It’s officially been 2 months since I flew across the world to Canada, and I could not be happier with how it’s all going!
I’m currently in week 8 of my semester, with the workload starting to grow, so my weekdays have been spent at classes, or in the library studying for midterms! At Queen’s University, there are 4 different libraries, with my favourite being Douglas Library. In Douglas, there is a study room notoriously named the ‘Harry Potter’ room because it resembles Hogwarts, which is where I spend most of my time when I need to get work done.
One of the main reasons I wanted to come to this area of the world was because of the diverse seasons I would get to see, and it has definitely not disappointed me! The autumn leaves are in full bloom, with my whole camera roll being dominated by photos of trees. It’s starting to get pretty cold here, so I am trying to soak up every bit of nice weather! It snowed for the first time on Halloween night, so winter is definitely on its way!
Any free moment I have is spent relaxing with my housemates, planning weekend trips, or exploring Kingston. I spent the past weekend in Montreal with my housemates and had so much fun! We explored the city and its old charm, and had some great food! I have also planned trips to Ottawa and Quebec and I could not be more excited!
We have had a few events over the past few weekends, including Halloween and Homecoming! Halloween is a much bigger deal here than in New Zealand, with most students having multiple costumes! Homecoming is an event where alumni from the university come back for a big reunion with lots of activities and a big football game!
My semester abroad has been the most fulfilling and gratifying experience! I have learned so much about myself and have met so many people from all over the world! I feel as though I have simultaneously been here for such a long time, but also just arrived. My goal for the last 2 months of my exchange is to make the most of every experience available to me!