ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

We were approved in Montreal today!!! :D More of a review later. It went really well. Thanks everyone for your help and well wishes!



Awesome! Congrats! :)


Now we just need to hear from Zenaxe.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-27 18:59:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

Hey there, thanks all for the well wishes...ya we are this week's MTL crew and all of us will have great news !! It's very exciting and I can't believe that tomorrow night I'll be packing for an early flighth out to Montreal. Wow, here it is. I'll go over ever single document sunday night and then again and double check. I look forward to writing a review sometime after I get back.

Bwoo, I'll problably see you guys there !! FireRay good luck !! Who have I missed?

And thanks all for the well wishes !!



Thanks :) I cant wait for work to be done tomorrow so I can find the results out :) I cant belive its time already.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-25 12:23:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

FireRay and Bwoo - I'm from Detroit and my Husband lives in Windsor. I have crossed 1-2 times/week for the past 8 years. I HIGHLY recommend taking the Tunnel. Everytime I've crossed the bridge (which is probably more than 100 times in my life), the Border Guards are on a major power trip and give you an extra difficult time for no reason. The agents at the Tunnel are much more friendly and laid back. I would go the Tunnel route for sure!!



Ok, I will keep that in mind, and see where that tunnel is. I have never been that way. I have only crossed at the bridge, and have had no problems. But hey if its easier to cross at the tunnel, I am all for easy border crossing :) Thanks :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-23 22:21:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

Hey guys! Almost there - less than week left! Yay! Hard to believe, it seemed like it was a LONG time ago since we started started the process but also went by fairly fast as well. That is the strange part about time..and time while in the immigration process goes even stranger when you are away from your loved one. Waiting for the interview to be scheduled and to actually come was the longest part for us.

I've checked over the required documents several times. Probably will again before I leave to go up there with my wife. Going to get the xpresspost envelope in Montreal the day before. Still sorting out paperwork for importing the car.. do you all know which "codes" to check on the forms? The car is compliant and I'm waiting on a letter from Toyota. For the EPA 3520-1 Form - I'm thinking Code B, EE, or M? For the USDOT Form HS 799 - I'm thinking Code 2B? Does anyone know which codes are appropriate?

The interview seems like the easy part now (like FireRay said - if we've made it this far without hiccups..they must be at least considering approving us Posted Image) Still a little nervous but mostly about remembering to bring all the information since we did EP. The interesting thing is without the interview the process would be up to half as long and half as expensive (travel to, hotel, food, etc in Montreal) all for a 15-30 minute interview. Posted Image Gotta do what you gotta do though.

We're expecting a POE around August 2-3rd if everything goes well in Montreal - as soon as we receive the visa packet in the mail we're planning on taking off. Looks like we'll be the first across so I'll try to let you all know how it goes. I think we're going to come across in Detroit on the way to Denver.

Good luck FireRay and Zenaxe!


Ok, so the Ambassador bridge or the tunnel? We will be taking the bridge across.

Well, she passed her medical today and will get the packet on friday from them and head over to Montreal. I am still nervous about the whole interview thing, but I feel pretty good about it :)

Yeah, its ashame that its so expensive because of the interview part. But, I dont mind having to pay the money, so long as she gets here. :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-21 10:39:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

:thumbs: :pop: :wow:

Hey man, oh ya I'm ready. I've gone over the documents several times and have completely organized all the documentation. I've got an accepted offer on my house and the subjects are being removed so that's a groovy thang. MTL is right around the corner. I'm flying out Monday am. Unfortunately flying back the very next day in the afternoon hahaha but then again, it's a business trip and I do intend to get that approval. After all the waiting and griping and calling and wondering and cursing and this and that....here we are. Of course until we get those 'welcome to the USA' words actually spoken.... but that will happen.

Are you guys all ready? Check those documents. Make sure you've got your Express post envelope, bring your interview letter etc. I know I don't have to tell you but sometime's it's easy to overlook things. I'll go over everything again on Sunday night and I'll pack very light.

We are here.

That said, I also want to send a note out to those waiting patiently for their interviews - we know how hard it is and right now MTL seems to be moving at a snail's pace. Stay positive - the alternative to that sucks anyway. Your days will come and soon. Vent and rant but know it's only a matter of time.


