Issue 7 | Fall 2020 | ISSN 2561-4274 Copyright © 2020 Muses from the North University College of the North
All rights reserved. This journal or any portions of its collected work by various authors thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permissions and consent of the publishers and respective author except for the use of cited quotations.
Printed in Canada First printing, 2020
ISSN 2561-4274
University College of the North 55 UCN Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 1L7 https://www.ucn.ca
1 Muses from the North (MFTN) is a journal for students of the University College of the North. We publish biannually from UCN campuses in The Pas and Thompson, located in Treaty No. 5 territory. As a UCN students’ journal, MFTN provides a platform for students to express their musings about our amazing northern tradition and culture in texts, words, images and pictures. Our northern muses are not only from The Pas and Thompson, but also from a network of 12 access centres, from Swan River to Churchill. Nine of our access centres are in First Nations communities. MFTN also publishes students’ academic works to showcase their achievements from their northern learning environments. Like the dwellers in the north, MFTN favors Northern tradition, culture and stories from our northern communities. We exist to publish fiction and nonfiction, graphics, translated excerpts from Indigenous languages, and interviews. Reach us through [email protected]. Contact us: The Pas Campus: Thompson Campus: Dr. Joseph Atoyebi Dr. Ying Kong Telephone: Telephone: (204) 627-8618 ext. 7 (204) 677-6405 ext. 1
Mailing Address: Mailing/Street Address: University College of the North University College of the North Box 3000 55 UCN Drive, The Pas, MB R9A 1M7 Thompson, MB R8N 1L7
Street Address: University College of the North 436-7th Street East The Pas, MB
2 Issue 7 (Fall 2020) ISSN 2561-4274
Faculty Editors: Drs. Ying Kong and Joseph Atoyebi Student Editor: Elizabeth Tritthart
Online Journal ISSN 2561-4193 https://www.ucn.ca/sites/mftn/Pages/mftn.aspx
Copyright © 2020 Muses from the North
3 From the Editors’ Desk 5
Article 1: COVID-19: Is This Really Happening? 9 Nicole McKenzie Article 2: COVID-19: Adjusting to the New Normal 16 Katlyn Nelson-Whitehead Article 3: How COVID-19 Changed my Life 21 Lanze Chevillard Article 4: COVID-19 and How it Impacted My Everyday Life 25 Excel Daniel Article 5: The Highs and Lows of Graduating During a Pandemic 30 Kamryn Prokopow Article 6.1: A Reflection on Online Learning during the COVID-19 34 Pandemic Sydney Bjorndalen Article 6.2: The Impact of COVID-19 on Global and Local Brands 35 Kelly Laybolt Article 6.3: My Experience with Online Learning During the 37 COVID-19 Pandemic: A Brief Reflection Alexander Primrose Article 7: COVID-19 Sent Me Back to School 42 Sharon Garson Article 8: Reaching My Academic Goals During a Pandemic 49 Alexander Primrose Article 9: The Commercial Relationship between the Local and the 55 Global: Thomponsite’s Consumer Values Kelly Laybolt Article 10: Wilby as an Escapist in William Trevor’s “Folie à Deux” 68 Sydney Bjorndalen
4 On behalf of the Editorial Board of Muses from the North, we would like to wish our readers an incredible year of 2021.
It is refreshing to note that the challenging year of 2020 has now been shelved in the annals of history. The COVID-19 pandemic, which hit every corner of the globe, did not spare our humble UCN community. The university authority at UCN was quick to introduce measures to curb the virus' spread among students and staff.
Chief among such measures was pivoting to the virtual environment for teaching and learning, which started in mid-March. Due to social-distancing measures also, our physical connection with student writers was heavily impeded. It is expedient to mention that UCN, as an institution of learning and research, has always been a front
-runner in distance education due to the massive geographical space to which it caters. Hence, it was somewhat easier to adjust to the new normal. However, UCN was also not immune to the challenges of online studies, whether synchronous or asynchronous. There are problems of weak internet connections in remote areas, while some students did not have access to hardware, including personal computers, headsets, and a webcam to help facilitate learning. Before the lockdown measures went into effect, this group of students relied on the library to provide access to these devices. Additionally, students whose learning orientation favours in-person learning had difficulty adjusting to receiving instructions through a digital platform. Despite all these challenges, our resilient students have faired well. This special issue focuses
5 on our students’ reflections on their learning and living during the pandemic. By taking a step back to reflect on the past year through their writings, it is fair to say that our students are setting the stage for a successful future in all facets of their lives.
In this COVID-19-themed issue, nine students contributed twelve articles. Each essay helps the reader to find hope and meaning from the disruptive events of 2020.
The reflective essays attempt to respond to questions such as
· What challenges did I overcome? · What opportunities came my way during the COVID-19 year? · What new skills did I acquire? · What did I enjoy most while taking education from home? · What was the best decision that I made during the pandemic year of 2020? · What significant changes occurred in my life? · What should I be thankful for in the pandemic year? · How did the pandemic change the brand name of local businesses?
One of our published student-writers in this issue is Excel Daniel, who migrated to Canada with his family from Nigeria. His goal is to study political science at the
University of Manitoba. However, he is currently enrolled at UCN with the hope of transferring later to UofM in his second year. Excel, in his essay “COVID-19 and how It Impacted my Everyday Life,” reflects on the disappointments in his life occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kamryn Prokopow, like Excel, happened to graduate from high school at the peak of the pandemic. She was disappointed at losing the opportunity to show her glamour at the graduation ceremony. However,
6 she took the best chance to present herself in a drive-through parade that was viewed by more people than she had expected. As she writes in “The Highs and Lows of
Graduating During a Pandemic,” she states: “This, I believe, is the best approach if one wants to keep one’s sanity in a challenging time such as this.” One of Kelly
Laybolt’s articles is a research paper, “The Commercial Relationship between the
Local and the Global: Thompsonites’ Consumer Values,” based on his research on local consumers’ attitudes in the city of Thompson before and during COVID-19.
Kelly’s second essay is “The Impact of COVID-19 on Global and Local Brands.” In the article “How COVID-19 Changed my Life,” Lanze Chevillard tells the story of how her international travel plans were interrupted by the pandemic. However, the disruption also offered her the opportunity to save money for school. Nicole
McKenzie’s essay “COVID-19: Is This Really Happening?” is a reflection on the difficulties of pivoting to working from home, rather than the more established, traditional, in-person culture, no thanks to the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus.
Sharon Garson, a mother of four, took advantage of the pandemic to study online. In her essay “COVID-19 Sent Me Back to School,” she reflects on her dilemma of returning to school after a 20-year hiatus, working and mothering. Sydney
Bjorndalen enjoys the virtual lectures in her Introduction to Literature course. Her short essay for one of the assignments in the course, “Wilby as an Escapist in
William Trevor’s ‘Folie à Deux’” demonstrates her understanding of the course content through online learning. Her essay with the title “Reflections on Online
Learning during the Pandemic” informs the reader of the writer’s experience through online learning. Katlyn Nelson-Whitehead’s “COVID-19: Adjusting to the New
7 Normal,” tells the reader about how quickly she has adapted to the new normal: keeping social distance, washing hands, and wearing a mask. Alexander Primrose’s
“Reaching My Academic Goals During a Pandemic,” tells the reader about why he prefers UCN over other universities for online schooling. Alexander’s motivation for education is to become a school teacher in an Indigenous community.
This issue also sees us elevating Elizabeth Tritthart, to the position of student editor. Before her new role, Lyz worked on the team as the print copy designer; however, we are still crediting her with the design of this current issue. The design of this issue reflects the pandemic’s impact as expressed on the cover page: the grey and white as the scheme color, and the image of the winter background in which a slight gradient breaks up the monotony of a solid color. The image evokes the feeling of the loneliness of winter combined with the effects of COVID-19. Thanks to our president/vice-chancellor, Doug Lauvstad, for the contribution of the photo from his collection of images of the North and Nature.
Last but not least, we appreciate the UCN Seed Fund for providing the financial backing that kept this journal running for the past six issues. For this 7th issue and hopefully for many future issues to come, we wish to acknowledge the financial support from UCN’s Reconciliation, Research & Academic Innovation (RRAI), the
Kenanow Faculty of Education (KFE), and the Faculty of Arts, Business and Science
(FABS). We hope that our readers will find the offerings in this current issue intellectually stimulating, thought-provoking, and deeply insightful.
8 COVID-19: Is This Really Happening?
Nicole McKenzie
Even though it has been over six months since the advent of the world’s newest, most-unknown, and deadly virus, I find myself asking the same question over and again, “Is this really happening?” And every time, after a few seconds, my mind clears and the temporary fog lifts. Of course, the answer is always a resounding, YES! This is really happening. People are really walking around with face masks, and remaining cautious, or avoiding contact altogether with those outside of their household, or “social bubble.” We are now amid a pandemic brought on by COVID-19, and little did we know that 2019 would be the end of how we functioned and lived, and the life we once knew, gone in an instant.
COVID-19 entered our lives with dominance and force. As of September 18, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported global rates of COVID-19, which sit at 28,584,158 confirmed cases, and 916,955 deaths. A quick snapshot of this data demonstrates the gravity of this virus and why the measures put in place by the government and private citizens will have a profound impact on how soon we will overcome this pandemic. The effects of such measures on me personally will be discussed in the following paragraphs.
9 It did not take long for COVID-19 to appear nationally, and once it appeared in Canada, the associated fears, precautions, and eventual measures quickly gained momentum and created heightened anxiety, worry, and much confusion.
For example, what was considered acceptable one day, such as travelling to the nearest city, was no longer considered safe the next day. The resulting uncertainties and perceived seriousness of the virus affected not only my own mental health, but many people in my circle. Like others, I had to deal with the separation from family and friends. We are a small family, but a close-knit one.
My home was a regular meeting place to visit and catch up on life, and this was suddenly all taken away in an instant. I struggled most with being separated from my nephew and niece, as they are an enormous part of my being. Their routine, but spontaneous visits during the week, endless hugs, and sleepovers, were soon replaced with awkward moments of brief conversations on my doorstep. This new form of a quick visit was just as awkward for them as it was for me. In the beginning, I could sense confusion and uneasiness as they stood there and played with their fingers while their eyes darted about. I often wondered if I was having a hard time coping with all of this madness, how was a seven-year-old and a nine- year-old making sense of it all? What I desperately longed to do every time I saw them was to grab them and hug them tight. This was my form of greeting them every time we met, and to refrain from doing so felt cold and abnormal.
