My Move To Canada!!

Oh my goodness, HELLO dolls!! It has been WAYYYYY too long since my last post!! Hope you are all well and having an incredible 2015.

Well firstly I need to fill you in on what’s been happening with me for the past 12 months and explain my absence. Where to begin…..

Firstly I am now living in Canada!! Hugeeeeee change from Australia!

I decided to make the move about a year ago and spent all that time planning and dreaming of making my wanderlust become a reality. Why Canada? Well I am a HUGE fan of the cold and snow (yes I know a lot of you are probably shaking your heads and thinking I am cray cray) but it has always been my dream since I was a little girl to live somewhere I could look out my window and see snow. Also I had never been to this side of the world, after travelling Europe a few years ago I wanted to try something new. I love the fact that Canada is so close to the USA, so I can easily make trips there. Not to mention there being so many gorgeous places in Canada to explore for mini getaways.

Why did I make this enormous move?? Well it’s simple. Life is too short! We get this one shot at life and it is there to be lived to the fullest. I absolutely adore my home in Aus, and it will always hold my heart. I have the most INCREDIBLE family and friends, I also had a wonderful job but I was very comfortable. I felt as though I was plodding along each day and could do most things with my eyes shut. I wanted to be pushed to new limits in a new environment. I don’t want to look back on my life and say what if, or I wish I had done that. What was stopping me? Nothing and nobody! I had the freedom to do something that you mostly only dream of and what better time to do it than now.

The day I left…oh my god I have never felt so many emotions at once in my life. Excited, happy, scared, worried, nervous, sad, proud, overwhelmed, and so so much more. In all honesty as excited as I was, on the day I was leaving when it came time to say goodbye at the airport gates it was harder than I ever imagined. Saying goodbye to my loved ones ripped by heart out and it was so difficult. But I knew what was awaiting me on the other end and I knew if I didn’t do this now I never would. I would not be sitting here right now if it wasn’t for my beautiful friends and family and their support and encouragement. They are a HUGE part of the reason I am living my dream and I am eternally grateful for their love and help. I miss them so so much every day but they are always my biggest cheerleaders and are happy for me. I know that no matter how much time passes they will all still be there when I return.

I started off my trip visiting a few places in the USA and that was everything I dreamed of and more. Kicking off the trip with a BANG in NEW YORK CITY BABY! Spent New Years there, and what a way to ring in 2015 and the start of my new life. The big apple was everything I imagined it would be and more. I was constantly in awe everywhere I went. So much to do and see, there is never enough time when in NYC and I feel like you could go back 100 times and still not do it all. What a captivating place and one where some of the best memories of my life have been created. I can’t wait to go back!

Recognise this street girls?? Off to see Carrie Bradshaw :-)

Then I moved on to Boston. I have a soft spot in my heart for this place as it would fast become the first place I EVER saw snow falling. Oh my…what a sight it was and for someone like me it was such a special time, something I had wanted to see for as long as I can remember. I saw my first NBA game here and had a very exciting few days.

Leaving there on a high I moved on to Washington DC. I don’t think I was prepared for how beautiful it would be. Even more so as it was completely covered in snow. The buildings, history and interesting sights were truly amazing. I stopped by to visit my mates the Obamas ;)

From there I went on to begin my Canadian adventure. Beginning in Montreal…. WOW just WOW. So much old beauty and breathtaking streets, restaurants, parks…. Just everything. I spent 10 days here, and I really just spent time with myself and got to know me better. I decided that I wanted to make my base Toronto and really realized a lot about my self during my stay there. I think this is when the homesickness really started to kick in. I had done the “holiday” part of my trip and reality was starting to set in. There were some days when I questioned if I had made the right decision and I didn’t know if I could do it. But after many skype dates back home and many hours roaming snow covered parks, drinking copious amounts of coffee, long hot bubble baths, and some delicious French pastries I realized that HELL YES I could do this and I had come way too far to turn back now.

So onward to my new home Toronto I went…. I have been very blessed and found a house and job very quickly. I am currently renting a room in a house and have made very good friends with one of my housemates. She is from Canada and has been kind enough to show me around, take me away, bring me home to her family and we really have become more like sisters. I am so EXCITED EEEEE because my bestie moves here in early September and we will be getting a condo together. This experience has been so wonderful to date but it will be made even more special being able to share it with my sista gal who knows me so well. We always have such a phenomenal time together and I am so ecstatic to know she is only a few months away. Let the G and C adventures begin!! Also I have met the most amazing guy since arriving and things are going better than I ever could have imagined.

So there it is darlings, a recap of my life at the moment. I know it sounds so cliché but I really can’t stress enough how good for the soul travel and living abroad is! I have discovered more about myself and my character and strength on this journey than ever before. What else have I learnt since leaving home.

• I have realized that dreams ABSOLUTELY can become a reality if you want them bad enough and work for them.
• Being out of your comfort zone is scary as hell but so important
• Travel really is the only thing you buy that makes you richer
• There is a whole world out there of amazing people and places that you won’t know of until you go exploring. I think we get caught in bubbles sometimes and forget that is out there
• When out of your comfort zone you will find yourself strangely at ease and more yourself than ever. Purely able to enjoy the freedom and happiness the world has to offer
• You will run into some testing situations but this is what will shape you, 100%. You will be forced to dig deep and find things in yourself you didn’t know existed and when you realise just how strong you are you will be so proud of yourself
• What would have once been “major” issues in your life before suddenly become insignificant and you learn to handle things calmly and find a way around it
• You will develop a new found love and appreciation for everyone back home
• Life is such a gift and I am so grateful that I will one day look back on this experience, the good the bad and everything else and be thankful that I took the time to go wandering and experience so many life changing things
• Living in a different county makes you more adventurous and sees you doing activities and things you would never even consider in everyday life
• Use the lemons life throws you and turn that into delicious lemonade.
• You will make friends with people who will look after you and treat you as if you were family, despite the fact you have only known them for a short time. Sometimes the best friends are found in the most unexpected places.
• Travelling on your own will amaze you as complete strangers help you and do anything they can for you
• Timing really is EVERYTHING and the universe will give you exactly what you need when you need it and not a second earlier.

I will leave you with this…. Life really is what you make it. Trust the magic of new beginnings and know that everything happens for a reason and will work out how it’s supposed to even if you can’t see it at the time. As Marilyn Munroe once said…. “Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together”

This quote sums my experience so far up PERFECTLY!