I haven’t had much time to reflect on my trip since I have been home, feeling I have just slipped back into comfortable routines, familiar expectations and lifestyle like an old pair of sandals. It is as if my traveling self and home self are two identities proving difficult to fully translate my experience, personal growth and all that I have learned back into home life. Why is that? Leaving our comfortable surroundings and experiencing new things, we are forced to view things differently, see things from new eyes, and so begin to appreciate those small moments where life becomes simple and the beauty in all that surrounds us crystal clear. The truth is the opportunity for fulfilling experiences exists in everything we do. Sometimes though when we feel that life is just too overwhelming and our daily life becomes but a chore, we choose to stop looking, we choose not to see the incredible beauty that surrounds us every day realizing the precious gift life is and how lucky we are to have a chance to make the most of it we possibly can. After experiencing other cultures and encountering people that are not as lucky as I, it became painfully obvious how much I take for granted. Yet, as I am home again, it feels as if I am now back in a reality where appreciating the beauty in simple things is a difficult task, one that we so easily forget as our mind is constantly occupied with ‘more’ important things. It is when I stop to think about it and become aware of my thoughts and actions that I am able to realize this and it proves to be a constant struggle maintaining a balance between this conscious awareness and slipping into just merely existing.

I had an interesting conversation with a man who said he was quite like me when he was my age; idealistic thinking, set on searching out a passion rather than a career, not yet willing to buy into the game my business education has taught me so well to play. He said that he now had the Porsche, the big house, the girl, the big salary and admitted leaving behind his previous ideals in their attainment. Hoping to learn something and avoid the same fate, I asked him what changed and why did he have to in his own words give up on his previous ideals to attain them. Although he was only 29, he sat back as if to be a wise old man clearly thinking he knew the fate that awaited me and that it was only inevitable before I would walk down the same path. He then looked me in the eyes and said slowly, “You will find out yourself one day." I thought for a moment, then smiled, and politely replied... “I hope not.”

Thanks so much for reading, I really appreciated all your emails and comments along the way! Take care all!

-Sean

And the journey continues…

After travelling trhough many cities in which locals clearly outnumbered forieigners and the Thai culture was prevalent, it was definately a different experience being in an environment with the majority being package tourists looking to party and lie on the beach for a week or two. Obviously nothing is wrong with this, just a different experience to the one I am looking for. I felt as if I left South East Asia and the experience I was having behind.

I took a three day scuba diving course through Ryan's dive shop and received my open water certification, making me a certified scuba diver. It was my first time scuba diving and it was unreal; floating effortlessly, 15m below the surface, you look up to see a blurred sun and a boat rattle past overhead, a new world surrounds you awaiting to be explored... Very cool indeed. Ryan was able to accompany our group so it was really nice to share the experience with a close friend.

After Koh Phi Phi, I headed towards Koh Phangan and the infamous full moon party drawing 10,000 people from around the world and taking place every month. The nights leading up to the full moon were big parties in themselves with the actual night seeing the beach completely packed with people dancing and drinking everywhere. The popular drink is served in a bucket, and is a mix between a bottle of Samsong whiskey, redbull, and a can of coke. And so it was no surprise that when I left the beach at 8am with the sun already high in the sky, there were many who still remained dancing to the afternoon. For what it was, an endless party on the beach, it was fun to be a part of for a bit, but I was happy to get out of that scene and get back to the experience that I set out searching for.

I am now on the same island of Koh Phangan, but I have found myslef a remote beach only accessible by boat and I am quite comfortable passing away the day in my hammock on the deck of my beach front bungalow. Although this is how I imagined Thailand, I still shake my head in disbelief when I wake up in the morning swing open my door to a picturesque view of sand and ocean. My days consist of sitting in my hammock or on the beach reading, writing in my journal, listening to music or just contemplating life. At night I walk down the beach to the next bungalows over to watch a movie and eat dinner before heading to bed quite early.

I am now heading to another island called Koh Tao to do some more scuba diving and relaxing then its back home to Vancouver on March 30th. I have had an incredible time, yet at the same time I am also looking forward to going home, seeing everybody and getting set for the next adventure!

Take care all!

-Sean

After taking a long overnight bus from Mae Sot, Thailand, I crossed the Thai border into Cambodia with the last stretch to Siem Reap on a ‘road’ that make the pothole filled roads of Jamaica appear like national highways.

