As the leaves turn red and the days become wet and cold, things start to slow down around Vancouver. Everything, it seems, except me. The past month has been filled with non-stop excitement and awe at the natural beauty that British Columbia has to offer.
When I say “fall,” anyone from New Zealand would probably first think of the verb, the act of moving downwards in an uncontrolled manner. In Canada, I say “fall” and people think of beautiful orange maple leaves, Thanksgiving dinners, apple orchids, pumpkin patches and, of course, spooky Halloween festivities. Fall is celebrated dearly in Vancouver and appears to be a time of community, spent participating in wholesome cosy activities with friends and family. I was lucky enough to be invited to two Thanksgiving dinners: one more traditional dinner with my Canadian friend’s family, and one hosted by my chef friend (who went all out on the cooking and decorations). I spent several evenings with my flatmates painting and carving pumpkins while Harry Potter plays in the background. I went to farms to take photos of their aesthetic pumpkin patches and to celebrate apples coming into season. I’ve also eaten a decent amount of pumpkin pie and drunk pumpkin spice. I don’t think I’ve been in a country that celebrates the season so proudly and excitedly. It’s just one of the many things I’m grateful to experience while in Canada.
Unfortunately, the shift into autumn has meant the end of the hiking season. In the final days of the sunny weather, I conquered the Grouse Grind, also known as “Mother Nature’s Stairmaster,” and for a good reason (the trail comprises nearly 3,000 steps over 3kms). There are also bears at the top of Grouse Mountain, which makes the hike even more worthwhile. In lieu of my weekend hikes, I have done a couple of weekend trips, including to Bowen Island and to Seattle.
I’ve spent my fair of time at different sporting events. My friends and I made it our goal while on exchange to attend as many North American sports games as possible. I’m talking baseball, American football, and ice hockey. The latter was definitely my favourite, possibly because of the game’s fast-paced nature and the multiple instances of fights that broke out on the rink. Wanting a bit of familiarity, we also went to a football game (the proper football, where you actually use your feet), where we supported the Vancouver Whitecaps in their Championship victory over Toronto FC.
With all of the festivities during October, I’m certainly looking forward to what Vancouver provides in terms of Christmas events and festivities. The only downside of being on exchange is remembering that you’re not fully on holiday; you still need to keep on top of university studies and assignments. With our upcoming December exams, the amount I will be able to explore might be more limited, but I won’t let that stop me from having a good time and making the most out of my time in Canada.