Watercolour Map

Maps have always been a huge fascination for me. And now that I have actually travelled outside of North America, it made sense to get a map that would showcase the places I have travelled and the places I have yet to go. This watercolour map was a perfect gift for my sister, as it shows where we have been together and will show the places she will end up going, whether with me or without me. It is an amazing representation of the world we live in and it also demonstrates how big this world really is and how small we truly are.

Master's Decision

History is one long, epic adventure with battles to be fought, royal scandals to be gossiped about, wars to be waged, politics to be discussed, human rights to be protected, and stories to tell. It can be comic and tragic, and it exhibits the very best and the very worst of human nature. History is all about seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and that is why we all want to be remembered by it. And I think, one day history will remember them as well. History is one of the most fantastic things in this world. Everyone has a history and everything has a history. It is us historians who must look at these people and these items and find out what their history is and to write it down and bring it to light.

So, I have begun a new academic journey this year. I graduated last year with an HBA in History and this year I have taken on the daunting task of doing my masters. A lot of people have asked "what are you looking at?" or "what will your specialization be?" and for a majority of the time I really had no idea. I would always tell them I was interested in European history because a majority my family is from Europe and it's history spans a majority of the world. They have been everywhere and done everything imaginable. At first I was curious about monarchies, how they run, their institution, how they continue, why people may/may not like them. Granted I am still interested in monarchies, but not to the point where I would study them. But, I have recently watched a few documentaries on Netflix about British and Irish castles, and a new show called 'Outlander' that deals with Scotland. I have become increasingly interested with the history of all three of these countries and how they have continuously throughout history interconnected. Another issue that sparked my interest in furthering this study is that my grandmother's, on my father's side, family came from Ireland. They were farmers that moved from Ireland between 1847 and 1858 and moved to Canada. They moved because of persecution because of their Protestant faith and because Ireland did not have the land that the family needed to continue to farm. Obviously there were other reasons, but this is all I have found as of late. But now that I have this foundation in my studies, my trip to Ireland and Scotland in May has become even more important to me, because now I really get to see my roots.

I hope to one day find the original villages that my ancestors came from and see where they really came from. I find it to be the one thing I really want to do in the near future. I have found where some members of my grandmother's family have originally come from, but now the search must start for my grandfather's family. His family was from England and I know we have a family tree and I'm sure on it it states the village in which they first came from. I hope to go there one day and see exactly where they came from and maybe see the homes they might have lived in. One day I will find my family history, and my journey begins now.

On The Road Again

They say once you go on one trip to somewhere new, the travel bug bites and the urge to travel again never leaves you. For me, this is so true. The second I came home from Europe I began planning another trip back. I had a few choices on where I wanted to go. I knew I wanted to go back to Europe and travel the whole continent, but there are so many choices and places I have yet to be it made it difficult to try and narrow it down. There was Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and Spain and Portugal and Greece. The places are endless, but I eventually decided on Ireland and Scotland. My family is from Ireland so it is a way of me getting back to my roots but also I wanted to see what this beautiful country had to offer.

I've had friends and a couple of cousins go to both countries and every single one of them have said those were two of the countries they would 100% go back and visit. Not just because of the beautiful scenery but because of the people, the locals were so friendly and amazing to be around. They told stories about the history of Ireland and I have heard nothing about good things. I cannot wait to experience these two beautiful countries and of course to come back and visit again.

I feel like the photos you see online everywhere of both countries, of course they are beautiful, but they just do not do the countries justice. It's also very different to experience it yourself rather than just seeing the photos. As I realized earlier this year, its the emotions you feel when you are there and the way you see it through your own eyes. It's the stories you come back with and the experience and the memories and the photos you took yourself. That is what travelling is for and I cannot wait to continue my travels through Europe!

Paris

We ended this incredible journey in the city of love and light and it really lived up to it's name. I was taken aback by this beautiful city but it was also bitter sweet. This was the last city our group was spending together and after twelve joyous days we would be going our separate ways and back to our different countries and different cities. Everyone always says Paris is super dirty, but I didn't find it to be dirty at all. I actually found it to be incredibly beautiful. We walked the Champ De Elyeese, which is much longer then I thought it would be. One thing that absolutely surprised me was how far away everything actually was from each other. In most other cities we could walk to almost everything, but in Paris we had to take the metro almost everywhere, which was quite easy. 

