Butterflies

I spent this past weekend in Harrison Hot Springs for a work retreat. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and it was a chaotic yet lovely weekend. I love mini getaways because they hold me over until I get to truly travel next. It's becoming a bit of a problem how addicted I've become to being in new places. I was able to sneak out for an early morning run by myself on Sunday morning, and it was the most perfect way to start the day. I can't complain about the view around the lake either. It's a good reminder that I need to slow down sometimes and just take in the world around me; I get so caught up in due dates and deadlines that I forget to step back and just breathe. 

Cooling down on the dock in Harrison Hot Springs

So, with all the little getaways and over-committing myself yet again, it's been a really crazy start to the year (because as a student, my year still starts in September). As a means of staying sane, I've been giving myself little breaks where I can remove myself from work, school and volunteering to dream about vacations and where I want to be next. I'm nearly all settled on my next big trip - I've got dates and flights in mind so there's only a few emails to my travel agent left before everything is finalized. Regardless of how many times I book a trip, how near or far I'm going, or how long I plan to be away, there is nothing comparable to the feeling I get when I finally confirm a trip. The butterflies in my stomach and the nervous excitement (even if I've been there many times before) is probably one of my favourite feelings in the world. Taking off on a plane comes in a close second for sure. The anticipation for the end of the semester is beyond words at this point. The payoff is going to be so great though - graduation at last!

xx

Hello Fall

I honestly can't believe the summer has already come and gone. It was the first year that I haven't been at day camp and I thought it would mean a lot more free time; turns out I managed to pack my schedule like never before and the time flew by. My summer basically started in May and lasted a solid four months. Vancouver was beautiful this year and we had an amazing few months. I kicked off my holidays in LA and spent a few days visiting. It was incredible and for those few days I felt like I was in another world. It's always good to be able to disconnect from everything and just enjoy the people and places in the present. It's a good reminder of how important it is to appreciate the things we have and not get lost in all our responsibilities and plans. It was also a way for me to reaffirm my goals and feel as if they were attainable.

Sunset from Venice Beach

The rest of May, June and July were pretty much consumed by school, work and volunteering. Spent a lot of time at the beach working on our research project, which we learned a lot from. Also did the Ragnar Relay in July. It was such an incredible experience to be able to run the Northwest Passage with an amazing group of people. I definitely would not have been able to do it without their support - all the cheering, shot blocks and laughs made for a good time. I discovered how powerful the notion of mind over matter truly is. It's quite astounding how much you can achieve based solely on the determination to do so. Aside from the caffeine and sugar, there really wasn't anything that was keeping me going aside from the sheer will to complete each leg, but that was more than enough to do the job.

Our whole team at the finish line

Wound down the last month of summer with a long weekend in Portland. We didn't have any plans set in stone, which was out of the norm for me in terms of travelling. I'm a bit OCD and I love order and organization with most everything that I do. It ended up being a really great weekend and I wouldn't have had it any other way. We stayed at an Airbnb place in the heart of downtown and really got to experience the city. I love just wandering and exploring so it was a plus that we could walk pretty much anywhere from our place.

My cousin had her wedding here in Vancouver at the end of August, so there was nearly a week full of family festivities. It's always nice to be able to spend time with my family from out of town. It doesn't matter how long it's been since we've last seen each other - we can always pick up right where we left off. We ended up spending a day just enjoying this beautiful city and we ran the seawall. It was such a beautiful and relaxed run, I definitely need to start making more of an effort to head down there. Time to start mixing it up and not just running the trails near home. The wedding itself was the most elegant affair I have ever attended. Everything was so gorgeous and although we hit a few road bumps here and there, it was perfect. 

The wedding reception 

Running the Seawall

Cousin & I at the wedding

This summer has given me a lot of time to think about the people I surround myself with and what I want in the future. I'm about to embark on my final semester of university and although I cannot wait to have it finally be over and done with, a part of me is nervous about what's to come. For the first time ever, when the semester ends I won't have just another term at school to start planning for. What comes next is real life, which is both a terrifying and exhilarating thought. I can't wait to get started and to explore the world and all the opportunities it has to offer, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit scared. I'm thankful for the people that have stuck out my last few flighty years with me. It's narrowed my social circle significantly, but also lets me focus my energy on the people and things that matter the most. 

It's weird because I love order and organization, but I seem to be most attracted to chaos. I detest being too comfortable. I love the butterflies in my stomach that I get every time I book a flight or make plans to do something new. I'm positive about the things that I want and I'm willing to do what I must to attain them and at the same time I feel perhaps I'm not justified or deserving of the things that I desire. The freedom that finishing this final semester is going to give me is still something I'm trying to wrap my head around - I love the uncomfortable and sometimes that means pushing boundaries and making plans that aren't always the most realistic. I can't wait to try them anyways. Alas, it's probably time I rest my head and get through the semester ahead before I start daydreaming about the people and places I'm ready to turn myself over to.

xx

Ledge Time

I decided to start this blog because I wanted to start documenting the people and places in my life. Next January I plan to move across the Pacific again so that I can keep exploring and learning. I haven't left quite yet, and there's still a lot to do before I can even begin thinking about the move (but really I think about it every day) but I figured it wouldn't hurt to start writing now. After all, home is a destination & it's filled with people and places I love. 

I went for a run yesterday to clear my head. The run is simple: keep breathing and keep putting one foot in front of the other. This is my bliss. What I seem to always forget is that the moment I stop moving the world goes right back to the way it was before I started. Running is only a temporary escape. I found myself hopping up onto the ledge at the end of my run and wondering why on earth I'd neglected this spot all year. I guess something in my subconscious mind knew that what I needed was to slow down and take in how beautiful this place I call home is. 

There's been a lot going on in the last couple of days and I'm trying really hard to make sense of it all. The last few years have been interesting, to say the least. That said, I know I've changed a lot in the last few years and I'm still trying to figure out whether it's for the better. I think there's a part of me that's always going to be the same because what's important hasn't changed in the slightest. Sure, sometimes my values get rearranged and are prioritized differently but the list at the end of the day goes unchanged. So here I am in a position I spent a long time avoiding. Everything seems to be forcing itself to the surface these days. I guess with my final semester of school coming up and the real world looming around the corner, there's really no better time.

So... here's to being nervous and excited and actively pursuing those butterflies in my stomach. Here's to adventures. Here's to leaving my heart with people and places around the world. & here's to figuring things out. 

xx