Sydney to Hobart

Merry Christmas, I hope everyone had an excellent christmas :) I did, had a blast and went skating!! Now I've been keeping up to date with the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and cheering for Another Challenge!! So I'm enjoying my time off to relax, eating truffles and going to long walks with my puppy! Okay...well maybe they aren't that long because his legs are so short... haha. I hope everyone is relaxing and enjoying their gifts and feeling the Christmas spirit! I hope Santa has treated everyone well! Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

Christmas is almost here!

Yay! I hit a new record of having 2 people look at my blog on the same day!! whoopee! haha, Christmas is coming soon and I literally just opened another door on my advent calender! Pretty pictures! Tonight, I am practicing my vocabulaire de noel with my student, man it's quite something! Also I am hoping to find some Korean vocabulary to practice too and maybe some Japanese? hehe, but I suppose homework should always be number 1 priority...wow, I am such a nerd! haha, oh yes. I did promise you a picture of Sunny,

he's very cute huh? He is an Australian shepherd cross labradoodle. I can't remember if I've told you already or not.
Merry Christmas and eat lots of cookies and drink lots of eggnog!
Love, Me :D

Skiing and a Puppy!

Just a quick note before going off to sleep :) Yesterday, we adopted a puppy! A labradoodle cross Australian Shepherd, we've decided to call him Sunny because of his sunny personality! I'll post a picture when he moves in with us :) Today I also went skiing which was a blast! First time of the season for me, I was a bit woobly at first but after my ski legs came back, t'was all good :) I even did 4 black diamonds on my first day!! WOOT! And I got put through the pain of moguls, which I really, really, really don't like doing, but it was okay and I didn't fall over so it's all good :) To top it off, it was snowing and was absolutely gorgeous in the Rocky Mountains! Gorgeous, lovely and fun!

Baking and Movies

Good morning everyone! Yesterday was one great day! I met up with a friend and we made some delicious paella and we made a honey coconut cake which was really yummy! While eating, we watched BBC's Emma <3 <3 soo good :) I think it's placed first, next to Pride and Prejudice now. :) Jane Austen is good :D Which is a good solid few hours of Saturday. Next I went to pick up my little brother from home and we went to my aunt's farm for dinner and more movies :) We ate pizza and we watched The Forbidden Kingdom and A Knight's Tale. A Knight's Tale I have to admit was pretty funny ^^ So today I woke up, (surprise, surprise!)  and I baked a chocolate peppermint cake which I couldn't resist and is now in the fridge setting. By it had set in that I still had some homework to finish...and eekkk went my vocal chords... So so far my weekend has been pretty fantastic!!
At the moment it is November 27 and I am very surprised that we have only had 2 small sprinklings of snow, like icing on a cake so far! It's almost December and I am wanting some snow now!! It's about time, I do want a white Christmas, not a brown one! I hope you all had a good weekend too :)

Eclairs and some snow :)

These are some photos from Iqaluit!!

So it looks like I may be traveling a bit before my Japan trip!! Super excited, but it'll still be after this year is finished. I may be visiting relatives in New Zealand and Australia and England... :D Only 23 more days until Christmas break! A little stressful but mostly exciting..! I've been craving some eclairs, but because it's been so cold (-18 today...brrr..) I haven't been able to go. Dad right now is in Iqaluit, and it's warmer there than here!! (Calgary) how unfair is that!! I wanted to go, but he was gone for an entire week and I couldn't miss that much school. I want to go and see the Northern Lights and go do some dog sledding and tourism stuff up there...oh well maybe next time! He sent some photos to me and it's soo pretttyy!! He stayed in Cape Dorset and Halls beach...very pretty! Although, I am also very excited that ski season is almost here! Time to go to the mountain and shed some powder!! :D We've gotten a little ground covering here at the moment, and it's really cold, the roads aren't too icy though so that's good :) However I do think a little more snow would be nice to make up for how cold it is, there is no point in having cold weather without the snow. I'll try to update again soon :)

