A break from Canada and my wonderful return

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My last blog was on the 12th of November and lots has happened since.

After Dan's departure I quickly learnt to work on my own, and slowly began to enjoy my own company which has proven to be a very useful tool.

The month of November and beginning of December were utterly chaotic. Exam period nearly killed me, and after arguing my right to move 3 exams to return home I found myself with my feet on English soil on the 18th of December. It was an absolute delight being home, and as predicted there was a lot of crying on my arrival, many hugs and kisses and lots to talk about. Christmas was fantastic, I ate more than I should have and spent some much needed time with my wonderful family. I could not believe how much my nephew had grown after being away for 4 months! I am now concerned that when I am home in April he'll be pushing adulthood! He is so clever! I spent 3 weeks at home, and returned to Lethbridge on the 8th of January, and what a return it was. At home I was experiencing 12°c daily, and the day I got back it was -25°c which was a huge shock to the system. However, the blanket of pristine white that greeted me was utterly spectacular.

I quickly re-adapted to the Canadian life and found myself shoveling spoonfuls of peanut butter back into my system in no time (English peanut butter is horrendous compared to the glory they have out here). The new semester bought new classes, 5 in total again. Having been back for nearly a month now I have found myself a lot less stressed as the work load is much smaller compared to last semester-something I am welcoming with open arms.

It has become a Sunday ritual between Leah and I to go for a walk on a brisk afternoon. Our first walk entailed us trudging through the snow to the famous trestle of Lethbridge, which was actually rather awe inspiring in itself. It was built in the 1920's for the use of the train system, and to this day it still stands strong and powerful, guiding the trains to the city and back again. However, the cargo it carries has changed a little from the past. Instead of transporting coal, which was Lethbridge's main resource, out of the town to further afield, it now transports the copious amounts of oil to and from the town. Talking of oil, since being here the price of such a commodity has dropped massively! When I first arrived I think it was at $120 a barrel, as from Wednesday the 27th of January, it had reduced to a mere $20 a barrel which of course is a huge concern to many oiling communities within the province. Not only does this mean that the economy of the province has reduced profusely, it has also seen over 3,000 employees of the region being made redundant, a number which is growing on a daily basis. Inflation has gone through the roof, with half a head of cauliflower sitting at around $6-7 and my weekly grocery shop at over $100, for one person!
On a lighter note mind you, Leah and I also went for a walk in Popson Park, west of Lethbridge. Another beautifully snowy day, it was -15°c and the Old Man River was frozen over, so we decided to dance upon the icy water. Something which I vowed I would never do as I have always had a slightly irrational fear that I shall fall through and plunge to my death...but I decided it was now or never so went ahead with it anyway. It may come as a big surprise, however I did not fall to my death, and instead found myself making snow angels upon the river.

I adore of the coulees in Lethbridge, and I can see out of my window from my accommodation (a wonderful distraction from studying). The coulees themselves are very mysterious and their creation is not entirely understood. Some claim that it was the great Laurentide ice-sheet and the transport of glaciers and a vast amount of water that scraped away the sediment and formed wonderful rolling hills and the Old Man River at the bottom. But others claim that it was the river itself, which meandered its way deep into the land, to this day they still remain a slight mystery. Therefore, it was tradition to go for a walk within them during a lunch break. The river was iced over, but the coulees radiated their contrasting colors, allowing for a beautiful photo to be taken.

Now. I have the most incredible people in my life. I am truly blessed to have met Leah, who has proven to be my greatest ally, my best friend and the most wonderful, trust worthy and honest confident. It was my 21st birthday, the big 21, on the 30th and I was lead to believe for over a week that nothing was occurring as people were too busy. As imagined, I was rather gutted. However, I clearly underestimated the surprise party organisational skills that Leah possesses, and after going to an all-you-can eat restaurant on the eve of my birth, I walked into a house full of people singing, smiling and welcoming me to a party that I had absolutely no idea existed-all thanks to Leah. She had decorated the entire space and spent a hefty $50 on two balloons! My other housemate, Katie, had baked me cupcakes and a birthday cake and decorated wine bottles with glitter which corresponded with the color scheme of the party.
The Canadian people are honestly, the nicest, kindest, most genuine and sincere people I have ever met. They would drop every plan they ever had if you were to need them. As mentioned in a previous blog, they would give the coat off their back if you were cold, and wouldn't even hesitate-something I feel is lost within the English culture and society. So we partied until we dropped and woke the next day to a beautiful birthday breakfast awaiting me on the table. I felt utterly spoiled, and for the past two days I cannot stop smiling.

How am I going to be able to leave?

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Photos

To say I was surprised is an understatement
What truly fantastic friends I have made

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