Friday, February 3, 2012

The People Along the Way


So. (I realise I start alot of posts like this... sorry)
I left Australia 51 days ago.
Because I'm feeling a little bit friendless today (I guess that's what happens when you have a stay at home day) (also I very much know I have tons of friends...they just happen to not be in Langley) I thought I would write this post to remind myself about the amazing people I have met in the last month and a half.

Each of these people has added colour to my adventure and really made it the fun trip that it is! I am seriously amazed at the fun and beautiful people I have met! Oh I hope I don't forget anyone...


In LA: Bec & Bree. Bec & Bree were the only other non-asian people on our tour, and actually they were from Australia AND they had just spent a year being nannies over here (well in the US). I really appreciated spending 3 days with these girls because they had so many stories about the good, the bad and the ugly of being nannies, but they both really enjoyed their experience. AND Bec was only a year younger than me, which was nice, because most nannies are 18-22ish & I had been feeling a tad old. It was a great way to start the adventure. (also they were lots of fun and even like posing for crazy pictures with us)

Then we met our distant cousins who we didn't know existed until recently! They live in Solvang, where our tour happened to stop for and hour or so, so they took us for a dutch lunch! It was so lovely to meet them! I wish we had longer to spend in their cute town and getting to know them!



On the plane to Vancouver: I got to sit next to an unaccompanied minor (the flight attendant even came and briefed me about assisting him off the plane if there was an emergency). He was a sweet 12 year old kid from Mexico.

The Immigration people at Vancouver Airport were not my friends.

When I got off the train at Vancouver a girl helped me drag my suitcases up the stairs (yep no lifts). Thank you stranger!
I had to change trains and getting to the other train was an awkward experience - through a shopping centre, up and down stairs (um Canada, this is not practical). By the time I got to the other train I was sobbing a little bit. A girl, Christina grabbed one of my bags and helped me on to the right train. She also got off at the same place as me and even dropped me at my hostel! How nice is that! Also her mini had a name. But I forget what it was. It was nearly as cute as Albert.

At the hostel I shared a room with Anna from Russia. She had trained as a teacher and was now studying in Vancouver. It was really lovely to have someone to share school stories with, as well as fears, challenges and exciting things about the adventures we were starting.


Next I went to Vancouver Island. Jackee and Larry were super lovely and took me in for a week. Jackee is a distant relative that I didn't know existed until a few months ago. It was great to celebrate Christmas with 'family' and I was quite spoilt!


Then it was off to Seattle to hang with Mindy who I had never met. She was the perfect hostess and took me to so many fun places! Mindy is super lovely and I'm glad she lives not too far away, even if it is in another country! But we do have a mission to see every fort in the world now! (we've seen 2 so far...and the year is still young :) )


Back in Vancouver I was put in a room with a Taiwanese girl. I can't remember her name, but she was quite sweet. Her whole goal in coming to Canada was to see the Aurora Borealis (this is also secretly my dream... I hope I get the opportunity!). She was waiting for the perfect day so she could hop on a bus for 36 hours to go north to see it. It was fun to chat with her. She had been to Australia and it was fun to hear about my country from another's perspective. She also loved my Perry the Platypus and got so excited later in the week when I was put back in the same room and she spotted Perry on my bed. Cute cute.

Between my two stays in room 15 with the afore mentioned girl I spent 4 days in Whistler. In Whistler I happened to be in the same room as an Aussie. Ok that's not so weird at Whistler... I think Whistler is an Australian state. But this particular girl, Carmela, was a teacher. At a Christian School. In Sydney! It still amazes me! It was so cool to have someone to ski with (ok, so she was actually good at skiing and I had forgotten how...so we didn't ski together too much), travel with, have lunch with, chat with & even ice skate with granny frames with!


On the way home from Whistler Amy Adams sat next to me. Not really, but her identical canadian twin did. (Amy Adams is a movie star who happens to be in Enchanted which has my favourite movie scene in it - where everyone bursts into song and dance) This particular Amy Adams was heaps of fun and a lawyer and a cheese lover. It was the funnest trip home from Whistler I have ever been on (yes and also the only one).

Hmm Edmonton... I didn't really make many friends there. But the people I chatted to were super lovely. Like Jenna on the Legislature tour who went out of her way to welcome me to Edmonton & the guys waiting for the streetcar with me.

In Toronto there were some nice girls in my dorm from England (there were also some girls who didn't sleep... I am never sharing in an 8 people dorm again. ever! Sorry getting off topic).
I had lunch with a self-proclaimed Sheldon Cooper - um he films chemical reactions.
And on the Niagara Falls tour I met the German stunt double of my lovely Kristie-Lee friend. She was just as lovely. It was fun to be around someone else who got excited about the way the mist made artistic ice sculptures on lamp posts and fences!

Back in Vancouver for my last 2 nights I was sharing a room with Claire from England. We went adventuring through Gastown and Robson St in search of shoes and party clothes. It was a fun day!

Which brings me to last week.. no wait 13 days ago, boy that's gone fast!
I moved in with the family I am going to nanny for... and I love them already. The boys are super cute and smart and fun! And the parents are lovely! Oh I like it here.

Well that was probably a boring list for anyone that's not me. But it was nice to re-cap on all the lovely people I have met so far & made me feel less all alone (cue violins! haha).



*** My blogs and photos don't seem to mix. so sorry the photos aren't in good spots and that there aren't more. I have spent over 40 minutes just trying to put the pictures in. grrr.



4 comments:

  1. Good Recap Kaye!! The photo of you and the smoking clock maybe going in someone's project on "Time" :-)
    Love Mum
    XXXOOO

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  2. Hi Kaye

    Sounds like you are having an amazing time and have made some wonderful friends
    don't forget to try a beaver tail (cinnamon treat like a donut..not the real thing )(from Mikayla)

    we all miss you,
    stay safe Carmel & Mikayla xx

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  3. Hi Lil Kaye

    LOVE reading your blog! It is always soooo interesting (I do love details!!) and makes me feel like I am sitting next to you, listening to all your adventures. England has bright orange cheese too - at least when I was there last. And you know what? You'll actually miss that orange cheese when you get back to Oz. So eat up! Enjoy!
    xxxxx Alison xxxxx

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  4. Sounds like you are going to have an awesome time over there :) I loved being a Nanny in the USA and I'm loving all the creative stuff you are doing with the kids.... giving me some great ideas :)

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