Off to see Santa...

Moi!!

Time seems to be flying by quickly now. As of today, I have exactly 29 days until I hit Canadian soil. I find it hard to believe that in less than two weeks Geoff will be here and shortly after that I will be heading off to Barcelona. I am one lucky girl!!

My practicum has been hold this week because of a nurses' strike that did not actually happen. Well, it did but it was short-lived and things are apparently going back to normal now. I spent this week reading all of the treaties, conventions, and regulations that impact asylum seekers and refugees. There are many of them!! It's scary to think that there are so many documents that can determine the fate of any given individual that finds themselves seeking asylum in a country that is not their own. It saddened me to read the rationale for why some documents have been drafted and implemented. Many of them view asylum seekers as undesirable, people who want to take advantage of the system, criminals, terrorists, etc. Sad to think that even children are viewed this way. What happened to compassion?

On a happier note, I am off to see Santa tomorrow. Yes, he lives in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland. I thought I would share some interesting facts about Rovaniemi:

1. Rovaniemi is located on the Artic Circle.
2. Approximately 62, 800 people live in the area.
3. Alvar Aalto, a famous Finnish architect, drew up a reconstruction plan for the city. As a result, the city of Rovaniemi contains a hidden deer puzzle. This apparently explains why the city streets are difficult to navigate. To see a picture, click here.
4. The Christmas Season officially opens today, November 24.
5. Rovaniemi is Europe's largest town by land area.
6. Rovaniemi, the name, has existed since September 7, 1453, although it is speculated that the name existed long before.

That is all I have to share right now. I hope everyone is doing well.

Much love!!
Bug