Day 4, Thursday, July 14: Brocket, Alberta

Calgary's Olympic Park. Katie's in the back behind the tall boys on the left!

Katie called last night. She's feeling a little homesick and says a few of the other kids are feeling it too. She loved the museum and said the dinosaurs were amazing.

She is really looking forward to getting to the First Nation today - but apparently the Sweat Lodge part is not happening because the Blackfoot are seeing too many owls and that's not a good thing relative to the Sweat Lodge. I hope they tell the kids more about what the owls mean. It's making Katie and I laugh because we just finished watching the entire Twin Peaks series and in that, if you recall, one of the messages was "the owls are not what they seem!"


Here's the note from Lyly: 

Today was another fun-packed day. This morning we left Pope Lease Pines for the Tyrell Dinosaur Museum in Drumheller. The students were given lots of time to wander the museum and take in all the sights. If you have never experienced this museum, the sheer size of the dinosaur skeletons is incredible. It is something worth seeing.

We asked the students to take note of several dinosaur facts as they wandered because later they would have to recite some of the things they had learned. It was awesome to see each student come up with a different fact and state it in front of the entire delegation. You truly have amazing kids! Then Chelsea gave students the option to go for a walk thru the surrounding Badlands or go to the gift shop. Many chose to go on the walk and said that it was really fun.

We spent the afternoon at Calgary Olympic Park. Delegates were split into six groups to go on a scavenger hunt. They were given clues and had to work as a team to find answers to the riddles. I enjoyed seeing students co-operating together as they scurried around the park. We were also able to take some great pictures in one of the original Calgary Olympic bobsleds. You'll love them.

We are headed to the Tipi Camp tomorrow. Can't wait to see what we learn about the Blackfoot Nation.

These are the First Nation peoples they will meet.

People to People Itinerary

1. Today is your first day at the Painted Reflections Tipi camp. Over the next two days, you will study and experience the First Nations culture in the Porcupine Hills south of Calgary.
2. Through discussions and interactions with Blackfoot people, gain insights into their spiritual beliefs, customs and culture.
3. You'll have the unique opportunity to hear First Nations Piikani legends told by Elders.
4. While here, you will begin your Earth Steward Service Project as you learn what it takes to become an environmental ambassador. Through workshops and hands-on experiences, you will learn innovative ways of reducing your overall waste in Canada and your own community.
5. Stay warm and dry at night under the canopy of your tipi.

[And you have to love this!] Be prepared for the area's mosquitoes by wearing long pants, a long sleeve shirt, both light colored and mosquito repellent, with DEET as the main ingredient. Mosquitoes are most active in the late afternoon to dusk. However, preventative measures should be taken all day.

Cool Find: I happened to come across a blog from the 2010 People to People Canada trip. If you want to see what's coming (or what happened last year), check it out!

The tipi and a Blackfoot Indian.