So the end of first semester draws near.

Wow.
So classes have ended and it's on to exams, I think I have the grades to pull off an A and a B in my two main courses, econ on the other hand, I am going to have to study forever to even make a B and it doesn't seem too likely, which is unfortunate, but I can handle it.
My only worry is having enough money from my student loans to cover my tuition, I don't want to have to ask my parents for anymore money, let us just hope it all works out, or else I am going to have to start selling all my stuff...I want to have a yard sell when I go back to Georgia anyways, but I probably wouldn't make enough to do anything with.

Everything is going well though, I am very sad my time at residence is coming to a close, I am going to miss my little room. Though I will be applying for a Don position for my third year, and I'm pretty sure residence will be almost free then and that'd be totally great.

On a very sad note, my philosophy professor whom I really really enjoyed will be transferring to Concordia next year and I wont be able to take is existentialism course next year, which I was already looking forward to.

Also the end of the year also means I will have to say good bye to Maxine, Chi-Lin, Faris, Linda, Kasia, Karolina and Martyn my friends in the international and exchange and Andrew my friend from Sarnia.
They are such great kids and I will miss them all so much.
But hopefully when I have the money and can travel to Europe I can visit them all.

A photo of some of us at the campus pub. The Ceilie.
From left to right, Raymond from China, Kasia from Poland she attends University in Scotland, next Maxine She is English but grew up and attends university in Sweden, then there is Martyn from the U.K. goes to school in Oxford at Oxford Brooks, then of course yours truly, and to my right it Andrew a good ole' Canadian from Sarnia.
Here is a good one of the snow and Kasia, Andrew and Maxine. I can't take credit for any of these photos they where all taken with Kasia and Maxines cameras.(:


Andrew and I on the bus with the gang off to the downtown.



Here is a very nice one of the whole gang. We are met all T.I.P. camp, Trent International Program camp.
From Right to left Kasia, Raymond, Chi Lin, Maxine, Andrew, Me, Linda, and Martyn.
Chi Lin is from Taiwan but grew up in Malaysia and was the first person I met at T.I.P. camp on account that we were partners and had to introduce each other to the group, Linda was a junior rep. and she is from Albania, but also grew up in Malaysia.

But that is all for now, I am going to get some sleep and finish writing a paper tomorrow.

loves.
Hillery

Sunday Night, I believe it is my 5th week into school.

So I've become a pretty good knitter, at least at the basic knit stitch, nothing fancy, yet.
Reading week is coming up, 10 days...I am excited though I don't feel like I've been in classes long enough for mid-terms to be here. Luckily all of my exams are actually essays or take home...pretty easy stuff, we haven't had many grades yet, it's kind of strange, but I feel like the subjects we've covered in class, I actually know enough about them to discuss them with others, which is a nice feeling.

I truly enjoy my classes, and the gym is nice, I like to go to the sauna and just sit by myself, I find myself very reflective these days.

During reading week my brothers where to come up, but they are having trouble with their passports, so I am going to go home. I want to be back on the 24th because that is Martyn's birthday, he is my quiet friend from the U.K. a very nice fellow.

I am knitting James a scarf, it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. I was to meet a girl down town at a coffee shop last week to learn how to pearl, but she had to work late. I know I will run into her again.

Tonight is my first shift for a program here at school called WalkHome, it's a volunteer program aimed at helping students get home safe, we work in pairs so we are never alone, I go in from 9 o'clock till one in the morning, Sundays are the short shift. I know it will be interesting enough, don't worry it is perfectly safe, we have walky talkies directly to security.

I have made a few good friends, which I am grateful for.

James and I are being very studious, and I think despite out inhibitions we are happy, just nervous that's all, or at least I am.

But I must prepare for WalkHome.

Going on week three.

I am starting my 3rd week here at Trent, and since my last post not much has changed.
Though I am getting used to all the new things and all the changes. Classes are amazing, I love going to class, though it's a little different, there are these great things, along with lectures of course, called seminars/tutorials, in which case it is you about 10 other class mate from your lecture and the professor in a small room, discussing the lecture, up coming assignments and getting to know one another. Amazing isn't it, the professors actually want to know your name and talk with you. I never dreamed of learning at this level. I so love all of my classes, and I truly look forward to attending.

I find it all so incredible. Though I do wish they'd build a wind tunnel, because It is freezing, I have never even imagined temperatures like this, ever. Oh yeah and getting used to the metric system is a fun process, a confusing one really.

But everything is smooth sailing, I love living on campus, I've made some really good friends with the kids from T.I.P. my only fears is that it's moving to quickly, maybe not, but sure feels like it.

