#63 The time has come

"Perhaps there are better times, but this is ours."

(Jean Paul Sartre)

So that's it now. One last time I will write a new blog post from Canada. Before I forget, there will be another final post. But this will definitely take a week or two to arrive.

Here for your ears:

https://tinyurl.com/ylk5y4ht (1:03 h)

But first about the last few days: Not much has happened. I closed my bank account and went to a barber (photos will be available next time 😋). Otherwise I went to Vedesh, Desmond and Magnet one last time to say goodbye. Of course I also visited the beach several times and yep, that was it. By the time this post is published, I might already be on the plane. If I have WiFi at the airport, please forgive me for not answering you, I have completely different things on my mind right now. 😂😭

And now follows what is probably the hardest chapter in this entire blog:

It's Sunday and I'm sitting on the couch here in the hostel and just thought that I could reflect on my first thoughts. Due to the slight cold, I don't want to do anything and am therefore "trapped" in the hostel. I don't actually want to describe my whole year here again, all previous blog posts are there for that, but in the end it probably boils down to that. 😁 441 days ago I flew to Canada. With the English level of a primary school student and no knowledge of the country. I always thought Vancouver was the capital of Canada, but it's not even the capital of BC 😂

On my first farm I was lucky that Anja and Linda were my German helpers. When I think back to how I needed a break after 30 minutes because it was all too much for me, especially with the English, it's a nice comparison to today. I was able to meet a lot of nice and wonderful people there and of course I am grateful to Anja and Mike for every bread, dinner and working time, because they simply recognized their work so well there. So the love for the garden has probably developed a little, because isn't it nice to harvest your own fruit? ❤️What will never be forgotten here is that I fired a revolver three hours after my arrival. 😂 I took a bullet casing with me as a souvenir.

Then there was a stark contrast. From a very densely “populated” farm I now went to a farm where I was alone. Nevertheless, I was able to learn a lot about herbs and their different areas of application from Robert and Isabelle. The view from the herb bed is unforgettable. So what a gift to be able to have such a view while working. 😍🌄However, I will never forget the slaughter of the goats on my first day. 😅 I have already been able to do “handicraft” work here. So I helped build a house for a day and Robert & I did a few things on his property... although the fence wasn't our successful project. 😂 As a reminder, I have a piece of wood that has been sanded smooth by sand. For what reason? Every now and then I cycled along the “highway” to Winlaw and then rode back along the river. I hated this tour at times due to the length, but the views were amazing every time. Even back then, these rivers captivated me. The clarity of the water was phenomenal. In some places you could almost see right through the entire river. Craziness!

Then we went to Vancouver Island. I spent a few days there with friends I had met on the first farm. I remember being very frustrated at the time because I no longer felt like I “belonged” to the group. Nevertheless, the tours were unforgettable. My first orca for a millisecond and the whole forests. Canada has the only remaining rainforest of its kind on the west coast and yes, it is simply magnificent to look at.

My next route took me to the absolute basics on Salt Spring Island. No proper sanitary facilities. Only the “wood chip toilet” if necessary and then at pleasant temperatures below zero. 🥶No shower, except a bucket of water after the sauna on Fridays. What I will definitely not forget here is “harvesting” the earthworms. Nick had around 100 kg of earthworms in a trailer that had to be fed and watered every day. As a luxury, they had a larger fireplace than I did. I only had a relatively small fireplace for my large yurt because I slept there throughout November. I had to get up every two hours to add more wood so it wouldn't get too cold and the first night I couldn't get a fire going. Yeah! 😁🥶 The view from the mountain at sunrise and sunset was wonderful. I remember that I linked a short video here. 😅This farm definitely made me appreciate the everyday things that I didn't have that month.

My first domestic flight brought me to probably my second greatest adventure: Jenny & David. The decision to go north was the experience of a real Canadian winter, which I wanted to experience and I did. At -35°C, Fatih picked me up in Williams Lake before I went to my longest job here in Canada. All the experiences I have gained in this place would probably be felt here. I had already listed some of them a few weeks ago, but I think it's easiest if I just mention a few things again in bullet points given the length 😁:

• Worked on the construction site at temperatures down to -25 °C
• experienced minus 45 °C 🥶
• Get insights into photography from one of the best photographers.
• Being allowed to use a very expensive camera, which I thankfully spilled tea over.
• Had a view that is priceless. ❤️🌄
• Allowed to drive different vehicles.
• English improved so that I could work with customers.
• Co-led a wildlife workshop.
• Drove the quad across the frozen lake.
• Saw wildlife that I never dreamed I would be able to see. ❤️
• A cathedral was built.
• I had a boss who demanded a lot from me and yet I still appreciated her positive qualities.
• Saw a starry sky that I can't put into words. ❤️😍
• ...