We saw everything you would want to see: the Notre Dame, the Arc Di Triomphe, The Louvre, and of course the Eiffel Tower. I think seeing the Eiffel Tower in person is so undesirable. It is just a feeling you get and it is very hard to describe that feeling. It is a magnificent architectural feat. You may think you know how big it is just from photos but to actually see it in real life is one of the most magnificent things you can ever experience. Going up the Tower was breathtaking. To be able to see all of Paris from the tower was beautiful, I was speechless. Photos and videos just do not do it justice and it is something every person should see in their life. 

One of the things I quite enjoyed about being in Paris for an entire day where we could walk around and do what we wanted was that a group of us spent the day walking around. We ended up going to a cafe called Angelique's and it had some of the best pastries I have ever had. Then we walked over to the beautiful Tuileries Garden. I loved spending time and just walking around at the how immaculate it was. One more thing that impressed me so much was the architecture. Every building was built essentially the same, but the architecture was so impressive. I just couldn't believe it. 

There is just so much to say and then nothing to say. There are so many words to describe it but then when someone asks you about it you just trip over your words because you are not sure what words to use or how to even say it. 

This was really a trip of a lifetime and I honestly cannot wait to get back to Europe to experience more. 

Lucerne

Switzerland stole my heart, and my money, but mostly my heart. I could not believe the beauty of this country and just how imaginative this beautiful place is. Also, Switzerland is incredibly expensive and I was somewhat thankful that we only spent about eighteen hours here, although I do wish that we could have stayed maybe one more day. And again we stayed in a converted jail and it was, umm, interesting to say the least. We also took a lake cruise around Lake Lucerne which was a lot of fun. We got a lot of photos together and a lot of memories were made. I loved the lake cruise because we started it when it was light out and finished it while watching the sunset and the hotels along the lake starting to light up. Really, really beautiful. 

Going up to the top of the Swiss Alps was so beautiful. I loved going up on the train it was really cool experience. And of course actually going up to the Alps by the only roofless motor car. It was really awesome to stand up at the top and see the Alps as we moved closer and closer. One of the girls on our trip, from Australia, had never seen snow before and so I am very glad to have been able to be a part of that memory with her. She was very excited about seeing snow for the first time, especially when we were heading up to the Alps and it started to snow a little bit and she finally saw snowflakes fall in real life. 

The hotel was really cool, although at first everyone was a little creeped out by it. We were staying in a jail that literally had been closed down in the 90s. It was a women's prison who had committed petty crimes. The doors for the room were still the old jail rooms and you needed a passcode to get into each room. The WIFI situation was not that great, but it created a funny environment for us, we would spend a lot of time hanging out in stairwells and down in the lobby trying to stay connected. 

Random point: the top of the Alps has excellent cell phone service and the WIFI is impeccable up there. 

Florence

Oh gosh, what is there to even say about Florence. It was so hot that day and sunny and perfect that it made walking around the small and beautiful city even better. What I liked the most about Florence was it wasn't too busy and yet there were still a lot of tourists. It wasn't as congested as Venice and Rome, especially Rome, but it still had a lot of people. I liked the views and easiness of getting around. I liked just walking around and seeing the architecture was really beautiful. I think the best part, again, was the walking tour. I liked that we were walked around the city with the tour guide and she was able to give us little tidbits of information (none which I can remember now of course!).

The one thing I absolutely loved, which I'm sure everyone else did as well, is the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. Just seeing it was absolutely beautiful. How amazing is the view, how amazing is it to see absolutely everything in Florence and to be able to see it all in one look. Panoramas do not do this place justice. One of the unique things we were able to do here was get a group shot, which is one of my favourite things that we got on this trip. It's a way in which I can have a photo with every single person from our trip. It's a very nice memento to have.