Oh yess, here's a picture of just a few cranes :)
Heidi

209 Cranes plus a cool quote!

I saw this really cool quote the other day, "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm Possible." Audrey Hepburn I think it was said by. I thought it was pretty cool :)
I am now at 209 cranes!! And can now fold them with my eyes closed!! (...just kidding!) I wish I could though..hha
My Korean friend is indeed introducing me to more Korean food, and I am practicing my pronunciation which she says is quite alright! (Yay!) However, I am recognizing a couple words when she speaks with the cousin in Korean, like 'and', 'but', and 'then'. and the connecting phrases! That's all for now :)

54 Paper Cranes

Bad news....my aunt got diagnosed with a pancreatic cancer and only has about 4 months to live...Have any of you read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes? If you haven't, I recommend it, it's a very sweet book. It's about Sadako who gets leukemia from the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, and she attempts to fold 1000 paper cranes before her death. So my family and I are going to fold 1000 paper cranes and send them to her. So far, we've folded 54 paper cranes. In a way I'm not doing this just for her, I'm doing it for my Uncle who died 3 years ago from cancer as well. He was an amazing guy and he taught me so many things, he was like my second father. I regret not being able to do anything for him, regretful that the year before I shaved my head for cancer, but I didn't do it again for him. He was not living a comfortable life, and he suffered alot. I am regretful that I didn't talk to him as much as I used too because he seemed to fragile. I remember as he was getting worse and worse, how I didn't want to see him anymore because he was suffering so much, but I did go and see him as often as I could. I regret that I didn't say what I wanted to say to him before he died. So now I'm folding paper cranes for him as well as my aunt. I hope they will bring luck to her, since this is really all I can do, I'm going to do it whole-heartedly. I'm not going to stop folding until I reach 1000 cranes.

October 13 2011

All the Universities have come and been very persuading but I haven't budged from my decision to travel before spending a whole lot of money on education...on something that I don't know if I'll end up liking or not. What's the point in taking classes which cost an arm and a leg to do something that you might not even end up doing?? Lately I've been incredibly distracted by thinking...oh my goodness....I only have the rest of October and November and December, then January (mostly off except for exams) February, March , April, May and the June(again mostly off due to exams)..then I'm free!! On the last day of school, a friend of mine and I are going to do something that we've never, ever done before. Ride the elevator, just so we can say we did it. Then when I get home on the last day I am going to scream happily and play for the next couple days and do nothing but play!! Another thing I'm really excited about is this summer my France exchange student partner from 2008 is coming to visit!! I am soo excited to see her again, after all, it has been a few years! And then the real fun will begin with working and studying and volunteering for the next year! Oh yeah and my applications and everything have to go in too...and my language classes (Sign and Japanese). I am hoping to find a Korean language course which seems to be non-existent, so maybe I'll have to get Rosetta Stone.
Anyway, bio 30 is amazing! I am still loving it! It's so much more interesting than bio 20. It's the greatest!! We've just finished the Hereditary Unit and we're starting DNA and how it replicatates and things! So it's still lots of fun! I'm still in the middle of 마ㅣ이 링 의 딸 국 질 haha. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Yay! The weekend is upon us, and a long weekend at that! My second favourite time of year, Thanksgiving! The yellow, orange and red leaves....pumpkins and warm fall breezes...ahh! I wish everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!! (hhehe, this is my second-last one until my trip heeh!)

Be thankful for the turkey or nutloaf :) be thankful for your friends and family that are there to share it with you, be thankful of every moment that brings a smile to your face!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Life goes on... :)

I'm thinking about starting to apply for my English teaching course!! :) So very exciting!! I'm also starting to look for language classes...I've found a Japanese course that I am very interested in taking and I've yet to find a proper Korean class. Things are beginning to get a little more defined and detailed, costs are getting more stable and I've got to start getting my act together to find jobs and find volunteering time!! I've been practicing my pronunciation for 머ㅣ미링의 딸 국 질 . So far I am improving alot, I practice everyday, and yes it is a children's book but hey, where else do I start? hah, it's very good, it's helping me alot :)
I am very excited even though it's still quite a ways away!!
Thanks!!