I'm expecting POE around Aug 13 or 14th, all contingent upon me being able to have all the financial stuff taken care of before I leave. My father in law and I will be driving my two cars down so that'll be a very cool adventure. I'm actually looking forward to the drive down. We'll zip through Washington, Oregon, California and, finally, home to Arizona!! Plus I'll be driving my 350Z so that'll be funky. :dance: :wow: :yes: :D B-) :dance: :energy: :star: :devil: :reading: :dancing: :secret: :joy: :idea: :pop:



Yeah, we are ready. As ready as we will ever be. I am just really ready to be done with this whole thing though lol, as I am sure everyone is.
I am expecting to be approved as well, heck, our three cases flew through the whole process. Neither of us had any issues through the process. I think if we were to have some issues in the interview process we would have not have moved along as fast as we did, and without any problems. Atleast thats my thinking of it. Yay for hopefully thinking!

We are expecting our POE between August 17-19th.

As for those who are waiting, Good luck. Its slow and long...and MTL seems to make it longer. But as Zenaxe said, stay positive :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-21 00:03:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Bwoo and Zenaxe you guys ready for next week? I cant believe its already here. Lets start the week out right :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-07-20 22:31:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Sorry for slacking on the forums lately! Between the New job, the fire company, and getting ready for my wife to come this way, and sleeping. I havent had time for much. Good luck to those waiting for interviews, hope you get assigned a date soon. :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-06-25 23:35:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
I got mine too! July 26th!

Edited by FireRay, 27 May 2010 - 06:46 PM.

FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-27 18:43:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

Interesting to see there are 3 of us (Canadiandggal, Craig-n-Jaquie and me) who got our case completed around the same time...!! Go Montreal embassy!


Bwoo, and myself have the same date, and zenaxe is right there with us as well. So that makes another cluster of vj'ers right next to each other. lol funny how that works.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-19 18:56:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Congrats on Case completes! Now, welcome to the wait for an interview line. Its a long one, so be prepared.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-19 16:45:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

I called NVC and got confirmation that we were NOT scheduled for June due to the limited capacity of the Embassy blah blah blah , limited capacity. Well checking the VJrs we have two or three in May and three in June..wow that should put it at the top.

So for Married2009, Bwoo, and FireRay, I guess we wait for July, unless of course you guys got notice for June interviews.

I was hoping for June but thought it might be an outside chance of that. I guess it'll be 3 months. Let's at least hope for July


Nope Keep me on the waiting list.

:ranting: :protest: :ranting: :protest: :ranting: :protest: :ranting: :protest:

Lets hope for one early/mid July. That way I can get her by the end of July. I have my long weekends in the end of July.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-18 04:41:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Kinda disapointing to see no names on the bottom of that list have any interview dates scheduled. No interviews scheduled in Montreal(Minus Cndwife)

Lets hope those names get dates soon!
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-11 16:02:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

You guys aren't far behind me and I got my interview date today!!! June 23rd! My case was complete at NVC on April 9th...sooo from case complete to interview 74 days...not as bad as it was.


Congrats! I am glad to see its not to crazy of a wait like it used to be. :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-02 10:09:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

It's entirely possible. It could be that a June date is ambitious but July is realistic, at least in my opinion. On the other hand, last summer, staff walked off the job at the consulate and they were down staff for quite a while. But that was then and this is now.

I'm still baffled as to why I can only see two May interviews so far - what's that about?

Keep the positive vibes going and send out positive energy to the universe !! We are on the threshold :thumbs:



Only Can be positive! I dont know about for you guys, but time is cruising by for me. I really cant belive its already May, and we are waiting for our interviews to be scheduled. We started this journey in January (Atleast a few of us here did.) And reading through the posts and peoples timelines, folks are moving right along. The nvc seems to be going through things faster now. Next thing we know, we will be with our significant others enjoying their company. :thumbs: :)

**Sending out the positive vibes**
FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-01 14:54:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
It will be nice to see the bottom of the list get interview dates listed soon :) Lets hope its our month! Good luck to everyone!