Rome

Oh Rome, what a place to visit. It is a must see place, you have to visit Rome. It is really the centrepiece of Europe and the beginning of everything. The Roman's came, saw and conquered and boy did they leave their footprint everywhere they went. I enjoyed Rome, only for the history aspect. I loved seeing the Coliseum and the Roman Forum and the beautiful cobble stone streets. It really was breathtaking to finally see the buildings and the stories I have read about and studied for years. The Coliseum was just awe-inspiring, you would never think that something could be as big as this place. The sheer size of the Coliseum was amazing, but also seeing the building and the place where everything played out like the gladiator fighting was amazing. To actually see where they stood and how far people would watch it. It was just eye-opening. 

The Roman Forum was another beautiful place to visit. Granted the day was very very hot, but it was definitely better then rain. I loved seeing the buildings, or what was left of them, just to see how big they built these buildings. It's not like the Romans were giants compared to us, but they built buildings that were so big they intimidated any person who would have to walk into them. And the fact that some, if not most, of these buildings are still standing, or at least most of it is still standing. The pillars I think were the most fascinating to me just because of how tall they were and the fact that every single one of them that I saw did not have a crack or any sort of decay among them. I was surprised and shocked to see that these pillars had literally stood the test of time. 

Would I go back to Rome? Probably not. Do I think you need to see Rome? Yes, 100%. Rome is a city in which every person should visit at least once in their life. 

Munich

Munich I think is a very underrated city. It had a few tourists but it was not busy compared to the cities we had been to previously and the cities we were going to visit. It was such a sweet city to be in and very calm compared to the other cities we would see. We had the option to go on a bike tour but as my sister cannot ride a bike I did not go without her and we merely walked around the city and enjoyed the day. It was very relaxing compared to the crazy days that were ahead of us. We did a little bit of shopping but mostly walked around the city and just took it all in. I think what I enjoyed the most about the city was how easy it was to get around and the people were quite nice. I loved the mixture of the old buildings with the new buildings and being able to see the difference in architecture. It is very interesting and beautiful to see how architecture has changed over many years.

We didn't make it to the English Gardens or any massive churches, but we walked along the streets and just enjoyed it. Germany has now become a country in which I will definitely go back to. We utterly enjoyed being in a city that is so beautiful and so old and yet so overlooked by people visiting Germany. 

St. Goar

I had never heard of St. Goar before this trip and I didn't realize we were actually staying somewhere that was so off the beaten path that we barely had wifi service or anything at all. There was barely any vehicles driving around, absolutely no emergency vehicles (unlike London) and it was so quiet and peaceful. There was a point where a few of us just sat down by the water and listened to what was going on around us and there was literally no sound, just the chirping of crickets and mosquitos flying around. I think it was one of the most beautiful and picturesque places we visited, and we went to a lot of beautiful places. It was definitely really nice to go to a place to calm and quiet compared to the bustling and busy cities of Amsterdam and London. It was a nice way to sort of see what was around us and just to take it all in. It was also really nice to breathe fresh air that literally came off the turquoise river right in front of us.

One of the things I particularly enjoyed about this place was our ability to walk around the town and not have to worry about being hit by cyclists or cars. The streets were completely empty aside from us and there were no other tourists around. It was perfect. The night was cool, but nice to walk the town. It wasn't too hot which made site seeing that much more enjoyable. One of the things we noticed was how all of the stores were family owned and the cafes were kept open later then usual only because the owner was socializing with people who were sitting outside. They were so nice and greeted you as you walked by.

St. Goar is a place in which I had never heard of but now I will never forget.

Victoria Monument

During our illustrious trip to Europe we had to go and see Buckingham Palace. It is a must see for any tourist in Britain. Of course the Victoria Monument must also be on this list, of course it is right outside Buckingham Palace and it is a monument dedicated to one of the greatest monarchs in British history. When I saw this monument, one I couldn't get over how large it really was and two, the likeness of statues to Queen Victoria was incredible. Now that I have seen multiple countries throughout Europe I cannot get over how well their statues look like the real person or thing. It is amazing to think someone sat and created this statue and designed it. Anyway, I had fun walking around the statue with my GoPro trying to get a 360 degree view of this amazing monument.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a beautiful and free wheeling country. I had never thought Amsterdam was like this and I even have family who lives here! Unfortunately I did not get to see them, but the trip somewhat made up for missing out (though I will see them this summer). The day we were there was so hot and sunny it made our day there even better. We spent a mere 20 hours in Amsterdam and it was a beautiful way to start the trip. We had a walking tour with our trip manager and even went to visit the Red Light District.