At the beginning of the pandemic, my husband and I avoided almost all public places, including medical clinics and dental offices, if possible, and the
10 homes of all friends and extended family members. The only places we went to
were our places of employment, grocery stores, and gas stations. We limited our
contacts to only the members of our household (my husband and me), which was
undoubtedly the most challenging aspect of adjusting to the pandemic in the early
stages. Today, post-first-wave, we use due caution by wearing facemasks,
washing hands, maintaining social distance, and keeping our “social bubble”
small. This has caused me to lose the closeness that I once had with some friends,
and I, admittedly, still need to discover other ingenious ways of staying in touch
with my family and friends. In order to continue to stay safe, my husband and I
have still stopped patronizing busy spots such as theatres, shopping malls, and
popular restaurants. After a busy day at work, meeting at a restaurant was a
normal part of our routine before COVID-19. It gave us a break from cooking,
and it allowed an intimate time for us to reconnect. Although “take out” became
the new normal of dining out during this pandemic, and it still accommodates a
break from cooking, it lacks the change of atmosphere and the opportunity to
socialize with others. On a positive note, isolating ourselves in this manner
certainly saved money, and it also provided “downtime” that allowed me the
opportunity to recharge and reflect.
Before COVID-19, life was crazy at times. Working a full-time accounting job, a part-time respite job, and being a part-time university student, left me with very little time to recharge. After COVID-19 restrictions, I found myself closed off from family and friends, as well as my part-time job, and most public venues and
11 travelling. There was now more time to sleep or do absolutely nothing at all! This also meant there was more time for afternoon strolls, reading, and puzzles. It was during this lull time that I found more time to relax and reflect on what really matters in my life. First, no matter how much you work or achieve and how much money you make, it all means nothing without good health and people to share your life with. Second, I felt a renewed gratefulness for a loving, kind, and caring spouse to navigate these uncertain times with. I could not have asked for a better partner to prepare for an imminent lockdown with. As a method of distraction from the gloom of the pandemic, my spouse and I tackled some minor house projects. We also refined our culinary skills by trying new recipes and perfecting the art of bannock baking and perogy making. Yum! Third, after years of contemplating a career change, I decided that now was the time to become a full-time university student. If the possibility of further waves and lockdowns were on the horizon, what better time to accomplish academic goals than now?
Today, I find myself completing post-secondary education in a virtual environment. Like my peers, I am still adjusting to this new form of learning; so far, it has been manageable. At times, I feel more overwhelmed than usual with what I perceive as electronic information overload. Not only are we receiving all the class information electronically, but we also have to process all the new information regarding the new platforms of learning (Zoom, Webex, etc.) and the rules for these forms of learning. I sometimes feel as though I’m in an endless
12 abyss of clicking and printing so that I feel confident that I am not missing any information, and this can be frustrating at times.
My full-time employer at the time was deemed an essential service, and it put safety measures in place quickly, such as sanitization procedures, masks, and social distancing requirements. Being an essential service meant that we would continue operating, and I would not be without an income. In March, my employer and I arranged a plan that allowed me to work at home. Working from home was a privilege as it allowed me to stay as safe as possible while continuing to receive a paycheque. I was grateful for this opportunity because, at the earliest stages of the pandemic, there was great uncertainty and fear of the unknown.
Furthermore, I was acutely aware of those who did not have this opportunity and had no alternative but to work in environments that entailed possible exposure to others who were carrying the virus. Though I enjoyed the additional perks of working from home, such as more sleep, casual dress, and popping supper into the oven during “coffee break,” I missed the change of scenery, the company of my co-workers, and the ease of face-to-face communication when discussing work-related issues. Working from home definitely had its own challenges! I had to create a workspace in my house, and the best space that I was initially able to find was the dining room, with my dining table serving as my workstation. My home environment was more chaotic, with papers strewn about, and meals now served in the living room because the last place I wanted to eat supper was at the dining table in the same spot I had already sat in all day. Additionally, I found
13 myself spending more hours working for my employer than the required work hours.
It was simply too easy to log on remotely and finish up work that I would have normally completed the next day had I been physically located in my office.
However, working from home allowed me to remain safe, and for that, I ensured I did the best possible job I could.
These are just a few of the ways I have been personally affected by the outbreak of COVID-19, and as explained above, not all have been negative. Taking this time to pursue academic goals, more time for resting and recharging, and reflecting on what really matters in this life have all been fundamental in helping me overcome the feelings of sadness and loneliness that creep in from time to time. The loss of regular and close contact with family and friends, learning in a new virtual environment and adjusting to working from home have all been challenging. However, these effects of the pandemic are pale in comparison to the suffering and loss that my fellow human beings have had to endure. Mine are small sacrifices to make as we all prepare to undergo another imminent wave of this pandemic.
Work Cited
WHO Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Dashboard. World Health Organization.
https://covid19.who.int/. Accessed on September 18, 2020.
14 Nicole McKenzie is an Aboriginal woman of Cree and European descent and a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation. Her major is Aboriginal and Northern Studies in the Bachelor of Arts Program at University College of the North. In Winter 2021, she will be starting the Bachelor of Social Work Program at the University of Manitoba. After graduation, Nicole plans to continue her studies and research with a deeper focus on the effects of colonization on Indigenous people in Canada, particularly in the areas of addiction and child apprehension. Nicole’s other interests include Indigenous rights, reconciliation, child advocacy, and the mental health and wellness of Aboriginal children and youth. Outside of learning, her other passion is fishing on the pristine lakes of Northern Manitoba for walleye and pike, and camping with her family in their region’s tranquil and remote parks.
Nicole McKenzie weighs in on the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic with this reflective essay “COVID-19: Is This Really Happening?” The essay was originally written and submitted in the Composition and Creativity course which I taught in fall, 2020. Nicole writes about the difficulties of pivoting to working from home, rather than the more established, traditional, in-person method. Nicole’s essay helps the reader to accept the present reality and the necessity to reinvent oneself. I will always cherish the productive experience we shared in the ENG.1002 course this term – Dr. Joseph Atoyebi
15 COVID-19: Adjusting to the New Normal
Katlyn Nelson-Whitehead
The ongoing COVID-19 experience has impacted me mentally, emotionally, and financially, especially as I continue to struggle each day to adjust to our new routine/schedule for hockey, family gatherings/celebrations, school/daycare, and work.
When news of the COVID-19 virus hit our end of the woods, I was finishing up the five BA/BN courses that I was enrolled in for in winter Term 2. We had to switch from having our lectures in-class to online within a week. During this time, I had to push through school, and I remain focused, while being at home with my children and homeschooling my son. There was a lot of stress on my part. It was tough because my son wasn’t motivated to finish up his school work, and there were many distractions at home for the two of us. I had a constant worry and an unsettling feeling whenever I thought of them returning back to school because my daughter is still so young, and my son is asthmatic. On the bright side, the COVID-19 situation served as a motivating factor for me to prepare to take on another full-time course load for this academic school year.
My family has had a couple difficult of years leading up to 2020, which finally culminated in the passing of my nephew, Ryder. Until his death in January
16 2020, Ryder was one of the most promising young hockey players in our town of The
Pas. We were already looking forward to returning back to our routine after the sad episode. My son, who was very close to his late cousin, had only just found the strength to tie up his skates and to play on a team that represented his departed cousin, Ryder in a hockey tournament. My son, Mason, played well in a tournament, and got scouted to play on a Portage La Prairie hockey team in two tournaments, one in Portage La Prairie, and the other in Regina. We had plans to finish the academic year, Mason and me, and to start travelling with our little hockey player. It made me emotional that hockey season was cancelled because that's just what our family enjoys doing from winter to late spring every year. This was our way of keeping busy, and keeping our minds off things.
Family celebrations such as birthdays, memorials, etc., were also much different for us this year. My son was the first person in our household to celebrate a socially-distant birthday party. His 9th birthday was in April, 2020, after the first province-wide lockdown went into effect. He understood what was happening with the COVID-19 pandemic and was fine that we celebrated with just our immediate family members. We had a small dinner at home, with cakes and gifts. It was a truly toned-down celebration for my family because we are used to having huge birthday celebrations in which family members from far and wide gather to celebrate.
Anyway, Mason was truly excited to see our family members drive by our home with different birthday placards, balloons, and more goodies which they left on our doorsteps. At first, I felt anxious because I thought that he should have spent his day filled with fun and friends, but everything worked out when our family made his day
17 extra special. He was just so thankful that we all celebrated with him the best way we could during these challenging times.
During this pandemic, it was tough on both my partner and me as well. Before I decided to return back to work, my partner was the only one with an income, and that left us in financial straits. However, my going back to work also had its own challenges. I worked as a waitress, and that had its own set of worries for my family because I served a lot of people during my shifts. As I went about serving tables, I continuously had the depressing feeling that I was putting my family and me at risk.
Of course, we did sanitize and wore masks, but personally, running around the restaurant with a mask made my job feel more difficult. Some people have hearing problems; so, they are only able to communicate by reading lips. I also had an anxiety issue whenever I wear a mask because I'm claustrophobic. As more cases of the virus were announced each day, I worried because people were protesting against the measures that were put in place by the government to help curb the spread of the virus, especially the requirement of isolating oneself, and being apart from one’s family and friends. The restaurant where I worked was busier than before the pandemic, and it only had limited seating accommodations. I had mixed emotions about having to work while the pandemic raged on because of the fear of catching the virus and infecting my family. There was also the fear of being jobless and unable to support my family together with my partner. I concluded that there was no winning with this COVID-19 pandemic; everything has to be planned and thought through. To do otherwise would be putting oneself and family in difficult situations.
18 In conclusion, I continue to encourage my family members to follow the
COVID-19 safety precautions. I find it a hassle making sure everyone is sanitizing, practicing social distancing, and making sure that we all have our masks ready for public places. I am horrible at remembering to always bring masks to the skating rink. Thank goodness that there are always backup masks at the venue. We have stopped travelling for hockey tournaments and shopping for now, until we feel that it is safe to do so again. All of our shopping is done online these days. I hope things will go back to the way they were soon. This is my personal reflection of how
COVID-19 impacted my family and me. I hope the rest of this school year continues to be great!
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Tritthart
19 Katlyn Nelson-Whitehead was born and raised in The Pas and Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Manitoba. Her university career at UCN started in 2015 when she completed the Law Enforcement Program, and she has recently been inspired to return to school. Katlyn is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program. While attending her classes, she wrote the reflective essay, “COVID-19: Adjusting to the New Normal,” on how COVID-19 has impacted herself and her family as they overcome the loss of her nephew and older sister Alyssa’s son, Ryder.
Katlyn notes, “We come from a close-knit family. Our sons referred to each other as brothers. My sister is only two years older than I am, so we remind ourselves a lot of how the boys grew up together. Our loss has impacted our lives deeply. Our boys always led us on adventures daily. Ryder was always a go- getter and inspired us all to never give up. His bravery, determination, and fighting spirit is what keeps us going. Although Mason shut himself out for a while, he always looked up to his brother and continues to do what they loved to do most, including playing hockey, gaming, and fishing. Mason is finding himself as an individual and always continues to make his brother from up above proud. We are so proud of them.”
