It is cold outside, and a bit chilly inside as well.  I made sure to close the window when I entered the room, and it was quickly warming up.  We all sit on top of the desks to provide a comfortable environment for our interview; Kaitlin Greene, aspiring teacher, is telling the story of her childhood, growing up on a farm just outside of Ottawa.  "I remember one Christmas morning," she says, "when my father gave me a toy tractor; one of those big ones with the realistic parts.  My mom gave me a Beauty and the Beast doll set, and I remember I wasn't interested in the tractor at all."  As Kaitlin tells us her story, I can feel the vivid imagery in her memory.  I can practically smell her grandmother's Butterscotch Pie cooking in the oven, and I sense the feeling of being safe inside a warm home when the snow is piling up all around.  I watch as though looking at an old home video on VHS as Miss Greene's father (looking very much like Pierce Brosnan) tries to capture her interest with the tractor.  I see her mother sipping at a glass of heated apple cider, joy in her eyes at seeing her family so happy while the Princess and the Goblins plays in the background.

            As she remembers traveling through Canada as a child, I am driven back to my own memories of the beautiful country we both live in.  Most people from Canada choose to travel far across the world to see great sights, but I know that nearly everything has a place in our own country.  I remember seeing what I imagined to be a part of New Zealand, or the coasts of Greece, all from the comfort of Newfoundland.  I remember the cave drawings near a large, secret waterfall in Northern Ontario.  Kaitlin tells us her favourite places are Alberta and Nova Scotia, for the powerful culture.  On the subject of travel, she tells us that she one day wants to "go overseas, to explore and travel through Europe."

            When we reach the topic of her career choice, I pester her with questions – I ask which subjects she would like to teach, which grades.  Kaitlin admits she will be most comfortable in teaching the two subjects she herself found solace in as a student; English and Biology.  She initially says she would like to teach at the high school level, but digging deeper I discover that she absolutely loves university and I can certainly picture her teaching there one day.  As the interview closes, I reflect on all I have learned about Kaitlin, and I think on how her story may not be any different from thousands of other Canadians out there, but remains a story nonetheless.