2010 Journal
The following is an excerpt from a Journal that was kept on last year's trip.
Date: July 1, 2010
By: Aurelien (France) & Joaquim (Brazil)
Finally, after a long time waiting for this trip, HERE WE ARE, ready to live a new and unforgettable experience through our host country CANADA . And is there a better place to start than Ottawa on canada day? Definitely not .
After a long drive to pick everybody up, to let us time to get in touch and to get to know each other, we arrived at our residence at the university of Ottawa .
The weather was gorgeous, thousands of people in the street were wearing the red and white maple leaf proudly , no doubt we are about living a unique and great canadian experience .
In front of the parliament building, a massive stage was set up and many artists came : dancers, rock singers, an opera singer, a country singer, DJ’s... Very nice programme, very diversified to satisfy everybody, every taste . We really can say it worked out well, and the evening finished with an amazing show of fireworks .
After the show, it was not easy to leave the parliament hill, the crowd was so big that walking there was pretty hard. When we finally arrived at the residence we got to spend the rest of the night talking about the fun we had and already planning the other awesome days to come.
The trip is just starting and we have already had a great time, 2 weeks to go.. 2 amazing weeks...Canada be aware, because the Exchange students are on their way !
Date: July 2, 2010
By: Danee (Switzerland) and Gabriel (Brazil)
Today was a pretty long day, and we actually did not have so much time to walk around. We were either on the bus, on the boat or at the restaurant for a while. Anyways, it was so much fun and so interesting. Also, it was really cool to practice French with the Quebecois. The city is so different from all the stuff we saw in Ontario; everything was older, and more historic and beautiful, more like Europe. We went to eat dinner at a nice restaurant. We had spaghetti and after that we went on a bout tour. On the boat we had a cool party, where the captains and the crew were dancing, and they played all types of music: romantic, latino, dance music, 80's. Also, we saw a bachelorette party in which the bride was just a little bit tipsy and we made friends with her and introduced her to everyone. It was so cool, and it felt for some people like me (who just joined the group) more like being with a family... Even with some organization problems, like going to the wrong residence building, we managed to have a lot of fun and it was an incredible day. We came back at like 12 and ordered pizza. The perfect ending for a day in Quebec; it was so much fun and very different for us, who all lived in Ontario to see this different part of Canada and how special it was to enjoy it with our dear friends.
Date: July 3rd 2010
By: Guilherme (Brazil) and Mauro (Argentina)
On Saturday, July 3rd 2010, we exchange students in Canada already in Québec city had an amazing day learning about the history and visiting the main tourist attractions of this great city. First, after we woke up at 7:00am and had breakfast at the university cafeteria, we went for a guided tour in the historical part of the city, where we had a really good guide who taught us about Québec’s history with enthusiasm. After the guided tour, we had free time to explore, shopping, have lunch and chill. At 2:00pm we embarked on the bus towards Montmerency Falls. It was amazing as well. After that, we had free time at the accommodation, and some of us played soccer while others preferred to go shopping. We had dinner that night at an awesome restaurant called Score’s Restaurant. The day ended with more free time at the accommodation, where we had fun chatting, playing cards and chilling.
Date: July 4, 2010
By: Karol (Austria) & Anto (Argentina)
Today it wasn’t a very busy day, we woke up at 6:30am. We spend our time on the bus until 1pm to stop for lunch. After being stuffed we went to see the «huge» amount of water of the Grand Falls. We arrived at the university at 6pm and ran directly to the cafeteria as we were already starving again. Filled with the campus food we decided to go for a walk around the campus. Later on, we went swimming in the university pool and then downtown. We stopped at Tim Horton’s and chilled there for a bit. And that was pretty much it
The Exchange student program is the best thing that happend in our lives
WE LOVE YOU GUYS! THANKS A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Date: July 5, 2010
By: Lisa (Taiwan) & Waan (Thailand)
Morgane and Aurelien woke us up this morning and we had breakfast. We got on the bus around 9:30 and started to head to Moncton. And then at noon we stopped at Walmart for lunch and we collected money from everyone to buy some movies. There were six movies and Anto bought some seasons of the show “Friends” too. We went to Pays de la Saguoine at around two o’clock in the afternoon. We joined the kitchen party, it was really cool to see how people enjoy themselves when they didn’t have electricity and we had molasses cookies. We also watched the play they put on after the kitchen party but it was in French so most of us except the French people couldn’t understand it. We walked around the L’ile du puce taking pictures and watching card tricks. After that, we went back on the bus to go to the resident of Accommodation Atlantic Baptist University and watched “Friends” on the way there. As soon as we arrived at the residence, we went to supper at the university cafeteria and it was really good. We went to the Mafnetic Hill and Wharf Village and we walked around the gift shops buying souvenirs and fudges. The owner of the fudge shop gave us two boxes of fudges because he said he really liked us. We went back to the residence and had a meeting at the common room and talked about rules and some other things we need to know. And then we had free time till 1:00.