Kaitlyn was my student in the Composition and Creativity class in fall of 2020. I truly enjoyed reading her essay “COVID-19: Adjusting to the New Normal” which she submitted as part of the writing requirements in the course. It is quite interesting to read about a hockey-mum’s challenges too in the midst of a disruptive pandemic such COVID-19. I am certain that the reader will find Kaitlyn’s essay stimulating – Dr. Joseph Atoyebi.
20 How COVID-19 Changed my Life
Lanze Chevillard
In February 2020, I was one of the many people who believed that the
COVID-19 virus would run its course by the summer of 2020, and life, as we knew it, would return to what it used to be. Sadly, I had to admit that my belief was unfounded. COVID-19 has proven itself as a formidable force by disrupting all my plans for the year. All my hopes of traveling within and outside Canada in 2020 vanished without a trace, no thanks to the impact of the COVID virus. However, as surprising as this will sound, not everything caused by this pandemic was negative.
For the past two years, my life has consisted of working as a dishwasher at the
Kikiwak Inn and going on vacation abroad once or twice a year. Once the pandemic started, other staff at the Kikiwak, including myself, were given the option to take a leave during this crisis. I decided to continue to work because I knew there would be little chance of me contracting the virus if I took the correct precautions and limited my movements to work and home. I also wanted the chance to save money for school and for when international travel was allowed again.
Although those of us who continued working had their hours cut, we received a temporary raise. In that sense, my life was not impacted very much as I continued to commute between work and home.
21 The biggest thing that has affected and continues to affect me during these times is the travel bans put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I have made it a habit to travel abroad at least once a year on vacation. I had planned to visit a friend in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in July 2020, but seeing that Brazil has become one of the hotspots for COVID-19, and with Canada starting to close its borders, I realized that the possibility of this pandemic ending by July was nearly zero. This year is the first year since 2011 that I have been unable to go anywhere outside of Canada. After cancelling my trip to Brazil, I made plans to travel to Taipei, Taiwan, and to study the
Mandarin Chinese language for six weeks in January 2021. As time went by, the chances that I will be able to go to Taiwan seemed to be slim as well. So, travelling overseas, in general, has inevitably been put on the backburner. Even travel within
Manitoba has been restricted, which makes it hard to see my family. I was born and raised in The Pas, but my mother is from Pine Creek First Nation, which is South of the 53rd Parallel, latitude wise. Before the travel ban, restricting all non-essential travel between Northern and Southern Manitoba, my mother and I travelled to visit my grandmother at least once a month. However, since the break out of the pandemic, we have only managed to see them once or twice. Of course, it felt a little lonely because it was not only my grandmother that lives in Pine Creek, but all of my mother's side of the family. I also worried for her because she lives on a reservation that does not have a hospital, and she often sees people who do not properly social distance and often visit other communities.
Many things have not gone according to plan this year due to the pandemic.
This, however, does not mean that everything that has happened so far is bad. I had
22 initially planned to continue working and travelling until August 2021, and enrolling in university for that same September, but seeing how COVID-19 has stopped most overseas travels for the foreseeable future, I figured that now would be the best time to start university. While attending university from the comfort of my own home, I will be able to save my money for when the travel restrictions are lifted, and I can travel abroad once more. Another good thing that came as a result of the pandemic outbreak, in my opinion, is the use of masks. In the past, I lived in Japan, where masks have always been worn in public regularly, whether to protect oneself and others from illnesses or by women who simply want to cover their faces when they are not wearing make-up. Pre-pandemic, wearing a mask in public here in the west would draw many peoples’ stares, but now they have become widely accepted and even mandated. While some people find them inconvenient and resist wearing them,
I believe facemasks are helpful, and they are indispensable if we are to curb the spread of the virus and overcome this pandemic.
The year 2020 has been a year of change and adaptation. While there have been many drawbacks, such as not being able to see family members as much as I used to, there have also been advances when it comes to peoples’ views on cleanliness and awareness on the spread of germs. I believe that as long as people continue to socially distance and wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, by the end of this pandemic, we will be better equipped to handle something of this nature without having to shut everything down completely, should we ever witness another onslaught of a deadly virus again.
23 Lanze Chevillard is a first-year student in the bachelor of arts program at UCN and a member of Pine Creek First Nation. Lanze was born and raised in The Pas, Manitoba, but often travels to Pine Creek to visit family. Travel has been a big part of Lanze’s life for the past decade, and she has travelled internationally annually since 2011. She went on a year-long Rotary exchange from 2016-17 and since then knew she wanted to live and work in Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), teaching English to school children. As soon as she graduates from UCN, Lanze plans on moving to Japan to pursue that goal. Lanze’s love of Japan began long before she experienced living there, but after experiencing life there, she can't imagine living anywhere else. Lanze made many life-long friends while in Japan and enjoyed sharing their cultures with each other. Lanze believes being an ALT can help teach her students about Canada and Canadian culture as well as the English language. Travelling abroad is what opened up her perspective. Lanze learned that the world is bigger than Canada and that there are languages other than English. It's something so simple, but she didn't completely understand that concept until she travelled to a place that didn't speak English. That's why, once the covid-19 pandemic has subsided, Lanze highly recommends travelling abroad at least once.
Lanze Chevillard is a promising writer, and she was one of my students in the Composition and Creativity class in fall of 2020. Her reflective essay “How COVID-19 Changed My Life” gives the reader an up-close brief account of how the pandemic disrupted a student’s travel plans for 2020. Lanze, who was once an exchange student to Japan, was already looking forward to traveling to South America in 2020, but the dream came crashing down, no thanks to the onslaught of the COVID-19 virus. However, it was truly great to have had the privilege of working with Lanze this academic year – Dr. Joseph Atoyebi 24 COVID-19 and How it Impacted My Everyday Life Excel Daniel
In a world of uncertainties, where shocks and challenges are not uncommon, the year 2020 has brought with it more challenges than any other year in recent memories. It seems as though for every month of this particular year, there has been a new challenge. The month of March brought with it a special challenge that still haunts even to this day—the mandatory quarantine put in place to curb the spread of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This virus and the resultant quarantine affected our lives in various ways, whether at home, at work, or in the community at large. At the initial outbreak, or what the world has finally come to identify as the first wave of the virus, I was still a high school senior. In this essay,
I will reflect on the variety of ways in which COVID-19 impacted me, ranging from my personal life, including all its trappings, to my school life.
It was about Christmas of 2019 that we heard about a new virus that originated from China. According to initial reports, the virus was said to have come from a snake or bat strain, and it was said to have the ability to spread very rapidly. I have to admit that when I first heard about the COVID virus, I thought it was a joke. I never imagined that it could do as much damage like it has done so
25 far. Unsurprisingly, I was not the only one that thought it could never reach the heights it did. Back then, our favourite word was “Rona,” coined from the name of the virus “coronavirus.” I remember that my friends and I would joke around about the virus as young people would do, thinking that it would never get here.
Unfortunately, all our jokes and false hopes were dashed when the federal government announced that the virus had come to our shores and that it was spreading speedily.
In a matter of weeks from its arrival, the virus had already reached our city of
Winnipeg, and it was already claiming lives. So, it was no surprise when the provincial government announced different measures to help curb its spread. Part of the measures was a lockdown, which meant that students like me would have to go to school online. I ended up going to a university outside Winnipeg, the University
College of the North (UCN) because my acceptance letter from UCN arrived a couple of days before the University of Manitoba’s letter. Those who frequently visited religious centres were also advised to stay at home. Incidentally, I also belong to this second group of people that was impacted by the lockdown measure.
My family is strongly Pentecostal. Following the lockdown, gatherings involving fifty people or more were disallowed. The church that we attended had a regular attendance of over 100 worshippers - pre-pandemic era. With the lockdown, we could not go to church in person, and we had to attend online. Attending church online did feel very weird at first, and to some degree, it still feels weird. It feels less spiritual and intimate and more like “just- another-Zoom-call.” Similar to the
26 experience when schooling had to go online, virtual church services also started off on shaky footings, especially with technical issues, which plagued the meetings for a couple of months. In the end, we were able to get the hang of it. Although it was not the same as physical gathering, it was all we had, and we had to make do with it.
Being a high school student at the time, I had to take up online schooling.
This proved to be quite difficult. Schooling online presented multiple difficulties as most of us (teachers and students alike) were not acquainted with this learning method. Technical difficulties like slow internet and website failures and crashes also considerably hindered learning. Attending school online and not having the physical interaction with other students and teachers that I had been used to for these thirteen years made the online experience even more difficult. It was quite an unconventional learning experience that brought about new and odd issues—for example, yelling on top of my lungs on Zoom calls to get my teacher’s attention only to realize that I had been muted all the while. In the end, I managed to pull through with graduation, even though it was not a proper ceremony when compared to the ones I had witnessed other people have in the past. However, the graduation ceremony was only a minor issue compared to others that the virus brought in its wake.
During my high school years, I was also an athlete. I played soccer for my school team. Sadly, due to the virus’s emergence, its subsequent spread, and the lockdown measure that followed, the soccer season was abruptly cancelled. That
27 singular event impacted me greatly because I had always been looking forward to playing soccer in my final year of high school. Not being able to ever experience or achieve this goal really upset me, and it added extra sadness to an already somber period of my life. Staying at home all day was also quite head- aching. My family has always lived together, but much like other families, we had not spent this much time together in a long time. My parents had to go to work, and my sister and I were usually at school. With the pandemic, we all had to be reacquainted with each other, and sometimes, we took walks to catch a wind of fresh air and let out frustrations.
The COVID-19 pandemic affected my life in multiple ways. Since its emergence, things have not been the same, and they will probably never be the same again. If the pandemic ever ends, the first thing we would have to come to terms with is that some of us would not be around anymore – fatalities of the virus.
We will have to re-adjust to the new normal of being around each other without masks and interacting without having to unmute. Overall, I believe that those acts and actions that used to be normal before the pandemic will become strange to us, and we will have to re-learn them. Above all, this pandemic taught me something amazing. It taught me to appreciate and cherish those little moments and memories that I have with my loved ones, as I never know when I will get the chance to share such joys with them again.
28 Excel Daniel is a 17-year-old student, and he is in his first year of study at the University College of the North. He hopes to attain a degree in political science from either the University of Manitoba or the University of Winnipeg. Excel spent most of his early life in Nigeria, but he currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with his family after moving there five years ago.
