Snow Fall

One of the wonders I have experienced in Canada is the amount of snow appearing on any given day during winter. Luckily in my last few weeks in the north we were provided a huge dumping of the lovely 'white stuff'. This means that the 'Salter Trucks' were out in force with their flashing blue lights, plus personal snow shovels for the driveway. Here is a selection of images from December. My opinion is that if you are prepared then the snow fall is no hassle. As I have said all year, if you stayed in everyday it snowed, then I would've not have seen much at all. Really it is a part of life, and as the good Canadian saying goes, 'suck it up'.

Ice Skating

After the Exchange Christmas Party, which was very late - we were fortunate enough for some to have handy many pairs of ice skates. So here I am with Myra and Richard ice skating. If you were going to be technical, I did have skates on and I was on the ice - therefore ice skating. But I did have assistance. I am envious of all who can ice skate, as it was quite enjoyable - and sociable. Maybe next weekend we might go skating out front of Covent Garden.

Friends

Here is just a snippet of some of the friends I have made over the year. All are on exchange, and we have be fortunate to share some of the most amazing experiences together. Even just to hear a familiar accent has been a blessing - considering I have spent the year in a city where I have not encountered any other Australians.

Certificate

Our Christmas Party was also where we received our certificates for the successful completion of the Exchange Program. It was like being back at school, everyone cheering and congratulating each other. I must say, it is a very satisfying feeling to have partaken in this program - something to be proud of.

Exchange Christmas Party

One of the 'thankyou' gifts we gave the Canadians was a rendition of Waltzing Matilda. I'm not sure who had more fun, us or the audience listening to our aussie accents singing about our year in Canada.

Waltzing Matilda (Canadian Version) by Shaun

1. Once a bunch of Ozzies headed to Oh! Canada
Intent on teaching the ABCs
And we trudged through the cold so excited on our first day
Only to be faced with I.E.Ps

2. Down came the snow a little later than expected
We shovelled our driveways most days with glee
And sang as we travelled to Quebec and Wanikita
All thanks to the folks at the group named CLEE

3. Along came the summer and we travelled across this continent
We travelled West and East and even met the Newfies
Meeting new faces and places to remind us
Canada is great but we hate the GST and PSt and the bloody tipping...

4. Alas summer ended and we went back to hard labour
16 weeks to go and everything soon a memory
Canadians as teachers are some of the finest
But when it comes to teaching you can't beat an Ozzie!!!

CHORUS

Living in Canada, living in Canada
We'll do our best to be Canadian...Eh!
The people and the places will be with us forever
We will miss this home away from home......Eh!

Christmas Tree - Penny'n'Me

RMC TV Star*S

Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is the second longest river system in the United States. Only the Missouri River is longer. The Mississippi flows 2,340 miles (3,766 kilometers) from its source in northwestern Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico.
The word, Mississippi probably comes from a combination of Chippewa words (mici and zibi) meaning "great river" or "great water." It was first written as "Michi Sepe" by Lieutenant Henri de Tonti traveling with the explorer La Salle.

The Mississippi and its tributaries drain almost all the plains between the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Its drainage basin is the third largest in the world, exceeded in size only by the watersheds of the Amazon and Congo Rivers. The drainage basin covers 1,247,300 square miles (3,230,490 square kilometers) in 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces. This area encompasses the nation's most productive agricultural and industrial regions. The Mississippi is the nation's chief navigable water route. Barges and towboats on the Mississippi River System carry sixty percent of the agricultural goods, industrial products, and raw materials transported on inland waterways

Walker Museum - Minneapolis

Ciao from Minneapolis

Here I am with Stephanie and Alison who I met in Italy in 2002 (I think?). Ever since the two weeks we spent travelling we have corresponded through emails, and the occasional postcard. So, having lived on the same continent for the whole year it was an opportunity not to be missed to go and visit them both.

Toronto Christmas Parade

Football

Hockey Night

We are now is the thick of Hockey season in Canada. Our London Knights are finally on some kind of winning streak, after losing the first six games of the season. Last Friday the Knights played the Barrie Colts. The significance of this game was that each team had an ex-student of RMC. This made it a little difficult to decide who to barrack for, the loyalty of London, or the Colts - which features Marcus Pepe. In the end a good night was had by all, as you can see. I am pictured with Maria, beside me and Victoria - her first Knight game. We were also fortunate to have friends in a Private Box, of course we visited them - thus enjoying our seats high up in the rafters, plus the luxury of a suite. The Knights ended the night winning 4 -3 against the Colts.

Halloween Houses

Here are some photos of my neighbours house and their efforts to celebrate Halloween. People put a lot of effort into the decoration of their houses leading up to this night. As you can see, Al and Brenda are highly original in their choices. Even with the Grim Reaper standing by my car, only once did I do a double take. Not bad eh!? However, on the night of the October 31st, it was the older kids and parents who were more easily scared, and not the little kids. I feel they are to excited at the thought of all the candy and gifts they will be receiving.

