A Hot Girl Year💃🏻

Happy New Year! 🎊

Alright, I admit it’s been a while – about half a year since my last post to be exact, which I left off nearing the end of my internship at Queen’s Park. This is my annual year-end reflection post (something I’ve put together in the past year and the one prior).

Closing Chapter of OLIP

In the last month of the internship back in June, us interns wrapped up our work in our MPP’s offices, went to Victoria/Vancouver, B.C. for a study tour, and jetted off across the pond to visit legislatures in Belfast, Northern Ireland and London, UK. Looking back, I feel a sense of awe at how much we were exposed to through the internship. I overcame my imposter syndrome and anxiety surrounding academia and research with my final poster presentation at the annual Canadian Political Science Association’s conference. And although I wouldn’t say I am most attuned to European politics, it was a fascinating moment (i.e. the height of Brexit talks) to learn first-hand from a variety of stakeholders and different contexts on what the various scenarios could mean for different communities and other states. More broadly, it was a beautiful setting (politics aside), to finish off an intense 10-months being a part of an incredible 10-person cohort of OLIP interns. I couldn’t have asked for a more loving and inspiring group to have gone through the experience alongside, through all the ups and downs we faced, we left the program bonded as a family! We have since met up, and I know we’ll continue to plan reunions and reminisce on this unique time in our lives.

The OLIP 2018-2019 Family in London, UK

Summer Travels and Gains  

One of the major privileges of the internship was ending off being abroad with the option of booking return tickets on our own. We made use of the opportunity to continue along with personal travels. Myself and Munisha, aka one of my commuter crew queens, decided that we would travel together for about an extra month. In planning out where we would go, South Eastern Europe felt it would be an adventure as neither of us had previously travelled in the area before, and considering it would be peak travel season especially in Western Europe, this felt like a great fit for our fairly last-minute travel style. It turned out to be the most spontaneous thing I’ve personally ever done in my life. We had only booked incoming and outgoing flights and our first place of stay post-internship about a week in advance and nothing else. It sounds completely cliché (so feel free to call me out on it) but I felt so present throughout our travels. Given that our only major decisions to make each day was what did we want to do/see/eat and where did we want to travel to next, it wasn’t a challenging feat to feel fully immersed in our surroundings. Yes, there were some stressful and fatiguing moments, as with any sort of travelling for an extended period of time, but I’m grateful to have done this alongside an incredible person who was so patient, respectful, and communicative. Plus, it felt pretty badass as solo women travellers to traverse through the unknown and expand what we think we’re capable of.

Appreciation photo collage with Munisha along our travels 👯

Upon my return home in time to celebrate my baby brother Bryan’s 3rd birthday, I spent the remainder of the summer catching up with friends, mentors, and loved ones that I admit that probably didn’t give enough attention over the earlier parts of the year. I also got back into things I’m passionate about like community organizing and volunteering with the Girls Empowerment Movement (GEM) and a newly formed group called Climate Justice Peel (CJP)! In between this, I had a stint playing in an ultimate frisbee tournament, which resulted in a sprained ankle for the second time in a year (but I’ll try not to relive that pain again here haha). And I drank copious amounts of coffee with all of the meet-ups I planned, but I’m grateful for them as it kick-started some much reflection as a slowly rolled into some next-life-steps-decision making aka job hunting aka my pre-quarter life crisis moment…

Autumn Adulting 

As the season changed to that of my favourite, I really dug into, for the first time in my life, seeking for full-time work. Not a summer position. Not a semester work-study. Not an internship. Full-time. To say that I didn’t feel, at times, overwhelmed by the prospect would be an understatement. Amidst writing cover letters, reaching out to my support system, and good cries, I did try my best to keep up other important things in my life. I continued organizing with CJP, which led to an inspiring opportunity to attend a train-the-trainer retreat with other organizers country-wide in Edmonton, Alberta. And with GEM, we went into our 6th year with our 6th full team and two project grants secured for the upcoming year! My family road tripped to Boston, USA to attend a family wedding, in which I learned more in several layers of my family’s history. I worked as a camp counsellor on two different occasions for student fall retreats and a short stint as an elections worker during the recent federal elections, and short period as an office receptionist. With a quieter weekday compared to past years, I was also a part-time caretaker for my brother and organized things like play dates and also spent more time with my aging maternal grandparents.

