...leaving Canada today
Its my last day here in canada and I'm up relatively early so i thought that i'd take a few minutes to update everyone on the last few crazy, busy, wonderful days here. I know writing it as a list is rather organised and clinical but i don't want to miss a thing. Just before i get all long-winded :) I want to thank Mum, Dad and Marta for sending my perfect, pretty purple necklace and the Matthews girls, especially Ellie for their gorgeous card and gift. Two packages from home in two days!!
Friday - Prom
So Friday wasn't too hectic really just relaxed in the morning, then had my hair done. I definitely had a poodle moment but due to the humidity it all dropped nicely into a messy wavy style just like i wanted. Then i came home and by then it was already two and people were arriving at 4. I sat down did my make up and suddenly people were arriving and i wasn't even dressed! But i got dressed and then we all waited for people to arrive and change and then the boy's limo to arrive. It did and then we had a photo session outside in the sunshine, which was nice.
Photos taken by Victor (Top: Me and Chiara Bottom: Daniel, Yussef, NIck, Adam, Cris, Me)
The boy's left and Victor, Lety and i went back inside before going to Elina's house to meet up with some other people from school. We got there and there were more photos, of course. I'm beginning to think that events like the formal, Prom, are defined by the number of photos taken! :D but I'm really glad that i can look back on them and remember. We also had a toast to graduating and celebrated the end of high school. It was a really lovely way to start the evening. We headed Downtown to the Hotel where the Prom was being held and watched as all these limos and fancy cars dropped people off. It was lots of fun to see all the dresses and there were some fabulous ones and some ill-advised choices too. It was interesting to see that most girls wore full length gowns and there were some classic "Prom" dresses which made me smile. Luckily there were enough short dresses that i didn't feel out of place. When everyone from our group had arrived we moved inside and the whole hall was filled with people and the main room was lit up by the pink back wall.
Top: Daniel, Me, Elina, Vanessa, Roberto
Bottom: Vanessa, Luciana, Me
The night was really nice, we all danced and laughed and took photos - a genuinely lovely time. I was really surprised when a couple of people came up and wished me well. it was really nice. Afterwards I went clubbing with Elena (from school) and Monica and Johanna another girl from Germany. We started at 'Altitude 737' which is in the middle of downtown on the top couple of floors of a skyscraper. It has this outdoor terrace with a stunning view of the city and island. you could see the city lights all the way to the black expanse of river and them more lights on the other side and you could see Mont Royal rising out of the lights. It was seriously memorable and a great way to celebrate finishing school and my time Canada. We couldn't stay though as Monica couldn't get into the club so we moved on to 'Light' a smaller, younger club and stayed there the rest of the night. We all liked 737 better but we were there as a group so wanted to be together. It was still a really great night though, we had fun, danced laughed and I seriously suffered from sore feet afterwards. Twelve hours in 3 inch heels is a very bad idea.
Saturday
After hobbling into the house in the wee hours of the morning i slept until about 10. It was really nice :) The boy's had stayed the night so Lety was making a huge brunch for everyone when i got up so I helped getting things ready like the fruits and drinks. Then all the boys got up, with a little encouragement, and we all had crepes and fruit and mimosas. It was fun and a really great way to wrap up the Prom. Most of the boys stayed for the day and Vanessa and Luciana came over in the afternoon as well. We all just hung out which was really nice. I did have to be slightly antisocial for a while to get my packing mostly done - which i did and then realised i had more stuff i wanted to send home than i thought. I also realised that even if the volume of a suitcase is equivalent to two boxes you can't fit anywhere near as much stuff in.
Sunday
I'm sure there were people here, i can't quite distinguish each day from the next, it's been a constant flux of people. But i spent the day finishing up my packing; after getting permission to send three boxes home, thanks Mum and Dad. I repacked and got all of them under 10 kilos and everything i wanted back home in! i now have no pairs of jeans though, they were casualties of limited packing space. i also think i may have overpacked for backpacking so i'll probably be leaving a trail of clothes across Europe. Wait back to Sunday . . . so i packed and i then i met everyone at the movies and we saw the new transformers movie. it wasn't too bad, though Isabel Lucas might want to review her role choosing process - not exactly the most flattering role as an evil alien robot.
Monday
So i spent yesterday getting organised for today, checking my flight and hostel details, deciding what goes carry on and what doesn't. i was thinking about going out because i was invited to go to karaoke but Lety asked that I stay home, which i totally understand its my last night here and all that and I'm so very glad i did. What i didn't know was that someone, i don't know who and i don't really mind i just owe them a massive thanks, organised a surprise going away get together for me. It was so sweet! I went with Lety and Victor to post my stuff home and then to the supermarket to get dinner supplies. Lety made this really nice gnocci with rapini (similar to broccolini) and we had mixed berries for dessert. but before we had even sat down to dinner the doorbell rang and i grabbed it and standing there is Luciana, Elina and Cat apologizing for being early. I'm all confused going 'umm... i didn't know you were coming, but come in' and it kept happening all evening, Ally came and gave me a box of pixie dust and Franz came and Vanessa and it was all so nice of them! i was in shock all evening, especially when they brought out a cake with 'Have a nice trip, Sophie!' written on it!! and they gave me a card. As i've said so many times it is the people here who have made this such an amazing experience. Bianca and Celine came later too and then the boys came back as well - i didn't go to bed until after 1 but it was such a nice night. Then i called home and chatted to Marta for a bit which was good and i got hold of Dad too.
So it's Tuesday now and i have about 3 hours before i have to head out for the airport . Hopefully i can catch Mum before i leave. if not i know my hostel has wireless so i can call when i get there instead. It's a weird bunch of mixed feelings today. Im excited to be going on my big trip but i'm sad to be leaving all my new Canadian friends behind and i still in a small corner of my heart wish i was just going straight home. I know i'll have an amazing time away and I'll see so much of the world but that doesn't make leaving much easier.
the next time you hear from me it'll be from somewhere else in the world . . .
