My year in Canada has come
to an end and it’s with very mixed emotions I’m writing this last post on my
blog. I think it’s hard to describe this year, you can’t really put it in
words, and this is something totally different from any other experience you can
do. Only people who have done an exchange year can share my feelings. Living in
a host family, actually become a part of a family is truly amazing. This is
people who open up their home and family to strangers from foreign countries. How
many have ever done that before?
There is so
many people I would like to say thanks too. My parents, my dear parents who
made my dream come true, and did everything to make sure I could do an exchange
year in Canada . I know I wouldn’t have done it without you
and without your support. Thank you mom and dad, thank you so much!
My second
big thank you is to my other parents, my Canadian parents. Shirley and Troy have been amazing;
they made me feel like a part of their family through the whole year. All the
talks, jokes (nothing’s like Troy ’s
jokes), family dinners, adventures, crazy ideas, and tons of more things that
you could ever imagine. The first day me and Simon was here, we went to church
and met all their friends, the friends told us we couldn’t have asked for a
more open, crazy, and fun family, their house is always open for everybody. Everything
was true! I look back at my 10 months and what they told us in August, and I
know now what they meant. Thank you Shirley and Troy for this year, you mean so much to me.
To all my
host siblings, you are all so different from each other which made it so much
fun!
Simon, a
Swiss guy who is crazy and hilarious. Love biking, his truly passion, and is a little
bit of ladies man. I’m so happy to have shared this year with you, I couldn’t
have asked for a better brother.
Erwin, Hong Kong ’s own top comedian, you are a unique person. I
don’t think I ever will meet somebody who loves bacon more than you (what a
chance, right now when I’m writing about you, our song comes on. Paper Planes), bizarre humour, comes up with
funny jokes. You called me your mother and I guess that’s okay, but I rather am
your big sister.
To Mellisa,
John, JD, Ida-Mae, and Richard. You have all been so amazing to me! You’re my
Canadian host siblings, and I had so much fun together with all of you. You
have all welcomed me in to the Knox family, and I’m so thankful for that.
To all my
friends in Canada ,
both Canadians and exchange students, I’m so happy that I had you guys. You
made my year to what it was. I have friends all over the world now and everybody
is always welcome to me in Sweden .
I love you guys and I already miss you so much.
It was so
nice to see my friends and family when I came home. I’ve start my summer job
again, and most of the things are back to normal. All the Swedish people drive
Volvo, they still haven’t realized that Håkan Hellström is crap, Bråvalla
Festival seems to be the biggest thing going on this summer, and I’m driving my
boat like it was yesterday. I guess it’s over for me for a while with new exciting
stuff. I’m going back to school for my last year and after that I don’t
know what’s going to happen. I’m so stressed out that I don’t know what to do in
one year, but I will figure something out.
This year
has been worth everything! I can go back on my blog and read and remember what
I did in Canada .
It was the best year of my life and I miss every second of it when I’m not there.
Thank you
for reading my blog.
Rebecka Alvarsson