Now because we were in Amsterdam on a Friday it was incredibly busy. I had never felt so claustrophobic in my life and it was definitely tough to walk around. We walked all the way around the District and learnt the history of prostitution in Amsterdam, which to every single person on the trip was a bit eye opening. We couldn't believe how proud these women were standing in their rooms showing everything off. But, hey, kudos to them! The one good thing about the walking tour with the entire group was that we were able to get to know people who were on the trip. Which was really nice because the next day we ended up spending our free time with a majority of the friends we had made the night before. We even had a beautiful canal cruise and were able to see the city from the canals that are used oh so much in such a small country. I think what I loved the most about Amsterdam is that you can literally tie up your boat in the canal and then drive around, in your boat!! It's crazy! And houseboats!? They are crazy popular and some of them were so intense and beautiful and super modern. So surprising.

The next morning we had a few hours of free time where we went to the Van Gogh museum, which showcased his work from his sane days until he was deemed insane. The paintings changed so dramatically and it was really different and amazing to see how they progressed. We sort of walked around the canals, which were just absolutely stunning and it was so nice out that it made the day that much better. Amsterdam was an incredible place to visit. I cannot wait to come back and visit.

London

The first place we landed when we flew to Europe was London. It was my first taste of Europe and it was one of the best tastes of Europe I could have had. What a way to begin our trip. We saw all the sights every tourist must see: Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye and the British Museum. We walked amongst the streets in Britain (which are absolutely amazing) and we went to a good old English pub. The architecture was something I could barely even believe, it all just seamlessly fit together and every building looked like fit together. 

The first day was probably the hardest as we had just been up for about 30 hours trying to fly to London and we arrived at 7am, an hour before we were suppose to arrive. So we almost fell asleep on the tube on our way to our hotel and when we finally got into our room we slept for about two hours and then headed to the British Museum. Now, most museums you can walk around aimlessly and be able to see everything you want to see. The British museum is one where you definitely need a guide or you have studied the map so well you know exactly where you are going. I know we didn't see everything, but what we did see (mostly Egyptian and Greek monuments) were extraordinary. I had never seen pieces so big and historic before in my life and it was amazing to be able to see that part of history that everyone knows about. 

The rest of the day we spent walking around London and then went to the London Eye as we had tickets for that day. The funniest part of that was when we came off the train Big Ben was literally right in front of us. It was perfect considering the next day we were going back down there to see all the places you want to see in London. The London Eye was really cool, especially to see everything. And the picture above is actually taken from the London Eye. 

I think one of the most surreal things for me while we were there was the fact that we were actually in Britain. I had studied Britain for so long in my history courses and just in general and it was fascinating for me to stand on those streets and in front of buildings like the Tower of London that has been so monumental in British and World History. I feel like Britain has been so huge in history as a whole, not just Canadian, and to finally have gone there and see it and experience it was something you cannot really explain to people. 

One day I will go back to London and maybe it won't be for just a visit. 

Eiffel Tower 2016

So during my European adventure we went to see the Eiffel Tower. We had a reservation to go up to the second tier of the Tower to look out at the rest of Paris. When walking up to see this magnificent beast of steel I lost my breath because of it's beauty. You really have no idea how tall something is until you are standing in front of it trying to take a photo or even just trying to take it all in while staring at it.

I am slightly afraid of heights to going up the second tier of this tower was difficult but I was beyond excited that I did it. It is something you go to Paris to do, it is something you should do no matter what. You can never see a city so beautiful better then from the view of the Eiffel Tower. There are really no words to explain how beautiful and incredible this experience was, I hope in some way this video can show a little bit of it.

Enjoy!