I am going to keep my dream and hope it will be for June or July. LOL

Edited by FireRay, 01 May 2010 - 10:59 AM.

FireRayMaleCanada2010-05-01 10:58:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

Hi Trailmix! You can change me to blue, I am DONE and APPROVED!!!!!


YAY!! Congrats :) :D
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-27 16:18:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

That's what the timeline above is for. If you have a look you will see a DTI number at the end of each line, where the person has received an interview date. DTI = days to interview ie: how long it took between finishing up at NVC and getting an interview in Montreal.


LOL! touche

Yeah, well...I was going more for the whole "After the big flush" of Interviews they did the past month or so. I thought she grabbed a number from the consulate site saying..."Its about a 3month wait"

Assuming I recall correctly, that they did a huge ammount of interviews the past month or so no?
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-26 17:20:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

So it looks like they are running three months behind for interviews. Bleh.


How do you find this out?


Don't you hate reading those posts from other countries that only have to wait a month, when you know we are looking at a minimum of 3 months? Blech.


Yeah, three months is kinda insane... :blink: (Perhaps we can pull out the, cruel and unusual card on this) Perhaps they need to hire some more staff...or get something more efficient going. OR maybe...get that consulate in Torono to handle Immigrant visas.

I will just be glad when this is all done, and she is living with me.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-26 16:48:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
So now the big question is....how long do we have to wait for interviews lol. Lets hope that its fairly soon. Say June would be good :P LOL wishful thinking...yes I know.
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-23 12:14:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview
Trailmix can you out me down for being done at the NVC 4/22 and No RFE

Thank you much :)
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-22 17:18:00
CanadaIR1 / CR1 - Montreal Timeline to Interview

APPROVED.....

:dance:

Will post my review as soon i reach home.......


Awesome! Congrats!
FireRayMaleCanada2010-04-10 19:02:00
CanadaWoohoo!!!
Congrats! :dance:
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-30 08:48:00
CanadaHow much notice is given for Montreal interview?
I think we had about 2 weeks....we got caught in that big scheduling push they had.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-16 12:12:00
CanadaHealth Insurance Help - Non-Employer?
I have insurance through Golden Rule...which, from what I understand, will take just about anyone. The major problem I have with them is that it's so dang expensive. I pay ~$320/month for just me. My employer (well, the "primary" employer, the non-profit) is too small to offer insurance, so I have to go throgh private insurance companies. I don't have any prescription coverage, and I pay all my own expenses until I reach my $2500 premium. What that generally means is that I can't ever afford to go to a doctor.

I had a hell of a time getting insurance. I applied to probably 6 different companies before finally getting one to accept me. All of them, at least the ones offered around here, have a "height/weight ratio" requirement. If you don't fit into it, they don't insure you. They also had major concerns about my having ADHD (didn't every kid in the US in the mid 90s?).
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-16 07:29:00
CanadaOMG... And she thought I was lying!!! **You're SO gonna laugh!**
QUOTE (rexalite @ May 2 2009, 07:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Anyway, I find the best way to get rid of a pushy salesperson is to say "i'm sorry I need to spend all of my disposable income on therapy. It's one of the conditions of my release." That's a pretty handy conversation stopper.


Sorry, not sure how I wandered into a thread that hadn't been updated for this long, but...

rofl.gif good.gif

Edited by ScooterMac, 09 December 2009 - 09:29 AM.

ScooterMacFemaleCanada2009-12-09 09:27:00
CanadaPOE wishes!!!
Good luck!!
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-27 10:40:00
CanadaVISA APPROVED!!! YEAH!!!!!!!
Congrats!!!!
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-27 10:42:00
CanadaMontreal denied!!!
QUOTE (trailmix @ Nov 24 2009, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Dalene @ Nov 24 2009, 10:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That doesn't look like him, so I think maybe it was someone else. I do think we all had the same guy, though. I wish I had asked his name, but I didn't name because I was upset and he wanted us to leave - I wish I had.


The K1 interviewees have said that he was the person interviewing them if I remember correctly - so if this picture is not of the guy that interviewed you then you were not interviewed by Paul Mayer.

