Canada
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Kathleen Lake
When you drive the Alice Lake Loop towards Port McNeill, you change elevations many times. One descent gives an amazing view of a calm lake below. This stunning view of Kathleen Lake is only visible between the trees in a few spots. If possible stop to take it in but be aware of active logging. Once you reach the bottom of the mountain, you take a few side roads and make your way to the south end of Kathleen Lake. The lake is located in a valley, surrounded by mountains. It provides you with beautiful views. Every time we go to the lake it is calm and smooth, even in…
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Travel During COVID-19
hav We are currently living through an unprecedented time. The rise of COVID-19 has shuttered many boarders. For the last few weeks travel during COVID-19 has been all but eliminated, even locally. While it makes me sad I understand. I would never want to risk bringing this virus back to my parents or grandparents. With summer approaching I have been making travel plans for counties all over the globe. Planning what if I went to east Africa, what if I went to New Zealand. All the while knowing that there is little chance of these and other countries opening up their borders. British Columbia doesn’t plan to open it’s boarder…
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Zoo Sauvage – Quebec
We went to the zoo on a school day. Class ended early that day. We had to be on the bus at 11:30. We received a paper bag lunch. Sandwiches, a juice box, macaroni salad, and a cookie. We ate on the bus. It was a two-hour drive to the zoo. I read more of my book. When we arrived at Zoo Sauvage we started by watching a film, telling us about the animals. Then suddenly there are snakes on the screen and everyone feels something brush the back of their legs from under the seat. Everyone screamed. It was very funny. The best part was when the snake was…
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Rafting – Quebec
The Explore program created two groups again. And again I am glad I was not with the morning rafters. I heard them up and leaving at just before 7 am. I had a quick laugh and went right back to sleep. We did not have to leave until just after noon. I spent the morning lounging around reading. Then I packed a warm change of clothes for after rafting. The bus ride was just over an hour… joy oh joy. But it was fine, I chatted with the girls in franglish. We dressed in wet-suits when we arrived. But they ran out of dry suits and some of us (me) had…
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Cape Trinity, Quebec
One weekend the Explore Program took us on an hour and a half bus ride to Cape Trinity. Cape Trinity is a 3.5km hike up the side of a mountain. At the time it felt straight up. It was really tiring and took about an hour and a half to walk up. The purpose of the hike was to see a statue that was placed at the top of the mountain. The story goes a man had once fallen through the ice of the fjord. He promised God that is he survived that would build a statue of the Virgin Mary at the top of the mountain. The man survived…
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Fjord d’Abres, Quebec
Fjord d’Abres is a tree-top adventure course. You use nets and ropes and zip lines to cross a course through the trees. We went in small groups to take some pressure off the business. My group was scheduled for the afternoon. We left just after lunch to arrive around 1. We signed waivers provided by Fjord d’Abres and then we were suited into harnesses and helmets. Then we were given the safety shpeal in English and set free onto the courses. It starts with the easy course, to get everyone used to using their tools, and to the kinds of challenges that are present in the course. When that course…
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Val-Jalbert, Quebec
Val-Jalbert is an abandoned town that used to be a pulp mill. The mill was built at the bottom of a waterfall and saw about two decades of success. When the mill was shut down the town was quickly abandoned. Today the Val-Jalbert is billed as a ghost town with some of the original buildings still standing. You can go inside the schoolhouse, the hotel, and the church There is also a cable car that takes you to the top of the waterfall to give you a view of the entire town. We spent the day touring the buildings and learning about the town when it was an active mill…
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Explore Program – Québec
What is the Explore Program? Explore is an intensive French-immersion program that is offered during the spring or summer for people with any skill level in French. Participants are awarded a place and funding covers tuition fees for the course, instructional materials, meals, and accommodation. You will discover another region of Canada while learning French in classes adapted to your language level. Through classroom instruction, workshops, socio-cultural activities, and field trips, you will not only improve your language skills, but discover the culture of a new region as well, all while exploring, meeting new people from across the country, and exchanging ideas in a stimulating environment perfect for learning the French…