Home Sweet Home!

After a year of adventures, I have returned to one of my favourite places... home! You know you are back in Canada when you have Tim Horton's three times in one day. My travel from Ireland to Canada was a smooth 6.5 hours and I arrived in Toronto to spend a few days with my father's family. I had a great time playing with my cousin's daughters and entertaining my grandparents on violin. My uncle even took me to the Tractor-Pull at an agricultural fair as an re-introduction to rural Canada. Imagine a red-neck event with souped-up trucks and tractors and really loud engines.

From southern Ontario I flew north to Winnipeg and then drove five hours east to my parents' home in northwestern Ontario. After living on an island for a year, five hours in Canada really seemed like a whole lot of nothing. At home I received a warm reception, especially from my dog Chip who has since been devotedly following me around. My Grandmother brought the whole family together for a fabulous Saturday meal and afterwards we played our traditional game of Rummoli.

Since the temperature was breaking the 30 degree Celsius mark, I headed up the lake on Monday for some fishing and swimming with my sister Laura, cousin Rebecca and her girlfriend Kelsey. I do believe the freshwater lakes in our area rival the best in the world. We had quite a time water-skiing and tubing behind the speedboat. I managed to wipe out on top of a underwater rock (luckily with no major injuries), while my cousin Rebecca survived aerial stunts on the inner tube. With our bodies exhausted, we relied on fishing for amusement.

Rocking the water-skis! I managed with two, but Rebecca excelled at slalom.

 

Kelsey and I braved the inner tube.

 Rebecca, Kelsey and I with the small-mouth bass I caught.

We boated past the stone mermaid on Rainy Lake.

Water like glass and a rosy sunset... paradise found at home :)

Being home is not all fun and games though, my father seems to have a long list of tasks around our elk farm. Yesterday I helped feed the animals and today I labelled product and picked up a tractor tire in town. I'm not complaining though, I haven't been working hard and it's nice to be around animals again. If you are interested in seeing some videos and pictures of the elk, check out the Rainy River Elk Company facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rainy-River-Elk-Company/212009815487694

Since being home I have looked back over my year and wondered how to summarize it. But how does one go about describing the best year of their life? In my case, I consider my good fortune and incredible enjoyment. When I set out almost a year ago I was nervous to try something new and different, but quickly learned to trust my capability. The confidence I built allows me to face challenges with enthusiasm, whether it be leading workshops, traveling solo or jumping off a bridge. I have rediscovered my creativity and strengthened my commitment to lifelong learning, not just in the classroom but also in life experience. When you branch out beyond what is comfortable you meet the most amazing people and see beautiful places.

I have been so lucky to meet an array of wonderful people from all across the world. For starters, I am very grateful to my classmates and housemates who provided a welcoming environment upon my arrival and were such good friends throughout the year. I learned so much from my course lecturers and fellow music educators, and had many engaging musical connections with workshop participants. I am delighted to have gained so many acquaintances (and couches to sleep on) whether it be newly acquainted family members or fellow participants in Roche Continents. From the man with Down Syndrome who played shadow puppets with me to the man who bought my lunch after I switched airplane seats with his daughter, I have observed many positive sides to human nature.

I am still in awe of the places I have visited in my travels (as a recap, this year I've traveled to Ireland, United Kingdom, Scotland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy and Spain), though I have also become aware of all the places I have yet to see. I cannot name a favourite even if Ireland lies very near the top of the list. What I enjoyed most about Europe was being so close to so many vibrant cultures. After a two hour plane ride you appear in a whole new land with fascinating language and customs.

Some of the moments which stand out most in my mind are those which provided panoramic views. For instance atop Cliffs of Moher, Prague Castle, Edinburgh Castle, Rome's Vittorio Emmanuel Monument, London Eye, Salzburg Fortress, and mountains in the Alps and Pyrenees. Why are people always so taken with high vantage points and expansive views? I believe it all ties to perspective and understanding the bigger picture. I feel that living abroad and traveling has given me a more thorough perspective, both about the world and myself.

Thank you to everyone who has read my blog throughout the year. Without readers I would not have had the motivation to write 68 posts! I loved my adventures this year and I hope you enjoyed them as well. Thank you to all my great friends who visited me in Ireland. I would not have traveled all the places I did without you. Thank you especially to my family who were my most dedicated readers. I always had support from home, which made my year fly by even quicker. One year ago, my mother left me a note wishing me luck on my adventure. I have carried this note in my wallet throughout the year and although it is a bit ruffled now it still acts as a reminder of all I can accomplish. I hope everyone can find similar inspiration for exploring their potential.

End of a year, end of a blog, endless memories.
Slán Abhaile (Safe Home in Irish),
Shannon