Off to Victoria!

The Girl at the Pool series has not yet been fully published, so some of you may not be aware that after coming in 14th at the Lower Mainland West Regional competition in debate, I advanced on to Provincials. This is my first year to be able to do so, and I am very grateful for the opportunity, especially considering the fact that I had to overcome many obstacles to actually make it.

The first obstacle which stood in my way was all those private school kids, who always have the upper hand - I did that. Secondly, I had advanced onto Provincials with that partner I had talked about it my previous post incompetence. (I refered to her as the one who has a long way to go in debate.) Usually, that would be a great thing, because I really think that she was a good partner, who worked well with me. Here's the problem, two days before registration for the tournament is due, she dropped out on me. She had a bunch of excuses and sort of left me hanging, but I'm a big girl and I can fend for myself.

Scrambling, I emailed the tournament director and kindly asked if there was anyway for me to still attend the tourney. Amazingly, this fantastic tournament director found me a partner on a few days notice and I could still attend. Funnily, my new partner was also from a public school. What's more, is that my new partner was the girl who had won first place at the tournament where I had made a scene. I was pretty sure that she had hated me, but when I finally met her, she seemed as nice as possible.

We discussed our topic of prisoner voting, and came up with a few points. Then we went on to recount some debates we had been in, which we considered to be horrible. This girl has had considerable success in debate, considering that it's just her first year. We parted ways after a few hours and she set up a Google doc for us to share and add any other facts to.

I had succeeded in getting that sorted out and I was going to be able to compete in my tournament. It would really be a shame if I was unable to sort it out since I had already booked a hotel and called up my two best friends in the whole wide world to come and be my moral cheerleaders in Victoria. They agreed, and I was/am excited to be going with them!

Last night, I packed a change of clothes and a set of debate clothes, I packed my phone charger, my toothbrush, my hairbrush, and some snacks for the ferry trip. Despite having sent both my friends an itinerary, I called them to confirm some aspects of the trip. (They aren't the types that would actually take the time to read an itinerary, so I'd rather be safe than sorry. Despite having told myself that i would go to sleep early so that I could wake up refreshed for the debate, I went to bed around half past eleven.

When I first started debating, I would be unable to sleep the night before the debate due to nerves and excitement, after a few debates however, the feelings died down. Now it is 6:00am the day of my debate. I was supposed to wake up at 8:00am to catch a ferry. However, something isn't letting me sleep. Instead of sleeping, I am blogging.

It doesn't really matter, I guess. But despite my immense confidence, I have a few butteflies in my stomach. I tried to disspell these butterflies and cast them away by listening to Polyushko-Polye on repeat last night. I feel like Soviet Communist Party march songs are extremely inspiring, and listen to them whenever I am in need of a morale boost. 

In a few hours my friends will be here, they will assure me that I will do well in my debate because I am the best at what I do. We will get on the ferry, and probably be reported as nuisances for being so loud and obnoxious. It's going to be fun. In Victoria, they'll probably watch a few of my debates and go do some of their touristy activities. I'll go to my end banquet and have a good time. Honestly, I probably won't be able to sleep in Victoria either, in part due to nerves and in part due to the fact that one of my friends sleeps like a starfish, and if I end up sharing a bed with her it's going to get ugly.

When I get back, I will post all a out what happened, but for now, I am going to really try and go to back to sleep, or at least go to my living room so that I don't look like a blogging nerdy loser. (Right now, I am sitting on my bed typing out this post on my phone; my phone is getting really hot).

Whilst writing this post, I have seen the sunrise, and the sky change from a smokey navy blue, to a dim and pale sort of blue. I have watched as the thick clouds of dark blue have evaporated away from my window, to reveal the cloudless sky, which is still not a bright blue since the sun hasn't fully rose. I have heard my mom wake up, something which almost never happens. I have heard the pitter-patter of her steps on our wood floor, as they made their way to our bathroom, then to our kitchen, where I heard the tap begin it's irrevocable waterfall. She's washing dishes.

I know that when I do wake up, she will look at me with loving eyes, and beg me to go back to bed, or at least tell that I have nothing to worry about. 

As this day gets brighter and the sun climbs higher into each pore of the eternal sky, I am feeling strange. Some feeling of such utter beauty is overcoming me. Some feeling which is encouraging me to be an early riser. My eyes keep drifting from my phone to my window, and I cannot stop them. It looks like it's going to be a beautiful ride on the ferry.