Celebrating Red and White....and no I don't mean wine.

For those of you who don't know, today is Canada Day. You may be thinking "what does that even mean?" It means that 3 days before July 4th, there is another holiday that your neighbours celebrate (although in a much lesser fashion, I assure you.) July 1st commemorates this day in 1867 when three colonies (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the United Province of Canada) united to become a single country called "Canada".  For those of you now asking "What is Canada?", I am judging you and here is a link where you can figure it out.

Many of you have heard me mutter "being Canadian is hard sometimes". This has usually been because of some paperwork malfunction or other frustrations that have made being an International student living in the United States an eye-opening experience. I claim that all the stereotypes are real, which many of them are. (Specifically that we say "eh". And by we, I mean my mom. Texting with her is a unique experience where half of the time I'm wondering if she's being serious when she says "so you saw so and so is getting married, eh?". But she is indeed serious and, when asked about it, states she doesn't even know she's doing it). I go along with the jokes and entertain the questions like "so how cold is it up there right now", "what kind of money do you use" and "do you know Jim in Toronto?" (don't even get me started on that last question, Toronto is not Vancouver and Vancouver is life).

But seriously, through all the issues, financial and otherwise, I would not trade this experience for the world. Living in the United States has made me extremely aware and proud of my Canadian roots, something I didn't have a year ago. I have always respected Americans for the patriotism. And many of my Canadian friends and family will talk about how much Americans' love their country and how much bigger the 4th of July is than July 1st. Being a resident of the U.S.A has reinforced how patriotic many are about this country but it has also helped me realize my own pride for my motherland.

One of the other questions people ask me is "what do you miss most about home?". For some reason, it still catches me off guard. I usually go real cliché and basic, saying my family or the mountains, or the ocean. But that's not really unique and it doesn't really get to the foundation of being Canadian. So, in honour (check the spelling y'all...:)) of Canada's 148th birthday, I have made a list of a few things I miss most about my beautiful, true North.

1. Growers Cider
This, my friends, is a wonderful adult beverage brewed locally in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. For $7.00 (Canadian), you can get a whole 2L. Or, you can opt for the six pack of bottles and they come in a variety of flavours from apple to raspberry to glacier berry (although I'm not confident as to what that tastes like).

2. Poutine
I know, I know, you've heard this one too many times. But seriously, poutine is delicious. Fries, gravy (brown gravy not that other stuff that is put on biscuits and deemed a breakfast food), and squeaky cheese curds. While I have been able to enjoy it a few times in San Diego, it's just not the same.

3. Ham
So, I don't actually miss ham. There is ham here in the U.S. and it is pretty much the same as ham in Canada. What I do miss is people actually calling it ham. Canadian Bacon is not a thing, it does not exist. It is ham. Bacon is bacon and ham is ham.

4. The spelling
Adding extra u's and using "qu" instead of "ck" just seems classier. That's all.

5. Hearing the National Anthem at sporting events
This was a surprise, but I really do miss hearing that anthem. I think it's something Canadians take for granted but my new found pride has made me wish I could hear it again.

6.Hockey
WEIRD, I know, but let me explain. I am a bandwagonner, through and through. When the Canucks got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs, I quickly moved onto the next closest team, the Blackhawks (calm down, Canuck die-hards). I don't keep up with the players or what's happening but I miss the family get togethers where the hockey game was a background noise. I miss "Hockey Night in Canada". I think it is the one thing that Canadian's are truly proud of and that passion is a powerful thing to be around. When I'm sitting in Sports Corner enjoying a bevy and the Vancouver vs. Chicago game comes on, I get really excited (ask around, it's true).

7. Alcohol percentages
"We've got stronger beer" .......even if it costs twice the price.

8.Caesars
I have learned to love me a Bloody Mary (extra spicy, of course) but there is nothing like the good ol' double Caesar, extra spicy to make hollyd feel warm and fuzzy. If you are completely confuse, I encourage you to Google it, because I'm definitely not talking about a salad.

'Murica, you're truly fantastic and I love living here. It is been one hell of a year and I can't wait to see what else you have in store for me. But most of all, thanks for helping me connect with my roots and develop a sense of pride for my Red and White. I am Canadian, and I have come to love announcing that, anytime, anywhere.

With that, I'm off to enjoy some Canada Day festivities with the folks. You can find us enjoying beverages (maybe even a Molson Canadian) on Pacific Beach, wearing red and white and sporting temporary tattoos. Canada came to me in the form of two hilarious, supportive, wonderful parents and I couldn't be happier to be spending the day with them. We might even start bellowing out the anthem at some point, look out for us on the 5 o'clock news.

