Well, I did it! I survived the year in Canada. If you have been reading my blogs you will know what an amazing year it has been! Even though I am typing this in Dubai airport on my way back down under it still does not feel real that the year has finished.
I wrote this little poem to say goodbye to staff at Ryerson Heights….. A good one for memories of my year too…
The 12 months of the Aussie
On the first month of the year, the Aussie came to Ryerson
On the second month of the year, the Aussie tried Tim Horton’s coffee! (Yuck!!!)
On the third month of the year, the Aussie boot scooted in Nashville
On the fourth month of the year, the Aussie ate a Canadian Easter Egg
On the fifth month of the year, the Aussie bird watched at Pt Pelee
On the sixth month of the year, the Aussie started to countdown to summer travels
On the seventh month of the year, the Aussie set off to see beautiful Canada
On the eighth of month of the year, the Aussie saw the amazing Rockies!!!!
On the ninth month of the year, the Aussie met some young Canadians in the new school year
On the tenth month of the year, the Aussie shared stories about Down Under
On the eleventh month of the year, the Aussie started to think of the warm and home
On the twelfth month of the year, the Aussie said goodbye to all new friends made in Canada
The few weeks leading up to Christmas were insane! School was frantic with holiday cheer and preparations for the trip home were happening in every spare minute. If it wasn’t already the silly season, Mother Nature decided to put on quite a show to send me on my way! On one weekend there was a lovely dumping of snow setting it up for a very white Christmas. The next weekend there was an ice storm with freezing rain. Every surface was like an ice rink… the short trip to the car even needed spiked boots (pity I could not skate) to keep your footing! Tree branches came crashing down, laden with ice. Whole branches and trees too heavy and fully frozen with ice (awesome to see!) cut power to thousands of homes (not so awesome (:
I was so lucky to experience my first ever white Christmas! I was staying with a friend and awoke to a winter wonderland literally! Soft flurries of snow were falling and if you caught one you could actually see the snowflake shape I had only seen in books. I had spent the weeks leading up to Christmas hoping for snow and here it was. You cannot beat snow and Christmas lights…Canadians love to decorate their homes with lights at Christmas but it is the lights they put in the trees that really put on a show! Every tree becomes a Christmas tree. It was a perfect way to end my time in Canada.
I feel so lucky that I was able to be involved in the whole exchange process. When I left last January, I wondered if I would survive so far away from familiar surroundings, family and friends. It became very apparent quickly that I would not have time to be homesick! The year was full of new experiences, amazing places but most importantly amazing friendly Canadians. I am not sure what they thought of my accent or strange lingo, but this did not deter them from welcoming me and helping me out when needed (and let me tell you I needed it a lot!) The friendships made during the year will never be forgotten. In fact, the whole year has rejuvenated me (after I get over the jet lag of course) and inspired me to live each day to the fullest! So I say a final farewell to Canada-maybe one day I might return eh??????