The last month has flown by so quickly I’ve hardly had time to sit down and write my blog! FIlled with assignments, more quizzes, and the dreaded Midterms, it has definitely been the hardest month since arriving here, and right up here with anything I’ve experienced at Durham. The sheer volume of work has been difficult to manage, made much harder by living in such a amazing part of the world, with uncountable distractions wherever you look – It has never been easier to procrastinate! With the continual assessment it has quickly become apparent that staying on top of your work is key – no more cruising through 2 terms preparing yourself for the mad last term like back in Durham. Of the two completely different systems however, I’m still not sure which I prefer. Maybe I will have a better idea when my results start coming back in, but it certainly takes time to adjust between the two. The system here forces you to keep constantly reviewing your work, which actually really helps to remain engaged with the content – for the first time in a long while I actually understand what is going on in lectures….to some degree anyway, which makes a refreshing change.

Work aside, after what felt like a month of constant rain, the clouds finally parted, and the sun cautiously edged its way into view. The sunsets returned and Vancouver returned once again to its spectacular best….if not a little chilly after a rather sudden drop in temperatures. Walking to lectures in a thin hoodie, I’m suddenly starting to feel woefully underprepared for a North American winter, especially with the locals digging out a seemingly endless supply of winter attire. To compound issues further, three of my four pairs of shoes have now got quite substantial holes in, and I recently managed to shrink my last batch of laundry… I think a trip to Canada’s equivalent of Millets is probably on the cards but I’ll see how long I can last. 

With the cold weather however, comes the arrival of the ski season and it’s almost impossible not to get swept up in the ever developing rumours of mythical snowfalls, and record powder accumulations. At this stage I feel it’s more important to sound as if you know what you are talking about than actually being any good…this plan may well soon unravel when I eventually make it to Whistler but for now I’ll just talk a good game.

Its’ hard to believe that it’s coming towards the end of term already! After what has been an incredibly busy, yet equally rewarding term, I am actually quite looking forward to coming back to the UK for a couple of weeks to enjoy a few home comforts: Namely a relatively full fridge, and British tv! Ive been watching Canadian Football for 3 months and I still couldn’t tell you why is different from American Football…

Next on the list, Final exams but more importantly my first visit to Whistler! Updates and pictures will follow!