Durham City Center
With only two weeks left before I leave, I thought it would be appropriate to list 5 things that I want to do before I leave Vancouver! Without further ado, here we go!
Visit With Friends
So I’m going on exchange and will be leaving my friends behind for a year! As excited as I am to go away, I know I’ll miss having my friends around so I want to visit with as many of them as I possibly can. These are people I have come to know and love over my years of living in Vancouver and seeing them before I leave means a lot to me. Whether it’s a swim at iconic Kits Beach Pool or just grabbing a coffee and catching up, seeing friends before you leave is an absolute must.
Be A Tourist In My Own City
While I’m going away and will be a tourist for the next nine months, I came to the realization this summer that there are tons of things to see and do (and eat) in this wonderful city of mine that I’ve never taken advantage of. Before I leave, I want to be a tourist in my own city. I want to visit the most beautiful sights, take in the culture of the city I was raised in, do the things I’ve just kept putting off. As a bonus, it’s all good training for this year when I’m abroad and I actually will be a tourist with only nine months to fit everything I want to do in.
Work, Work, Work
While I’m on exchange, I don’t plan on working as I want to take advantage of my time abroad to explore Durham, England, and Europe. Obviously though and exchange isn’t cheap and anything I can do to make it more affordable would be helpful, so before I leave I’ll be working as much as I can. I definitely would rather work in Vancouver before I leave then in Durham once I arrive.
Plan Everything
Building of the last point, going on exchange is complicated. There are a million things I need to do before I go and a million things I need to when I get there. From speaking with advising at UBC to getting an International Student Identification Card, it’s hard to keep track of the things I need to do. Making lists and forcing myself to follow through with the tasks on them has been incredibly helpful. Plus the feeling of checking an item off the list is great!
Have Fun!
Going on exchange is about fun! It’s about adventure, excitement, and growth! In the two weeks before I go I want to have as much fun as possible, even with all the other things I want to do before I go. I want to smile, laugh, joke around, and have an all around good time before I leave. I’ve taken up swimming at an outdoor pool with a view, I’m spending time with family, I’m seeing friends. Every day I try to do something exciting or something that makes me happy. Life is worth living and that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Yours in blogging,
Dude Does Durham.