I love you very much!
Hillery

The begining 2008...dun dun dun

So I am now into my third day at Trent. Everything is going extremely well. I am trying to get used to living in a dorm setting, thoguh it's a huge change. The university is incredible though, very different from West Georgia. My professors really enjoy what they are doing, and they are very good at. I don't know what I was expecting, but Trent really is pretty great., dispite the fact that it has given me an aweful cold and sore throat.

The sun has been peeking out a bit latly. The snow is melting, the locals say this is out of the ordinary and we will probably get more snow as this has been the snowiest winter in some tweenty odd years, I think.

I am learning new things everyday, about myself and the university mostly and of course about Canada in general. I find the news interesting and the different perspectives of the states. No annimosity yet, though I'm sure I'll find my fair share.

It's really great running into friends I made a T.I.P. camp, which stands for Trent International Program. In fact a bunch of us had an unexpected lunch together, which was really great and we are gonig to meet up for dinner, which is very exciting for me, because outside of James my social contact has been minimal. Don't get me wrong, I've talked to many people, but breifly, it's odd not having my old friends around and only being able to talk to them via phone...

I miss my family sometimes, it's weird living this far from them, I used to have dinner wit them every Sunday even thoguh I lived an hour away. Now I live 24 hours away and yesterday was my Dad's birthday and all I could do was call him. It's kinda sad.

But I love it, my classes are amazing, and I am so excited because I've never gotten the chance for my life to just be about school. I was always working before, now all I have to do is go to class, it's a really nice change, I think I will still find a part-time job.
I don't know, it's just nice, not having to worry about all the things I used to have to worry about and just having the chance and the time to worry about my studies, a large burden has been lifted.

I love you, very much, I miss that good ol' Georgia air and the warm sun.

Pictures from My parents trip part 1

Here are some photos from my parents trip up and Trent University.

Mom and Dad on their own in Niagara.

Lady Eaton the college of my residence.





























Mom, Dad, James and I at dinner on Christmas night.






















James and I standing beside the Otonobee River, which runs between the east and west sections on my university, Trent University.




That's all for now...more from the trip later. I am having a few technical difficulties and getting frustrated with picture uploading.

More stories later.
Loves.

What a bus ride.

Friday....Saturday...I can't believe we even ever got off that bus.
That was probably one of the worst rides I have ever partaken in. but after 28 hours four transfers and 5 hours of sleep, we made it to Buffalo, NY.
The trip was only to take 21 hours with 2 transfers, but for the obvious reasons...1 Greyhound is completely unorganized and, 2 People are extremely rude and will cut in front of you just to get on a bus 3 the bus drivers do not always drive safely or treat their passengers with respect, but rather like cattle and 4 though you may hear some very interesting conversations, there are some you most definitely do not want to hear, 5 The Greyhound employees will lie to you in any way they can.

But over all it really wasn't so bad, just parts of it...I actually really like riding the bus.

My parents made it. Mom and Dad got on a plane and made it this way we caught up to them in Niagara, but soon had to part ways in order for me to receive my Student Visa, which I do have.

I am so excited and grateful that they made it. It has been so amazing since they got up here. Just having them here and close to me makes going off to school just feel so good.
And I send all my love to my brothers who are still in Georgia, I love you Will. I love you Drew.
I will freeze you a snowball.

Whelp today wear James and I are going to take my parents downtown for a spell to window shop and what not and out to see the university.

But because the sun looks all too pretty filtering through the snowy trees and across the snow banks I am going to take my coffee outside, to wait on my parents to arrive for breakfast.

I love you, Happy Christmas. I love you so much.

Bus Bus Bus!

So supposedly Friday morning, James and I get on a bus.
We had to delay the trip because of weather.
We will be taking the greyhound from Atlanta to Buffalo, where James' mum can meet us and we can go through the boarder together.
That makes getting my visa easier, in case of delays and so we wont have to wait on another bus if it takes too long, this way, we can get over the boarder quickly. Boy my visa's going to have a great picture, I will be the queen of bed-head.

Probably wondering why we decided to take a bus, because we where going to drive, but at the last minute I guess we chickened out.
You see James and I have never driven in snow and I'm not sure right now is the best time to learn how being that they just had a snow storm and there is possibility of another, so no, not so much driving.

I just hope I can handle the ride and I hope they take plenty of bathroom breaks.

In any case, I am nervous, I still haven't gone up to the square to tell everyone bye because I know I'll get emotional.
Thank goodness my family is coming up there this week, or else I'd really be crying.

I'm so excited I can't stand it, the butterflies are over whelming though.
I'm not so much scared as am anxious, my brain has a weird way of coping with things and it just as well assume it should go into emotional disarray rather than coming to terms.

I'm just a little ball of fire works.

I love you. Happy Holidays.