Black'n'White Halloween

A Ghost Story

by Winifred Sackville Stoner, Jr.

On a dreadful stormy night
My dear Tommy had a fight
With great Peter Snookum Snee,
Cat of fighting pedigree.

In this battle, sad to tell,
My poor Tom, alas, he fell,
Ending thus his earthly life
Through the wicked God of Strife

On the next night while in bed,
Sleepless and with aching head,
For my Tom, my precious pet,
My poor eyes with tears were wet.

Suddenly his voice I heard,
And in ghostly whispers purred,
"I am coming, mistress, dear,
Yes, 'tis true I'm very near.

"Good cat heaven have I left,
I would comfort you, bereft
For your precious Tommy pet,
I would teach you not to fret.

"Do you hear me in the hall
With my ghostly soft footfall?
Up the stairs I bound to thee,
Jumping steps from one to three.

"Now my paw is on your door,
I turn the knob one-two-three-four,
And you may see your Tommy now--
Me-ow! Me-ow! Me-ow! ow! ow!"

Polar Bear Walking

Watching a Polar Bear walking, what a wonderful 'time waster'. Both of us as curious as the other.

1. Like humans, polar bears walk on the soles of their feet with their heels touching the ground first. Like other bears, they can also stand on their hind feet and walk upright for short distances.

2. Polar bears generally walk with a steady, lumbering gait. The front paws swing outward with each step, landing slightly pigeon-toed. The head swings gently from side to side. The walk has a four-beat pattern, first the right front foot touches the ground, then the left hind foot, then the left front foot, and lastly, the right hind foot.

3. The bulky build and swinging gait cause polar bears to use more than twice as much energy to move at a given speed than most other mammals (Stirling, 1988).

4. The average walking speed of a polar bear is 5.5 kph (3.4 mph) (Stirling, 1988).

5. When being chased or charging prey, polar bears can run as fast as 40 kph (25 mph) for short distances (Domico, 1988)

Polar Bears - Male v Female

Caribou

The Caribou like the beaver and moose, are typically Canadian. So much so, they are also found on the Canadian quarter. I spotted this one in Churchill, possibly due to my experience of living on a farm and the ability to spot goats from hundreds of metres. It was the first wildlife our group saw during our tour. The Caribou are 1.2 to 1.5 metres tall, and weigh over 228 kilograms. They mainly eat lichen and sedges. The indigenous people of Canada hunt the Caribou for their pelt, which is light weight, but extremely warm and soft.

Snowy Owl

Yes, I did see nine Polar Bears. But what a thrill to see a Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca). The Snowy Owl is one of the largest of the owl family. Due to the environment of the Artic - the extreme darkness and lightness, this magnificent bird has excellent eyesight. Their eyesight is essential in their need to hunt their prey, especially considering that the Snowy Owl is both a diurnal and nocturnal hunter. No photo can really capture the essence of again seeing such a spectacular species in its' natural environment - however, this photo is showing the owl flying over the rocky shore of the Hudson Bay (look to the bottom right).

Artic Hare

Belly Cleaning II

The 'Finale' of the grooming routine - looking over your shoulder toward the audience. Here is a look of satisfaction, a crowd pleaser. For me this performance was a highlight of my day.

Female Polar Bear

A picture tell a thousand words - therefore here is five thousand reasons for travelling to Churchill to see the Polar Bears. What an absolutely magnificent display of nature. Watching the bears in their natural environment - waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze over, to begin their migration for the Winter. This female bear was sitting on a bed of kelp. We waited by her side, and waited. She would occasionally turn her head to look at us, but was content to stay perched on her 'bed'. That was until she decided her belly needed washing - this is what the photos show. Her sliding off the bed of kelp as part of her grooming routine. She then preceded to roll on her back - which gave us all a good view of her black paws and clean belly.

Travelling to the 53rd Parallel

Winnipeg, Manitoba

A visit to view Polar Bears in their natural habitat takes commitment. Thus, it was a great adventure that was jammed packed when Melita, Angela and I travelled to Churchill, Manitoba to fulfill this dream. The main travel route to Churchill is via Winnipeg, Manitoba. The name Winnipeg originates from the Cree word 'win nipee' meaning 'muddy water', due to the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. It was a very short visit to this city, and thus I have included only a sample of what it has to offer. The first few photos obviously state the fact that Winnipeg is proud to be the gateway to Polar Bear Country. Here you see me with an 'Australian' bear, and the second is an ode to Don Cherry - a Hockey Icon...Canadians will know him well! I found this city to be larger than I expected, and odd in it's aesthetics. The city has tried to embrace many architectural styles, but fails in its' attempt to produce a stylish and modern city - in fact it felt like you stuck in the the 1950's. Anyway, time to move on. An early start is expected tomorrow.