I could go on with this list forever. These are experiences that have affected me now, of course, primarily temporarily, but perhaps. will also have a lasting impact. I would never have had these experiences, really NEVER! can dream. It was the right decision to visit this place, far away from the crowd, because it was the only way I could marvel at the full nature. I fell in love with nature and this area always reminded me how important it is to work for the climate. Not for any political reasons or anything, no. Simply because this planet is so incredibly beautiful and none of us can afford a trip to Mars!

And that stay was interrupted for the greatest gift and adventure of my life so far. A safe road trip with Frodo through BC and Alberta. I was able to enjoy the beauty of nature in a variety of ways for three months. It was a gift! It was a celebration! It was terrific! I'm so grateful that I never really had any problems and despite all the somewhat rash actions (sometimes not boiling water to save gas. Climbing up some rocks in the sleet to reach a glacier without experience, ....) I always did I'm still healthy and happy. 😂 It was a time when you obviously had a lot of time with yourself, maybe. It's not that bad, because at some point you can no longer avoid your own thoughts and you may have to. also deal with yourself. 😅 A one-on-one conversation using the rearview mirror – no, fun. 😂 I was also able to meet such nice people: Vedesh, Sarah and Judith, the couple from Penticton and Kate and CJ, with whom I was able to soak up the Rocky Montanis through their eyes. For someone who only knew the Brocken as a “mountain”, the mountain experiences within these 14 months were incredible and were constantly being topped. Now I know what mountains are. ❤️🌄😅 It can't be put into words!

Back in Tatla Lake, I was able to further expand my practical experience and almost finish the cathedral. I also had the absolute gift of being able to observe grizzlies from just a few meters on the trip to Bella Coola. ❤️I've said this to David again and again that it's incredibly beautiful to be able to simply observe the wild animals in the great outdoors. What animals I was able to see in Tatla Lake. I took a photo of my flyers for you with the animals I saw here in Canada. Not all of the animals are on these flyers. I was able to gain most of my animal experience in Tatala Lake and I am more than grateful for that.

• Hummingbirds, which still fascinate me to this day. ❤️
• The Red-winged Blackbird, which to this day is my absolute favorite photo from that time.
• My current favorite bird will never be forgotten: the Mountain Bluebird, which is simply unbelievable with its intense color. 😍
• Pelicans
• Moose, although I still regret not seeing a fully grown male moose. The failed plan to go to Yukon still hurts to this day.
• Coyotes. In Kamloops I never forget the coyote right behind me while I was brushing my teeth. Or the two coyotes playing under the fog on my last trip to the end of the lake.
• Eagle ❤️
• Fishing marten
• Lynxes
• Black bears, even up close 😅
• ...

Isn't that nice? Oh, I'm so grateful for that. How often I just sat down by the lake and was grateful... it was the most peaceful place I've been able to experience so far.

Then there were the different vehicles that I was allowed to drive. The highlight was the quad rides across the lake, where I blasted myself with techno music so I wouldn't hear the cracking of the ice and just raced quickly across the lake. 😂 But every time this was rewarded with a view that was incredible. The truck, with a trailer at the end, was always a joy and the Jeep... I wouldn't put that on my wish list now. 😅

And then it was time to say goodbye to Trooper for the last time and head to Vancouver. Now my days here in Vancouver are over. I'm on my way to the airport now. I'd be lying if I said I'm fine, that definitely not, but what does that have to do, right? 😋😅 I fell in love with this incredible nature with all its diversity and I don't know where, but in some lake, behind some tree or mountain...somewhere there I lost my heart to this nature. ❤️ I will always consider it an absolute gift that I was able to spend this time of my life here in this country. I'm so incredibly glad that I didn't go to England after graduating from high school. 😂

And so the time has come and I will say goodbye. Farewell to a country to which I am incredibly grateful and whose nature cannot be expressed in words.

Canada, I have and will always love you. ❤️

Samuel 💔