Final 2019 Reflections 

In reflecting on my word for this past year, depth, I feel like my year lived up to this aspiration. Through the peaks of the year to times of self doubt and stresses that came through the job hunt or other life curveballs, I am forever thankful for the incredible loved ones in my life. Our relationships deepened as I have a greater appreciation for each person as a result of more quality time spent together. I’ve deepened my ability to not only practice self-care but also community care. I’ve deepened my understanding of people, especially those who have differing viewpoints than mine, but I also deepened my own values and solidified what’s most important to me. In what started off as a high-pace year working in an elected official office, to being very in the moment through travels, and slowing things down with job seeking mostly from home, I am proud of my own personal growth. Whether that be perseverance through these application processes or being content with a lot of uncertainty, I’ve given myself much more self-love that has not always been present in my life. I’ve started to, when I catch myself giving too much tough-love, to ask myself how I would be speaking if this were a friend and not me. We’re often a lot more compassionate to others than we are with ourselves. This simple perspective shift has helped me be kinder to myself, reeled in the overthinking I often do, and improved my wellbeing.

With all of these reflections aside, I’m incredibly excited to share that after months of applying, interviewing, being rejected, not getting responses, to having an increased amount of options, twists and turns, and making it through a final reference check… I’ve officially signed a work contract and will be starting a full-time position next week in Downtown Toronto!!!!  I will be joining the team at Council of Universities as a Government Relations Specialist. To add to this fun news, I will also be making a physical move to Toronto, so do hmu if you’re free to be a part of more of my coffee chats. (And instead of extending this post any longer, you can check out this complementary post on job seeking advice I can share).

So yeah, this past year has been a whirlwind, kind of felt like dream at times, and defs a hot girl year! I put together this video montage from this year to recap:

20/20 Vision

It is perhaps fitting that I’ve chosen clarity as my word for 2020. I am hoping that I continue to gain clarity when it comes to knowing myself and the other facets of life in the year to come. For the past two years, I’ve been using my variation of the Bullet Journal, but I’m ready for a change. It was helpful this past year to write a sentence review of the day, track quarterly goals, keep a period tracker (much like in the year’s past), but I find that most of my deadline tracking works best via my Google Calendar and online, so I want to be more intentional with any journalling that I do. During this holiday break, my close friend Mariam and I dedicated time to create vision boards (a vision scrapbook for me) to goal set for the next year. I organized mine, unsurprisingly, in different categories like friends and family, community, finances, and wellbeing. It was nice to put time towards creatively putting together a booklet that I can turn back to throughout the year, but without the pressure I felt from Bullet Journal to track more excessively. I was also gifted a cute booklet of 52 Lists for Happiness, so a different prompt that can be completed weekly for the year. They range from, “list the ways that you feel lucky” to “list the scents, spaces, textures, and sounds that bring you joy.” So I’d like to try that out for 2020. 

My vision scrapbook & the 52 Lists booklet for 2020

Okay, that’s it. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk. 😉

Until next time,

LB

***

P.S. In case you were interested:

My #bestnine2019 were

My top songs for 2019 are here

The books I read

1. Paikin and the Premiers: Personal Reflections on a Half Century of Ontario Leaders by Steve Paikin 
2. Doing Politics Differently? Women Premiers in Canada’s Provinces and Territories by Dr. Sylvia Bashevkin 
3. The Art of Happiness by the 14th Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
4. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung 
5. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
6. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah 

Most-watched series/binges on Netflix

1. The Good Place
2. This is Us
3. The Patriot Act 

Youtube Recs

1. Jubilee
2. Bon Appétit
3. Wong Fu Productions
4. Epicurious

Podcast Recs

1. Millennial
2. Side Hustle School
3. TedTalks Daily 

 

My Midterm Results ✨

In trying to keep with the politico theme – as a constant default of being a part of OLIP – please excuse my cheesy title (I know, I know, the American midterm results was a while ago, but this is the most creative title I could come up with).

I am personally at the midterm / halfway / midpoint of my time in the internship programme (already?!), and there are so many updates to share with you since my last post and proper update.