Excel Daniel was my student in the Composition and Creativity class, fall, 2020. In his reflective essay on the topic of the COVID-19 pandemic, “COVID-19 and How It Impacted My Everyday Life,” Excel writes about a few areas of his life that have been impacted by the pandemic. First, he was unable to play in a soccer tournament in his final year of high school. The second major point has to do with his religious commitment which was impacted by the pandemic with the restrictions on religious gatherings. Lastly, the challenges of adapting to new technologies for learning and church worship. Excel showed a lot of potential as a student in my class – Dr. Joseph Atoyebi
29 The Highs and Lows of Graduating During a Pandemic
Kamryn Prokopow
One March night in 2020, I went to bed, and little did I know that when I woke up, my senior year would be over. The spread of the COVID-19 virus was getting worse across Canada, causing the Manitoba government to make some serious decisions. These decisions included shutting down schools, which I thought was going to be for three weeks, only to find out later that it would last for the rest of the school year. The shutdown also impacted my senior year due to the school closure, and all I could think about was, “well, what do we do now?”
Since grade 9, I could not wait to walk across the stage with everyone I have grown up with, but the world had different plans. COVID-19 hit the world hard, throwing a monkey wrench into everyone’s plans for 2020. I felt as though I took a big kick to the gut, considering that I worked so hard for this moment. My graduation ceremony got cancelled immediately, but that did not stop us from devising another way to celebrate. A plan was conducted to have a sort of drive- through ceremony, and I was immediately on board with it, although it meant graduating in a parking lot. Even with the prospect of having some form of a graduation ceremony, I was still affected in many ways. Having the graduation
30 ceremony in a parking lot meant that I could no longer celebrate with all my friends because there were three different ceremony groups. I had to watch my friends graduate over a live Facebook video. For the past thirteen years, I have been through so much with everyone. I wished COVID-19 did not take away the chance for my friends and me to celebrate our graduation together. Even though it was hard to cope with the news, I am still so grateful that I got anything at all.
COVID-19 not only affected my graduation ceremony, but it also affected the graduation ball. The graduation ball was one last opportunity to celebrate everything we have accomplished before each one of us goes on our way. To flatten the curve, the government put limits on how many people could be at one gathering; at the time of the ball, only 50 people could attend. My graduation class was over this limit, causing the graduation ball to be cancelled. This caused me to be truly angry at the world for what was happening. I had already spent a great deal of money on a graduation dress and had booked all the appointments I would need for the day. With the decrease in the COVID-19 case numbers in summer, there was renewed hope that the ball would be held in October, but the numbers spiked again. I will now never get the chance to experience my graduation ball. From my observation, most people think that everything about COVID-19 was negative; however, there are still some positive aspects to the story for me.
This pandemic brought me closer to many of my classmates; we have shared the common experience of having a disruptive event truncate our plans. I have made connections with people that I never thought I would talk to again because I wanted
31 to develop a plan to still make my senior year memorable. The graduation parade was a moment I will never forget. My classmates and I planned and decorated a float for the parade; that meant a lot to me. I was still able to wear my dress as I had always wanted to, and this way, more people had the chance to see it than if the ceremony had been held in the usual hall. After the parade, I made the best of the situation and had an amazing time celebrating with my family. My family knew how much I was affected by the pandemic, so they decided to make the day special for me in their own way. This would have never been possible with a normal graduation day as it is always so rushed.
Overall, COVID-19 affected me in more ways than I would have ever imagined possible. My graduation ceremony and ball were cancelled. Because of that, I was then able to have a graduation parade and an amazing time with my family. I was affected negatively at the start, but by not letting COVID-19 take over my life, I was able to have a great graduation day. I will now live my life focusing only on the positive aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This, I believe, is the best approach if one wants to keep one’s sanity in a challenging time such as this.
32 Kamryn Prokopow is an 18-year-old student at UCN. She was born and raised in The Pas, MB, where she decided to complete the 3-year Bachelor of Arts program. Her goal, once complete, is to further her education to become an elementary school teacher. She has completed 13 years of the Girl Guides program, where she realized she wanted to work with children. This desire to work with children has been reinforced with Kamryn’s past three years of experience as a leader for a younger girl’s group. Graduating during a pandemic has allowed Kamryn to write about her experiences. Overall, it has offered the chance to look at life from a new perspective.
Kamryn Prokopow was my student in the Composition and Creativity class in fall of 2020. Her essay is a personal reflection on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her, especially as it prevented her and her peers from having their high school graduation ceremony in the usual way. Kamryn, through her essay, reminds the reader that the human spirit can never be crushed. We will always find a way to circumvent challenging situations; case in point, having a drive-through graduation ceremony. Great work, Kamryn! – Dr. Joseph Atoyebi.
33 A Reflection on Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Sydney Bjorndalen* An Introduction to Literature (ENG 1000) taught by Dr. Awan is my first English course I have taken with University College of the North (UCN). I have taken various courses, due to completing my Bachelor of Social Work Degree in February 2018. I have taken face-to-face and online courses throughout my post-secondary education. Face-to- face learning is different than online learning because there is a sense of community and networking with the professor and the other students. If there are questions, comments or discussions, I think it is more comfortable to be in person to talk with the professor and other students about the class subjects. My expectation of online learning was to have lots of clear communication, discussion, and interaction with other students through UCN
Learn and Zoom meetings. Through my experience of online learning with Dr. Awan, I am glad to tell that I have a good feeling because he has been a great communicator and willing to make appropriate changes to best suit the needs of the students for online learning. In our synchronous online class, we are given opportunities to interact with not only the professor but also other students about learnt subjects. Through both asynchronous and synchronous online learning, I have learnt a lot about literature such as literary analysis for the required texts we have explored during this course. The short essay, “Wilby as an Escapist in William Trevor’s “Folie à Deux,” is to demonstrate my understanding of how Wilby is portrayed as an escapist by the author.
*Please see article “Wilby as an Escapist in William Trevor’s ‘Folie à Deux’” on page 68 for author’s biography, photo, and instructor’s remarks. 34 The Impact of COVID-19 on Global and Local Brands Kelly Laybolt* The spread of COVID-19 has forced people around the world to drastically change their daily habits. As a result of public health recommendations that encourage people to remain at home, both global and local brands have altered their services to serve the consumer better and compete for their business. Many global brands provided online ordering and curbside pickup services prior to
COVID-19; therefore, some of the adaptations these businesses were required to make were already in place. The transition was more difficult for most local brands to adhere to COVID-19 recommendations as many did not have an online store or an app and required communication between the buyer and the seller.
Unfortunately, some local businesses have had to close their doors due to the pandemic. The Paint Lake Lodge announced on November 5th that they would be closing their doors until the winter snowmobile season as a result of revenue losses. Global companies, like Boston Pizza, are less affected by profit loss as they can absorb those losses, but may temporarily lay off employees to lower their decreased revenue.
There are also global and local brands that are maintaining sales or even profiting as a result of the say at home guidelines. Takeout and delivery only
35 restaurants like Domino’s have had an increase in business during the pandemic.
Domino’s reported that store sales “increased by 16%1 in the second quarter of
2020.” Local brands are also seeing an increase in sales during the pandemic.
Jasyn Lucas has noted that although there has been a decrease in orders from
galleries that carry his art, private sales are up.2 Therefore, although COVID-19
has resulted in nation-wide encouragement to remain at home, most global and
local businesses remain open and successful during this pandemic.
1Brooke Henderson, “People Are Ordering More Pizza during the Pandemic and Domino's Is Taking the Biggest Slice of Sales,” Fortune (Fortune, August 12, 2020), https://fortune.com/2020/08/12/coronavirus-food-trends- takeout-delivery-pizza-dominos-covid/. 2Jasyn Lucas, interview by Kelly Laybolt, November 14, 2020, Thompson.
Bibliography
Henderson, Brooke. “People Are Ordering More Pizza during the Pandemic and
Domino's Is Taking the Biggest Slice of Sales.” Fortune. Fortune, August
12, 2020. https://fortune.com/2020/08/12/coronavirus-food-trends-takeout-
delivery-pizza-dominos-covid/.
*Please see article “The Commercial Relationship between the Local and the Global: Thompsonites’ Consumer Values” on page 55 for author’s biography, photo, and instructor’s remarks.
36 My Experience with Online Learning During the COVID-19
Pandemic: A Brief Reflection
Alexander Primrose*
My online school experience has been a wild time, even though I am home. I started off wondering how I am going to learn all of this during online schooling. It has turned out that I have awesome instructors who help me to overcome all the setbacks during this time. Learning online was strange to me; I did not know how teaching could be conducted online, and I did not know what to expect from online learning. A good thing for today is that we have a good set of technology at our hands. Without computers and other gadgets during this time, it would have made it harder to learn, or how else would we get our education without digital technology.
Online learning is different from face-to-face learning, but with all the resources online, it can make it bearable for us to enjoy education. We have done a lot with online learning once we are engaging and interested in learning. I love doing all the educational mini-games for concepts and special terms in my literature course; I find them very interesting as they keep me engaged and wanting to do more with specific topics. Of course, online learning has its ups and downs. It is not fun sitting in the same spot for hours, but it does make me get my work
37 done. What else is there to do nowadays without any social activity during the pandemic right at our door? I want to keep my family safe by staying home as well, and I will be forever grateful that I am still receiving an excellent education through online learning. It has motivated me to work more because I get to be home with my family, and most importantly, with my children. I also get to achieve my education from the comforts of staying at home.
I have enjoyed my time learning from home, and I find it both challenging and rewarding. The learning is about the same—it just takes place on a computer and without anyone around me. The only thing that sucks is I cannot have that connection with my fellow classmates in the classroom. Losing physical contact with my peers on campus is tough because associating with them face-to-face will bring a nice touch, and having that companion to help the learning process.
Visiting and chatting with peers and instructors and hearing many different perspectives on the topics will create a more encouraging learning experience. I find that these can be done through online learning through Zoom meetings and group discussion, but I have a different feeling, and I find it to be a bit awkward as there are more distractions at hand with background noise and other distractions.
With online learning, I find that some things are out of my control, and I have to deal with loud noises and other things that may go on in the comforts of home ,distracting you from important slides and discussions. Other than that, I find online schooling to be quite fun and interesting during the pandemic, as we have unconventional ways of learning.
38 I have one bad experience during online schooling through this pandemic. I lost my laptop due to it being dropped, and it was challenging to get a computer instantly. I had to order it online, and shipping currently takes a longer time than I thought. Meanwhile, I had to catch up on many assignments. So, I went back to see whether I could use the old laptops I had, but the first would not turn on. I did not think I was going to complete my courses. I could not even go to the store and buy a new laptop as they were deemed to be “non-essential” in the code-red restricted Province of Manitoba Public Health Orders due to the spike in COVID-
19 cases. It became very upsetting because I had been working hard for all my courses during this difficult time. Now I got so far behind, and I was panicking thinking I would fail and not accomplish my goals for this term. I wanted very much to complete all my courses, and I wanted to have a good term.