That's good news because if it was him then we can just take the reestablishing domicile guidelines and toss them.


Not all us K-1 folks, though. That was definately not the guy who interviewed us.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2009-11-24 12:49:00
CanadaThinking Canadian in the USA
Our church plays a variation on dodgeball called (hilariously enough) Murderball.

You line up the kids in two teams about 2ft. from the wall. Each kid is assigned a number. When you call out a number (or, as the game progresses, two, three, four, or all the numbers), the kids whose numbers were called run for the ball in the middle of the court. The objective is for the kid who gets the ball to hit the opposing team's wall with the ball while the kid who didn't get the ball chases/tackles/trips/etc the one with the ball.. They can throw it, kick it, run up and touch the ball to the wall, bounce it off another player, etc. The rest of the team (who isn't allowed to move off their line 2ft. from the wall) is supposed to stop the player or the ball by any means available.

This often results in some pretty beat up kids...and these are NICE kids.

Our dodgeball games are just as bad, we've got a couple high school girls who can leave welts with those things!

Then again, this kinda stuff probably wouldn't fly in the big city...living in the country seems to breed "tougher" kids and parents, at least as far as the babying kids thing goes.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-16 12:08:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
I'm so tired I can barely vent....but I'll give it a shot.

I've slept maybe all of 11 hours since Friday night. I didn't do volunteer work I would've normally done this weekend because I was so exhausted - I even skipped church! I can't seem to fall asleep and stay asleep...I wake up within an hour of falling asleep, and then I'm ususally awake for awhile after that. I've also been having really terrible awful nightmares, so much so that I'm waking up having panic attacks.

Ughhhh....so sleeeeeeeepy....4.5 hours down, only 7 more hours til I'm done for the day.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-27 10:40:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

OMG, Scooter. I'd be furious!


I am, especially since I missed our March meeting because we were out of town attending a conference (at what was mostly our own expense). I'm the only paid member of staff ("Executive Director" lulz), but I don't have the ability to do...well, pretty much anything without the board's consent. I work 12 hour days M-F (I couldn't afford to work just the non-profit, doesn't pay enough), work 4 hours one saturday a month (elementary school day), and usually a full day at least one other saturday a month (community service event, open house, cleaning day, etc). I have to go to community organizations, churches, civic clubs, etc. to BEG for food/volunteers/donations, I'd say on at least a bi-weekly basis. I usually only have one or two other volunteers (for watching 30-60 teens), and none of our board members volunteer on a regular basis. A lot of time I feel like I'm the only one putting any effort into this thing (other than my beloved husband, of course) and it wears me down and frustrates the living ####### out of me.

Thanks, VJ, for giving me a place to vent :D
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-15 10:22:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
So, our board of directors at work is supposed to meet every month, on the second thursday of the month. Our president often sends reminders, but just as often forgets. Last week (being the second thursday), I called the other board members, only to find that they all either assumed we didn't have a meeting because the reminder didn't get sent out, had made other plans, or were out of town.

Normally, I wouldn't complain about not having to sit through a meeting, but not having this meeting on time meant that I didn't have our proposal for continued funding from the school board ready when we were supposed to present it on Monday. Instead, I gave our quarterly report, and had to listen to the president of our school board crack jokes about how we were supposed to have presented our proposal, but "Surprisingly, this year, April came right after March!", which is business speak for "if you don't have this the next time you're in front of us, you're screwed."

So, our board members now know our proposal is due at the begining of May. Being that today is the middle of April, I figured, okay, our board would have their meeting toinght, since they all forgot last week.

......wrong. No meeting.

I'm not in a position to write this proposal myself - it has to be voted on by our board and I need help from our secretary and treasurer for the necessary information.

*headdesk*

Sometimes I dream of going back to a callcenter job instead of a non-profit *lol*
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-15 09:13:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

((hug))


Thanks :lol: I love my kids....but middle schoolers and april fools, on our longest day of the week, do not make for a fun afternoon!
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-01 07:05:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

I hate April fools.


I work with teenagers. Today is going to be hell.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-04-01 07:01:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
Stupid stupid stupid flu.

