It has been a busy few weeks but now on the train
down South I finally have time to write my final blog post. I have to admit I
wasn’t able to keep my tears in check this morning when I was saying goodbye to
Amelia and Erin in the hall of our little house in WPC. In that moment
everything felt extremely final. I felt like I was saying goodbye to everyone I
met, all the places I love and all the experiences I’ve had over the last nine
months all at once and it was overwhelming. On the one hand it seems like I
have been in Edinburgh forever and on the other hand it seems like the time
slid by without me noticing. I will always think of Edinburgh as home but I’ll
just add it to the list of places I already call ‘home’. Fortunately I’m used
to feeling a bit spread out!
Back in September, you may remember that I was
extremely nervous about going on exchange. I thought that I would hate it,
would make no friends and would beg to come home before the nine months was up.
I am so happy to know that I was wrong. As much as it’s cliché to say that
exchange has changed me, it has. I am more brave and adaptable than I thought
and I am less shy than I thought. Being in the UK has also made me think a lot
about my nationality and I’ve found that I’m both more English and more
Canadian than I thought. As much as I’m considering moving back to the UK after
graduation, I feel equally proud to say I’m Canadian. And no decision is made
yet!
Of course, leaving Edinburgh isn’t all bad. I am
very excited to go back to Kingston and see my friends. Nine months is too long
to be without your best friends! I am looking forward to catching up with them and
going to all the places I’ve missed. I’m also excited for big shops and big
fridges! It would be unrealistic to expect that things haven’t changed since I was
last in Kingston but I was nervous about Edinburgh and it turned out to be an
amazing experience so I can only assume returning to Kingston will be as well!
I’m predicting a fun summer of catching up, enjoying the weather, sitting on
patios and meeting new people. In September I’ll be an orientation leader for
new exchange students to Canada and a peer advisor for first years, will be
doing my thesis and just generally enjoying my final year at Queen’s.
One of the great things about this year has been meeting
Debra and Shannon who also go to Queen’s. Having met them in Edinburgh and
become friends, I am so happy that I will have them by my side in Kingston, on
call for whenever we need to reminisce.
“For to see her was to love her, love but her and
love forever”
Goodbye, Edinburgh!
xx
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