Date: July 6th 2010
By: Ruanna (Brazil) & Vitor (Brazil)
Moncton, New Brunswick
Manuel and David did the wakeup call at 7:45 am. We had breakfast at Crandell cafeteria and left for the Hopewell rocks. It was a crap morning, rainy and cloudy. Everyone was disappointed because the plan of the day it was go to the beach but we would probably cancel it since the weather was not collaborating with us. At the Hopewell museum we learned how the tides works and we got to see the highest tide on the world and the “damage” that it has caused on the rocks through the years. We learned as well that when in Canada the tides are big; in the south atmosphere the tides are low and the water varies between 10 to 15 meters on the same day. Before we left for lunch the weather turned to be good making the visit even better but it wasn’t warm enough to go to the beach. The bus driver drove us back to the residence and we had our lunch at the cafeteria of the university. The chaperones decide to change our plans so we could have some fun in the afternoon, given us the option of an amusement park or the mall. Half of the group decided to go to the park and the other half went shopping. For our surprise when we went back to the bus the sun was shining outside and Murray (the bus driver) offered to drive us to the beach! We changed our clothes at the university, had dinner and got at the beach at 6:00 pm. The weather was perfect and everyone had lots of fun enjoying the beautiful sunset. A few people jump on the water and got wet as well as who was only watching who got wet after the big mess that the exchange students did. On the way back Murray took us to Tim Horton’s for a snack and then we drove back to the university. On the end of the day everyone was really tired and glad that we had so much fun, even though the day didn’t start perfectly we enjoyed; it turned to be one of the best days of the trip so far.
Date: July 7, 2010
By: Laura (Switzerland) & Anne (Denmark)
It was the last day at Accommodation Atlantic Baptist University. Morgane came to wake us up at 7.10 because some guys called Manuel and Vitor slept in and almost made everyone being late! We enjoyed our last breakfast at the Accommodation Atlantic Baptist University Cafeteria which included French toast, scrambled eggs, home fries, bacon, yogurt and fruits. They really knew how to spoil us! After breakfast we went back to our rooms and packed our suitcases and cleaned the room. At 8.30 we loaded the bus and got ready for an 9 hours bus ride. Which didn’t feel that long because the most of us took a nice long nap, we had also had a lunch break at 12.30. We enjoyed our lunch at Mc Donalds, Tim Hortons and Subway for 45 minutes. Then we started to watch a funny movie which is called “The Break up”. Before we were able to finish watching the movie we had a stop at Alexander Graham Bell Museum which was quite interesting. We got to hear a movie about his whole life story. After the little tour around the museum we went back on the bus because we had to be at the hotel at 6 o’clock we just had enough time to finish watch the movie and talk for a bit. We arrived at the hotel and a group of exchange students unloaded the bus. We went to our rooms to pack out and change to meet for supper at 7 o’clock. We were quite surprised about the rooms because we’ve been so lucky so far with all the rooms but these ones stand really out! We each have a double bed, a nice washroom, the air conditioning is working great and the view is awesome. The supper Buffet was quite amazing. It included fish, potatoes, rice, bread, soup and to top it off a great strawberry dessert. At night people went to town to watch a movie, to hang out or to go shopping. Unfortunately 5 of us had to stay at the hotel because they didn’t understand the curfew. But at the end we all had an awesome day and we are really looking forward for tomorrow. We are gonna have a blast!
Have a good night everyone and don’t forget the curfew!!! Some of us have experienced what’s gonna happen and it’s not that fun!!! ;)
Date: July 8, 2010
By: Dave (Australia) & Manuel (Venezuela)
Today we went to the Miner’s museum in Glace bay. I regretted making fun of Misaki for being short.
We got taken into a small theatre space to watch a movie about mining, then got led through a room full of models of mining equipment and uniforms and such.
Then we got taken into a room and got equipped with some helmets and aprons.
I can’t remember what the tour guide’s name was, but for the sake of the story I’m going to say his name was ‘Muppet’. He was an ex-miner and had been mining for something like forty years.
Muppet had this amazing way of talking where he managed to ask questions but then answered them without giving us time to guess. Genius.
He took us down the mine, and as the ceiling got lower and lower my respect for Misaki got higher and higher. He gave us a look at the machine they used to chisel out rock with. It was probably called a Robo-chisel.