This is the first year I've ever gotten a flu shot, and I've been sick more times than I think I ever have been in my life. Granted, I work with between 100-200 students a week, but jeez!

This is at least the third time I've had the flu this winter. I've had two or three nasty colds as well - one of which started before my wedding (in January) and still hasn't really gone away.

Dear immune system,

Quit being terrible at what you're supposed to be doing. I can't miss any more work

-Me.
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-17 11:31:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
This is my last work-related vent for (hopefully) at least 2 weeks. I'll be out of town next week for a conference for youth center advocates, volunteers, directors, teachers, etc. It'll be nice to be around people who are supportive of our goals for a change!

Last night, about 15 minutes after we opened, the police chief wrangled about 8 tweens-to-teens into my building. These are kids who come to our building, but hadn't been in our building yet that day, and who weren't on the way to our building (they were going to a kid's house). The police chief screamed at the kids in front of about 35 of their peers, telling them that if they wanted to smoke, that they should smoke in the youth center (which is illegal, nevermind being against our rules) or on our property (which would cause them to get kicked out, since it's against our rules to have tobacco on our property). He never lowered his voice below bellowing the whole time, and when I asked what had happened, he turned and screamed at me that these kids are "YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! YOURS! LET THEM SMOKE WHEREVER THEY WANT IN HERE, JUST KEEP THEM INSIDE. THEY'RE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!". Again, these students weren't in my building, and weren't heading for my building.

The cop wouldn't give me an answer as to exactly what happened, but from talking to the students it was clear that he caught them and instead of calling their parents, taking their smokes, citing them, etc. he just brought them to the youth center for me to deal with. What the heck?!

*facepalm*
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-05 10:08:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

Is this today's version of "The dog ate my homework!" :lol:


Except the book is available at the library, likely :P I bought maybe 10 books during college, borrowed the rest from our library or from classmates who'd taken the course before me.

Also, cars with broken windows still run enough to get you to class! And since (presumably) all the valuables in the car, along with the book, got stolen...there shouldn't be any concern about leaving it out with a broken window! :whistle:
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-02 12:02:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

I wasn't an "at-risk" youth or anything, but some of the kids surely were. I guess what I'm saying is that maybe Scooter can look into diversifying what they offer a bit...give kids that much more incentive. Ultimately the overriding desire is that the kids there are safe and staying out of trouble. Finding things other than drugs or hooliganism to engage them is what will keep them coming back.


Right now, we have 2 PS2 systems and a decent amount of games, a projector and built-in movie screen to watch movies, 5 computers online (working on 6 and 7 as we speak), pool tables, ping pong tables, foosball tables, an air hockey table, weight and exercise equipment, books, board games, puzzles, and free food. We had an xbox 360, but one of the kids knocked it off the TV and now it isn't working....we also have a pinball game (free), but it's broken as well. We try to do field trips, but we've wound up cancelling every trip we've planned - we get maybe 1-3 kids who bring in money/permission slips for outside events. Most of the kids say they can't afford to go on the trips (including a $6 fee for all-day tubing). We have equipment to have a photography club, which the kids really want, but don't have an adult to take the kids out to take pictures (I can't be in the center and with that group at the same time, and I can't let them leave with our equipment without an adult). We've also had programs offered by the girl scouts for the middle schoolers, but again, no adults to help supervise (they have a required adult to student ratio, which we don't even come close to meeting). We do community service activities (when I have enough adults to supervise), and we have homework help for the kids who are struggling. Spoom is working on a program to help the older teens get ready to interview and look for work - we're working with students who are stuck in generational proverty...no one to tell them to wear nice clothes to the interview, and that the correct answer to "Why do you want to work here" isn't "cuz I need money, dude."

I'd like to get some new/other stuff in the building, but we run on.....well, we'd make a shoestring budget look excessive. I don't have any cash on hand to buy/replace/repair stuff (I have about 12 broken pool sticks, and could repair probably 10 if I had the money to do it).

It's a balancing act.....a really, really difficult one, some days!

Edited by ScooterMac, 02 March 2010 - 10:54 AM.

ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-02 10:52:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois

You know, in the kind of work you're doing, from my own personal experience there is ALWAYS going to be people that think that they can either do a better job than you. I don't know how small the town is that you work in, but getting the support of the leaders in the community is essential. I think I remember you saying earlier that community leaders were one of your critics? It's time that you met with them and came to some kind of understanding. What is it they want of you? How can you guys meet and come up with some type of compromise on what it is that they're looking for? Is it just location that bothers them? That wouldn't suggest to me that it's location if they're supporting the other person from opening up a place so close to you. Bring some of the parents that DO think you do a great job to the community leader meeting. Have some kids that are doing volunteer work in the community take a leadership role in advocating the program you run.

Small towns are SO political! If you really believe in what you're doing though, you can't ignore that the biggest critic's of your program will be your demise if you don't have them on your side. Maybe it's time to get someone involved, just ONE person that can advocate for you...a professional from the community, that will do some pro bono work for your group. It will take a lot of time and effort to do this work, and if you're the person "running" the centre each day, that might not be possible without some help on the "#### kissing" part of things.

Best of luck!


It's a MUCH too small town *LOL*

We have people on both sides - 3 school board members, a former teacher, our guidance couselor, and a few pastors are on our board of directors. Most of the school board members are on our side. The kids advocate for their own program and do community service work as well, but these are kids that most people don't trust (we have a lot of at-risk kids) so when people see them out, they clutch their purses a little tighter and cross the street.

There's one school board member backed by about 10 very vocal people, including the police officer's wife (who stated publicly that her husband is against the youth center), the superintendent's secretary, the head of the teacher's union, etc. I've tried to talk to all of these people, but they're not willing to even set foot inside the building, let alone meet with me there to see what we're working with. We're in the process of finding a new superintendent, so who knows what will happen there. I've sat down and spoken with the police officer, and encouraged him to stop by whenever he notices an issue (which he's never done). I've spoken with the lady on the school board, but she insists that these students must be charged a fee to enter so they learn that "life isn't a free ride". There's no compromise in her mind. A lot of people have a problem with the fact that tax money (from the school) is going to support the youth center, and that we also receive money from local churches. People either complain about their tax money going to "waste" on these kids, or they cry "seperation of church and state!" It hurts my brain.

As for parents, most of them are absentees during these hours - we have one parent who volunteers, and we occasionally see others when they pick their kid up (on the way home from work or whatever). We've tried repeatedly to get them involved, but even the ones who are home during those hours don't have any desire to help. One mother actually said "You take him during those hours so he's not a pain in my @$$, why would I want to help there?"

I'm about burned out with trying to do my own PR work while running the place. I know there will always be people who think they could do it better, or that I'm not doing the right thing, and I can handle a lot of it. Right now it's just absurd to me that I have a group of people who think I'm not doing enough, and another who think I'm expecting too much to expect the kids to behave civilly.

Edited by ScooterMac, 02 March 2010 - 08:49 AM.

ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-02 08:47:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
Arrrrrgh

When we opened yesterday afternoon, my volunteer came flying in the door flipping out that someone in the community was going to open a rival youth center across town (less than a 1/2 mile away) to put "me" out of business. Mind you, my volunteer was *way* overreacting, but still....This person is a parent of 2 kids who come to our youth center, was once very active in our project, and thinks that our youth center is way too strict and that kids "need a place to act like kids." Our rules are actually fairly reasonable (Respect the staff, each other, and the equipment, don't make out with your girlfriend, don't scream obscenities across the room, etc) and we don't let kids skateboard inside the building because of liability reasons.

So now, on top of battling a group of people who think we don't do enough with these kids, I've got opposition telling me that I expect too much of these kids.

Anyway, this guy wants to open a youth center in a much bigger building, allow kids to skateboard, have arcade games and let the kids do whatever they want. And, to make it even better, he has his kids telling all the other students about how cool its gonna be, and how they're opening in less than two weeks, and how "I'm" totally going to be out of business. What mostly bothers me is that this guy keeps referring to me by name, and talking about putting me out of work and stuff. It's bizarre.

What the heck is wrong with my town?
ScooterMacFemaleCanada2010-03-02 07:59:00