As time went on, I had to improvise and use my phone to attend lectures and participate in class discussions. It was a tough time for sure, as I had three laptops crash on me. I dropped the first one, and it broke; the second one even would not start; the third one was too slow to use and opening the browser took way too long to load any web page. This posed a dilemma as I needed good access to these internet resources to help achieve my online school goals.
Getting a new computer was difficult during the pandemic because everything had to be ordered online and shipping took a long time. Moreover, it was expensive and hurt my financial wellbeing. I badly need a computer to continue with my education, and I managed to get one ordered from Winnipeg
39 before the term was up. Ordering a computer from a store in Winnipeg sped up the shipping process. I had it shipped from Winnipeg by bus overnight, and the laptop arrived at my local bus depot by the next morning. The laptop arrival literally saved my studies at this urgent time.
Computers are indispensable for online learning. I did not believe that I could recuperate from all my broken computers if the new one did not come at the right time. It was difficult, but I managed to keep a positive attitude when I had no computer to work on my assignments. I did not think I would get all of my assignments done in time, as the lack of a computer pushed me back considerably.
Thanks to my cell phone, I could still attend lectures and get access to all of my courses. With all the digital devices, I was able to keep up with my assignments.
Some of my professors also gave me an extension so that I was able to do my assignments when I received my new computer.
Online learning during this pandemic has taught me to better adapt to situations with flexible schedules so that I could complete my assignments on time.
It is a tough adjustment at first, but when I get the hang of things, I feel that it is a great way of learning, especially being at home during this pandemic. I love being with my loved ones while accomplishing all of my education goals. I cannot wait to be done with my Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education. I want to be a teacher who can contribute to every student’s way of learning, as my instructors have done for me. Seeing how much my instructors care for students makes me feel so proud that I am working towards a great profession.
40 After this pandemic is over, I cannot wait to earn my Bachelor of Arts and
Bachelor of Education degrees. I am extremely excited to achieve all my University goals. I hope we all get to walk across the stage to receive our diplomas as I think it would be fitting for all the students that had to do online schooling and hearing their story on how they had to cope with their online learning situation. We are incredibly grateful to still receive an education, and I cannot wait to tell everyone how wonderful online learning really is. I genuinely enjoy it as it is a great new way of learning and still an opportunity to get my education. Everything is a new learning experience in the world we live in today during the COVID-19 pandemic.
*Please see article “Reaching My Academic Goals During a Pandemic” on page 49 for author’s biography, photo, and instructor’s remarks.
Photo courtesy of Ying Kong 41 COVID-19 Sent Me Back to School Sharon Garson
In 1999, I graduated with a Diploma in Business Administration from
Keewatin Community College, now called University College of the North (UCN), here in Thompson, Manitoba. After graduation, I did not know if I should stay in
Thompson or go back home to Split Lake. I worked in Thompson for a couple of months with a temporary position at Keewatin Tribal Council. Thinking of a permanent job, I went home to see what I could do there. Options were scarce.
After I was home for a couple of weeks, I decided to do something. I offered my services for free to the Education Authority, so that I could get some work experience. They said yes and they kept me on. I started as an assistant to the whole office. Soon I was asked to look after the payroll and accounts payable. It took me a while to learn to manage all the accounts, but now I am the Finance
Manager. The knowledge I gained from this position has been very satisfying.
However, I don’t think this position would be satisfying to me forever. I want to enhance my employability. I made a decision to go back to university.
While I was applying for university in the summer of 2020, my inner self was having doubts. “Am I too old to go back to school?” However, my deeper thought was always telling me it was time for a change: a change to what I was not sure. I always believe that I must have a university degree. As I already have a
42 Diploma in Business Administration plus working experience in that field, I decided to apply for the Bachelor of Business Administration Program.
Going back to university is different from the time when I was studying for the
Diploma in Business Administration twenty years ago. At that time, I didn’t have a family. Now my husband and I have four children. My firstborn is set to graduate high school next year, and I’m hoping he attends UCN too. I started questioning myself about coming back to university. “Will my son mind if he would be studying in the same school with his MOM?” I asked him what his plans are after high school a few times, but he has not answered me yet. I will continue to encourage him to get two degrees at least. I don’t think he gives it much thought about me being around because he got used to having me around. I was his hockey coach until he was thirteen and continued to be the team chaperone or driver. Instead of being self- conscious, I will be a good role model for him by continuing my education.
The persistent feeling of doubt kept coming back when I thought about going back to school. I started wondering how we will manage our bills, school, work, and our children. Those were good reasons not to go back to school, right then. However,
I would just keep on working and dreaming about going back to university. I had reluctantly accepted my condition then and had put my dream of going back to university on hold.
Coincidently, an opportunity came to me. Early in summer 2020, I was at work having a conversation with my co-worker, who happened to be the post-secondary counsellor. She mentioned that courses at UCN would probably be online because of
43 this pandemic. She also said that application submissions were currently free. What a good opportunity! So, I applied online and received a reply within a week. I was accepted. Cool hey? I was ecstatic.
Now talking about my husband who lets me do what I want, I feel grateful for his support. This has brought me back to the marathons I have done in different parts of North America. In the beginning, I would book our destination first and tell him later, so he wouldn’t back out. He would not say anything and let me know if the destination worked for us. One time I was about to book a run in Montreal, but he said no, because it was during the fall hunt. He needed a flight to our remote camp.
One of us had to stay with the kids because of school. Instead of discussing with him ahead of time, I asked him to come with me to Winnipeg for a half marathon the following month. Without complaints, he waited for me at the finish lines. What a support I received from him! I couldn’t express enough thanks to him while limping back to the hotel. I am grateful for him: He stayed home to look after the children while I worked. Even after our last newborn, I stayed home only for two months and went back to work. It was hard for him to look after the baby because he’s an outdoor type. He would always be fixing and building something whenever he has a break.
Now you could imagine what a challenge for him to stay at home with kids. One late night I finally told him about my dream of getting a university degree. There was not much discussion between us; he just gave me a nod and said okay, which was good enough for me.
44 Now I am constantly with my laptop and headphones at home. It has not been easy; my evenings and weekends are filled with reading. During previous holiday seasons, I would spend more time with my family where we might go for a run together instead of working on my homework without paying attention to them. My seven-year-old son especially wants my attention because my other kids are in their teens. They do not have an interest in little kids’ games. I am glad they are old enough to do all inside chores, another neglect I sometimes do because of school. So, after some playtime with my son, I go back to reading. Sometimes I have questions where I do not want to ask the instructor because I realize how important it is to interact with fellow students. I sure do need to share my work and worries with them sometimes, to get their positive feedback. Having said that, I hope we continue to do online courses at least for another term. Another setback for me to stay at university is financial support. My teenagers are going through some dental procedures.
Although the insurance from work helps me with that, I need time to think of a way financially to continue pursuing my degree.
I am happy I came back to UCN twenty-one years after I obtained my diploma. I have gained insight into so many new things, especially managing with technology. I am grateful for the orientation that comes with online learning. Having online classes meant I didn’t have to leave my home to go to school. It also meant I would have to update myself on software programs. I was in a class where we did a group project. I was so thankful for fellow students who knew how to use document sharing programs. I was ecstatic at what could be accomplished from all this technology. Sometimes I think about going for an Education Degree as well. I will
45 wait and think about it. For now, I want to finish the next term. I want to see how it will affect me, my family, and my full-time job. I don’t regret coming back to school after so many years. I have been happy and content with what I have achieved through education. I think now maybe I was getting too comfortable and I needed a new challenge. Challenge and excitement, along with worry is what I have got so far from my life. I would worry about tests and assignment due dates when going to university. But as long as I can keep up and know my priorities, I believe I will do alright. Thanks to online learning, I can continue my education while keeping my job and managing my family life.
Photo courtesy of Ying Kong
46 Sharon Garson married Charles “Stephen” Garson on October 7, 2004. They have 4 Children: Charles “Zach” Garson -17, graduating June 2021 Charlize Garson – 15, Grade 11 Karina Garson -13, Grade 8 Randy Redhead – 7, Grade 2 While at home, Sharon and her family may work or attend school, but they also follow a traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle. Sharon attributes this to her husband’s lifestyle and often calls him her “Mad Trapper.” Often, they take trips to the bush and on the water for hunting and ice fishing. Sharon graduated high school in Dauphin, Manitoba, and then graduated from Keewatin Community College (KCC) in Thompson, Manitoba in 1999. In January 2000, Sharon started working at Tataskweyak Education Authority in Split Lake and currently still works there. She has sat on several boards in her community, including on the Tataskweyak Education Board as a trustee before gaining employment there, Tataskweyak Gaming Commission, Tataskweyak Trust, Aboriginal Strategies located in Winnipeg, and Tataskweyak Minor Hockey Association as a treasurer and coach. Sharon is an avid marathoner, having completed marathons in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg. She also completed a marathon in the Cayman Islands, where she accomplished a dream of winning a marathon in her age category. She was able to do this with help from fundraising for Health Horizons under The North West Company. Sharon dreams of also running a marathon in Iceland. During the summers, she runs in summer events held on other reserves, and this has taken her to places such as Cross Lake, Norway House, Nelson House, and York Landing. Sharon enjoys that this also helps make a lot of friends. Aside from marathons, she also plays other sports. During her KCC days, she went to the Manitoba Games in Gimli to represent Nor -Man in volleyball, where her team won gold. Sharon also entered the Masters Indigenous Games that were held in Toronto, where she received medals in Track. Not only has Sharon advocated for her own athleticism, but she worked hard to get kids from her community to compete at the Indigenous Games when they were held in Winnipeg. This was a dream accomplished. Sharon’s goal is to run a 50km marathon. This was supposed to happen in Calgary in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she hopes to complete it in 2022. Sharon believes that success is being happy. “I love my family so much. I thank God for them. Without faith, I would not have these. I pray every day for strength and to be worry free. I want to be a positive influence to my children. I hope they follow my path to lead a clean and healthy life.”