My first night in Cambodia, the poverty overwhelmed me in the form of a young girl holding a baby with an empty bottle of milk following me for a block, tugging on my shirt repeating “food, food, hungry.” Do I give? Do I not give? Would it help the situation to give or does that encourage begging? If I give the children money, does it just go straight to their parents who have them out there working every day? It hit me pretty hard as it is right in your face, perhaps a good thing as it forces us to acknowledge the problem. I am not sure.

The hundreds of temples of Angkor Wat were spectacular. They were built between the 9th and 13th century, abandoned in the mid 14th century, to be rediscovered just over 100 years ago along with massive restoration efforts cutting away jungle growth and rebuilding damaged structures. It kept crossing my mind how old these ruins were and how long they must have took to build. Spectacular today both in its size and beauty, the “lost city” of Angkor must have been quite remarkable in its time.

Phnom Penh

Cambodia received their independence from the French in 1953 and the economy prospered for the next 15 years. During the Vietnam War, American and Southern Vietnam soldiers invaded Cambodia to root out Vietnamese Communist forces. They failed to do so and the capital, Phnom Penh, fell to the Khmer Rouge (Indigenous rebels) in 1975. “After taking Phnom Penh, the Khmer Rouge, under their leader Pol Pot, implemented one of the most radical, brutal revolutions the world has ever seen. It was ‘Year Zero’ and Cambodia was to be transformed into a Maoist, peasant-dominated, agrarian cooperative.

During the next four years, hundreds of thousands of Cambodians, including the vast majority of the country’s educated people, were relocated into the countryside, tortured to death or executed. Almost two million Cambodians died between 1975 and 1979 as a direct result of the policies of the Khmer Rouge government.” (Lonely Planet guide) The Khmer Rouge were finally defeated by Vietnam forces in 1978 leaving behind many broken families, active landmines and a struggling economy.

I took a motor bike 15 minutes outside the city to the “killing Fields” which served as one of the many locations around the country where prisoners were taken to be executed and dumped in mass graves. It was quite sad standing there amongst the excavated pits, with remnants of torn clothes and small bone fragments still visible, reflecting on what took place at this very location only 30 years ago.

I then visited an old High School that was converted into a prison by the Khmer Rouge to house prisoners. It is now a museum and is lined with pictures and stories of those prisoners that were kept there, most of which were then later taken to the Killing Fields for extermination. Another example in our world how the radical ideals and beliefs of a relative few can have such an enormous impact on so many. Also, hopefully another example of something the world will never see again.

I left Cambodia one week ago to the island of Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. After two months of traveling inland in a hot, humid environment, I will finally feed my love for the ocean, beach, and sun and spend my final three weeks continuing to explore the islands of Southern Thailand.

Take care all!

-Sean

A good film on genocide that took place in Cambodia: “The Killing Fields”

I am in Mae Sot, Thailand, a town on the Thai/Myanmar (Burma) border. Like many towns on the same border line, its surroundings serve as a "temporary" home for some 100,000 refugees and migrant workers of the total 1-2 million internally and externally displaced people the oppressive military regime in Burma has created. Governing by fear, the military has been in control for the past 50 years, forcefully supressing the several pro-democracy movements by the Burmese people and arresting or killing those that oppose. It is a grim situation here with a definate lack of global awareness and attention. It is this global awareness creating international pressure on the current dictatorship that would serve as a crucial stimulant for change. The Thai government tolerates the resulting flee of refugees, yet they are restricted to within a certain area by military checkpoints preventing them to enter further into Thailand. Neither citizens of Thailand, nor can they return to Burma, the majority here are quite simply waiting for life to begin; to get back a life and a home that might only exist in their memories.

I have been volunteering teaching English in a nearby village called Boarding High School for Orphans and Helpless Youths (BHSOH). It is one of the many illegal migrant schools in the area for Burmese refugee children and serves as a home for just under half of the students; school by day, kitchen, play area, and sleeping quarters by night. Although these children have suffered so much and have so little, it definately was not evident in the smiles and positive attitudes of those I encountered. These children had no control of their past and what happened to place them in their current situation, but it is evident that only they control how they respond to their current situation. I think it is a matter of acceptance. Don't get me wrong, I am talking about acceptance, not resignation. The moment we accept our present reality, is the moment we can take measures to change it.