Office Life

Photos: (left) Me alongside Carly (MPP Lindo’s Legislative Assistant) and MPP Laura Mae Lindo at OLIP’s Fall Reception. (right) Me alongside MPP Lindo and MPP Catherine Fife for Waterloo at the pre-budget consultations in Waterloo. 

To catch you up to speed: I have finished my first, and opposition placement, in the office of MPP Laura Mae Lindo. Since the constituency visit to her office this past fall, I had the opportunity to visit her riding on two additional occasions. One was during the pre-budget consultations for 2019, and another was when her office hosted a town hall focused on healthcare. The selected cities for in-person consultations vary each year. And serendipitously, this year it happened to be in Waterloo, which nears her riding. This one budget hearing day had a full schedule, and we heard from nearly 30 stakeholders. Her town hall was centered on healthcare as a pressing public policy issue in her riding and provincial-wide. Over 100 people packed the venue that night. I felt a sense of privilege being able to be a part of the office in a meaningful capacity grounded in the community to supplement my learnings and work based out of her Queen’s Park office. Beyond the work, I feel a great sense of gratitude and appreciation of having the opportunity to connect with MPP Lindo and her staff. Thank you for welcoming me!

Pre-budget consultations are an opportunity for members of public – individuals and organizations – to provide input into the annual budget. Submissions can be made online or in-person. The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, consisting of MPPs from various political parties, is tasked with overseeing budget hearings throughout the province during this time. While town halls are a tool or method that many elected officials use to personally engage with their constituents through a Q&A or dialogue type of format. Sometimes topics are open-ended, while other times, a pre-determined theme may be set to solicit feedback from those in attendance.

Study Tours Galore

Photos: (left) The OLIP interns posing in front of the Parliament! (right) Me alongside my commuter crew pals Munisha and Nikki giving a shout out to VIA, one of our programme sponsors. 

Study tours, a key component of the programme, allow interns to visit legislatures outside of Ontario’s. This includes, but is not limited to – depending on the year and funding – Ottawa, Quebec, Yellowknife, and the United Kingdom. It also provides interns with the chance to meet with elected officials, legislature staff or Officers of the House, and other interesting people at each respective location. More broadly, it allows interns an opportunity to compare and contrast differing models of governing as well as pressing policy issues facing each jurisdiction.

Just prior to the winter holidays, the entire OLIP intern cohort had the opportunity to visit Ottawa for the first study. It was a huge privilege to visit Centre Block before it closed down for a decade for renovations. We observed Question Period, met a number of Members of Parliament, including Ministers. My personal highlights were attending (but also semi-crashing on my part, haha) a breakfast hosted by two Senators (thanks to a last minute invite from my friend Alex), meeting with the British High Commissioner’s Office and visiting the Supreme Court of Canada! (I low-key aspire to be a Senator one day just from meeting the incredible people who currently hold the post…)

Photos: A few snaps from being in the NWT with the interns and new friends (check out this cutie of a dog!!). 

More recently, the interns visited Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (NWT). Most notably, we learned about the NWT’s consensus model of governance, which differs greatly to Ontario’s political party system. Each candidate seeking an elected position runs as an independent member (i.e. not tied to a party or anyone else). Once they are elected to represent a riding (there are currently 19 in NWT), it is amongst the members to decided, by secret ballot, who will be the Speaker of the House, the Premier and members of the Cabinet. Any legislation passed requires a majority vote. Something that struck me about this study tour visit was the symbolism throughout the Legislative Assembly building itself. The glass architecture is to remind members of the need to be transparent to their constituents and the public. The seats are organized in a circular manner to represent the consensus governance style. The mace has each of the 33 communities in the NWT represented on it and within it. When the mace moved, there is an audible sound because of the pebbles placed within it, which is a reminder to remember the voices of the communities elected official represent. On a more personal note, I am still pinching myself to have had the opportunity to visit the North/NWT, which has been a dream of mine! One could only hope for it, but we did witness the Northern Lights (!!!). I am hopeful that this is only the beginning for me with visits to the North.

Final Updates (for now)

I have been keeping my lips sealed since the beginning of OLIP, but I am happy that I can now publicly share where I will be going, and with whom I will be working with, for my government placement! For the remainder of the programme, I will be working with Progressive Conservative MPP Belinda Karahalios’ office, who represents the riding of Cambridge (Yes, you read that right – “Linda” is working with “Belinda” which will not be confusing at all). She is a first-time member, is currently the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children, Community and Social Services and also sits on the Standing Committee for Social Policy. I am looking forward to gaining insights into ministerial portfolio work, in particular her focus on the issues of human trafficking and violence against women, and learning more about her constituency, and of course to share them with you.

