Since I've been home in Edmonton, Canada I decided it would be best to take advantage of the snow that has blanketed the mountains. SO, I headed on the Downhill Riders trip to Whitefish, Montana for New Years with my friend Robyn and 7 others. It was a gong-show busride for the 10 hrs or so it took to get there but we had a blast! We skiied 2 days of the 4 and enjoyed the challenge of the mountain and the powder that had fallen. The company was awesome along with the cheap alcohol and relaxation time.
After my quick escapade to the USA I was home for 2 days and my dad, sister (her boyfriend) and I hit the highway for our annual family ski trip. This years location of choice was Banff, Alberta and skiing at Sunshine. The snow kept falling so we had an amazing amount of powder which was just perfect for trying out my NEW snowboard that I got for Christmas! :D I got an Arbor Push board made of bamboo (which makes it super light) with Salomon boots and bindings. Needless to say I was excited to start riding!! I also loved that I finally got to see one of my good friends Steph because she has been living in Canmore, AB since finishing university. The weekend finished off with a quick stay in Calgary, AB with my cousins and their super adorably lovable daughter Ayla (13 months old).
There's no way I can say I didn't make the most of my Christmas holidays and even though it was busy I enjoyed every minute of it. Tonight I'm relaxing with a glass of wine and trying not to think about the inevitable start of school and classes which begin tomorrow. At least it's my final semester of my Bachelors Degree!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Bittersweet
Here's a little snapshot of where I'm at now. I have:
ONE full day remaining until final exam week starts (with 4 exams to write).
FIVE days until final exams are over.
FIVE and a half days until Jess and I leave for Marrakech, Morocco and most of my friends leave Grenoble.
TEN days (or just over) until I land at the Edmonton International Airport.
Every day that passes seems to be bittersweet. I'm looking forward to going home and seeing my friends and family again but everytime I think about it I am countered with the thought of leaving France and all of the friends I've made who have become my 'away from home' family. I hate the thought that I might not see some of them ever again. I'm sad that the time and effort I've put into these relationships might be 'all for not' if we struggle to keep in contact, but at the same time I'm excited to have new friends across the world, whom I can visit, as well as new travel opportunities.
I'm a little bit scared to return to Canada. Scared that it will feel different, for the adjustments I know I will need to make and scared that I will feel like I left part of myself or my heart in Grenoble. Even a little bit scared that I will settle back into my 'normal life' far too easily and not let myself be challenged by the things I've learned and what I've experienced.
No matter the mish-mash of things that I'm feeling I am certainly going to try to enjoy my last few days in Grenoble and in Europe in whatever way I even can. I write this with a sense of frustration because I wish to be living this week to the fullest and doing everything I enjoy however, the need to study for finals is a huge hinderance on my ability to follow through. Unfortunately, that means that my next 4 days will be spent in little contact with others, cooped up in my apartment, trying to pack as much knowledge in as my brain can currently handle. It also means that you should consider this my last blog post until I land on Canadian soil, or at least until I return to Grenoble (for 6 hours) after Morocco and before my departure from Europe.
Oh and with all this stuff going on its even more exciting when the thought comes to mind that there's actually only 2 weeks left until Christmas!! (just a little bit excited)
Until next time.
ONE full day remaining until final exam week starts (with 4 exams to write).
FIVE days until final exams are over.
FIVE and a half days until Jess and I leave for Marrakech, Morocco and most of my friends leave Grenoble.
TEN days (or just over) until I land at the Edmonton International Airport.
Every day that passes seems to be bittersweet. I'm looking forward to going home and seeing my friends and family again but everytime I think about it I am countered with the thought of leaving France and all of the friends I've made who have become my 'away from home' family. I hate the thought that I might not see some of them ever again. I'm sad that the time and effort I've put into these relationships might be 'all for not' if we struggle to keep in contact, but at the same time I'm excited to have new friends across the world, whom I can visit, as well as new travel opportunities.
I'm a little bit scared to return to Canada. Scared that it will feel different, for the adjustments I know I will need to make and scared that I will feel like I left part of myself or my heart in Grenoble. Even a little bit scared that I will settle back into my 'normal life' far too easily and not let myself be challenged by the things I've learned and what I've experienced.
