Another student finished the decimal section in the computer-assisted learning program. This may be a new record for the Women's Upgrading Program. In my notebook, there's an exclamation mark after this fact.

On the same night, we planned to take the baking around to elders the next day. We were to meet at the Centre at 2:00. Only one student showed and we decided to distribute the baking to any women in the immediate area! That included women who happened to be in the Centre at the moment. We made a little presentation, including references to how great we woman are!

We brought a Polaroid camera on our visits and took pictures of each connection. We gave a picture to each woman and took one back to the Centre where it'll be put into the Centre's yearbook. I wrote the captions on right away so that information wouldn't be lost.

On April 15, we held our end-of-the-year wrap-up. Three women brought : other women guests. One woman brought her nephew because she was babysitting. I didn't bring anybody because I was too busy to think about it until the last minute, then every woman I could think of to ask was busy. We'd bought the groceries and a few prizes for games the week before. We arrived a bit early at the Centre to get things ready. We planned to have salad, pizza, hotdogs, and our left-over baking.

The wrap-up seemed to end on a flat note. We presented the certificates, we , took pictures, etc. But it all sounded blah, blah, blah to me. Afterwards we walked home in our different directions.

I realize that I missed the stimulation of a close staff . this year. The program ends this year with me feeling like I left "things undone." I realize that although the stimulation didn't come directly through the Women's Upgrading Program this year, it came through the CCLOW research. It's been very personal growth, as in other years, but not from the same source or in the same circumstances. And it wasn't a shared growth with the learners or the staff, the people I feel I'm sharing it with are far away. It's different and OK in its own way.

Epilogue

The research project will be over in about a month. When I read my journal and think about what happened in my part in the research I see several things. First, I realize how much of a personal journey it was. I discovered many new things for myself. My understanding of myself and my work with women deepened or changed. I connected with a community of women in the research project where I could more safely discuss the questions in my head. At the same time as that connecting came a kind of separation from some of the women and support systems in my day-to-day life. The connecting and support for me in the Women's Upgrading Program with the learners, however, stayed about the same as it has been in other years.