Chemistry....nope...I'm dreaming

Hi everyone!! So nothing has really happened, I am practicing my Korean like mad and JYJ released a new album 'In Heaven' which I am listening to repeatedly lol
I am loving bio 30! Genetics=yay! I am thinking about my trip to the extent where I find my mind wandering in class...eekk, oops. Although, since I've noticed it has been happening, I've been pouncing on myself and drawing my attention back to the teacher... hehe, I am such a keener in class. Anyway, our local university came to our school and began talking about why you should go to their school. Very interesting, we got a pamphlet printed on very expensive shiny paper! Well now, I've been also thinking about the costs of my trip which might I add is a very important section of my whole dream! But it looks like if I work hard then I'll be able to accomplish it.
So that's it for my quick update! Well I guess I can add that autumn is very beautiful right now!

Studying...

And second week into school and the homework load is unbelievable!! Isn't it funny how the teachers seem to give homework on all the same days? So you have one day with a small assignment and then the next day you have all your teachers give you a large assignment due the next day! *rolls eyes* really this is ridiculous...But I am pretty darn sure that I will not use any of this knowledge in the next 4 years of my life, traveling. Any thoughts?
Anyways, I brought a Korean children's book from the library to school today to practice with my Korean friend who is teaching me. It's called 해 님 it has lots of repetition which is really good for someone like me, plus it's really really easy so I can really focus on pronunciation and sounding out the words :) I'm really enjoying learning to read Korean, it's soothes my eyes to change characters from English to Korean once in a while...even reading in French is boring because mainly it has the same characters. (Just add an accent here and another one there...*sigh*)
So I should probably get cracking on my homework right about now...since I do have martial arts tonight as well... *eek!!* I guess this week is the first full week of classes, so I've restarted my French tutoring lessons, my student came yesterday and actually I had alot of fun :) we did some vocab and math operations and number review...and then we ate cookies ( ^^ *yeahhh!!* ) So..so far so good :) I still can't wait until this final year is over, so that I can travel and seeee the world!! *squeekks in excitement!*
Well, thanks for listening!! ... wait....or reading...hold on...
Thanks for reading!!
Heidi

wow, I just realized that I started my previous post with the same thing...'back to school...' wow I'm lame, here let me change that... hehe

School and Bubble Tea

Back to school and I've discovered that people are very scary drivers in rush hour...real fruit bubble tea is simply delicious and my mind kept wandering when I was supposed to be paying attention to our Grade 12 assembly. "Hello graduating class of 2012 and welcome back to school..." our principals voice boomed out, echoing around our heads as he warmly welcomed us back to another busy year at school...well, that's how I seem to remember it happening anyway. As he was droaning on and on, I was looking around to see how many students were actually paying attention and to tell you the truth-not a whole lot. You remember ever having those moments when you think about how that everyone else thinks inside their head the exact same way you do and wonder what it's like to be that person, what it's like to be a teacher at a school. I always think of how cool it would be just to switch places with someone for a split second to see how they see things...I think it would be pretty sweet!
After this sweet little gathering of grade 12 kids, I was on my way home, driving, and it's around 2:30 pm, when my friend and I decided we should go and get some bubble tea....it was delicious...real fruit lychee bubble tea is my favourite!! Mmmm :)
Hummdadedum, I think that's all I can tell you...So bye for now!


