CELEBRATION in THE PRAIRIE

Congratulations and jubilations are in order during my last night in the prairie.
[caption id="attachment_809" align="alignnone" width="300"] Workshop completed, PROST C.Waschko[/caption]

Today we did our second LIVE LIFE NOW event in the middle of nowhere (Weyburn), we rocked it, our guests laughed, cried and interacted vividly with us. If this isn't enough reason for celebration, here is another one: I am flying home in the morning. Back to kids, husband, dog (don't have one, it sounds good though) and castle.

It has been four days of no rest, not much relaxation and lots of running around. I really hope Dominic (my husband) didn't mistake this for a well deserved holiday on my behalf. Because it wasn't. The next time I prefer to get invited by an organisation who organized everything for me! Did somebody say it Is easy to create, market AND facilitate your own event? I don't think so - if they did, they were lying! If it's easy, everybody would do it - and where is the fun at that?

I look forward to coming home, being a mother again! Please, please, please, let there be a big pile of dirty laundry waiting for me. Let the fridge be empty! Please- I want to get back into the swing of things.
Told ya. the prairie makes me crazy!

Oh, and I nearly forget to tell you, the folks down here have a saying: "After three days you can still see your dog running." Yeap, it's that flat here!



Tomorrow I am back, reporting from luscious, green, hilly, picturesque, more busy and more crowded Lower Mainland B.C!

STILL In THE PRAIRIE

...and definitely not in love!
There is something about this flatness that depresses me - only kidding, nothing ever depresses me!
Rather, it feels like I stepped into yesterday world, straight from a movie set. After seventeen months of looking at the mountains in BC I can honestly say, the prairie is not for me (the power of snow covered mountain ranges makes you fall in love with them.)

Stop whinging Christina and get back to business:
My venture partner Gail and I are facilitating LIVE LIFE NOW here in Weyburn. Our event, nor we, aren't known (famous!!!) - yet. There is no sponsor, no event manager, no booking agent, no huge crowds waiting for us to hear our pearls of wisdom. All we have is our combined enthusiasm, stories, knowledge, experiences and a deep desire to inspire, help and motivate the ladies to LIVE LIFE NOW.

Today, we were busy was a capital B. We even did last day cold calling for our event at the local community. The employment agency, the Chamber of Commerce, schools, banks and kindergarden got their fair share of a quality 'Christina & Gail" -motivation pitch.
More shopping had to be done, Gail baked, broiled, printed, decorated and finalized the order of our presentation.
What was my involvement in all of this? I stressed Gail out, reminded her of the next tasks ahead, wrote the shopping list, ironed my shirts (even the folks here on the prairie like to see their presenter in a neatly pressed outfit, so I hope), packed my books and wrote this blog. Fair is fair!
[caption id="attachment_798" align="alignnone" width="224"] One busy lady![/caption]

Unfortunately, wishing, hoping and praying doesn't make it far in life if you don't get up and do your part! Fortunately, we did everything that needed to be done to make it a fantastic day tomorrow. Maybe I should go to bed wishing, hoping and praying for a successful 1 x event tomorrow.
Will see ya; tomorrow!

IN THE PRAIRIE

As you might remember, we immigrated from The Netherlands to hilly, beautiful B.C. We lived the 'flat' lifestyle for 12 long years; long enough to call myself an expert on Lowland - Living, big mistake!

Guess where I am at this right moment: Right in the middle of the Saskatchewan, in a place called Weyburn. If you need help with your bearings, let me help you. It's a bit further right from where we live, it is the second province to the east from B.C.
Whatever made me think Holland is flat? It is, but not as flat as it is here! Goodness gracious, the prairie is flatter than any pancake you ever baked, flatter than any crepe you ever ate. Let me say it again, it is FLAT in Saskatchewan.

This morning I left from Abbotsford airport, which is just the cutest, most efficient and less crowded airport I have ever been to. With cute I mean, as much as cute can be used to describe an airport.
In order to get to Abbotsford you drive through winding country lanes, picturesque scenery on both sides; the mountains are on the right hand side, the Fraser River on your left. There isn't a more idyllic way to get to any airport than this.

Coming back to the prairies- my mate Gail picked me up from Regina - (say the name with an English accent - not the German way- and you will know why I have a hard time saying it...) and we headed off to Weyburn. Which is a 100 km ride further down the dirt road with no street lights and road markings. During the car ride I couldn't get over the fact how flat it is...nothing to see, just a vast vastness.

To make the ride more interesting we shared stories about our past lives. If we had a friendly competition going on there, I pretty much won with my story about the teacher I know: Happily married for 20 years, four children, meets the love of her life and leaves her husband for - another woman! These two ladies move in together, husband is totally devastated (how can a man compete with another woman?), the ex- wife enjoys her new found pleasures. Anyway, after about two years ex wife returns back to her husband. The reason: Her lover cheated on her - with a man!
Yes, truth is stranger than fiction.

You will hear from me tomorrow with an exclusive report on prairie living!