That’s it for now!

Until next time,

LB

Photo: Me trying to look profesh while in Ottawa 🙋🏻

Feature Photo: The Northern Lights, ’nuff said!!!

 

 

Why I applied to OLIP (and why you should too) 🌟

Hello friends, and a happy start to December! As we approach the holiday season, it just so happens to also be the time when applications in search for next year’s cohort of OLIP interns are launched.

Poster creds: My fellow OLIP-er, Braelyn! Check out one of our upcoming online sessions to learn more.

I thought I would take this opportune time to combine in my love of lists to share some lessons learned during my application process, as well as to vocalize some reasons why I applied to the programme in the first place (…and why I think you should too).

Firstly, just to throw a ‘lil homage to season in the tune to the 12 Days of Christmas melody, here are 12 (non-exhaustive list of) reasons, and in no particular order, of why I think you should apply to OLIP…

1. Two words: #ProfeshDevelopment. Need I say more?! In all honesty though, interns have the opportunity to participate in a number of interesting training sessions that occur during orientation period (first month of the program), sit in academic sessions, and hear from living legends in #onpoli.

2. You’ll keep your writing skills sharp. Wondering what you’ll do with those academic research and writing skills you gained from undergrad or your Master’s? Say no more. The programme has an academic research paper component focused on an aspect of the legislative process.

Fun Fact: You’ll also have the opportunity to present your research at the Canadian Political Science Association’s annual conference, which takes place in a new Canadian city each year. This year we’ll be in Vancouver.

3. You’ll gain GENUINE networks and connections. I feel so lucky that I have not only gained new colleagues in my fellow interns and office, but also friendships that I feel will last well beyond the programme. This also goes for some others who I’ve met along the way at the ‘lege.

4. You’ll learn about every branch of the legislature and their relations – i.e. how provincial politics works which will serve you well NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO. ‘Nuff said.

5. You’ll get to “cross the floor” without either side hating or never trusting you again. The programme enables you to partake in two office placements – one with a government member and one with an opposition member. I continually hear, ad nauseam, that if the interns were political staffers trying to work for another party that a) they would feel betrayed by their outgoing party and b) may not be trusted by their incoming party because they left. It’s not to say this has never happened, but it’s rare. OLIP interns have an opportunity to navigate and learn from all sides.

6. You’ll hone your soft skills in areas you’re already passionate about, or test drive something else in a safe space. Because the programme also consists of leading and supporting the programme committees, there’s an opportunity to use non-academic writing and research skills. For instance, as the Chair to the Alumni Committee and Deputy Editor of OLIP’s Magazine, I get to be a photographer and editor, develop mentorship programming, and other fun things! Speaking of which, you should check out our latest Fall Issue of the magazine here.

The beautiful Queen’s Park Insider, Fall 2018 Edition Cover! Our baby came to life!

7. You’ll increase your knowledge on important policy issues and stakeholders. When the House is sitting, i.e. when MPPs are working at the legislature, there will be plenty of opportunities to sit in on meetings, attend receptions, and go to other functions where you can chat with folks working in different industries, sectors, and issue areas. Think of it like getting to speed-date each of these areas, and possibly learning where you may want to end up post-OLIP in the process.

8. You’ll legit get to walk the halls with decision makers. They pass bills and make laws. They debate motions and policies. They are on the news everyday. And you get to see them up close on a daily basis, potentially striking up conversation and learning who they are as people. How. neat. is. that.

9. From an aesthetics standpoint, Pink Palace, aka Queen’s Park, is a gorgeous piece of architecture! It has a mix of heritage structure to the newer marble wing. And there are tunnels that connect the main legislature to other buildings. I sometimes find myself staring in awe of how beautiful the place is. And how many people walk through the doors each and every day from a variety of walks of lived experiences, and from around the world too.

Fun fact: You can travel between Queen’s Park subway station to Queen’s Park itself without ever going above ground. I’m sure this will come very handy when the middle of winter comes along…

10. You won’t be alone in the entire journey. There are 9 other interns, plus the ~350 alumni who’ve been through it before you. If you need a sound board for anything, there’s always someone there for you.