PS: Classical music is awesome :D

Practising and Playing

I've been practising Korean like crazy! On my runs I've been saying 'I like trees' in korean over and over again! I've also been going on korean sites and practising sounding out letters and words which I'm getting better at, I just don't know what the words mean yet, but that'll come later, if I know how to sound out words then reading will come easier I think. It's quite fun I have to admit.
Playing, hang gliding and paragliding is so much fun! That's what I've been doing lately. Traction kiting is quite fun too, like flying a massive kite that can pull you across a field :) Remember that song from Mary Poppins Let's go Fly a Kite, up to the highest height, let's go fly a kite and send it soaring!! Up through the atmopshere, up where the air is clean oh let's go...fly a kite!! I was singing that song in my head the whole time! Hang-gliding I think was my favourite, ever since I saw Fly Away Home I've always wanted to try it and now I have and I love it. However, I think the motorised ones would be lots of fun to fly too!
Anyway, I've been thinking over my trip and I think there may be some changes, some length of stay changes but I mean, that's bound to change quite a bit over this 2 year wait!

Why Travelling is the bestest :)

Traveling has been one of my favourite things to do. I'll start in Canada,
British Colombia-pretty much everywhere- it's soo beautiful there! Gorgeous and cute, so much green and abundance!
Toronto-I went to Niagara Falls and rode on the Maid of The Mist. Very wet and...misty! The falls are very large, much larger than I had imagined! Unfortunately, when I went it was rainy and kind of miserable but the falls did not loose their magnificence!
 I've never set foot in the United States (i don't think that 5 hours in the LA airport counts...), I've been to Auckland, New Zealand-LOVELY!! I've only been on the North Island, and it was very green there too! Cloudy most days because I went in the winter, but overall very gorgeous! I visited Hell's Gate which is the most active geothermal field in the Rotorua area. It was very cool!! I went up the Sky Tower and watched people sky dive off of the top which made me frightened just watching other people do it! *eeek!* I visited Russell Kororareka and the Bay of Islands which was the most beautiful place I've ever seen!! IT WAS SOO PRETTY! Where else...Waitangi treaty grounds was very cool too, beautiful and very insightful! The Coromandel was also very very beautiful! If I go back there, I must visit the coromandel again!
 Melbourne Australia- did the main touristy things like riding Puffing Billy (Australia's Favourite Steam Train, whom I think I love more than Thomas the Tank Engine!!) Visiting Philip Island, Healsville Sanctuary, Sorrento <3.
 Lille and Paris in France, ahh! Paris! Beautiful!! Just as gorgeous as they say! La tour Eiffel! Versailles! Mont Saint Michel is absolutely my favourite castle in the whole world, well, tied with Hogwarts anyway. Versailles was spectacular and incredibly shiny. The Gardens were wonderful, oh my, there is way to much. I think that you should just do all the touristy things wherever you go :) Sightseeing is one of my favourite things to do while traveling, plus because I'm a camper I see lots and lots of things everywhere I go! 
When I travel to Japan, Korea, India and Greece I can't wait to visit all the historical sights and see all the lovely scenery...!! Oh la la! I can't wait to go hiking too....OH I"m SO EXCITED! Too bad I have to wait so long...

A little bit about me...

Hello everyone!
I'm Heidi and I have a dream to travel to Japan, Korea, India and Greece. But before any of this can happen I still have to do some things. I have two years before planning to embark, I'm going to learn Korean, Japanese and Sign Language in these two years....I hope. Why? I've always been fascinated by Japanese and Korean culture, history and language. India, I want to volunteer my time for 4 months, I'm not sure what I'll be doing yet, either working in an orphanage or I heard of this program where you teach refugee tibetan nuns english! How cool is that? SAVE TIBET!! I love Tibet, Tibetan culture...everything! I don't think anyone has the right to destroy another culture at all! And finally, Greece because it looks soo beautiful...I want to go island-hopping, plus I love greek mythology so there!
I love Korean and Japanese dramas, which I am totally addicted too. (I guess, that's not too good...) Such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal, you're Beautiful...etc, etc <3 <3 I love asian music too. (DBSK, Jang Geun Suk, JYJ, Super Junior....and many more!)
That's probably enough to be getting on with for now!
Thank you!
Heidi