We also went to this Amish-type village of people who got teleported from the eighteenth century in Fort Louisberg. Rajeev got arrested. I laughed for probably twenty minutes. I think they thought he was a witch.
So after watching a re-enactment of a squadron of people firing muskets (the 4th guy failed) and after a cannon went off, we walked around the village sampling the history and bread. The bread was the food equivalent of being beaten to death.
Then we got given dinner. I had to wear my napkin ‘like a gentleman’, which is apparently eighteenth centurese for ‘like a tube-top’ I definitely felt as though The Ladies were impressed, based on all the looks I got given. The food was some sort of water soup with carrots and sometimes my spoon in it. The waitress/wench was very impressed with my table manners and carrot-flinging skills. They didn’t have that kind of trade back then. I showed her my Ipod and she flipped out.
Date: July 9, 2010
By: Thomas (Belgium) & Karol (Austria)
We started the day early, wake up at 7 o’clock. Then good breakfeast: crappy pancakes and eggs.
The day was mostly spent in the bus because we moved to Halifax.
Almost everyone slept at first, then we launched «Jumper», which was an Ok american Movie.
Finally after 6 hours of driving, we arrived at the Maritime Museum.
There was a talking perrot in the museum but he didn’t feel like talking (bastard..).
The exposition was full of boat represntations such as The Titanic and some other kinda famous boats.
They had real old ship outside we could go in, one of them had huge Gun and canons at the front. -Misaki fell down the stairs.-
The weather was so hot (but we survived somehow).
After a while of walking around like tourists, we headed to our new hotel «DALHOUSE University». Everyone got individual rooms.
We went for supper at 5pm at the campus, it was good.
Then we got free time from 6 to 10.30; Some students went down town, some just stayed at the dorm and chilled out.
We had our meeting at 10:30, had free time, talked to Annika on Skype :), and then it was time to sleep.
Date: July 10, 2010
By: Joaquim (Brazil) & Danee (Switzerland)
This morning we had breakfast at 7.30 and had to be on the bus by 8.30 to go to the Peggy’s Cove. It was really fogy but beautifully to see the waves crashing in to the rocks.
After this we went to the memorial of the Swissair flight 111. A Swiss airplane that crushed in 1998 in Halifax where 229 people died.
We went for Lunch in a really charmy town right on the harbour. After lunch we saw the fisherman museum. We got the chance to see pretty different see animals like huge lobsters. And we also had the chance to touch some of the animals.
After the tour in the museum we had a little bit of free time. We went back to the university to get ready to go on the boat. It was a pretty old boat made in Sweden in 1939. We had pizza and a DJ and there was lots of dancing. All the students had fun but everybody thought it was not long enough. We stayed there till 9.pm. Then we headed back to the university and had some free time till 1am.
It’s been a long day but really interesting and fun.
Date: July 11, 2010
By: Cley (Brazil) & Nick (New Zealand)
The day started off with an early start and we all woke up at 6:15, to see the heavy rain pounding onto the streets. After breakfast at the university hall, we all left Halifax after a fantastic two days there, and kicked off at 8:15 all ready to head off to Caribou to catch the ferry. Due to rain, the visibility was poor to see the beautiful East Coast scenery, so many of us were hanging around inside the boat. It didn't take long to arrive in Prince Edward Island, and with many of us starving, we headed off to lunch at Tim Hortons/Wendy's. Once we were in Charlottetown, we toured around the city and discovered through Founders Hall where we learnt about the history of the Confederations in Canada, where and when the states of Canada were originated. Not only that we learnt about the Confederations, we were lucky enough to have a tour guide showing us the history and facts of Charlottetown, and how the buildings were structured with sandstone. Unfortunately we had terrible weather which let down the views and scenery, however we all had enjoyed learning the knowledge the tour guide offered us. By the time it was over, we headed off to another university hall. For dinner, we had an amazing feast at the Lobster On The Wharf, where many of us experienced eating a fully fresh lobster for the first time. With many of us in crazy big lobster bibs with lobster tools, we managed to eat it successfully, in fact the lobster was delicious, it was surely a great meal to have while on the East Coast as it is well known for the lobster. By the end of the day, we all had a good day, thanks to those who made it fun-fulling!
