June Blog

The unpredictable gifts of jet lag are not having a clue what time it is, or caring. I began my 2,000 kilometer drive to visit my mom going through Medicine Hat, Swift Current and Moose Jaw. By Moose Jaw it was past midnight and I thought it might be wise to stop as the deer were beginning to appear at the side of the road.

The Northern lights lit the sky from East to West with fuchsia, green, red, purples… all shooting in wild exclamation and subtle waves. Cassiopeia sat in full repose atop it all. It became impossible to miss out on this wild and spectacular light show so I eventually passed on a Motel 6 for a gravel road east of Moose Jaw with sleeping bag (always with safety kit for blizzard survival) in a field.

Canada, north lights, loons calling, spring run off with floods in a town called High River. (Might think the name would give a clue…? I am just saying…)

Monkeys on the roof and monitors moving along the road way…unfamiliar to North Americans…I expect my Sri Lankan blog readers will find North Lights as foreign to them.

And now, still June, I am writing this from Madrid. Ximena is in Nice, France at meetings with Cafod, Caritas and many relief organizations. Martin is at work and I will write my blog thoughts before heading to the pool. I am here in Europe for a Hindu wedding between Jai (whose family are coming from India) and Aya (her family are Japanese). (Ximena, Jai and Aya are all friends from Bradford days.)

Within a month’s time I have been providing training in peer mediation in Sri Lanka, and teaching officers with the city of Calgary in dealing with challenging situations and facilitating an online course in Conflict Resolution reaching across several continents. I do not know if anyone out there is still following along with that is blog now that I have left Sri Lanka, but if so I will keep you updated on this journey of peacemaking across the land.

If you have an interest in participating in piloting the online courses, email me at marthamcmanus(at)hotmail.com. Sorry. I can not figure out this Spanish key board. ¿Quien puede ayudar me?

Adios!