(Otherwise known, by a girl in my lecture, as the “Wannabe New York”. either way, no complaints.)

by Olivia Bucherer-Ezer, University of Toronto, Canada

Exactly two weeks into my adventure, it’s safe to say Toronto was nothing like I expected it to be… (in a good way don’t worry).

Looking back to my pre-departure anxieties -the “what the hell have I signed myself up to do” is so foreign to me now. Waving goodbye to my parents and boarding that gorgeous 8 hour flight with way more baggage than I needed feels like years ago.

Having arrived in Toronto with nowhere to live to now writing this at my sweet little desk in my cool downtown flat, reminds me just how much I have achieved in this experience so far, and how much is yet to come.

From making sense of a – very confusing – transport system, watching my first American football game – very disappointing – to sussing out the most bargain worthy dumpling shops (of which there are many), the city still feels like a bit of a treasure box with tonnes of things I am yet to experience.

I mean who knew the city had beaches and could be so hot!? The 26 degree heat is nothing to complain about, but it is a slight tease considering in only a couple of months we’ll be knee-deep in snow and shivering despite our trusted Uniqlo thermals. None-the-less, the sun has provided a very warm welcome (pun intended) to the incredible city of Toronto.

It’s tricky to sum up the first couple weeks of this adventure into one blog post when I feel like I could type endlessly about how much I’ve enjoyed this experience so far.

However, in a nutshell, I can assure myself that the “what the hell have I signed myself up to do” question has lost it’s anxious edge and remains an exhilarating motivation to make the most of the year ahead.