Date: July 12th 2010
By: Misaki (Japan) & Josephine (Denmark)
We got up at 6.45, and then we headed to breakfast in the common room at Holland College. The bus left at 8ish for Anne of Green Gables museum/park. There we could see Green Gables - the house where Lucy Maud Montgomery got inspiration for the Story about the orphan girl named Anne Shirley. We also walked on the trails that lead the school site (where the school used to be) and to the ruin of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s house. Some people tried to look like Anne by wearing the hat with the orange/carrot coloured braids. Other people decided to make a family tree – it was very funny! (it will soon be on facebook)
After we went to Cavendish for lunch – and shopping in all the small stores – we spent about two hours spending money. It was a lot fun – and a great place to hang out.
We jumped on the bus and drove to the beach in Cavendish...The water was cold ... and it was raining .., but we managed to get a lot of fun out of it ... we went jumping from a hill down in the sand .. some people were doing construction to make a little river ... some people even slept on their towels ... but we all enjoyed it very much! And we wish we could stay longer on Prince Edward Island ...
For dinner we went to Boston Pizza ...
After it was free time until 10.00 pm, everyone had a good evening, hanging out in downtown Charlottetown.
It was our favourite day of the trip!
Date: July 13th 2010
By: Amelie (Germany) & Adriana (Mexico)
So, today was a rather lazy day for us. Actually, not a lot happened. We left Charlottetown, and with that also PEI pretty early and were not really looking forward to a day full of driving. Of course the weather was awesome again... as always when we had a long day of driving in front of us. It just never seems to work out. Plans for the beach and the weather is bad, but the day in the bus and the weather would be perfect for the beach. I guess there is nothing we can do against that.
Because of the a bit later curfue yesterday most of us were sleeping on the bus. After about one hour drive we had crossed the Confederation Bridge, which connects Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick. As soon as we were back in the bus, everyone was - surprise, surprise - sleeping again. About another hour later we were woken up again, because we were... hmm let's say somewhere in New Brunswick with lots of Trailers around. But not only that, but also there was a giant Lobster. He was the best friend of our two Lobstermen Nick and Dave. The next hours we spent with sleeping and watching movies on the bus again. Oh, and we visited another bridge... seems as if we spent the whole day in the bus and watching bridges. That was the Hartland Covered Bridge, the longest covered bridge in the world. As we arrived in Edmunston, where we stayed for the night the rain was just pouring down from the sky. Again, it went against our plans, because after dinner at Pizza Delight there was a bonfire planned. We could totally forget that, but then on the other hand we got a bunch of Strawberries from the owner of the motel, and found a swimming pool in the back of our Motel. The swim in the rain was a good finish of the day! Two more days to go... Montreal, here we come!!
East Coast Tour
Date: July 14, 2010
By: Julie (Denmark) & Pauline (Belgium)
Wake-up call was 6.30 this morning, everybody had a rough morning getting up, after 13 days of lack of sleep, and so much fun last night. While some people went to the theatre, and others were swimming in the pool, and some people just hanging out. We left Edmunston and headed to Montreal
We went to a gas station bistro for breakfast, for once we had the opportunity to order our breakfast. Some of us really enjoyed it. And at the same time we got to colour with pencil crowns. We are pretty sure speaking for the majority of us that we ate way to much, but it was just sooo good. After that it was back on the bus, during our now daily routine; Sleeping, listening to music, watching movies, Friends, signing flags, talking, relaxing ext.
We stopped at the church for lunch, the same church that we stopped at earlier doing the trip. The Nons provided us with excellent lunch. We then had a little time to take a look at the church. It was a really pretty church, people enjoyed the time in the church. We went back on the bus for a couple more hours of driving. We were all very exited by the time we arrived in Montreal City.
We are staying over at McGill University, the rooms are great it’s almost like a Hotel, clean, there’s towels everything.
Tonights dinners was at Scores Restaurant, and we had the choice between, ribs, chicken legs, chicken breast, Caesar salad, soup and salad. After dinner we had free-time, some people went shopping, bought souvenirs some went for coffee.
We had to be back at the McGill at 10.45 for a meeting, where the chaperones and Murray was recognized, with a thank you and a hand. There is no curfew tonight for the majority of the students, so hopefully most of us will have a good time tonight. We are all really sad that this trip has come to an end. There is a thing with exchange students, we all just bond as one big family in no time, and it feels like we have known each other for our entire life.
There has been ups and downs on this trip, which is all part of it, I think that most of us will agree that we at times have been sick of each other at times. But then there is the 10.000 other moments that have been filled with laughter, hugs, happiness, love, and fellowship.
We will never ever forget each other, for some of us the exchange is coming to an end and others still have 5 or 6 month left. But no matter what we have bounded independent of what country we are from, how old we are, who we are. And that is the power of youth exchange.
Thank you for this trip, for all the work you have done for us.
From Number
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30