Music: Middle by DJ Snake ft. Bipolar Sunshine

Europe Trip

So tomorrow begins the adventure of travelling Europe for two weeks with my sister and a group of random people from around the world. We are going to England, Amsterdam, Rhine Valley, Munich, Austrian Tyrol, Venice, Rome, Florence, Lucerne and then finally to Paris. I am beyond excited for this trip as it is something I have wanted to do for a very long time, but I am also super nervous. I guess I am one of those people who gets really nervous before a big trip (one across the ocean!), but not really because of the travel. I mean everyone gets nervous flying, even if they say they don't. I think it is more because of the people that are also coming on the trip. You never know who it is going to be, but every review I've read for this trip and other trips has stated they became really good friends with the people on the trip and that makes all the difference. It really helps to know that this is just me overworking myself, but I really cannot help it.

I am just so excited to finally see the places I have studied for years and watched movies and TV shows and documentaries about. It really is something I have always wanted to do and I have actually already started planning my next trip with Contiki (haha). I will hopefully be updating as much as possible as it may be difficult with the amount of travelling and of course being able to connect to wifi.

I think one of the things most people (or maybe just me) is not only going on the trip, but the excitement of coming back and sleeping in your own room and then telling your friends and family all about the trip and what you saw and the interesting people you met. You get to tell them the stories of the people you met and become friends with people from around the world you would have never met otherwise. It's fun being able to relay your experiences with other people and see them relive it with you even if they weren't there to witness it.

More posts to come!!!

Harry Potter and Pottermore

As with a lot of people my age we have grown up reading and re-reading the Harry Potter novels until the covers no longer stay on the book. We have grown up with not only the characters of the novels but also the actors who portrayed these characters on the screen. We have cried for our lost favourites (mostly Fred) and we have laughed with the Weasleys, we have rejoiced when the 'good' guys win and we cheer when Slytherin's lose (most of us anyway). We have waited in line for the books at midnight and we have worn our very own robes to the movie premieres. We are the Potter generation.

The one thing that utterly impresses me every time, especially when I go on Tumblr is the amount of people who have come up with extensive back stories for characters or places inside the Potter World.  The stories or even the fan fiction that has come out of this series completely astounds me. It just shows the dedication and pure love us readers and fans have for this series. Pottermore also gives us fans even more opportunity to delve into the world of Harry Potter and being sorted into a house as well as reading histories about wands, other wizarding schools, history of locations and history of other characters, among so much more. It creates this world that allows the reader to imagine that it actually exists. Sometimes people need that; they need that world to escape to and live inside of because they believe their world isn't magical enough.

Tumblr has amazing stories as well as gifsets that are just extraordinary. There is one blog that I absolutely love as it has a lot of different back stories for other wizarding schools around the world (and not just the new ones JK added to Pottermore). Take a look:
http://asheathes.tumblr.com/tagged/gif:hp

We, as a generation, have fallen in love with this story. To the point where we could not even imagine our lives without this series. Even though the books and the movies have ended the story continues to live on in the people it has enlightened.

Mystery Trip

Could you imagine agreeing to go on a trip where you had no idea where you were going or what you would be doing or where you would be staying?

For me that would be an amazing trip. To just pack a bag and get on a place going somewhere you have never been before. Granted it would be scary, but can you imagine the possibilities that would come from it? The independence you would gain from finding places on your own, you would learn a language or at least a little bit of one, you would meet incredible people along the way- some maybe not so great and others you will never forget. And the memories you would create, the moments you would have and the stories you could share are ones that last a lifetime.

I think one of my next trips will have to be something like this.

http://gomistrip.com/en

My Absence

I apologize for a two month absence of not posting anything. School became incredibly tough obviously considering it is fourth year. If it was too easy I would be concerned. On the bright side though, I have an entire month off of school to recuperate and relax, somewhat as I will have to work almost every day.

However, my school is going well; semester is done, masters application is almost done just have to wait for my transcript from my school and then it is all complete, applied to graduate and just have to set up my graduation photos. Other than that everything is pretty much going well.

Europe trip is still on the go and I am beyond excited. I've pretty much planned several other trips afterwards and hopefully I will be taking my masters next year, which will keep me out of the workforce for another two years haha. On the bright side I will have a masters degree in history and hopefully be able to get a job unlike my schoolmates who will be forced onto a waiting list  to teach in schools.

