Whalewatching

Yesterday it was a bit late and so I'm writing today.

Yes, I went whale watching with some schoolmates. Before we left, we were informed that our boat was broken and we couldn't go out with it. But instead, we would watch the whales with Skodjak boats. I think that in terms of visibility and fan, the Skodjak boats are much more interesting. The two places in the front of the boat are more exposed to the wind and the waves than the back rows, but you have a clear view of the water. So I was in the front seat, even though I don't like roller coasters. But the sea was very calm and the ride wasn't that wild. The person behind me got a little wet from the water splashing up.

First of all: Yes, we saw whales. Unfortunately, they didn't jump for joy because of us, so we could only see the dorsal fin of a group of 5 different sized orcas. This group is the only one currently staying here.

But not only orcas, but also otters, sea lions and a lone wolf on its lonely islands could be observed. This wolf lives on two lonely islands, swimming back and forth, and apparently even has its own Facebook blog. It's amazing what there is. I didn't see any power lines being laid to these islands.

This morning I went to a church service at the "Parkdale Evangelical Free Church" and tried to use my English. I was immediately greeted and warmly welcomed upon arrival. It reminded me of our FEG in Visp. Today there was a communal lunch in the congregation. Hot dog or hamburger. I took "and". Everyone made their sandwiches as they pleased. I surprisingly spoke English quite well. Now, on Saturdays that I'm here, I will go to an English for Foreigners class to make even more use of my time.

I had lunch with the family again to not offend the host mother. I hope I don't gain too much weight when I return home. Otherwise, I may have to go shopping for new clothes and pay extra for the flight.

In the afternoon, the host parents and I took a trip to Sidney. Not all the way to Australia, but only 30 km north of Victoria, where the airport is. A small town with many streets and shops. On the way, we took a walk on the beach.

From Tuesday, I have a monthly bus pass and can ride any bus for free in the entire area. So I might go there again. We'll see. But I also want to visit a place where I can see and photograph bald eagles. I have already inquired about this. But these birds don't live in a city, so I have to travel a bit further. This will be easier with the pass, even if I miss a stop. I also saw nests of owls in a forest near my "place of residence", so I asked about them too. I will visit them one evening as well.

Five weeks are not enough to see everything. Vancouver Island is slightly larger than the canton of Valais. How much have you seen of our beautiful canton? But since I don't just travel but also want to learn English, my excursions are limited to the afternoon. And there is still much to see. I'm curious what I will write in the next blog. What day is it? I can't say yet. Be surprised, just like I will be surprised. But you can also give me feedback. I have Wi-Fi with the family and WhatsApp works too. Just 9 hours behind. So until the next blog.