Goodbye Canada

too many goodbyes for us

This is it, this is goodbye. Last friday I left Kamloops after checking out at UCH, packing all my stuff in one suitcase and one backbag (I made it!) and saying goodbye to way too many people. I went to Vancouver with Ester, Mariona and Phil where we spent my last weekend in Kamloops. We visited the Vancouver Christmas Marked, had some Glühwein and Leberkässemmeln and walked around the city.

Vancouver Christmas Market

On monday we left for the airport in the morning because Mariona's flight left at 2. Phil and me said goodbye to her and then waited for some other friends who left as well. Basically we spent 12 hours in the airport before I left.
I had an amazing time in Kamloops and I already miss the place and the people I met there. However, nobody said I won't come back one day and people can be visited =) I am also super-excited about going home and seeing everybody and everything again.

Canadian Flag - and everybody signed it!

I decided to keep this blog, as I like writing about my trips (and as I already have lots of travel plans for the next months.) So if you wnat to know something about New York, London, Nepal, Germany, Spain; .... just check this website from time to time.

Last weeks in Canada

The countdown on the side of this blog keeps running and suddenly it's only 24 more days before I get home. 15 days in Kamloops.
Once again, I find myself wondering about the concept of time. On the one hand I feel like I just left home, on the other hand I experienced so much in the last few months that they feel like years. Doing this semester abroad was so far the best decision of my life and I am forever thankful to have to opportunity to be here. In the last few months I got to see a lot of places and meet a lot of people. I can't even put in words how happy I am to have met all those people. With some, even though I have only known them for a few months it seems like I knew them forever. Because we are all on this special journey here together we've grown to a big community where everybody likes each other. I tried to use every minute of my time here in the best way possible which is why I can now look back on many trips, movie nights, dinners, spontaneus bacon and egg cooking sessions at 4 am, parties, endless hours in the house of learning, ...
Tomorrow I will have my last class here in Kamloops and then there is only the exam period and that's it for my exchange semester at TRU. I see all of these events with mixed feelings. I am, in a way, really looking forward to coming home and I miss a lot of people and things from home. Then again, I don't want to leave because I'm having such a great time here. However, nothing special can last forever, it would just become ordinary after a while. I am happy for the time I had here and I am already looking forward to the future.
After my exciting time here life just goes on a good as it is right now. First, I will go to New York for a few days before coming home. New Year's Eve will probably be celebrated in London and in the end of February I will go to Nepal on a field trip with my university. In summer I plan to go back to Canada to work. My life is awesome!!!

Today I found this in my mailbox =) I can't wait to see you again!

Victoria

Time is flying, which means we have to use it the best we can. Last weekend I went on another trip, to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Instead of travelling in a big group, I made this trip with just Mariona, which was really nice. After my last trips I have to say, that I really like travelling in a group because it bring together people and you enjoy it. However, planning a trip for up to 11 people can cause many problems, as there are so many different opinions and interests that it is difficult to plan activities that everybody likes. This trip instead was very relaxing and problem-free =)

As renting a car for only two people is pricey, we decided to take the Greyhound (bus system that offers transfer all over Canada) to Vancouver and from there the ferry to Victoria, which is on Vancouver Island. All together, the journey from Kamloops to our hostel in Victoria took us 10 hours, involving changing 5 times. I know, this seems like a long time and most of you probably think it's not worth travelling so far for just a weekend trip. However, here in Canada distances are different and the journey was definitely worth it.

Mariona and the smallest Hostel room on earth

As we arrived quite late on friday, we didn't really do much, except stay in our hostel room (which is for sure the smallest hostel room existing) and do some homework (Mariona) and skype (me). On Saturday morning we then started early and after getting breakfast at a nice bakery across the street we started our city tour in Chinatown.

The Chinatown in Victoria is the oldest in all Canada and one of the most famous streets is Fan Tan Alley, a really narrow street.

When you come to Victoria, the first thing you can think of is England. While you can't really see the remains of being a British colony in the rest of BC, in the capital you feel like in the United Kingdom. First of all, unlike Vancouver, there are no skyscrapers in this city. Somehow it feels like time stopped 100 years ago. There are a lot of small streets and little shops (way too many, ask my wallet) and also old churches which you can't find a lot of here in Canada.
One of the most beautiful spots in Victoria is the inner harbour, where you can find the Parliarment Building and The Empress, which is not only one of the main sights but also a Fairmont hotel. (This is the kind of hotel I want to work in!)

Parliarment Building

The Empress <3

We continued our walk by exploring Beaconhill Park, a city park that lies between the city center and the coast, which is why we could walk back along the coastline afterwards.

In the park you can also find Mile '0', the place where the Transcanada Highway starts. This highway crosses all 10 provinces of Canada and ends in Newfoundland, in Eastern Canada after 8400 km.

As we felt so British in this city, we planned to have afternoon tea at The Empress. However, as we arrived there at 4.45, the tea house was already closed. Still, we had our tea in a tea shop, even if it was in plastic cups instead of fancy porcelain and without scones. We're still in Canada, after all. 

Tea time

After a quick stop at the hostel to drop of all our shopping bags and change our shoes (we had really British weather, as well) we went to have dinner at a nice restaurant at the harbour.
On the way there we stumbled upon a Santa Claus Parade. Yes, in November. We already wondered all day long because the whole city was decorated with Christmas lights. As we then saw the parade in the evening we still were a bit surprised.

After dinner we went for a drink at a bar and then we were so tired from walking around all day that we went straight to bed.
On Sunday we had a really nice breakfast at a diner and then started our journey back to Kamloops.