Friday - Prom
So Friday wasn't too hectic really just relaxed in the morning, then had my hair done. I definitely had a poodle moment but due to the humidity it all dropped nicely into a messy wavy style just like i wanted. Then i came home and by then it was already two and people were arriving at 4. I sat down did my make up and suddenly people were arriving and i wasn't even dressed! But i got dressed and then we all waited for people to arrive and change and then the boy's limo to arrive. It did and then we had a photo session outside in the sunshine, which was nice.
Photos taken by Victor (Top: Me and Chiara Bottom: Daniel, Yussef, NIck, Adam, Cris, Me)
The boy's left and Victor, Lety and i went back inside before going to Elina's house to meet up with some other people from school. We got there and there were more photos, of course. I'm beginning to think that events like the formal, Prom, are defined by the number of photos taken! :D but I'm really glad that i can look back on them and remember. We also had a toast to graduating and celebrated the end of high school. It was a really lovely way to start the evening. We headed Downtown to the Hotel where the Prom was being held and watched as all these limos and fancy cars dropped people off. It was lots of fun to see all the dresses and there were some fabulous ones and some ill-advised choices too. It was interesting to see that most girls wore full length gowns and there were some classic "Prom" dresses which made me smile. Luckily there were enough short dresses that i didn't feel out of place. When everyone from our group had arrived we moved inside and the whole hall was filled with people and the main room was lit up by the pink back wall.
Top: Daniel, Me, Elina, Vanessa, Roberto
Bottom: Vanessa, Luciana, Me
The night was really nice, we all danced and laughed and took photos - a genuinely lovely time. I was really surprised when a couple of people came up and wished me well. it was really nice. Afterwards I went clubbing with Elena (from school) and Monica and Johanna another girl from Germany. We started at 'Altitude 737' which is in the middle of downtown on the top couple of floors of a skyscraper. It has this outdoor terrace with a stunning view of the city and island. you could see the city lights all the way to the black expanse of river and them more lights on the other side and you could see Mont Royal rising out of the lights. It was seriously memorable and a great way to celebrate finishing school and my time Canada. We couldn't stay though as Monica couldn't get into the club so we moved on to 'Light' a smaller, younger club and stayed there the rest of the night. We all liked 737 better but we were there as a group so wanted to be together. It was still a really great night though, we had fun, danced laughed and I seriously suffered from sore feet afterwards. Twelve hours in 3 inch heels is a very bad idea.
Saturday
After hobbling into the house in the wee hours of the morning i slept until about 10. It was really nice :) The boy's had stayed the night so Lety was making a huge brunch for everyone when i got up so I helped getting things ready like the fruits and drinks. Then all the boys got up, with a little encouragement, and we all had crepes and fruit and mimosas. It was fun and a really great way to wrap up the Prom. Most of the boys stayed for the day and Vanessa and Luciana came over in the afternoon as well. We all just hung out which was really nice. I did have to be slightly antisocial for a while to get my packing mostly done - which i did and then realised i had more stuff i wanted to send home than i thought. I also realised that even if the volume of a suitcase is equivalent to two boxes you can't fit anywhere near as much stuff in.
Sunday
I'm sure there were people here, i can't quite distinguish each day from the next, it's been a constant flux of people. But i spent the day finishing up my packing; after getting permission to send three boxes home, thanks Mum and Dad. I repacked and got all of them under 10 kilos and everything i wanted back home in! i now have no pairs of jeans though, they were casualties of limited packing space. i also think i may have overpacked for backpacking so i'll probably be leaving a trail of clothes across Europe. Wait back to Sunday . . . so i packed and i then i met everyone at the movies and we saw the new transformers movie. it wasn't too bad, though Isabel Lucas might want to review her role choosing process - not exactly the most flattering role as an evil alien robot.
Monday
So i spent yesterday getting organised for today, checking my flight and hostel details, deciding what goes carry on and what doesn't. i was thinking about going out because i was invited to go to karaoke but Lety asked that I stay home, which i totally understand its my last night here and all that and I'm so very glad i did. What i didn't know was that someone, i don't know who and i don't really mind i just owe them a massive thanks, organised a surprise going away get together for me. It was so sweet! I went with Lety and Victor to post my stuff home and then to the supermarket to get dinner supplies. Lety made this really nice gnocci with rapini (similar to broccolini) and we had mixed berries for dessert. but before we had even sat down to dinner the doorbell rang and i grabbed it and standing there is Luciana, Elina and Cat apologizing for being early. I'm all confused going 'umm... i didn't know you were coming, but come in' and it kept happening all evening, Ally came and gave me a box of pixie dust and Franz came and Vanessa and it was all so nice of them! i was in shock all evening, especially when they brought out a cake with 'Have a nice trip, Sophie!' written on it!! and they gave me a card. As i've said so many times it is the people here who have made this such an amazing experience. Bianca and Celine came later too and then the boys came back as well - i didn't go to bed until after 1 but it was such a nice night. Then i called home and chatted to Marta for a bit which was good and i got hold of Dad too.
So it's Tuesday now and i have about 3 hours before i have to head out for the airport . Hopefully i can catch Mum before i leave. if not i know my hostel has wireless so i can call when i get there instead. It's a weird bunch of mixed feelings today. Im excited to be going on my big trip but i'm sad to be leaving all my new Canadian friends behind and i still in a small corner of my heart wish i was just going straight home. I know i'll have an amazing time away and I'll see so much of the world but that doesn't make leaving much easier.
the next time you hear from me it'll be from somewhere else in the world . . .