Goal: enjoyment

Thursday, May 21, exactly at 2:20 p.m., the bus arrives at Camp Air Eau Bois under a radiant sun. A friendly welcome committee — Geneviève, Marie-Hélène and Serge from logistics, along with Naïla, the nurse, and myself as the blogger — is already on site. Anne-Marie, the expedition physician, Jesse, the social worker, and Raphael, a medical student here as an observer, complete the team. Joyful reunions for some long-time expedition volunteers and warm introductions for the rest. The group of young participants discovers the tall pine trees, the bugs (tiny but very annoying black flies!), and the welcome balloon. One by one, we share our name, where we are from, our preferred pronouns, and choose one of the questions written on the balloon, as a way to reveal a little bit about ourselves through humor, emotion, or an anecdote. Eve-Marie, one of the foundation’s facilitators, starts things off, talks about some of her favorites, and tosses the ball to Hayman from British Columbia: “If you were an animal?” “A monkey,” he says, before passing it to Loïk: “Who is your favorite person?” “My father, who inspires me — yes, my father, and my mother too!” Branwen from Saskatchewan receives the balloon and announces that she would be “a cat… because they can be mean and nobody holds it against them!” Laughter follows… Milla also chooses a cat, because she has five of them and absolutely loves them. “To fly, to be high up in the mountains,” Jeanne says she would like to be a bird. Angelo shares that the person he loves most is his little brother! Loïs doesn’t hesitate when naming a favorite song: one by French rapper Nono la Grinta (I hope I understood correctly -)). For Teagan from BC, it’s her twin sister who holds the favorite spot. Finally, Mélanie tells us about a traditional dish from Mexico, where she is originally from, that her mother makes: Pozole. We discover it, we drool over it, but I’ll let you do your own research! Of course, every adult also joins in the introductions so everyone can learn about each person’s role in the expedition, their hidden talents, and help create a sense of familiarity among the group.

Time to hit the water! The weather is still beautiful, even warm, though we remain cautious of the wind coming off the lake bringing some chill. Before climbing into our two rabaskas, we go through a few lessons and demonstrations on how to handle the paddles, get comfortably seated, and paddle together… and that word “together” really resonates. Because yes, one of the goals of an Évasion expedition with the foundation is to create strong group cohesion, where everyone has their place both individually and within the group. In our canoe, it’s Mélanie at the front setting the rhythm, and we follow along. One big advantage of being many people in one boat: stopping paddling is never really a problem! The landscapes of the Poisson Blanc Reservoir are soft green at this time of year, with beautiful darker pine trees. Teagan knows these tall pines well, living in Vancouver, but she adds that back home, they are enormous — just like the mountains! To better absorb our surroundings, we stop both rabaskas. Marie-Michelle, another facilitator, draws the group’s attention to the beauty of the place and the privilege of being able to enjoy it. So we close our eyes and simply feel. Letting our senses awaken and forgetting the bustle of the cities. Here and now, she invites us into a moment of silence. Loïk and Mélanie notice the sound of the water, Loïs hears the wind, and Milla notices the waves against the rocks. A meditative pause that we will repeat throughout the weekend to fully absorb the benefits of nature.
We set off again, and the rhythm is excellent: Eve-Marie and Marie-Michelle congratulate everyone!

Back at camp, stomachs start rumbling and the cold begins to settle in. Tonight, we eat indoors under a real roof: delicious vol-au-vents served with a salad bar. The full plates empty quickly. Thankfully, because a busy evening awaits us. The young participants have no idea what time it is — and that’s exactly the point: letting go without having anything to manage for once. Yet so much has already happened since waking up this morning, or even yesterday for those who arrived by plane.
So, while Eve-Marie demonstrates how to open the barrel, stuff a sleeping bag, and Loïs explains how to use the “folding chair,” a deep calm fills the room. Serge and Raphael busy themselves outside preparing the fire; meanwhile, we throw on an extra warm layer and everyone gathers around the flames.
A beautiful discussion begins to establish the foundations of a “values agreement.” Each young person is invited to contribute their thoughts. “Kindness” is the first word shared, by Jeanne, who hopes for tolerance regarding what others may be going through. Milla follows with “respect,” for everyone’s pace and decisions. Raphael suggests “curiosity,” in three forms: curiosity about others first, then about nature and our surroundings, and finally — perhaps most importantly — curiosity toward oneself: noticing what we feel and paying attention to what’s happening inside. Loïk says he wants to let go, to take a break from what he’s living through. Teagan offers the word “carefree,” free from all the worries weighing on them.

Marie-Michelle wants to open the conversation about some of the apprehensions participants may have: naming them, sharing them, and addressing them. But one thing amazes her: what motivated them to join in the first place? Within just a few minutes, most of them had said yes to an expedition with strangers, in an unfamiliar place, under conditions with very little comfort, etc.? Laughter… but they all know exactly why: “TO ESCAPE.” That is the main goal expressed in different words… “To do something, something crazy,” for Branwen and Teagan. To take a break after the hospital, when the adrenaline crashes and you wonder, “okay, now what am I going to do?” for Jeanne. “Coming on a whim to take a break from all the cancer stuff,” for Loïk. The same for Angelo: “to escape the stress of what he’s going through, just have fun and meet people.” Yes, meeting new people comes up often.

Among the fears mentioned is Hayman’s concern about his 6-year-old little brother, Ruhaan, whom he usually plays with a lot… and he takes this opportunity in the blog to say hello to his mother!

As a reminder from Eve-Marie, confirming they are exactly where they need to be: “here, the goal is to have fun, to enjoy ourselves, to be surrounded by joy and laughter”… And with those beautiful words, good night!

Blog presented by