Julie Farrell, 43, and 19-year-old Rachel are at least the third Colchester County team to apply for the reality show to air on CTV this summer.
“We don’t work together well…maybe we shouldn’t admit that,” said Julie, a porter at the Colchester East Hants Health Centre, while looking at Rachel. “But our relationship is like a lot of mothers and their teenaged daughters – there’s a lot of angst and drama, but we are closer now than we have ever been.”
A couple of years ago, Rachel and Julie vacationed in Cuba together, which brought them close.
“We tend to rub each other – it’s just the tone of our voices,” Julie said. “Because when we did travel together, we argued, but we also left together. Our connection was stronger because of it.”
It was Rachel’s idea to apply for the show, which will see contestants face challenges and roadblocks from coast to coast.
“I thought it would be a good experience for us to try to work together,” said Rachel, who works in the canteen at the Colchester Legion Stadium while attending the Dalhousie Agriculture College in Bible Hill.
“I’d do all the funny stuff. I just like to win. I have a little brother so am always trying to win,” she said.
“We’re really careful with the word ‘can’t,’” added Julie, noting the family tries not to say the word in things they’re doing. “Positive reinforcement and chocolates – that’s all we need.”
While they admit they aren’t hugely athletic, both Rachel and Julie say they are quite active through work and school, among other activities.
“We camp and canoe – Rachel is really good at putting up a tent. I’m built for endurance,” said Julie, laughing. “Walking the halls at the old hospital and here, I am generally putting on about 20 clicks a day and I’m enjoying it.
“Rachel is really cool and has been dancing for years. She loves to dance and we figure if there is a challenge where we would have to choreograph something, she can do that.”
The mother and daughter have also been ziplining, which is something contestants on ‘The Amazing Race’ have done a lot of.
One of the biggest challenges Julie and Rachel have, however, is when it comes to temperatures.
“I’m really warm all the time and she’s usually cold,” said Julie. “Our biggest problem is the car – she has the heat on and I usually have my head hanging out the window like a dog. It’s a big bone of contention for us.”
The Farrells’ applicant video can be seen online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX3MgJO133Q. Rachel planned the entire concept, wrote the script and choreographed the video.
“If we don’t make it any farther than this, it was still a lot of fun to make it,” said Julie.