A very different reality from my own exists here, a reality very difficult to grasp. It is now time for me to leave Mae Sot. My friend drops me off at the bus station and we say goodbye. In a fair world I could ask him if he wanted to come with me, and that it would be his choice, his freedom to say 'yes' or 'no.' But, this is not possible in his reality, not today. Meanwhile, my reality quickly changes, one day I will be in Cambodia standing in wonderment of the Temples of Angkor Wat, one week and I will be lying on a beach in Southern Thailand, just over one month and I will be back in Canada. A country where I am free to choose my own reality, democracy prevails, and freedom is not just a word providing hope that better days lie ahead. I feel helpless, guilty, hopeful and incredibly thankful for the freedoms I am so blessed to have. It becomes painfully clear; these same freedoms I take for granted everyday are the same freedoms that lives are lost for everyday, and the same freedoms that keep many alive another day, in hope that one day they might be as lucky as I.

If you are reading this, chances are you are one of the lucky ones too:)

Take care all!

-Sean

Learn more: Brief Burma Background

The country of Laos has had a turbulent history, so much so that it has been given the title of most bombeb country in the world per capita. This is mostly due to a secret war campaign by the US in the 60's and early 70's where on average a plane load of bombs were dropped every 8 minutes for 9 years. Today, Laos remains a communist country and just opened up their borders to foreigners in 1991.

Although the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang, and the Lao capital Vientienne were both beautiful in their distinctive ways, I would definately say that my highlight was tubing down the river next to Vang Vieng stopping at riverside bars along the way for a drink and to swing on their rope swings into the water. Definately a nice way to spend a few relaxing days! There was alot of construction in all three cities that we visited and it is clear that the future will bring many more visitors as Laos begins to be recognized as a tourist destination. I am happy that I was able to visit Laos now before major developments take hold and it will be interesting to see what changes the next 10-20 years brings to the country.

I have been travelling with Ian and Karen now for just over three weeks and it has been so nice to share some great adventures with two very close friends. It feels as if we have been travelling together for quite some time and now that we are heading our seperate ways, it also feels as if my trip is coming to an end. Yet, I still have the majority of my trip ahead of me and I am excited what the next two months will bring. I am now leaving Laos and heading to a city named Mae Sot on the Thailand side of the Thailand/Myanmar(Burma) border to volunteer at a refugee camp. There is currently an oppressive military regime in Myanmar (Burma) and so many are fleeing across the border into Thailand. I plan on being there for a few weeks and then head to Cambodia and finally down to the beautiful islands in Southern Thailand.

Take care all!

-Sean

At 9:30am Ian, Karen, and I jumped into the back of a converted pick-up truck with seats lining the sides and an attached roof over our heads along with seven other travelers who would join us on the trek. After brief introductions our bags were attached to the roof and we started on the four hour ascent into the mountains stopping at a waterfall and a local market along the way to stretch the legs and so our guides "Sunshine" and "Noogie" (later to be named Noogs) could buy some supplies for our three day trek.

The landscape and picturesque views of the surrounding mountain ranges made me feel as if I was a member of the Von trapp family from the movie "Sound of Music" and so I felt it necessary to fulfill the association and sing aloud "The Hills are Alive" on a few occasions. We spent the first night in a hilltribe village, "the Karen HillTribe." It was an interesting experience arriving at the village. On one hand I felt as if I had gone back in time, walking into a Hollywood film set and that these huts, hilltribe people and animals were mere props depicting a scene of life in the olden days when influence from outside civilizations were minimal. That being said you would still see children with their old Nike shorts or Mickey Mouse t-shirts, a clear reminder of the seemingly impossible prevention of outside Western influence. It were the elders you would find in traditional dress choosing to raise their family in these hilltribe villages, perhaps still clinging onto an old way of life when things seemed much simplier. I also must say I felt a little uncomfortable when we crossed over the river on the bamboo bridge into the town; I felt as if we were barging into their lives and turning the very thing they were trying to preserve, their way of life, into a tourist attraction. It is an interesting paradox, as the governments ban on opium production had a huge impact on these villages, it is the money that these treks bring into these villages that allow them to stay there and avoid being relocated to cities by the government. The stars that night were incredible, both in their vastness and in their number, so much so that we had difficulty finding the big dipper. A humbling experience, helping to put things in perspective and realize how small a piece of the puzzle we truely are.

Both Sunshine and Noogs were a Karen tribe member and so we were able to get a tour of the village the following day, talk with some of the villagers and get an idea of village life. Two hours into our four hour trek, we stopped in the jungle nearby a river for lunch. Myself and another helped Sunshine as he chopped down a bamboo tree with his machete, turning it into four large bowls to cook our noodles in by the fire, along with ten smaller bowls, complete with chopsticks for us to eat with. Another two hours found ourselves riding on the backs of elephants through the jungle and river for about an hour and a half to the next village where we would spend the night. At times I felt as if I would fall off with only a rope to hold us in our seats and as the elephants traversed narrow and sometimes steep slopes. That night we stayed in another Karen village next to the river and had a campfire while our bamboo rafts awaited our arrival the following morning.