11. ALL THE FREE FOOD. I’m a simple person: I see free food I become a happy camper. As I noted in a previous post, you’d have the opportunity to attend receptions, which generally serves refreshments. In other words, “freshman fifteen” has nothing on the “legislature lbs.” 😜

12. You’ll acquire memories for a lifetime. From the study tours, to the moments in your offices, to the weekly OLIP team meetings, and everything else in between – there’s a lot to soak up and take in. I am sure I’ll be in my 80s and still talking about OLIP fondly.

So now that I’ve convinced you to apply, I wanted to highlight what my application process was like a year ago. I often find that it can be a messy terrain to navigate application processes altogether. Like, where do you even start? How much time should I put into xyz part of the application? 

Don’t fret – I hope I can ease any qualms by sharing with you a rough timeline and some commentary on what I did a year ago in when applying to OLIP.  I hope it’ll be of use for those reading and interested in the applying to the programme!

My application process timeline last year…

Early December 

• I drafted a C.V. highlighting my academic, work, and volunteer background
• I reached out to potential references, one that was work-related and two former professors.

Tips: In your initial outreach to your references, include briefly: 1. Why are you interested in the programme and 2. What you hope they can speak to in your reference. Explain that you will be willing to provide any necessary information they may need, including your C.V. Offer to draft your own reference letter for them to edit and build on. Remember, your referees have a lot on their plate, so you need to respect their time. If they are professors, they’ll likely already be writing a number of references for other students who’ll be applying to grad studies, etc. during this time of year too. Offering to make their lives easier will increase the chances they will support your application.

Late December

• I contacted a former OLIP intern to ask about their experience with the programme and how the found the application process. We were able to chat over the phone and I was able to send them follow up texts / emails.
• I researched the programme in greater depth by following OLIP’s social media pages, reading previous Magazine issues and blog posts to gain a sense of the programme’s inner workings.

Tips: Prepare a brief list of questions you may want to ask the former / current intern, if you’re able to connect with them. Try to hone your questions more specifically, rather than asking something that could be answered on the OLIP website or online. This will save time and energy for both sides.

Early January 

• I drafted my letter of intent, which is addressed the programme’s Academic Director, on why I wanted to participate in the programme.
• I requested an official printed copy of my transcript at the Registrar’s Office.

Tips: As clichéd as it may sound, take time to brainstorm how you’re going to organize your letter of intent so that it’s not only clear and concise but also so that your own voice comes through. Be specific on 1. What you hope to gain from the program and 2. What you can offer to the programme. And get another eyes to review and edit it before submission!

Late January 

• I submitted all of my write-ups onto the application website portal.
• I sent reminder emails to my references to submit their letters of support online.

Tips: Don’t forget to follow-up with your references to thank them for supporting your application regardless of the outcome. An email will suffice, but hand written card is also another idea!

So you want to be a part of the next OLIP cohort? All of the details can be found here. Do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about OLIP or the application process.

Until next time,

LB

Visiting #kwawesome for constituency week

Hello friends, and happy November! 🙂 A lot has occurred in my internship since my last update, the largest being the opportunity to partake in constituency week.

Constituency week is a break in legislative business at QP (Queen’s Park). It serves as an opportunity for MPPs (Member of Provincial Parliament) to return to their ridings to connect with their constituents. Many members use the opportunity to take meetings with community stakeholders, attend events locally, or even host their own.

I spent this fall constituency week in my member’s office in Kitchener-Centre, or known locally as part of #kwawesome. It was a wonderful opportunity to not only be physically present to see MPP Lindo’s riding, but to also further understand the work of her constituency (or community) office. Because my work is based in her QP office, I am not able to experience the daily realities of Kitchener-Centre. Personally, I believe it’s vital to have an understanding of the context of the community your work relates to. And this starts with doing your homework — that is, to read and research from a variety of sources, to build a working knowledge base.