47 Family photo was taken during the 2018 Christmas: Sharon, her husband and their four kids.
COVID-19 has an impact on everyone’s life. However, moving university education to online has offered Sharon Garson the opportunity to get a university degree. She was my student in the first-year literature course, Introduction to Literature ENG 1000. As an adult student who has four children to raise and who has to work daily, she managed to attend most of the virtual lectures twice a week during the pandemic. She was the top student in this class. I am impressed with her enthusiasm in taking this course and asked her to tell us her story of coming to UCN for a university degree. Her story of studying at UCN is inspiring not only to her own children but also to all university students especially the adult students. (Dr. Ying Kong)
48 Reaching My Academic Goals During a Pandemic
Alexander Primrose
Why have I made up my mind to study at University College of the North
(UCN)? I want to become a teacher one day! I want to give back my learning from
UCN to any community that hires me by being the best teacher I can be for the youth. I want to show my future students that anything is possible if we make great efforts. UCN is the best choice for me as I have an Educational Assistant certificate from UCN and want to expand my studies into education. I want to become an
English teacher, a Native Studies teacher, and a Gym teacher. I feel I can contribute more as an English teacher by helping students expand on their reading and writing skills. As a Native Studies teacher, I can expand on First Nations topics and traditions to ensure that First Nation cultures are never forgotten. Lastly, sports and fitness in my Gym classes will always be a priority by ensuring that everyone learns proper nutrition, healthy eating, and fitness habits. These are the main courses I would love to teach because I feel confident in helping Indigenous students with their learning and well-being.
As an adult student, I have a growing family of my own. My partner and I have a daughter and a new addition on the way this coming year. I have a vision for my future: to graduate from UCN, majoring in Native Studies and minoring in English.
49 Then I will start my teaching career. I want to not only do this for myself but also to be a role model for my children and demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and adequately provide them with what they need throughout their lives. I am in my second year of University, trying to achieve my Three-year Bachelor of Arts program, and I hope to complete my fourth year Bachelor of Arts program in the process. After achieving all my goals, I will continue with UCN to go for my two- year Bachelor of Education After-Degree.
I started my UCN Chapter last year when I enrolled in the Kenanow Bachelor of Education Program, and I completed one teaching course and two bachelor of arts courses. I really enjoyed this program, but I wanted to lighten the load and focus on one degree for now. So, I switched into the Bachelor of Arts Program as I saw a great opportunity to excel in my education at UCN. Acquiring a Bachelor of
Arts degree could offer many opportunities, including going into social work, becoming a retail business manager, or becoming a park and recreation director organizing sports and planning opportunities for children of all ages. I see myself perfect for becoming an educator as there is a lot of opportunities involved. I would love to have my four-year Bachelor of Arts degree while working as I see education as a great opportunity to have a great life, especially doing something I have a great passion for.
Taking a career with passion offers me the opportunity to educate a new generation of children while exploring their strengths and weaknesses. I am also a hockey coach heading into my third-year coaching in my community of Nelson
50 House, and I would also love to give back to my community as an educator. I see sports as an excellent gateway to education and achieving one’s goals as a student- athlete. If you are a good student-athlete in high school, you will have a great opportunity to head to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). A division one scholarship in hockey guarantees four years of free education in the
United States of America, even in the Canadian Universities four years of education if you as an athlete played four years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL),
Western Hockey League (WHL), Québec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
I love coaching as it has similarities to teaching, and I use all of its tools that help me teach the game in a fun and proper way. Teaching hockey requires strategic thinking, a lot of discipline, and above all, patience.
I am close to achieving my degree in the three-year Bachelor of Arts program as I am in my second year of University. In Fall 2019, I took Introduction to
Aboriginal Studies, Introduction to Sociology, and Introduction to Teaching. I am taking three courses this term: Introduction to Literature (ENG 1000), The Metis
Nation, and University Writing. I am enjoying my learning time here at UCN and would love to further my education here at UCN as I think they have a wonderful online learning system during this current global pandemic. The online learning with teaching support is incredible. I have been able to get through difficult situations through online learning with the help of my instructors. After completing my goal of becoming an educator, I would love to keep furthering my education here at UCN by enrolling in the Business Administration program. My father has always been a good businessman, and I would love to have the chance to work with
51 him.
I have been enjoying my time back in school, it is undoubtedly a grind, but I am doing this for my family and to better myself in this working world. School, I find, is an amazing pathway to anything you want in life, and I am so happy that I am working towards a better me with the education through UCN. Education would mean the world to me if I accomplished all the goals I have set for myself in University. I have already reached the finish line, and I could not be more excited to finish my education. I am so excited to become an English, Gym or
Native Studies teacher.
My three years of coaching have been great. I have taught a lot to my hockey players, and I could not be any prouder for how far they have come. They have improved so much as I showed them proper off-season hockey workouts to enhance their ability to at a high level on the ice. This experience has made me feel confident in becoming an educator as I know I can help the education process. To have the arena as my classroom was an amazing time; skating at high speeds and executing fast-paced drills is no easy task for some individual hockey players. My goal is to properly teach skating and proper balancing to fully extract all the skater’s potential. It is such a cool process to see how far some of my players have come, from not knowing how to skate to becoming an excellent hockey player.
That is the best I can tell my story of coming to UCN and being in the university process. I am so excited to become an educator and hopefully earn a
52 master’s degree in Bachelor of Arts and a master’s degree in education thanks to the educational opportunities UCN has offered so far. I cannot wait to achieve my goals and dreams of doing what I love doing. I am also proud of what I have accomplished as a coach, as well as happy to see my hard-working hockey students excel in the sport; they love me so very much as I love them.
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Tritthart
53 Alexander Primrose is completing his Bachelor of Arts Program and later moving on to Bachelor of Education. He plans on becoming an educator in either middle school or high school. Alexander plans on teaching in Thompson after the completion of his university degrees. He is a father of two and devotes his life to raising good children in the process. He loves sports such as hockey, loves writing, and enjoys gaming. Alexander is a First Nations student from Nelson House, Manitoba, and is currently trying to learn his Cree language.
Alexander Primrose with his parents while attending a function in the mountains of Alberta. They are all from Nelson House, Manitoba. Alexander is grateful for his parents’ support in achieving his educational goals from UCN.
Alexander Primrose was in my Introduction to Literature class (ENG 1000) in the fall of 2020. He enjoys the virtual lectures, participating in class discussion and voluntary readings for the class. In addition to his successful completion to this course, he also tells his story of “Coming to UCN for His Education” and his reflection on “Online Learning during the Pandemic.” His story tells us about his ambitions to become a great educator for his community. Although his laptops created problems for his studies during the term, he managed well with his cellphone to attend every virtual lecture for this course. Alexander’s stories are humble but encouraging. (Dr. Ying Kong) 54
The Commercial Relationship between the Local and the Global: Thompsonites’ Consumer Values Kelly Laybolt Recently, there has been a growing concern that local cultures are being dominated by global forces. As global brands make their way into communities across the world, some people may fear that eventually, local brands will not be able to compete. However, Bryant Simon, the author of “Global Brands Contend with
Appreciation for the Local,” theorizes that as the effects of globalization have become more prominent, the value of local cultures will increase. Furthermore, Simon analyzes the consumerism aspect of globalization and the way it has affected consumer preferences when choosing between global and local brands. Although global companies like Starbucks and McDonald’s continue to serve millions of customers around the world every day, Simon concludes that people are increasingly attracted to independent and local coffeehouses by arguing that “farmers’ markets
[and] bring-your-own-bottle restaurants” bring “new appeal in the US emerging economy of the small”i to the local business. Therefore, globalization, ironically, is driving up the demand for more choices in local culture and products. This shift in consumer trends toward local products can also be found within the city of
Thompson, Manitoba. According to a 2016 Census Profile provided by Statistics
Canada, Thompson has a population of 12,878 residents and is the largest municipality in Northern Manitoba.ii Thompsonites, and those living in communities 55 outside of the city, rely on global brands for many of their shopping needs because of the remote, northern location.iii However, because of the uniformity of these global brands, consumers increasingly value local businesses and products. Northern
Manitobans continue to purchase locally made goods such as Manitoba Mukluks, which have given Manitoban Indigenous people an opportunity to share their culture with more and more consumers around the world. Small businesses in Thompson like Santa Maria Pizza, the Heritage North Museum, and even the campus bookstores at University College of the North locations strive to make meaningful connections with their communities to draw consumers away from global companies like Amazon and Domino’s. Simon’s conclusions about how globalization has increased interests in local products have been proven as consumers continue to shop locally despite the popularity of global brands.
Many people fear that global brands, such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, and
Subway, are threatening local businesses as they continue to expand across the globe.
According to Simon, Starbucks is striving “to create a transnational setting, distinct from any one locale or nation that [is] nonetheless still everywhere.”iv Like
Starbucks, most global brands are designed to offer sameness and consistency in different locations. Upon entering a global brand location, consumers will know what to expect from their shopping experience. They already know the building’s general design, what is on the menu, where the bathrooms are, and which aisle they can find their favorite peanut butter. The uniformity of Starbucks locations is meant to attract consumers to enter the location. However, latte drinkers from Portland, Maine to
Portland, Oregon, are weary “of the lack of choice posed by Starbucks.”v Evidently,
56 these latte drinkers are seeking local coffee shops and craving a more authentic experience. The desire for authenticity in coffee culture has also been a trend in
Thompson. Northern Flavours was a café located in Thompson that provided consumers with unique drinks and baked goods. The atmosphere projected a stereotypical coffeehouse vibe complete with bookshelves, mismatched coffee mugs, and large couches for customers to sit on while they enjoyed their beverage.
Unfortunately, on February 10th, 2012, Northern Flavours permanently closed its doors to the public due to ongoing staffing issues and now operates as a catering service; therefore, Thompson no longer has any locally-owned coffeehouses.vi
Although global brands such as McDonald’s, Starbucks and Tim Hortons are the major coffee providers in the city, some Thompsonites still enjoy a coffee or latte without relying on global brands. The lack of local coffee shops has resulted in some residents creating their own lattes and cappuccinos at home, particularly the
Thompsonites. As Bryce Buchanan and Laurel Appell think, making caffeinated beverages at home is special. Buchanan and Appell believe that you can be proud of the coffee you make at home.vii You are responsible for the taste, not some barista at
Starbucks. Therefore, when the drink you are making turns out well, you can be proud of your accomplishment.viii Thus, residents are creating the personal connection to the product that they desire.
57
Coffee corner in Buchanan and Appell’s kitchen.
Economists continue to study changing consumer trends such as the growing demand for local products and an informed shopping experience. Scheherazade
Daneshkhu of the Financial Times magazine explains that consumers, particularly millennials, “want committed brands with authentic products. Natural, more local and if possible small, as small as you can.”ix These consumers “want to know what is in the products they buy and where they come from, demanding curbs on plastic and waste.”x This new demand means that global brands are facing “increasing pressure as this generation of consumers seeks ‘authenticity’… In this climate, big brands are losing out to smaller companies.”xi As more people look to social media for information, they now have the tools to become informed shoppers. Access to the
Internet provides an unlimited amount of information for consumers to research products and companies, allowing them to form their own opinions about local and global brands. Consumers now want to recognize the ingredients in their products and have a local connection with where the product came from.