The next day Ian and I were handed two large bamboo rods and were given the task of helping Noogs guide us down the river. For the most part it was quite peaceful and we could soak in our beautiful surroundings, but the rapids were a different story as Noogs shouted out orders "Left! Left! Right! Right!" We had a lot of fun following orders and only managed to crash twice, but the bags remained on the raft and so it worked out okay.

The whole experience from hilltribe trekking, to riding an elephant through the jungle, to navigating a bamboo raft down a river, seemed surreal and we kept reminding ourselves what it was we were doing in order to try and grasp the reality of our current situation. "Ian, Karen! We are riding elephants through the jungle in Northern Thailand!" It is interesting how we tend to only fully appreciate how special an experience is when we later reflect on the photos putting ourselves back in the moment once more. We did get some great photos and so I look forward to experiencing these memories again in the future.

MEDITATION RETREAT

The week before we left on the trek, we went to a Buddhist temple for "Monk Chat." A time when you can sit and speak with monks about their life as a monk, Buddhism or anything else you would like to. After which, we helped correct their English homework for University and we signed up for a free two day meditation retreat run for foreigners.

The day after we returned from the trek, we headed outside of town to the newly built retreat thanks to 30 million Baht ($1 million) donated by a wealthy family. We learnt more about the Buddhist religion and practised different forms of mediations usually a few hours at a time with breaks in between. It was an amazing experience and you could feel the energy of the very humble Master that seemed to radiate wisdom and compassion. His final send off to us was very moving and insightful reminding me that there is a lot of good in this world, and that we must continually seek it in all beings.

"... clean, clear and purfiy your mind. When looking for peace, love and happiness in the world, look to yourself first. It is not something you search for or acquire through external things or experiences, rather it comes from within. If you have a peaceful mind, then you can take that into the world and live a peaceful life..."

We are now in Luang Prabang, Laos after taking a two day boat trip down the Mekong River from Thailand.

Love to all!

-Sean

My first day in Bangkok I spent wandering around the city. Although I was never really lost, I never quite seemed to be able to get where I wanted to go. I must have looked at the map, all tourist attractions magnified, atleast 100 times, but I was relieved to find out the next day that it was actually the poorly drawn map that was at fault. Yes! Still sane. I randomly ran into a guy I know from volleyball in Vancouver who is travelling with a group of 15 other teachers he currently works with in China. It was nice to see a familar face and have some people to hit the town with for my first Saturday night in Bangkok.

I was to meet up with Ian (my best friend) and his girlfriend Karen on the Sunday, yet Bangkok is a huge city and I didn't know when or where. I was sitting at one of the many Internet cafes in hopes that Ian would have emailed to let me know where they were, when no more than five minutes later he and Karen appeared behind me. I was really happy to see them and it has been great travelling with them for the past week. We stayed one more night in Bangkok, sampling the Thai 'delicacy' of cooked insects on Khao San Road which included giant grasshoppers, cockroaches and some other members of the insect family. Hey, when in Rome...

The next day we headed about 2 hours North on the train to Ayuttuya, the old capital of Thailand prior to Bangkok. It was definately nice to get out of the big city and we spent a couple leisurely days (partly due to the heat) exploring the many ruins of old temples that still remain from when it was a thriving city. The amount of temples and images of the Buddha in this country are incredible. The main religion throughout South East Asia is Buddhism and let me tell you there is no shortage of Wats (Temples) along with giant bronze Buddha statues for people to pay their respect to.

It has occurred to me that many people in the world tend to label themselves as a follower of a particular religion, yet don't necessarily live their life according to its teachings. Almost as if it is a cultural norm, rather than a conscious commitment. It appears as if the underlying message in many of the world religions are similar in an aim to be good human beings for whatever belief it may be, yet if indeed the majority of the world genuinely consider themselves religious, especially our world leaders, then why is there so much violence in our world today?

We are now in Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) after taking an overnight 12 hour sleeper train which surprisingly was quite comfortable. The air is much nicer in the North and the climate cooler. Tomorrow we are leaving on a three day trek where we will ride elephants, take a bamboo raft down a river and spend two nights with different hill tribes people who live in the nearby mountain ranges. I am really looking forward to it and will post some photos when I get the chance.