Something that I have been able to do as part of my work is research and prepare briefing notes on current affairs, news and notes for meetings with community stakeholders in Kitchener-Centre for MPP Lindo and her team. This process has informed me on important issues and community developments facing the riding. To ground this research by having dedicated time to work in her constituency office, even for a short period of time, is immensely helpful and important for me as I continue to move through my placement with policy research related to the riding. To be frank, nevertheless, I am by no means an expert on what it means to live in Kitchener after this brief visit, but I can say with certainty that I have an improved perspective and understanding after the past week compared to beforehand.

To provide you with a recount of what happened during my exciting visit to #kwawesome, I will share with you two parts: my professional tour and a fun foodie tour.

A Recap of Constituency Week: The Professional Tour

As mentioned, constituency week is all about connecting with constituents, hence the name. The week brought forth a number of interesting meetings with a multitude of groups and individuals. These are a few of the highlights, told through pictures…

A Roundabout Drive to Attend IMRC’s Annual Lecture

During one of the evenings, I had the opportunity to accompany MPP Lindo to attend the International Migration Research Centre’s (IMRC) Annual Kerry Preibisch Memorial Lecture which coincided with the centre’s 10th anniversary celebration. MPP Lindo was a part of the agenda, providing opening remarks. I learned a great deal from guest lecturer Professor Fay Faraday who highlighted current state-to-state, and provincial, migratory worker programs including its rationale and challenges. The lecture was relevant to her work as the NDP (New Democratic Party) Critic for Anti-Racism as well as Citizenship and Immigration.

A critic role is assigned to elected members on a non-governing party. The most prominent members with critic roles are within the official opposition party – in this case the NDP – however, members of the other parties may also have specific critic roles. Essentially, members with each critic role have been identified as the expert in the topic areas and respective portfolios within their party. There are a number of benefits for this distinction. One, if there are any concerns related to their portfolio, they can be addressed by the critic on behalf of the other members. Secondly, because of their knowledge base, they are often the ones asking questions to Ministers related to their portfolio during debates. 

The title side to Professor Faraday’s lecture

Fun fact: Collectively, the critics for the official opposition party are also called the “Shadow Cabinet” as their positions or title names mimics that of the governing party’s Cabinet.

A U-turn Back to Host the Office Open House

Finally, one major professional highlight was that I was able to support the official opening of MPP Lindo’s community office! Although her office has been open since transitioning into the role of an elected member, an open house had not been hosted yet. This, perhaps, was a blessing in disguise, as I would have not had the privilege of being a part of the festivities if this had already happened. The day went positively, with a lot of guests coming to visit the office and chat with MPP Lindo. From a behind-the-scenes logistical standpoint, we were able to coordinate the food, speeches, etc. etc. fairly well!

From left to right – Ashley, Carly, MPP Lindo and myself at the community office opening! All smiles because it was a success.

A Recap of Constituency Week: The Foodie Tour

I knew prior to going to Kitchener that the area had a booming food scene. And I was not disappointed. This is my constituency week food tour, with photos of course. I only had a brief tasting, but 10/10 would definitely recommend.

Pit Stop 1: Bread Heads

Bread Heads is a pizzeria serving up wood fired pizzas. I went with a classic Hawaiian. PC: Carly

Pit Stop 2: Thai Sun

Thai Sun serves up delicious curries and noodle dishes. I went with a yummy green curry. Also their Thai tea was so delish.

Pit Stop 3: The YETI 

Yeti was recommended to me by a friend who goes to school nearby. I got their Pregnant Cowgirl bagel (just order it, don’t ask!) and a lavender latte. PC of me: Carly

Pit Stop 4: Onkar’s Samosas 

I helped pick up samosas for the community office opening and needless to say, they were delicious. And perhaps some of the best I’ve ever eaten – and that’s huge because I grew up eating a lot of them. PC of me: Carly.

Pit Stop 5: Rainbow

Last, but not least, Rainbow’s Caribbean food! We had a number of dishes from Rainbow ranging from curry goat, collard greens, coleslaw, macaroni pasta, etc., at our office opening. It was well received by folks visiting our office.

And there was so much more food that I had a taste of that I didn’t capture, but I can say with confidence that you should check out these spots, and others, if you’re ever in the area!

It goes without saying that I have to give a big shout out to MPP Lindo and her incredible team – especially Carly and Julie – for taking time to host me during this past constituency week in #kwawesome. Without their generous support and openness, this week would have not been as memorable.

That’s it for now!

Until next time,

LB