Life Update: Two Years in Ottawa
It’s hard to believe that we’re starting to pack up our lives in Ottawa. But before getting the boxes out, one must procrastinate by starting a blog and reflecting on the past two years.
Our story isn’t particularly unique - kiwis in their twenties often embark on “the big OE” (that’s Kiwi for overseas experience). Some kiwis pull pints in London, others work ski resorts in Europe or Western Canada, others seek professional opportunities to advance their careers. We fall into the [somewhat less exciting] latter category.
By taking a two-year international secondment, I was able to secure moving support and a pretty low-risk opportunity to try life overseas. Andy’s interchange agreement quickly followed. On my 26th birthday I signed a new employment agreement, and within four months we boarded a plane to Canada.
The last two years has truly flown by.
We traveled:
New England and upstate New York road trip (family wedding in Merrimack, NH)
A million and one camping or cottage weekends by beautiful Ontario lakes
Visited Canadian cities: Halifax, Victoria, Quebec City, Vancouver, Montreal, Niagara Falls, Toronto
Visited US cities: Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Las Vegas
3 weeks golfing and hiking in Scotland
Home to New Zealand for a funeral, and then a wedding. We also had many international visitors stay with us and explore our new home.
View from One World Trade Centre NYC; SUPing on Lac Phillipe; the beautiful village of Invermoriston, Scottish Highlands.
But also, life happened:
It snowed in winter once, and then didn’t really stop. When it did finally stop, it started up again a few months later. Gross.
I ran a marathon and rediscovered my love for knitting, sewing and embroidery. Andy took up table tennis to fill in the long golf-less winter months.
We got engaged!
7.5km sled run at Le Massif de Charlevoix, Quebec; stupidly cute engagement shoot on the Rideau River; visiting Muskrat Lake in the winter
It turns out when you move country, life just goes on. You still have to work, commute, cook dinner and clean your house every week.
The hardest (but most rewarding) thing was finding our new people, our new whanau. And this is why I’m sad to be leaving Ottawa.
I don’t know if it’s because Canadians really do live up to the stereotype, but we were truly welcomed with open arms. Random people I met running are now in it for the long haul. A colleague was recently promoted to bridesmaid. Extended family that happen to live here became our nearest and dearest. And it is to these wonderful people I am eternally grateful.
There is no such thing as temporary family. #sorrynotsorry you’re stuck with us for life!