No matter the mish-mash of things that I'm feeling I am certainly going to try to enjoy my last few days in Grenoble and in Europe in whatever way I even can. I write this with a sense of frustration because I wish to be living this week to the fullest and doing everything I enjoy however, the need to study for finals is a huge hinderance on my ability to follow through. Unfortunately, that means that my next 4 days will be spent in little contact with others, cooped up in my apartment, trying to pack as much knowledge in as my brain can currently handle. It also means that you should consider this my last blog post until I land on Canadian soil, or at least until I return to Grenoble (for 6 hours) after Morocco and before my departure from Europe.
Oh and with all this stuff going on its even more exciting when the thought comes to mind that there's actually only 2 weeks left until Christmas!! (just a little bit excited)
Until next time.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Au Revoir
So I'm intending for it not to be this long between posts while I'm in France because otherwise you will only see 4 or 5 up here. I just haven't had much to write about lately. My life has been going on as usual, however I have spent the last month ridiculously busy trying to see all my friends before I leave. In addition to those extra plans I am running errands and had added numerous items on my to-do list of things to get done before I leave. Combined, those things have made for an insanely busy, and pricey, August.
I woke up this Sunday and reality hit me hard for a moment. I had just been crazy excited all the way to this point and it finally hit me that I will be across the globe, away from my friends and family, the conveniences I'm used to, my car and English...until Christmas. It didn't scare me or make me less excited but it definitely created a moment of apprehension. After that I kinda stopped counting down the days until I leave since I looked at my to-do lists and the number of days and sat wondering how the hell I was to get everything done...especially since I work my full time job during the day until Friday the 27th!
Thankfully, my lists are finally getting shorter and I'm starting to get excited again.
I can't wait to:
1) Find an apartment and make it my home
2) Explore my new locale that is Grenoble
3) Live in the mountains!
4) Live somewhere where the average December temperature is 5 above
5) Travel to other countries on the weekend
6) Pay 3 Euros for a bottle of wine
7) Plan all my trips once I get my school schedule (hopefully including Egypt, Oktoberfest and, Spain and Switzerland...at least)
8) Live in Europe
9) Become fluent in French again
10) Enjoy the fresh pastries and cheese that France is so well-known for
Things I'll miss (some already mentioned):
1) My friends
2) My family
3) My car
4) My own bed
5) My full closet selection
6) Having an income
7) My cell phone and being able to text people without an international fee
8) Using Canadian Dollars and not having to constantly convert currencies in my head
9) Being fully understood in English
10) Smoke free restaurants and bars
As for my next blog, I leave way too early on Sunday morning so I won't be writing again until my feet are on French soil.
Au revoir mes amis!
I woke up this Sunday and reality hit me hard for a moment. I had just been crazy excited all the way to this point and it finally hit me that I will be across the globe, away from my friends and family, the conveniences I'm used to, my car and English...until Christmas. It didn't scare me or make me less excited but it definitely created a moment of apprehension. After that I kinda stopped counting down the days until I leave since I looked at my to-do lists and the number of days and sat wondering how the hell I was to get everything done...especially since I work my full time job during the day until Friday the 27th!
Thankfully, my lists are finally getting shorter and I'm starting to get excited again.
I can't wait to:
1) Find an apartment and make it my home
2) Explore my new locale that is Grenoble
3) Live in the mountains!
4) Live somewhere where the average December temperature is 5 above
5) Travel to other countries on the weekend
6) Pay 3 Euros for a bottle of wine
7) Plan all my trips once I get my school schedule (hopefully including Egypt, Oktoberfest and, Spain and Switzerland...at least)
8) Live in Europe
9) Become fluent in French again
10) Enjoy the fresh pastries and cheese that France is so well-known for
Things I'll miss (some already mentioned):
1) My friends
2) My family
3) My car
4) My own bed
5) My full closet selection
6) Having an income
7) My cell phone and being able to text people without an international fee
8) Using Canadian Dollars and not having to constantly convert currencies in my head
9) Being fully understood in English
10) Smoke free restaurants and bars
As for my next blog, I leave way too early on Sunday morning so I won't be writing again until my feet are on French soil.
Au revoir mes amis!
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