Ok folks, I've been remiss in posting last month's workshop notes (the workshop I missed because I was away at a Polycamp near Olympia, WA) so I figured that while I organize myself to get those up on the blog, I'd distract you with a bit of a bio about me: your moderator/facilitator for Victoria Poly 101. (Hey, they say write about what you know... )
I've been consciously polyamorous for about five years. I have all kinds of relationships that are important to me and many people who I love, some of whom I consider close enough to be "family". I have a partner who lives very far away, in another country, who I see in person rarely but with whom I talk every day online. I have another partner who lives in a city not-too-far away, who is married and whose wife is very special to me as a friend. I try to spend as much time as possible with both of them. I also have teenage kids, who I love a lot, and a husband who I live apart from but who is still a part of my family. I have a fantastic poly community and friends -- in fact, I am REALLY lucky!
I didn't start out with the intention of being a poly facilitator or activist or anything of the kind. You could, I guess, call me an explorer and someone who loves the the ways in which we are different from each other as much as the ways in which we're the same. I found out about polyamory online and I joined a few communities and started attending poly meets all over North America (it's a fun way to travel and meet friends). I went to Texas, Washinton (State), and Vermont, as well as Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia to meet new poly friends and learn what they had to say about how they live and love.
When I moved to Victoria two years ago, I was a part of the Vancouver Island Poly group and had been enjoying participating in their community, and I also felt there was an opportunity for me to provide some information on poly to the community at large, to encourage people to learn about what polyamory means and what it doesn't mean, and to find out more about the local community I was living in. This is how Victoria Poly 101 started... it sort of makes my head spin to think how easily and amazingly the group has taken off, and what a supportive poly-friendly community we're growing into.
This summer, I was asked to lead several discussions in Victoria, Kelowna and at the Olympia, WA camp, and all of them showed me that there is a growing poly presence that is eager, open and inclusive as well as diverse in the kind of people it represents. It's exciting to see Real Live Poly People honestly working at having good relationships, good communication, and creating an abundance of love and goodwill in the process. It's also educational to share struggles, challenges and stories with those who have been polyamorous for a long time.
In the end, I guess I'm just thrilled to be here, learning and loving along with the rest of you. Thank you very much for listening, and for asking all the good questions you keep asking.
~Kiki
