As a teenager, I took a trip with my family to England to visit my relatives there. One day my Dad and I were out for a walk when we came across a large building with and intriguing sign on the front and so we went it. Once inside, we discovered a large complex devoted to sports and recreation. This building consisted of soccer fields, tennis courts, a baseball cage, a recreational area and much more. While there, we joined in a game of soccer with some local kids. When we finished I felt tired, but exhilarated. It was so refreshing to be able to participate in an impromptu game of soccer without the need to sign any registration forms, buy equipment or play in a street somewhere. That experience became a highlight of my trip and is an issue that I have come to think about many times.

Some may ask themselves whether concentrating on such a minute matter, such as child activity, is really necessary given the bigger and more influential problems we face today. However, I would argue that devoting more time and attention to our local communities is as important as it has ever been. Any measure that can be seen to strengthen our communities will have positive repercussions in a number of ways and what better place to start then the new generation of future leaders, our children.
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Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Jon, and I’ve lived in the heart of Canadian politics – Ottawa – for each of my 22 years. This is my first foray into the blogosphere, and I have been critical of it in the past. The main issue I had with bloggers is that many tend to hide behind the anonymity and security of their online personae. The distance created between the blogger and his/her audience by the internet allows the blogger to say things that she/he would not say if standing face-to-face with another person. So, I make a promise to you, my reader. Every word that you read in this, and any future postings I make, are words that I would be proud to speak, no matter the situation. And with the preamble now out of the way, let me tell you how Barack Obama will change the world.
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