Giving Thanks to the nicest country – Oh Canada!

08 Oct Giving Thanks to the nicest country – Oh Canada!

My first wild moose encounter on the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

By area, Canada is the second largest country in the world. 36 million people call the 9.984 million square kilometres of Canadian soil home – and I can totally see why. The landscapes – from the mountains, the rivers, the lakes, the sea, the beaches – and the wildlife – like my moose, the brown bears, the squirrels, the bald eagles, the chipmunks, the racoon, the caribou, all the new things I have encountered throughout my journey – have been absolutely stunning! And the most important and memorable thing? The people. Every single person I interacted with has been extremely welcoming, helpful, caring, generous and kind to me and I know that I leave this week with some incredible solid friends who will be in my life forever. It is true what they say about Canadians being SO NICE.

The Skyline Trail section along the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton

The name Canada originates from a Saint Lawrence Iroquoian word “Kanata” meaning “settlement”, “village” or “land”. 151 years ago, the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada came together to form a federated colony with the Province of Canada dividing into Ontario and Quebec. From here the nation grew to the 10 provinces (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan) and 3 territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon) of today. I have spent almost 4 months of this year getting better acquainted with the Yukon, NWT, Alberta, BC, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland (missed out on Labrador this time), PEI, Quebec, and Ontario. I have found something to love about each province or territory as each one has their own unique charm.

Summit of Gros Morne mountain (806m) in Newfoundland

Myself being from a teeny tropical island, with only two seasons of wet and dry, I was fascinated to be experiencing my first year of four seasons! I came to Canada apparently at the end of winter, but I practically lived in my ski pants and ski jacket for almost 2 months whilst in the Yukon and NWT – falling in love with snow covered mountains, frozen rivers and lakes. I never thought a little Island Girl like me could survive a white winter, but I experienced -35 degree Celsius weather and loved it! My hobbies now included cross country skiing, snow shoeing and snowboarding – even went camping with snow falling around our shelter! The beauty of this white playground wowed me every day that I lived with it….until the Spring melt began and I learnt that Spring isn’t always pretty with the melt water turning the once pure white snow into mush and mud!

Boating in LaHave River, Nova Scotia

I have enjoyed my summer in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia with plenty of beach and ocean time with my usual outdoor activities of boating, camping, hiking, kayaking, swimming, snorkelling, kitesurfing and walking barefoot on the sand again dominating my life. It was only when I was surrounded by the ocean again did I realise how much I missed having it and a coastline around me. Whilst I thought I could live in the Yukon for a while – Nova Scotia reminded me that once an Island Girl, always an Island Girl, and salt water runs through my veins – so I need it nearby!

Surfable standing way in the Saint Lawrence River, Montreal

Fall is now beginning and I have seen the seasons change from +30 degree Celsius to +10 in a short space of time. The temperature even dropped to zero at night to form frost in the mornings whilst I was in Newfoundland. I also arrived to Newfoundland when another season changed – hunting season opened for moose – so I saw an influx of hunters and people coming from other provinces to utilise their permit (not issued every year) to catch their first moose of the season. This allows them to fill their freezers with meat for the upcoming winter. Despite the cooler weather showing itself, it is a fantastic time to be here as now the leaves on trees are starting to transition from green to yellows, oranges and reds – something I never see at home! So, my new obsession has been to see the fall colours as I travelled through Cape Breton in Nova Scotai, PEI, Quebec and Ontario.

Scenic fall colours on Highway 60 through Algonquin Provincial Park

The highlight of my fall colours watching has been in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, with lots of interpretive trails to take advantage of and camp sites within the park so you can make the most of your day. There is a lot of education and research happening in the park and if you take the time to read, you can learn a lot about the first provincial park of Ontario. It was established 125 years ago when they realised that the predicted 700 years of trees available for logging was actually diminishing at a great rate. Within 70 years – only one generation – humans had exploited the timber so much that they were running out! The multi-use zonation of the park has ensured that the forest here is still around as habitat for the animals as well as recreational space, commercial activities, and some ground-breaking research findings that enable responsible management practices to continue to improve.

Fall colours reflecting, Algonquin Provincial Park

As I watch the coloured leaves fall to the forest floor, there are symbolic connotations that come with this changing of the seasons. I think about the saying “turn over a new leaf” and reflect about myself and what I could improve on, like when you make New Year’s resolutions. That’s when I realise instead of only thinking about this once a year, how about reflecting on this every day?

Fall colours beginning

Today is the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday. When I ask Canadians about the traditions of Thanksgiving, there are a multitude of different answers and it seems there is not only one “right” answer. Some say it came from the Europeans who colonised Canada – therefore this is not an event celebrated by some First Nations people in protest of this time of horrific acts of racial superiority. Some connect it with Christianity. Others say it is a knock-off of the American holiday so is not a real long-time tradition, rather it is “invented”. Whatever the reason it started – be it religion, national identity, marketing for commercial gain – we can always acknowledge the history behind it but we can also re-invent the meaning to be what we need it to mean right now. For each of us, that will be a different meaning and we should not impose our reasons, opinions or objections on to others and stop them from their own traditions – especially if it does not cause any one harm. In Australia, we do not celebrate Thanksgiving. But my impression of it is simple. It is a time for you to gather with your loved ones and be grateful for each other and what we currently have in our lives. And to make it more fun, a lot of good food is thrown in to the mix! Why do you (or don’t you), or how would you, celebrate Thanksgiving (please insert any responses in the comments section below)??

Now, I put the challenge out there to all of us to have Thanksgiving every day. Please end each day with “3 best things” –  three things that you are grateful to have experienced that day which made you smile, no matter how small or how big. Then, try to also reflect on what you can do better – again, it can be little things. When you wake the next day, take those resolutions to start your new fresh day and improve on your day before. We don’t need to wait until New Year’s Eve to make changes to our lives. We also do not need to wait until Thanksgiving to give thanks and be grateful for things in our lives – we can practice the art of gratitude and self-improvement every day. How will you participate in this challenge (comments welcome below)?

May we all have a colourful life – with many shades of green, yellow, orange, red and everything in between before the final leaf falls from our Tree of Life. Remember to be make the most of this gift of life we have been given as we only have this one. Be grateful for each day that you wake up to experience living – grab opportunities as they present themselves, be thankful of your good health, enjoy each moment no matter how small and appreciate the important people around you – and make sure they know you appreciate them (tell them!), because they are not always going to be around. Do not take anything for granted! YOLO!

Unconditional friendship!

*** This is my huge shout out to all the amazing Canadians, from past and present, who have come into to my life and made my time in Canada so special and memorable. I am grateful for each and every one of you and wish you good health, happiness, love and adventure – all the very best in your respective lives! You have a friend for life in me XO ***