hoarding house landlord
• kitchen inspection (high priority) at a bar
• assisted living (children)
• served an order physically (however we require to send it via Registered Mail)
• kitchen inspection in a coffee house (reinspection)
• opening day-care resinspection
• tattoo parlour (inspection)
• assisted living (adults)
• bar/kitchen (for opening inspection approval)

Tomorrow I will be going to a food facility that packages food for major hospitals in the area with another inspector. I am pretty excited! Seriously, I have been learning a lot and gaining a lot of experience from going out job shadowing. It's exciting. I feel like I'm seeing everything through a different lense now that I'm 1/3 through school. 

For the tattoo inspection, I gave some recommendations about how the sterilized packages should be stored. I noticed they were not really stored properly because they were folded and stacked upon each other. In addition, I found that inspection was a bit frightening because the operator was angry about some bureaucracy issues. All in all, it was a great experience and I'd like to write some notes on it! I feel like this career path is definitely tough but I enjoy the challenge in my work. I realize that I need to be a lot more organized in the future in order to succeed in my field. I will definitely try and I WILL MAKE IT.

Currently I am sitting in the most awkward position possible at the Kenaston Safeway. The chairs are right beside this cashier so as people pay for their groceries, they get to stare at my face while I type away. Seriously. Who the hell designs this seating? I feel so uncomfortable but alas, I have no choice since i have nowhere to go right now. And, its -40 below outside. I'll just sit here and enjoy my overpriced Starbucks drink :)

Life in Edmonton & Completing a Second Degree

Hi everyone,

I haven't been able to update my blog very much. I guess I've lost touch with the blogging world. My last blog entry (which I reposted) are my goals after graduation that I had written near the end of my degree. Well I did graduate with a B.Sc in HNS!  Which is absolutely great. Here is a wonderful picture of me.



Afterwards I went to school at Concordia University College in AB for the Environmental Health After Degree Program. It was really nerve racking applying for school here but I got in! Now I am living in downtown Edmonton in an apartment. I started school on September 1st and so it has just been under two months living here.

Being away from home and being on my own (not really though, I have two roommates) has been a very different experience. I don't have my family to rely on. Things like food and transportation were things were things I relied on them for. Now I have to share groceries with my roommates and I either go with my roommate to school (Car pool) or take the bus to where I need to go. I feel like my life here is similar to my life at home in Headingley. I often spent time alone, studied at coffee shops, went to shoppers drug mart and did my own thing.

The major difference is that I don't have as many responsibilities to my family. I had to work at the family restaurant. I also don't have to experience the mental frustrations at home because of the restaurant. I no longer feel the guilt of not spending my time at the restaurant. I can be free and relax and not feel bad about it.  Another difference is that in Headingley, I did not have my own transportation and had to carpool home everyday. I had to collaborate with my family so that I would have a way home. Now I can just take the bus where I like. In that sense, I feel a lot more freedom here. Another difference is that I now cook dinner twice a week! It's not that bad, I actually enjoy cooking. I think at home I didn't give it much of a chance. I'm glad I get to experience that here.

My program here is definitely intense. I feel like I need to study and work even harder. I got a part time job in a vitamin supplement store which requires extra learning as well. I believe there is an online course which I need to complete within a month.

I never really thought I'd move away from home. Everything just happened suddenly. I just take it day by day. I miss my family and friends and of course my bf. But I know I'll be back soon, and that I am here to better myself as a person and learn as much as possible. I will be trying to update as much as possible. :) Welcome back to me blogging!!!!!! ^^^

Pondering life after university.

This a previous post that I'd like to share. It was probably near the beginning of second semester of my last year of my degree.

Life after university. Scares me. I don't know which path I'll take. Here are the options I've paved for myself:

1. Find work, Volunteer for a dietitian apply everywhere later
take a year off, volunteer for a dietitian then apply for internship everywhere
pros: I think this type of position fits my personality, its public health
cons: high cost of moving and living and doing an 8 month internship outside of the province, cannot be home for a year or so

2. Bachelor of Environmntal Health Degree
- apply for environmental health degree and pursue health inspection
pros: study in a new city, learn independence, obtain a job that is secure once you secure it, working in public health
cons: might be too stressful for my personality, high cost of living in another city, cannot be home for 15 months

3. Masters Degree in Community Nutrition
 complete a masters degree in community nutrition
pros: its at the uofm, pursuing more education is always a good thing, I can still complete my RD later