Community building exercises. Three words that come second only to role playing in the list of things I will go out of my way to avoid. After seeing that community building was on the agenda for orientation week this week, I spent the long weekend trying to figure out if I could escape. When I realized that the three or four others I already know in the program would likely note my absence, I braced myself to attend.

Fortunately it was little more than introductions, conversation over food, and a scavenger hunt around campus. It is the introductions that always get me.

“Give us your name and where you’re from.

Where am I from? That’s an interesting question, and a tricky one given the amount people move around these days. Technically I guess I’m from Belleville. But I’ve been away from there longer than I ever lived there at this point. Home is wherever I am as I move my things with me when I move for something like this. My move here to London was from Victoria and, to be honest, Victoria still feels like home.

So that’s what I said. Victoria, BC. Eyebrows raised. “Wow, that’s a long way!”

Afterwards I received a lot of questions about why I chose to come to London for school (I don’t think Ontarians realize how few Anglican seminaries are west of here compared to what is in Ontario) and heard lots of stories about people’s visits to BC. Everyone seems to know someone who has retired there…

***

I hung up my art on the wall this afternoon. That always feels like the last step to settling into a place and making it homey. Nearly everything has a place and I’m sorting out how I want to do this like dishes in my rather unorthodox kitchen setup.

I’m here. I’m settled. I have an Ontario drivers license. I’ve begun school. This adventure is underway.