My UWC-adventure in Canada: At Pearson, term 2

I'm ridiculously bad at keeping this blog updated and although I have lots of excuses, I think the main cause for this is me simply forgetting about it. Anyhow, it would be extremely hard for me to summarize basically all of my first term and so instead, I will try to post things here more continuously.
Like a lot of students here, I couldn't fly back home over winter break as Canada and Sweden are quite far apart and so the flight tickets are extremely expensive. Instead, I spent the break at a host family together with three other students. They were very kind people who not only let us stay at their house and fed us for the entire three weeks, but also took time to show us some of the surroundings and make us feel at home. I'm actually seeing them again in a few days, as we are going to a concert in Metchosin together.

During the winter break, I visited Victoria (the nearest real city) to go to the museum, buy stuff, go to the cinema, see some friends and just walk around in the quite beautiful city center. Also, I spent a lot of time baking, reading, walking along several beaches and going on adventures with both host parents and other students. All in all, although I studied way too little and missed my family sometimes, it was quite a lovely time.

Coming back to Pearson was somewhat overwhelming, but that is just what Pearson is and I've grown to love it most of the time. We are starting to prepare for the big annual show called "One World" which Pearson does every year. I will definitely write more about it soon. Also, the expectations and demands regarding academics seem to have increased quite a bit for first-years compared to last term. I'm currently preparing for my final exams in Swedish A Self-taught, which takes a lot of time and energy. Finding a balance between sleep, academics, activities, socializing and having self-time is still somewhat of a struggle for a lot of people, but I feel that I've gotten more used to it.

Seeing posts in application groups for UWC and hearing about interviews etc. brings back a lot of memories from this time last year. I remember dreaming so badly about being selected to go to a UWC. How I was so nervous and so excited at the same time. And how I had no idea of what my chances were. It still feels pretty surreal to be here now. Remembering how happy I was when I actually got selected really motivates me to do what I can to not get caught-up in the everyday routines where it becomes hard to appreciate how amazing it is to be here, but instead really work for making this the experience I imagined it to be. For example, I've promised myself to go on more adventures with people, explore the surroundings, try new things, have more deep discussions and just reminding myself of what a wonderful, unique place Pearson actually is.