[Since I haven't blogged in a very long time this is going to be sort-of long, brace yourselves. OR just go ahead and scroll down to see some pictures.]
Before coming to Dalhousie for university, I had never thought much of the East Coast. I mean, I knew that it existed, but I had never thought to myself that it was anything more than 'that province in the East'. I did know that I had longed to go to British Columbia, and part of that may be because I had grown up loving the mountains and skiing, and BC seemed like the ultimate place to go (and I was right, it is). I knew that I would sometime visit the Maritimes because the first thing on my bucket list was to stay in each province and territory in Canada; but, it was never really a place that I had dreamed of going to like I had for BC.
Before coming to Dalhousie for university, I had never thought much of the East Coast. I mean, I knew that it existed, but I had never thought to myself that it was anything more than 'that province in the East'. I did know that I had longed to go to British Columbia, and part of that may be because I had grown up loving the mountains and skiing, and BC seemed like the ultimate place to go (and I was right, it is). I knew that I would sometime visit the Maritimes because the first thing on my bucket list was to stay in each province and territory in Canada; but, it was never really a place that I had dreamed of going to like I had for BC.
The problem with wanting to travel to different places is that we create these expectations of what it will be like, and sometimes this ruins the excitement of travelling (before you say that going to Halifax from Mississauga doesn't count as travelling, keep in mind that 1800 km is about the same distance as travelling from Italy to England). This idea of transferring from the West Coast to the East Coast turned out to be more exciting because I had absolutely no idea what to expect from it. I had not set out any stereotypes about the East Coast because it had never been on my radar.
People are always asking me which coast I like better, and I'm being completely truthful when I say this, but I like them both. Going to school in British Columbia had been an adventure to me. If you knew me in high school, you would know that I am quite reserved and have never been one to seek out change. I liked routine. I liked my small group of friends. I like wearing the same uniform daily. I liked order. I liked things the way they were. But I knew that University was my opportunity to challenge myself, even if it was something as simple as moving out of province for a year. I may be going off on a bit of a tangent here because the point was to show you how I learned to embody the Maritimes, and how a place like Halifax became home.
Not knowing anybody that lived East of Quebec was the greatest blessing I could have ever asked for. And don't get me wrong, I still like routine and still fear change a bit, but without sounding cheesy or without trying to sound all profound and whatnot, Halifax is where I found myself. I feel like this is starting to sound like one of my journal entries now, I'm not trying to be misinterpreted or misjudged here, I'm just sharing a few things that I have learned to love about Halifax.
So here's how my introverted ways found a home in a place like Halifax.
Learning how to live a quiet, simple life.
If there's something I've learned about the Maritimes, it's that the people know how to live simply. Living in a place like Halifax, you really feel as though the people here actually have time to listen to you. Learning to live a simple life has allowed me to practice being more present. Getting caught up in university assignments and exams can be stressful and living on the East Coast has shown me how to slow things down. The art of single-tasking has become very prominent in my life.
Taking time to get outside.
Most of Halifax has a 'city vibe' to it, but you don't have to go far to be fully immersed in it's nature. Being someone who loves the outdoors and needs to go outside regularly, I've found a home in the wilderness that Nova Scotia has to offer.
The Ocean.
There's nothing more refreshing and rejuvenating than being able to take a walk by the Ocean whenever you please.
"When you live by the sea, everything changes, and the change is the same as when you believe in God: you are never alone. There is a Greater Presence next to you every minute. You have to take account of this Presence every day, at least unconsciously...You always have this large, unpredictable wild animal in your neighbourhood." - Peter Kreeft
How to embody a place.
I know that some of these things may not fully portray how I embodied the Maritimes. It's really just a sample towards how I feel about the East Coast now vs. 3 years ago when I thought nothing of it. I hope that this gave you a little insight on how I learned to fall in love with Nova Scotia. I've been cherishing this quote for a while, and I feel like now is the perfect time to use it as it completely explains how I feel towards my temporary home:
"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place. Like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again." - Azar Nafisi
Learning how to live a quiet, simple life.
If there's something I've learned about the Maritimes, it's that the people know how to live simply. Living in a place like Halifax, you really feel as though the people here actually have time to listen to you. Learning to live a simple life has allowed me to practice being more present. Getting caught up in university assignments and exams can be stressful and living on the East Coast has shown me how to slow things down. The art of single-tasking has become very prominent in my life.
 |
| When you're quiet enough, the more rare and precious things in life make their way to you, just like this friendly little squirrel found it's way to me. |
Most of Halifax has a 'city vibe' to it, but you don't have to go far to be fully immersed in it's nature. Being someone who loves the outdoors and needs to go outside regularly, I've found a home in the wilderness that Nova Scotia has to offer.
The Ocean.
There's nothing more refreshing and rejuvenating than being able to take a walk by the Ocean whenever you please.
"When you live by the sea, everything changes, and the change is the same as when you believe in God: you are never alone. There is a Greater Presence next to you every minute. You have to take account of this Presence every day, at least unconsciously...You always have this large, unpredictable wild animal in your neighbourhood." - Peter Kreeft
I know that some of these things may not fully portray how I embodied the Maritimes. It's really just a sample towards how I feel about the East Coast now vs. 3 years ago when I thought nothing of it. I hope that this gave you a little insight on how I learned to fall in love with Nova Scotia. I've been cherishing this quote for a while, and I feel like now is the perfect time to use it as it completely explains how I feel towards my temporary home:
"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place. Like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again." - Azar Nafisi
 |
| And here is the most Maritime looking picture I could find: With my two best friends at Peggy's Cove, Canada's Ocean Playground. |
