Greggy’s Back in Smithers

This past week, I went back to Smithers B.C., Canada to teach at the Dze L K’ant Friendship Centre. I taught the students basic piping skills and how to make Gum Paste Roses. Everyone did an amazing job! It seemed like everyone was absorbing every bit of it and caught on very fast. By the comments they were making, I could tell they were inspired; some wanted to keep on makin’ flowers and didn’t even want to leave for their lunch break! It was a great time.

I also had the opportunity to check out Smithers ‘n’ do the whole tourist-y thing. (I didn’t get a chance to last time around.) Smithers is such a BEAUTIFUL place: the mountains, the snow, the trees… I’m also overwhelmed and humbled by the beautiful people who live there; they genuinely appreciate what they have and fully enjoy what we call “simple” things, and really KNOW how live life. I.E. “watching the Northern Lights dancing in the sky” “Fishing during the Salmon Run.” One woman walked up to me and said, “Greggy, you HAVE to come back in the Summer and look at the beautiful Lady Slipper orchids, you would love them!” Yeah, I appreciate beautiful things, but I need to do more than that. They also do nothing but give and help others. I.E: the services they offer at the Friendship Centre. I need to do MORE. Sometimes I need to stop and remind myself to enjoy my surroundings and erm, live.

One of my most adorable students, Mikayla, had a fundraiser for her school, so I helped her make a couple of cakes to auction off. We used some of the students roses that we made the day before. Some of the students from my class were happy to see their own roses on the cake: it turned out beautiful.

Anywhoodle, I love-love-love going to Smithers and I hope to come back again someday. I miss everyone already!