That's a little bit of what is happening in my life currently, but hopefully this winter break I will be able to post more often.

Thanks!

European Adventure

As of today my sister and I have officially booked our trip to Europe!!! What an exciting day! Yeah, it was expensive, but it is totally worth it. I am beyond excited to go and visit a brand new continent and several countries I've only dreamed of visiting and now it is finally becoming a reality. We will be travelling to England, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vatican City, Switzerland and France! 

We decided instead of travelling on our own and booking everything on our own to travel with Contiki. We have both heard amazing things about Contiki and we have had friends and family members both use it and coming back with amazing stories about how amazing their time was. Plus, it was about $4000 cheaper! Crazy how expensive travelling is! 

I cannot wait to fly to a new continent, to experience new cultures (even though Canada isn't much different from Europe), to meet new people, and just to have a brand new experience. This is a once in a lifetime type of trip, one where you can't schedule on a whim, especially with a full time job. Now is the time to travel, eventually it will cost so much money to fly and stay in Europe, and also I'm 24 and now is definitely the time to travel around. 

More information to come on what we are doing!! 

Solitary Being

I am a solitary person. I like my time away from the world to just be inside my own head and not have to carry on conversations with people. Don’t get me wrong, I like hanging out with my friends and going out every once in a while. But, what I really enjoy is just being on my own and people don’t really understand that.

People always ask me ‘when are you going to get a boyfriend?’ or ‘are there any boys in your life?’ because that seems to be the most important thing in a girl’s life right? Getting married, settling down, and having a family. Not that that is a bad thing, I just don’t see it being the right fit for me. Seeing people with kids and homes and roots makes me nervous. I just feel like I would be stuck in that life and not happy. I would be restless.

The boys that I have met and went on dates with have their lives generally together. They have full time jobs and enjoy living the way that they are, whether its in security or construction. But none of them have wanted to travel. None of them want to leave their home, they are content here and I am not. I need to travel, to experience the world, to see new cultures and new places. I find that I am a solitary person and need space to myself. Having conversations with people is difficult for me and I would rather just be on my own.

Solitary life doesn’t mean that I choose to be on my own and not socialize with anyone. It just means that I don’t always need human contact. I can go days without actually speaking to someone or go out somewhere and not have to go with someone. I just enjoy the silence of being on my own. I enjoy listening to my thoughts and not worry about ignoring the person sitting beside me or across from me.

When is the Right Time to Travel?

Travelling is expensive. Let’s not sugarcoat it. It can get really out of hand if you aren’t paying attention and just putting everything on credit cards. Is there ever a good time to travel? Is there ever a point when you have saved up enough money to think you will be economically okay when you return? I don’t think there is really a point where you can say ‘I’ll be fine after’, unless you are a millionaire then lucky you. I find travelling to be more of a spur of the moment type of thing, where you get together with friends or family and just decide over a meal or drinks that you should go on a trip together. Yeah, the trip may be months away, but it comes up pretty quick.

My sister and I are planning a trip to Europe. Sort of a quick one; one that lasts around eighteen days. It will be my first trip to Europe and my sister’s second (she went to Greece for a school trip). Our parents are generally okay with it. Our dad is a calm guy and was pretty excited about the trip we had planned out. Our mom, on the other hand, not so much. She was worried more about school and getting real jobs. Of course school and jobs are important, but once you get a job it is very hard to get vacation. Plus, I’m in history, lets be honest here, I will most likely not get a job right after graduating.

When is the right to time travel? I find travelling right after graduation is smart; you’ve just finished school, you have the summer to figure things out and hopefully find a full-time job in your field, or just a job in general. But is it economically viable? Not everyone can afford to spend two months in Europe or even eighteen days, but I find travelling in your twenties is something that needs to be experienced. My take on it is this: when I get a full time job I will most likely not have the freedom of being able to just plan a trip for two and a half weeks to Europe or anywhere and have my job when I get back. I also would rather go after finishing my degree, knowing I had accomplished something huge in my life. I don’t know, maybe seems dumb, but that is my take on it. Maybe you have different opinions or thoughts?

I just feel like if I don’t go now, I never will.