MARBLE ISLAND Sarah O’Connor (@notsarahconnor)
(excerpts from the travel log of Mara Brown) September 3, 2013 Tomorrow I’m off to Nunavut – specifically, the Isle of Marble! How many people do you know who have been to Nunavut, let alone one of its obscure peninsulas? Most graduates go backpacking across Europe for a year. Every day they post pictures of themselves, smiling up from canal boats in Venice, or ‘leaning’ against the Eiffel tower. They flaunt their money with cheesy grins, “Look at me! Look at my money! I’m somewhere you’ll never be!” I could afford to go to Europe if I wanted to, but why should I follow the status quo? I don’t need to take selfies across Europe to prove that I’m happy, to prove that I’m living it up for the last few months before I’m forced into adulthood. I’m not a sheep. That’s why I decided on Nunavut. I’m going to be staying in a tiny cabin on the Isle of Marble. The name is sickeningly sweet, like something out of Anne of Green Gables. Those other students only spend a week here, a few days there at each destination before finally returning home. Well, not me! I’m going to live in Nunavut for a year, and I’m going to learn about Nunavut; the culture, the people, everything. So those other people may go to many places in a short amount of time, but I’m actually going to experience Nunavut. I’ll be able to say that I not only visited a new place, I legit lived there! How many people can say that? Well, I should finish packing. Just wanted to keep you lovely readers updated. Mara is feeling excited :D November 26, 2013 I am royally pissed off! Rob brought up that stupid canoe ride again! As if I needed to freak out more about that! I didn’t really explain it before because I was way too freaked out, but I might as well tell you now. Canoe rides are supposed to be peaceful and calm. They’re supposed to provide moments where you look out at the water and really reflect on life. And yeah, it started out that way. Rob, who I thought was nice, was rowing us to the Isle and explained a bit of Isle lore. And then, when we were maybe five minutes from the shore, Rob got out of the canoe and started kneeling in the water! He just started crawling towards the Isle, clutching the rope in his hand and pulling it along. Then he said I had to get out of the canoe too because it was a “symbol of respect to the Isle and ancestors” to crawl towards the Isle. If I didn’t, I would die within a year. Or at least that’s what legend says. Of course I didn’t get out. My phone was in my pocket, and there was no way I was going to crawl in that freezing cold water! I’ve complained to our manager about Rob. How dare he scare me like that. I’m practically a resident! Even if it is only for a year, it isn’t right to welcome a new person to the Isle like that. Some people. I guess he’s just too obsessed with his ancestry to know how to treat people. Maybe he’s lying. I hope I can sleep tonight! Mara is feeling scared :S VOLUME 17, ISSUE 2
April 15, 2014 It’s so lonely here. I never thought such a tiny place could be lonely. You always see such a sense of community in small towns on TV, but it isn’t really like that at all. I think everyone here is against me. Rob got fired because he wouldn’t stop harassing me about the whole dying in a year thing. He’s seriously like a horror movie character. I called the police to check my house, I was that scared. They laughed at me though. Everyone in this crummy town is on Rob’s side and they think because I’m new I’m stupid. How can people really believe these stupid superstitions? I don’t get it. Still. I’m so lonely… I think I’ll call my mom tonight… maybe cry a bit. Mara is feeling lonely. :( (the last entry of Mara Brown, unpublished) August 31, 2014 Haha I’m finally leaving this horrible Isle, I’m so happy I could scream! I left my cabin a day early and slept on one of the benches at the airport. I was that excited to leave. I even canoed myself over to the mainland. Take that Rob, for all you’ve put me through. I’m so relieved to finally be going home, but bleh do I have a horrible migraine! I’ve never had one before, but it runs in my family. It was torture trying to get some rest in the airport last night. I’ll ask my mom when I get home what she does for migraines. Despite the migraine, I’ll finally be home, and that’s all that matters. Just a quick update, I’ll post more once I get off the plane. Mara is feeling happy (finally) :) ARTWORK BY LINDA JOYCE OTT www.lindajoyceott.com www.optimismofcolor.com
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