New Kid in Town

Well I've been in Britain for a week already and it sure has been a lot more challenging than I anticipated. Being a postgrad and living quite a distance off campus means I am definitely left to sort out problems myself. So far, I feel as though I'm all alone and stumbling in the dark. The first day in particular was extremely frustrating. I'm sure it will build character and a stronger sense of independence in the long run, right? I can't wait until I start to see some familiar faces and get into some kind of routine.

Speaking of which, I start my first day of my program tomorrow. It's been nearly 2 years since I first stumbled upon the Nutrition, Obesity, and Health masters program at Leeds, fantasized about it and then thought, "why not?". Part of me still can't believe I'm here, and the other much larger part of me can't get started soon enough.

I guess it can only go up from here. Wish me luck!

Yet Another Reason to Love WestJet (And My Boyfriend)

Last Thursday, it was time at last to pack up my life in Red Lake and begin the first leg of the journey to Leeds. My Aunt and Uncle drove me to Dryden where I caught the Greyhound to Thunder Bay and spent the night with some more family. The PLAN for Friday was to fly to Toronto and spend the weekend with my brother and other Guelph friends before jetting overseas.

I checked into my flight at the Thunder Bay airport and was greeted by a friendly WestJet clerk who mentioned as he handed me my boarding pass that I had, "a really good seat!". Yeah ok, thanks dude. Love the enthusiasm. When I boarded the plane, I walked up the aisle, eyeing the seat numbers carefully. In my peripheral vision, I could see that someone was in my seat. I double checked my boarding pass. I was just about to clear my throat and politely ask the gentleman to move when my brain finally processed what was going on...

There in my seat, holding a bouquet of flowers, was my boyfriend. My boyfriend--who I'd had to say goodbye to a month earlier and had expected not to see until Christmas--was on my flight in Thunder Bay. I think I was only able to babble one-word questions for the first few minutes. ("What??... How??...") It was a tearful reunion for me, and even 2 of the flight attendants had to move away because they were getting misty-eyed. It turns out that he had arranged a very indirect route from Calgary to Toronto, including a layover in Winnipeg and a stop in Thunder Bay, so that when I boarded the plane, he would already be there. He even sweet talked the WestJet staff into switching my seat to be right next to his by telling them his whole plan. They were so impressed by his romantic gesture to spend one last weekend with his girlfriend that they gave him the final leg of his flight for free.

Because of the his unique arrangement, all the staff were in on the plan. They even gave us complementary wine, cookies, and snack mix to enjoy on the flight. I kept thinking in the back of my mind how this whole amazing experience would never be possible with any other airline. I could totally do a WestJet commercial.