Although global brands such as chain restaurants have expanded into
Thompson, residents continue to seek out local businesses. Domino’s and Pizza Hut 58 have proven to be exceedingly popular restaurant chains, and they offer
Thompsonites more variety in restaurant choices. Both brands are renowned for their fast service and offer convenient ways to order through their app, website or over the phone. Although both brands offer customers more convenient ways to order,
Thompsonites continue to patronize Santa Maria Pizza, a family-owned business.
The process of ordering from Santa Maria Pizza has always been special: for over forty years, a real person from the same Greek family has answered the phone to receive orders, whereas Domino’s and Pizza Hut both have automated messages to greet their customers. Simon explains that the expansion of global brands generates a
“grassroots pushback, [and] an assertion of the enduring value of particular places, tastes and traditions.”xii Santa Maria Pizza has delivered a familiar interaction to consumers that continues to preserve a local nostalgia—a feeling that global brands cannot replicate.
Globalization has provided consumers with the ease and convenience of internet shopping. Even so, many people are seeking a deeper connection to their own culture. In Northern Manitoba, consumers are forced to rely on global brands for a large number of products. Companies that operate globally can ship products that are not readily available in this region and keep costs similar to those found in larger cities. Although consumers residing in Northern Manitoba must rely on global brands, they still seek local alternatives to majority retailers. Amazon has become a global titan with its sales and distribution of books, and their website states that books “are in our DNA at Amazon—it’s where we started and it’s core to who we are.”xiii Amazon also offers textbooks at a slightly lower price and provides students
59 with a coupon code if they order three or more textbooks. The company attracts consumers with lower prices, free shipping (on orders over $35.00) and coupon codes. Although global brands like Amazon continue to entice consumers with competitive prices and deals, “Many people still prefer to read books written originally in their native language, and about their native culture.”xiv Local businesses like the Heritage North Museum and the UCN bookstore offer a fair selection of books and items like birch bite hangings, honey and furs from local creators at reasonable prices. Another option for Canadians looking for a new favorite read is Chapters. It is a Canadian bookstore chain that continues to promote
Canadian content and supports its local community. The company focuses its operations within Canada with eighty-eight locations across the country.xv During a visit to their store, customers will find numerous titles by Indigenous authors on display and learn that each store regularly hosts talks with authors and book signings.
In addition to participating in special events at the store, customers value the experience of walking through aisles of books and physically interacting with potentially interesting reads. Even though Chapters also offers online shopping,
Amazon cannot replicate this personal, in-store experience. Customers must rely on pictures, descriptions, and buyer reviews to determine if they are interested in the book. Hence, customers can be more comfortable purchasing from local sources instead of purchasing items through globalized brands. People who choose to shop at
Chapters are also investing in the social responsibility of the company. Consumers who value local brands and choose to buy books from companies like Chapters believe that it is “the social responsibility level of the company that makes a product
60 [and] bolsters or diminishes the value.”xvi In addition, the company gives back to the community by helping to address the “underfunding of Canadian elementary school libraries.” According to Chapters’ parent company (Indigo) website, “The
Foundation accomplishes this goal through its annual Literacy Fund grant of $1.5 million and its grassroots Adopt a School program which unites Indigo staff, local schools and their communities to raise money for new and engaging books for elementary school libraries.”xvii Consumers will likely support these local initiatives because they value companies that project social responsibility. Thus, if a company shows value in their community, local consumers are more likely to support a company that promotes local initiatives.
Locally made gifts available at Heritage North Museum.
Local Indigenous footwear has become a popular style for consumers around the world, and therefore, global companies are attempting to capitalize on this local market. Brands like Ugg’s, Sorel, and Minnetonka “operate by mass producing
61 standardized, brand name products at a global scale.”xviii These global brands make moccasins and mukluks accessible to a larger market with mass-produced stock in warehouses. Their products are also available online and in many stores across the world. Although this method of production “enables them to capture a large, homogeneous market, it restricts their ability to serve smaller, more differentiated markets.”xix In contrast, the moccasins offered by global brands lack authenticity and a personal connection through face-to-face contact with the seller. Face-to-face contact creates “stronger social bonds within the community,”xx and brings greater authenticity to the product. While global brands have made Indigenous-inspired footwear accessible to a larger demographic of consumers, these global brands cannot provide the authenticity that many consumers value in locally made products.
Many critics have argued that globalization will wipe out other cultures, but this damage likely will not occur because informed consumers seek a personal connection to the products they buy. According to Kwame Appiah, “if there is a local product… many people prefer it.”xxi In an article about the rapid growth of handmade goods sales online, Andria Cheng explains consumers value “knowing an item has a unique story behind it [and this] creates a personal experience that customers [say] makes owning handmade products special.”xxii Moreover, people who have been affected by globalization will “try to gain economic and cultural returns from their home environments.”xxiii In Thompson, many Indigenous people sell handmade moccasins and mukluks through Facebook to supplement their income. Selling these handmade products online provides consumers with authenticity as they typically meet with the seller in person. Also, consumers appreciate the spirituality within the
62 customized beadwork on the product. Indigenous beading artists convey good thoughts and prayers into their beadwork—yet another quality that impersonal global companies cannot replicate.xxiv One Manitoba based company, Manitobah
Mukluks, has provided Indigenous people with a platform to sell their products while promoting their culture on a larger scale.xxv This local company is very transparent with the materials they use for their products and their international policies. They take “material that is considered ‘waste’” from tanneries and utilize it to make their products.xxvi Hence, Manitobah Mukluks has opened “a gate for increasing interaction between cultures” and allowed Indigenous people to gain financial security for their communities. Arguably, this company has played a part in extending the reach of Indigenous culture past the boundaries of reserve lands and has helped to provide greater acceptance between Indigenous and other cultures.
As globalization spreads, consumers will increasingly value the personal connections that exist when they purchase a local product. Accordingly, Belliveau argues that the “weakness of the global system is the great disconnect between producer and consumer, which inhibits the development of a trusting relationship.”xxviii Thus, people are now searching for local brands and products instead of settling for the impersonal yet convenient access to products that global brands offer. As these brands continue to expand, Simon explains that “the spread of these branded symbols of globalization raises the value of the local.”xxix Many
Thompsonites prefer to purchase footwear from local sources. So do Canadians
63 who choose to shop at local brick and mortar shops like bookstores and farmers markets, and people still appreciate being greeted by a familiar member of their community when ordering dinner over the phone. Globalization strives to create uniformity within brands and is therefore increasing the value of local cultures and businesses. People now research and develop their own opinions through the internet and social media and are less willing to blindly trust global brands.xxx As these brands continue to expand, consumers will continue to resist the placelessness that is generated from global brands and seek the authenticity from buying locally.
Works Cited
Appell, Laurel, and Bryce Buchanan. Interview with Kelly Laybolt. Personal
Interview. Thompson, May 16, 2020.
Appiah, Kwame A. “Cosmopolitan Contamination” In Academic Writing, Real
World Topics Concise Edition, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa
Carl, 279-88. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2016.
Belliveau, Suzanne. “Resisting Global, Buying Local: Goldschmidt Revisited.”
The Great Lakes Geographer 12, no. 1 (2005): 45–53. http://
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?
doi=10.1.1.573.4490&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Chiang, Tien-Hui. “Is the Hegemonic Position of American Culture Able to
Subjugate Local Cultures of Importing Countries? A Constructive Analysis
64 on the Phenomenon of Cultural Localization.” Educational Philosophy and
Theory. 46, no. 13 (2014): 1412–26. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/
pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=5f38d57a-71f7-4dbe-96da-
7f5182072b47@sessionmgr103.
Cowen, Tyler. “Trade Between Cultures.” In Academic Writing, Real World Topics
Concise Edition, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, 263-78.
Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2016
Daneshkhu, Scheherazade. “How Millennials' Taste for 'Authenticity' Is Disrupting
Powerful Food Brands.” Subscribe to read | Financial Times. Financial
Times, June 19, 2018. https://www.ft.com/content/09271178-6f29-11e8-92d3
-6c13e5c92914.
Indigo Books & Music, Inc. “Our Company: Fast Facts.” indigo.ca. Accessed April
4, 2020. https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/our-company/fast-facts/.
Johnson, River, and Janet Tait. Interview with Kelly Laybolt. Personal Interview.
Thompson, April 5, 2020.
Manatobah Mukluks. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Manitobah Mukluks.
Accessed March 20, 2020. https://www.manitobah.ca/pages/faq#wheremade.
Mohr, Lois, and Deborah Webb. “The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility
and Price on Consumer Responses.” Journal of Consumer Affairs 39, no. 1
(2005): 121-47. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?
vid=5&sid=f9718bbc-5b68-4a56-990e-d4ade25d2ff4@pdc-v-sessmgr04.
