Just because...

Clear

Mystic Beach, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, BC

3 nights with great friends on a beautiful secluded beach: complete digital detox, thunderous waves, playful seals, glorious sunsets, calmest mornings, campfire-scented everything. 

So thankful. 

Lucky

On the road... Cambodian countryside 

On tough, stressful days like today I put on headphones, lie in bed (for as long as necessary...), think about happier times, and remind myself that I am incredibly lucky to be where I am. Then I take a deep breath and try to forgive and forget. 

Sometimes you cross paths with people who remind you how cruel the world can be. In this case I just have to let it go and move on. 

karma. 

(Another) Home

on the road to Tofino

 East Sooke Provincial Park

Goose Spit, Comox 

Goose Spit, Comox

Salt Spring Island

I've been here for about 11 months now and the Island is really starting to feel like home. I still miss my family and friends every day, but there is something about this place that is calming, comforting, just...right. 

2012

Sunrise at beautiful, majestic Angkor Wat, taken January 3, 2012

I can't quite believe that it is *already* the middle of January. Here I sit in my office at school, hopelessly jetlagged, trying to mark 180 assignments and catch up on hundreds(!) of pages of reading. 

More photos from Angkor to come (since I have lots of work to avoid over the next few days :). 

New favourite places (and new favourite people)

photos taken at Chesterman Beach in Tofino, BC on a particularly beautiful day last week

I've been to Ucluelet/Tofino twice since moving to "the island" in September and it is becoming one of my favourite places to visit. The drive there and back is so beautiful, the beaches are just magnificent, and everywhere you look is the most amazing wildlife (we spotted a few bears this time around!).  

I went on this trip with some new friends from school and we had the most wonderful time. What is it about travel (near or far) that seems to accelerate the friendship process? Some of my dearest friends are people that I've met on short trips, whom I've gotten to know over a few short days. 

I'm so thankful that I was given the opportunity to study here, and I definitely intend to make the most of it (travel and otherwise :). 

Descending

Descending - Series Teaser from Echo Bay Media on Vimeo.

I am incredibly excited for this series to premiere. Departures is one of my all-time favourite TV shows (you must check it out if you have a chance!) and I can't wait to see how Andre will capture the beauty of the oceans in this new show.

I received my PADI Open Water certification in the Philippines a few months ago (inspired in part by Scott & Andre), and I've been itching to get back in the water. There is really nothing quite like diving and I can't wait to experience that meditative calmness again soon.

First impressions of the Pacific Northwest

 We drove for 4 hours through winding roads like this...

...to get here.

It felt like we had travelled to the ends of the Earth; seeing those magnificent waves crashing onto the rocky shore and grey whales surfacing in the distance was such a breathtaking experience.  Having grown up in large cities (Hong Kong and Toronto), the Pacific Northwest feels like a magical place. I can't wait to explore more of it in the years(!) to come.

*photos taken with instagr.am  on my iPhone.

Light

photos taken at Elk/Beaver Lake in Victoria, BC (my new home!)

Well, I'm here.

There are good days and bad days. Most days I feel so happy to be where I am; I love the people, I love the fresh air, being close to forests, lakes, mountains, ocean. But there are those moments...

...those moments where I wonder what I'm doing, when I feel I can't possibly live up to everyone's expectations, where I miss all the people who know me best.

Thankfully these moments are rare, and school has kept me so busy that I don't have much time to dwell on the fact that I miss Toronto every day. I'm also thankful that I have a group of new friends that are in the same position, who understand this lonely transitional phase.

Today was a wonderful day and it has reminded me that I made the right decision; that I'm lucky to be doing exactly what I've wanted to do.

Over the weekend...food edition

 lemon shrimp crepes

grapefruit & champagne parfait 

southwest burger with grilled zucchini

the best fries + white bean & tofu quesadillas

Saturday brunch and dinner with great friends in town from Montréal. Not pictured: Pitchers of margaritas and endless laughs. 

seagulls

Not the prettiest looking bird, but quite graceful in flight ;)

Shot by the sea lake (with my amazing Minolta 50mm f/1.7 lens).

Spring forward

The dark uncertain days of winter are finally behind me; I'm so ready (and excited!) to enjoy the warmth of spring. I love those first sunny days in the city, when every person on the street is beaming, and parks and patios are full of people celebrating the turn of a new season.

Some things I'm looking forward to:
- Finally taking my bike out for long rides by the lake
- Picnics on the Island (before it gets too crowded!)
- Spending a full day walking around midtown for good Italian eats and thrifting
- A photo trip to the Distillery District capped off with a nice pint of beer (or a few)
- Maybe some bouldering outdoors?
- Asparagus finally hitting the farmer's markets
- Baseball, baseball, baseball!

Happy Spring to you all!!

New Beginnings

Apologies for the blog silence, the past month has been full of work deadlines and wonderful developments, which I am still wrapping my head around.

I am so anxious and excited to be considering grad school options for the fall! I know this will be one of the most important decisions that I will make, so I'm trying to carefully examine each program thoroughly. To be honest, it's still somewhat surreal to think that I will be picking up my life and moving thousands of kilometres away in a few short months. I've lived in this big city for so long , I really can't imagine what it will be like to say goodbye. On the other hand, I am so excited to move to the coast, to live by the ocean (!!!), amongst forests, mountains, and limitless wilderness to explore. I have always loved the great outdoors and I'm confident that my new home (whichever coast it may be on) will provide the best inspiration and motivation for 5 tough years of school.

Winter flora

 

Tibet - Farmerscape

Tibet - Nomads