GGLI,
hollyd

Life Moves Pretty Fast, and This Time it Brought Me to San Diego

If you didn't sense the shift in the earth's atmosphere, then I'm sure you've seen my recent posts on the FACEbook, 'gram etc. That's right y'all, #hollyd is back on the West Coast. It felt like May would never come and when it did, I didn't know if I was quite ready for it but here we are.

The "second years", as they were affectionately called, in the College Student Personnel (CSP, hence my hashtag #csplife) program have graduated, which means my two persons are moving on from WIU. They say friends are the family we choose, but I disagree. I think Jervic, Tee and me are a love story of friendship for the ages that none of us saw coming. I am not an outwardly emotional person but felt I needed to put in writing my sentiments about the two people without whom my life in Macomb would have been a lot more challenging and contained a lot less crazy, fun, spontaneous adventures. Thanks to everyone, especially but not only those two, who helped me through this past semester. You all have embraced every annoyingly charming thing about me, in fact you encourage it, and that is what will have me looking forward to return to Macomb. This semester has been mentally and emotionally demanding in many ways but we survived and have come out more fabulous than ever. That's all the mush I can muster but for those of you who are soon to be in the Mac or are already there, the mission begins #findhollyfriends2015 (kidding, sort of). 

But seriously, San Diego has been the perfect distraction for me to focus on. After all, I'm nothing if not extremely fantastic at avoiding situations that are happening right in front of me. It's kind of like, a superpower, always looking for the next adventure while the other one just hasn't quite finished up. 

Alright so, tonight marks my fifth night here, with only two shorts months until I, myself, become a "second year" CSP'er. Tonight also marks five nights and four days of the most sleep and relaxation I have known since winter break. This brings me to my main point. All semester, as the work piled on and my mental state wavered, I longed for a day where I did not have any expectations of me. A day where I had nothing in my schedule and did not have to think about what homework or deadlines were coming up the next week. I had break downs of exhaustion waiting for this day to come. But, there is a major element I forgot, I don't know how to do nothing. 

Let me inform you on the exciting series of events and realizations this weekend has brought me. After a brief tour of the housing office at SDSU (which, by the way, is an amazing campus) on Friday, I was free to have the weekend to myself. This meant 3.5 days of absolute freedom with no expectation at all. I caught up on some Netflix Friday night, binging on popcorn before falling asleep, a lot like Sleeping Beauty with more drool. Saturday morning I awoke in cold sweats wondering why my alarm had not gone off and wondering how late I was. And then I realized, I was not late and there was no alarm. There was simply a full day of whatever I wanted to do, but I didn't know how to do that. I struggled for a couple hours, drinking coffee and texting anyone who would respond (mainly Tee) before I decided to head out and explore the city. This brought to a shopping mall, a wonderful place called Fashion Valley. I will be returning there. 

Now, I am someone who considers themselves to be introverted at times but for the most part, I am extremely social. I like people, well most of them, okay some of them. This weekend, I went two full days without speaking verbally to anyone. Sorry, I'm lying. I did say "Can I get a Grande Pike with cold soy milk" to the barista this morning. But for the most part, it has been me, hollyd, alone with her thoughts. It has been oddly freeing, terrifying and extremely boring all at once. 

Though I have not stayed in my apartment all weekend because, after all, San Diego needs to know that I'm here, it has felt like I have been in my own little bubble of a world. Today I woke up frustrated with how bored I was. This is when I started to reflect on a few things. First of all, I am in a field where people is a large part of my job, so I have that going for me. Secondly, isn't it funny that this freedom was all I wanted and now that I have it, I have no idea how to handle it? Who would have thought that having nothing to do would be more challenging than having a three page to-do list? Thirdly, and this is a big one, I am finally homesick. I have not felt this way once in ten months but here it is, this odd, prickling feeling creeping up on me. Now, check yourselves, because I am not homesick for Vancouver, but for Macomb. I miss my routine (gasp, I'm as shocked as you), I miss my people, and (oh my god I'm about to say it) I miss the small town feel. It could be my superpower of avoidance that didn't allow me to get closure on the year quite in the way I should have. But, as much as I miss those things, I know that many of them (with the exception of the beloved second years) will be there waiting for me in nine short weeks. I think this weekend, as much as it was difficult, helped me to prepare for this adventure on my own. I needed to adjust to things and being alone to do it was what I needed to gear up for what is ahead. 

I love being back in a city, I love being close to the ocean again and I love the feeling of the unknown that lies ahead of me. So San Diego, SDSU, bring it, I'm ready. 

GGLI,

hollyd