65 Simon, Bryant. “Global Brands Contend with Appreciation for the Local.” In
Academic Writing, Real World Topics Concise Edition, edited by Michael
Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, 229–232 i Simon, Bryant. “Global Brands Contend with Appreciation for the Local.” In Academic Writing, Real World Topics Concise Edition, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, 232. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2016. ii Statistics Canada, “Census Profile, 2016 Census Canada [Country] and Canada [Country],” Census Profile, 2016 Census - Canada [Country] and Canada [Country], June 18, 2019, https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census- recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E. iii Thompsonite: A person who lives in Thompson, Manitoba iv Simon, “Global Brands,”231 v Simon, “Global Brands,” 232. vi Durnan, Matt. “Northern Flavours Closes Doors (Kind of),” September 16, 2014. https:// www.thompsoncitizen.net/news/thompson/northern-flavours-closes-doors-kind-of-1.1368517. vii Appell, Laurel, and Bryce Buchanan. Interview with Kelly Laybolt. Personal Interview. Thompson, May 16, 2020. viii Appell, Laurel, and Bryce Buchanan. Interview with Kelly Laybolt. Personal Interview. Thompson, April 5, 2020. ix Daneshkhu, Scheherazade. “How Millennials' Taste for 'Authenticity' Is Disrupting Powerful Food Brands.” Subscribe to read | Financial Times. Financial Times, June 19, 2018. 2. https://www.ft.com/content/09271178-6f29 -11e8-92d3-6c13e5c92914. x Daneshkhu, “Disrupting Powerful Food Brands,” 3. xi Daneshkhu, “Disrupting Powerful Food Brands,” 3. xii Simon, “Global Brands,” 230. xiii Amazon. “Books and Authors.” US About Amazon. Accessed April 4, 2020. https://www.aboutamazon.com/ books-and-authors. xiv Cowen, Tyler. “Trade Between Cultures.” In Academic Writing, Real World Topics Concise Edition, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, 269. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2016 xv Indigo Books & Music, Inc. “Our Company: Fast Facts.” indigo.ca. Accessed April 4, 2020. https:// www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/our-company/fast-facts/. xvi Mohr, Lois, and Deborah Webb. “The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility and Price on Consumer Responses.” Journal of Consumer Affairs 39, no. 1 (2005): 124. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=f9718bbc-5b68-4a56-990e-d4ade25d2ff4@pdc-v-sessmgr04. xvii Indigo Books & Music, Inc, “Our Company: Fast Facts.” xviii Belliveau, Suzanne. “Resisting Global, Buying Local: Goldschmidt Revisited.” The Great Lakes Geographer 12, no. 1 (2005): 47. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.573.4490&rep=rep1&type=pdf. xix Belliveau, “Resisting Global,” 47. xx Belliveau, “Resisting Global,” 51. xxi Appiah, Kwame A. “Cosmopolitan Contamination” in Academic Writing, Real World Topics Concise Edition, edited by Michael Rectenwald and Lisa Carl, 284. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2016. xxii Cheng, Andria. “No More Of The Same: Why Mass Production Is Actually A Boon For Etsy, Amazon Handmade.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, August 8, 2018. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2018/08/08/your -rebellion-against-mass-produced-goods-promises-growth-for-etsy-amazon-handmade/#336b7f0827e2. xxiii Chiang, Tien-Hui. “Is the Hegemonic Position of American Culture Able to Subjugate Local Cultures of Importing Countries? A Constructive Analysis on the Phenomenon of Cultural Localization.” Educational Philosophy and Theory. 46, no. 13 (2014): 1420. http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=3&sid=5f38d57a-71f7-4dbe-96da-7f5182072b47@sessionmgr103. xxiv Johnson, River, and Janet Tait. Interview with Kelly Laybolt. Personal Interview. Thompson, April 5, 2020. xxv Manitobah Mukluks. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Manitobah Mukluks. Accessed March 20, 2020. https:// www.manitobah.ca/pages/faq#wheremade. xxvi Manitobah Mukluks, “Frequently Asked Questions.” xxvii Chiang, “Hegemonic Position,” 1420. xxviii Belliveau, “Resisting Global,”47. xxix Simon, “Global Brands,” 230 xxx Daneshkhu, “Disrupting Powerful Food Brands,” 2.
66 Kelly Laybolt is a student at the University College of the North and is currently in his second year of the Bachelor of Arts Program. After the completion of his Arts degree, he intends to enter the Education program. Kelly was born and raised in Thompson, Manitoba and graduated from R. D. Parker Collegiate in 2011. He lives an active lifestyle and enjoys sports such as running and cycling in the summer months. Kelly’s love of cycling has inspired him to partner with the Great Cycle Challenge organization to raise money and awareness for children suffering from cancer. Kelly is also an avid motorcyclist and values spending quality time with family and friends. In the future, Kelly hopes to teach for the local school division where he can promote student interest in English literature and the art Kelly Laybolt at Paint Lake Provincial Park during of writing. the summer of 2019.
Kelly Laybolt’s topic in this Muses From the North began months ago during a class of mine on the topics of creative writing and writing in the digital humanities. In addition, in this essay I am happy to see that Kelly draws on various writers from our class (Bryant Simon, Tyler Cowen, and Kwame Appiah), who explore the effects of globalization on local cultures. In Kelly’s pursuit, we especially observe how Kelly is influenced by Simon when Kelly ingeniously adapts Simon’s model of the “Global vs. Local” to portray the struggles of our very own “local” Thompson, Manitoba, against the powerful global economic forces advancing into the north. I congratulate Kelly because this publication rewards Kelly’s diligent work I observed earlier in our class and his dedication to becoming a promising writer. (Dr. Gilbert McInnis)
67 Wilby as an Escapist in William Trevor’s “Folie à Deux”
Sydney Bjorndalen
To be an escapist is to escape everything that surrounds you physically, emotionally and mentally through the conscious and unconscious mind. Wilby is portrayed as an escapist throughout the short story “Folie à Deux” by William
Trevor (2007). This paper explores how Wilby is an escapist, and what an escapist means to him and the other characters. It will be crucial to view the character traits and associated behaviours of Wilby and the other characters in the short story. All my paper shows that Wilby is an escapist truly through their thoughts and actions.
Wilby disconnects with all people in his life by not wanting, nor caring, to know the name of the place he is eating at because he is too concerned about his habits (Trevor, 2007). When he reflects on his favourite ways of escaping, the narrative voice states, “He drinks too much, he tells himself, and restrains the inclination to have another when the coffee comes” (Trevor, 2007, p.114). Wilby’s views of people and what is expected of them are jaded. He is unsure of what people’s intentions are and if they will let him down again. An example of this is when Wilby brings up when his marriage did not work out. It was the woman’s fault or his fault that the marriage was unsuccessful. He gives the impression that he will not make that mistake again (Trevor, 2007). To avoid heartbreak again, he has a fascination and desire to disappear with women on his own terms. As in the story,
68 “Not wanting to think about Anthony, he wonders if she’s a tart, since she has that look, and for a moment sees her pale coat thrown down in some small room, the glow of an electric fire, money placed on a dressing-table: now and again when he travels he has a woman” (Trevor, 2007, p.115). Wilby goes to a place in his mind to replay what he has physically done to escape in the past. The ability to have the company of another person such as a woman with him, to feel good about himself.
He needs a distraction with a woman.
When it comes to the character named Anthony, it strikes a nerve inside Wilby that makes him analyze and have different thoughts that he has been suppressing.
The thoughts of wondering where Anthony has been and why he has been there
(Trevor, 2007). When Wilby has his first encounter with Anthony since being an adult, Wilby states, “What is all this?” (Trevor, 2007, p.115). Wilby has been comforted and is unsure of what to say and express when talking to Anthony for the first time as an adult (Trevor, 2007). The movements in this part of the short story support Wilby’s desire to escape. The narrator describes Anthony’s movement as “… a hand’s half gesture, meaningless, hardly a response. Then the man turns away, entering the brasserie by another door” (Trevor, 2007, p.115). Anthony does not fully engage with and does not put pressure on Wilby, which gives Wilby the satisfaction.
The friendship between Wilby and Anthony has changed over the years. The character, Miss Davally, assumed that Anthony appeared to enjoy Wilby’s friendship before the accident with the family dog, Jericho (Trevor, 2007). The narrator explains to Wilby’s mother, “He values the friendship so! Miss Davally commented. How fortunate for two only children such a friendship is” (Trevor, 2007, p.119)! As 69 individual people, Wilby and Anthony have changed, and their friendship has changed as well. Anthony’s characteristics and traits display the change by his interactions in his life (Trevor, 2007). Anthony interacts with people by displaying avoidance behaviours and is paralyzed by the sound of people. As in the story, “He shied away when conversation threatened, creeping back into his shadowlands” (Trevor, 2007, p.121). Wilby is one of the people that Anthony eventually avoided in his life (Trevor, 2007). He does not mind avoidance; he prefers it whenever he can. In this short story, Wilby has responded to questions about
Anthony, then making a justification of why and when he would be associated with someone like Anthony (Trevor, 2007). When Wilby is confronted like this, he draws out his response to display shame and a sense of avoidance.
However, Wilby’s behaviour does not always demonstrate his desire and willingness to escape. He does sit with his thoughts and feelings sometimes throughout his adult life (Trevor, 2007). The narrator explains Wilby’s conflict in his mind, “Memory won’t let him go now; he knows it won’t and makes no effort to resist it” (Trevor, 2007, p.119). He will accept that he needs to process parts of this life. He does this in his own way, such as in the night (Trevor, 2007). Wilby does not want to see in the daylight because it will force self-reflection in all aspects of this life that he is ashamed of. The darkness allows him to hide with his thoughts (Trevor,
2007).
Wilby has his final interaction with Anthony. He tries to admit his faults and make some sense of the accident (Trevor, 2007). The opportunity presents itself, but
Wilby does not have the courage to take it. Through his thought process, he escapes 70 in his own mind at that moment with Anthony. The story tells us, “An accident, a misfortune beyond anticipation, the unexpected: with gentleness, for gentleness is due, he is about to plead. But Anthony crosses the street then…” (Trevor, 2007, p.124). Afterward, Wilby appears to be ashamed. Wilby’s desire to escape from himself comes to a desperate possible act. The idea of Wilby taking the ultimate escape is something that he took as a consideration. As in the story, “There is no bothering with redemption. Looking down from the bridge at the sluggish flow of water, Wilby confidently asserts that” (Trevor, 2007, p.124).
In conclusion, Wilby is an escapist. His escape behaviour is demonstrated throughout the short story. His actions are shown, with the most thought-out process usually before he acts, when it comes to Wilby craving to disappear. The narrative voice states, “He has lived easily with an aberration, then shaken it off: what happened was almost nothing” (Trevor, 2007, p.122). In the short story, some characters believe Wilby is an escapist, while Wilby is the primary person to know this is true for himself. He does struggle with how to escape, especially when a situation is presented in front of him. Wilby will be creative in what he has to do to escape.
References
Trevor, W. (2007) Folie à Deux. In L. Chalykoff, N. Gordon, & P.
Lumsden (Editors.), (2008) The Broadview Introduction to Literature –
Second Edition (pp. 113-125). Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press.
71 Sydney Bjorndalen grew up in Waterhen, MB, but currently lives in Gillam, MB, with her husband and their two dogs. This year is Sydney’s first year at University College of the North, and she attends the Thompson Campus. Sydney is taking the Bachelor of Education After Degree program and has a minor in Psychology from her first degree. She is currently working on her major, which is English. In her free time, she likes to connect with family and friends, play in sports leagues, and enjoys the outdoors.
Sydney Bjorndalen wrote this essay for “Introduction to Literature” (ENG 1000) course. She is an enthusiastic learner, which is valuable in a face-to-face environment but is priceless in an asynchronous situation. In a class session, when a teacher cannot see most of the students and students cannot look at most of their peers, active class participation becomes more challenging than otherwise. Sydney was up to the challenge, which was motivational for everyone. Through the duration of the course, she has proved herself a keen and critical reader. She has shown significant improvement in her ability in to close read literary texts. Her insightful reading of Wilby’s character in William Trevor’s “Folie à Deux” reflects that. (Dr. Zulfqar Hyder)
72 Faculty Editors: Joseph Atoyebi and Ying Kong Student Editor: Elizabeth Tritthart Print Copy Designer: Elizabeth Tritthart Web Journal Designer: Rod Nabess
Editorial Board Carolyn Creed: Faculty of Education Keith Hyde: Faculty of Arts, Business, and Science Sue Matheson: Faculty of Arts, Business, and Science Gilbert McInnis: Faculty of Arts, Business, and Science Jennie Wastesicoot: Faculty of Arts, Business, and Science Zulfqar Hyder: Faculty of Arts, Business, and Science