Smile!

It has been brought to my attention that my posts so far make me sound incredibly bitter and unhappy. I have only written about things so far that overwhelmed me, and not every person has treated me like an outsider. So let me take this time to write about something happier! The reason I left my comfortable life in D.mond and came here to K-town is for school. I LOVE my school. It's a pretty small and new university, the prof's are some of the best and I get to study while surrounded by nature. Being at this school has really made me think about things I never thought about. My classmates for the most part have stimulated me and challenged me to broaden my perspective. I've had such interesting discussions and heard stories that touched me in a way words rarely do. As much as I whine about being treated differently, the challenges I've faced here (mostly in pubs and on the bus) has allowed me to know myself better. Also, I may have made K-town sound like a horrible place to come to. That is so not the case!! This town is so beautiful, in terms of landscape and surrounding nature, the awesome ski mountains, the lakes, and so much more. The people really are great too, for the most part. Locals here are incredibly friendly and welcoming (for the most part), and they are so proud of their city. Living away from my parents (sorry mummi) has been the best part of living here as well. Growing up as an asian person in D.mond is a unique experience because I was always part of the marjority although that's not the case in the rest of Canada. Living in K-town has given me a taste of what it's like to live in Canada as a visible minority, and I'm actually thankful for that. I mean, as much as I complain about being denied my Canadian identity, the labels I carry with me should have no effect on who I really am as a person. It's all made-up anyway, my dual identities mesh well inside me, and what I'm labeled on the outside shouldn't matter. Being here has reminded me of that. Plus, I've skiied some of the best powder I've ever seen!! I really am glad to be here, and wouldn't trade my experiences for anything.