Take care all!

-Sean

Hong Kong is an exciting, beautiful, incredible and bizarre city. It is an East meets West, Las Vegas meets New York, W. Bush meets Chairmen Mao type city. The city is in constant motion and due to the neon lights and bright signs, day blurs into night which blurs into dawn as the bar districts remain full mid-week of people who must work the next day. It is a total work hard play hard mentality where time is money apparent in the incredible efficiency at which the city works. The city seems to be struggling to find its identity and to prove something on a quest for bigger and better, all culminating into the juxtaposition it finds itself in. Whatever it is, it is a unique place and I really enjoyed it. I can't count the number of times I discovered a new aspect of the city and all I could say was "wow, what a city" and smile.

I stayed with Ian's cousin Dave who had a great apartment in the downtown area. He was really good to me and knowing someone who lived there allowed me to see a lot of things that I wouldn't have otherwise. Thanks again Dave!

I was able to explore much of the city in only the 2 days that I was there thanks to the subway and some well earned blisters. The great thing about Hong Kong is although they have a population of 6.8 million people, in 15 minutes you can escape it and have a birds-eye view from a mountain top, a 30 minute ferry ride and be at the beach, or take off for some camping or hiking for the weekend. It is definately something and it should be interesting to see where the city goes as it continually develops.

I am now on the plane having left Hong Kong and heading for Bangkok, Thailand. I have been gone only less than a week. It already feels like a whole lot longer and I am really excited about the next few months. On Sunday I will be meeting up with Ian and Karen and we will be heading North from Bangkok into the country of Laos.

The captain just finished an anouncement on the intercom - Local time in Bangkok, 6:10pm, Current Temperature, 32C.

Take care all!

-Sean

I had a great time this last week and half of travelling. It was characterized by a lot of uncertainty and I had no idea what city I would be in or where I would be sleeping by the end of the day. I am trying to enjoy this feeling of living day to day while I can, as I realize it will not last forever. St. Jean Baptiste was exactly how I remember it, absolutely crazy! People and Quebec flags everywhere in the city. A bunch of people I knew from Trios Pistoles were also in Quebec for the night so we had a little reunion. Again, just like the last time I was there, I felt a little uncomfortable. It is all a bit overwhelming and I had a few instances where someone would start a conversation with me and after hearing my anglophone accent would just leave. Although I have said I have gained a greater appreciation and understanding into why some Quebecois feel this way towards anglophones, I still don't feel this is the correct way to deal with it. We met up with Drew and Rob which was really nice. It is always crazy meeting up with friends from back home when you are both so far away from home, almost surreal. The next night after the St. Jean Baptiste festival, Drew, Rob, Mike and I attempted to hitch hike to Trois Rivieres, Quebec to play in a beach volleyball tourney the next day. It was too late at night and apparently nobody felt safe picking up a 6'3" guy with dreadlocks, so Mike and I met up with our other friends, went to the Dago Bar and slept on the Plains of Abraham. The following day I was able to put up TravelBlogger posters in all the hostels then it was off to Montreal.

Both Quebec and Montreal have been incredibly hot! With the humidity, I definately felt as if I was in the Carribean. 30C at midnight! How can you possibly sleep when it is 30C at midnight? Not too easy, let me tell ya. It was a Sunday when we arrived so we went to the "Tam Tams" in the park. Every Sunday in Montreal, the park is filled with people and their drums, dancing, street vendors and just hanging out in the park for the day. It was so much fun and I randomly ran into all the poeple that I possibly could have in Montreal while I was there. Which is about 5, but still pretty cool nonetheless.

After visiting all the hostels in Montreal with TravelBlogger posters, Scott, Marko, and I spent a night in the A-Team van beside a lake about an hour outside of Montreal. It was nice to get away from the hot city and be near some water. The next day I said my final goodbyes to Scott, Marko and his brother and they dropped me off on the highway 401 to hitch-hike to Toronto and Hamilton and then back to Montreal to do some TravelBlogger stuff and visit friends. I got picked up each time quite quickly and by nice people so I was pretty happy about that:)

I am now on the train heading back to Trois Pistoles for another 5 weeks. There are other students on my train heading there for the first time and I am listening to them talk excitedly about how they don't know what to expect. I guess I could go tell them what an amazing experience awaits them, but I think I will just let them find out for themselves.

