and o! this small world

Home.

I have seen so much; each small pocket of the world seems connected only by a flight through the air above 35,000 feet. Each sphere is special with its wonderful people and fantastic landscape, unique in their own way.

It was hard to leave England, especially because the weather was so warm and lovely, when Scotland had been so spectacular. Loch Lomond, Glencoe, Edinburgh, and Glasgow -- it's definitely a place I would like to return to.

Glencoe, Scotland

When I arrived in Halifax, it was raining harder than it had been while I was in England. But Joel was waiting on that other side.

I had the opportunity of meeting many special people while in Nova Scotia; the people who Joel can call family. I was greeted in the congregation as someone who was already known and accepted. They are amazing people - they ought to be, as they managed to coerce me into playing ball hockey. (Ps, I scored.) After being apart for four months, to be together again, to have conversations without an ocean in between, was an incredible blessing. Our goodbye this morning was only for a week, as he's coming back to Ontario next weekend for a very brief visit.

at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia

And now I'm home. Another pocket of family. Back to a semblance of what is considered to be 'normality'.

But life's always an adventure, no matter where you are.

at the end of the day

I dreamed a dream, and tonight it came true. The 25th anniversary of Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre in London, England.

Extremely contented sigh.

Now for less than four hours of sleep, and we're off again.

my bags are packed, but i'm not ready to go

This past week has been an absolute blur. Monday concluded our exams, and Tuesday marked our last day to wander through Oxford (doing the last minute touristy stuff like eating at the Eagle and Child and going to one more service at Christ Church).

We were introduced to Wednesday with extensive drama practice from about 9.30 in the morning to roughly 10.00 at night (with long breaks in between, don't worry). Thursday was a repeat. Friday showed us that we can actually put on a performance with amateurs and limited practice time. Looking back, it was a lot of fun and we did end up enjoying ourselves, the mistakes and the bloopers and the small things going on behind the scenes definitely made the evening memorable.

the cast plus Glena, our director

from left to right:

Wickham, Miss Bingley (also Lady Catherine),

Lydia, Mrs Bennet, Mr Bennet,

Elizabeth, Mary (also Charlotte),

Jane, Mr Darcy, Mr Bingley (also Mr Collins)

The goodbyes started on Saturday; we cleaned the church, dissembled the room which had been our little home at the Baptist Church, and then lay about soaking up the sunshine for the rest of the afternoon (yes, some of us actually have tans. Take that, Canada. It's 20 degrees here, and it's only April), wandering about the town and fawning over the lambs frolicking in the fields - although I still haven't seen one prancing about.

Marion and Andrew opened up their home to us again for the "last hurrah" - a traditional meal of fish and chips.

And now it's Sunday. We've said farewell to the Baptist congregation, our flights and hostels are booked for Scotland for the next week, I, at least, have my bags packed and weighed (and am still under the limit, which means I could have bought those books at Blackwell's), and all that is left is to put the finishing touches on my essay which is to be resubmitted. And tomorrow we leave. They say time flies when you're having fun and it really has. I can't believe that three months have slipped away so suddenly.

Our bus leaves at 7.30 tomorrow morning to London.

Until I arrive in Halifax, cheerio!

the road it goes ever on and on

Today was our last day in Oxford.

Time passes so quickly.