All the students from the program were going to Quebec this weekend and since I have been there a few times before I decided that I wouldn't go again. But, it also being my birthday, I didn't want to stay in Trois Pistoles and clebrate by myself, so I thought that I would take off for the weekend to Hamilton and visit Alison. It was quite the trek but I am glad that I went as I had alot of fun and it was nice to get away for a few days...

It has felt alot longer than just a few days. Today was a long day of travel filled with uncertainty as to whether I would actually make it back to Trois Pistoles for class tomorrow. I was lucky to get a couple quick rides hitchiking and made it to Montreal on time to catch the bus to return to Trois Pistoles. However I later found out it was the wrong bus, but it still worked out okay.
*****
I have really gained a deeper understanding for the Quebec culture and people while I have been here. Being from the west coast, I have always felt removed from this and was unable to develop an appreciation of its uniqueness. I was told when I first arrived in Trois Pistoles that we take on different personalities when speaking other languages and in order to truely understand a culture and where they are coming from, you must communicate in their native tongue. I am begining to realise this and it became more clear what was meant tonight on my bus ride home from Montreal.

I was on the bus with a majority of Anglophones and we stopped in a small french speaking town. Repeatedly I observed people, seemingly ignorant trying to speak in English with the workers at the bus station. As if it to make things more clear, they then proceeded to speak louder and condescending followed by being upset when they were not able to effectively communicate. It appeared as though there was this almost hidden barrier that prevented them from communicating not just on a verbal level but also on a human level. It is interesting how one can feel so disconnected with another who does not speak the same language, almost as if you come from two different worlds. Yet, we are all from the same world and although we may speak different languages, hold different beliefs, dress differently, or pray to different gods, in the end we are all the same - human. I think that keeping this fact in mind, a little more effort and a simple genuine smile can go a long way in breaking down such barriers as people realise their similarities as human beings and not the immediate difference in language or appearance. It can be easy to point out differences with eachother on superficial levels and forget about the similarities we all share. The more difficult yet rewarding task is to look past these inconsequential differences and see every person that inhabit this Earth as a brother or sister. The next time you find yourself in a situation where it appears your differences with another are too grand to effectively connect, I urge you to keep in mind our human similarities, approach it with a smile and an open mind, and you may just be surprised by the response you receive and deeper experience that results.

As I near Trois Pistoles on the bus, I find myself comfortable, relaxed and happy to be going 'home.'

I was able to find a ride back to Vancouver which worked out really well as my friend Allan is heading to BC for his brothers wedding and Lysandre is moving to Vancouver to go to school and so is taking her car. From Trois Pistoles I headed to Ottawa for the night then down to visit Alison for a few days, before hitch hiking back up to Ottawa to start the journey home.

I have left the Trois Pistoles bubble to be yet again placed back into reality, my other life complete with responsibilities, life decisions, familiar faces and comfortable routines. How easy it is to fall back into these comfortable routines leaving behind the valuable experiences we have gained in our travels and conforming to the established expectations of familiar faces. There are an infinite amount of experiences in this world if you choose to seek them. All contribute to who we are and help heighten our appreciation of the beauty that is life. I am very grateful for my incredible experiences this summer and the great friends I made along the way. I only hope that I will be able to carry them both with me as a I continue on my journey.

As we were going to be only one hour away and we still had some friends that remained after the program, the next day we headed back to Trois Pistoles for a night before continuing on to Quebec City for St. Jean Baptiste. It was so nice going back to Trois Pistoles for the night. We were listening to Only in Dreams, Weezer as we approached Trois Pistoles, the song slowed down and as it slowly built back up to its peak, we had just come over the hill and for the first time could see the town with the beautiful church and the sun setting on the St. Lawrence River. It was truly an incredible experience that had Marko, Scott and I with big smiles on our faces, and all we could say was “Wow, this is special.” The familiarity of the town was very comforting and felt as if we were coming home after our voyage to the East. Within 5 minutes of walking down the main street, we heard a cars horn which turned out to be our host mom and she insisted that we stay at her house for the night. We had a great time reminiscing on all the good times we had shared there and I was quite surprised with how much French I actually remembered. We spent the remainder of the night with our friends who remained to work in Trois Pistoles after the session ended and of course, ate one last poutine. The next day it was once again time to say goodbye to Trois Pistoles and my francophone family, yet I did find out that there may be a chance I can return in two weeks and take the summer session of the program that I took in the spring. I should find out in the next couple of days if it is possible and then I would have to decide again, but for now it is off to Quebec City for St. Jean Baptiste!