As finals and important deadlines loom, Western has acquired a conscientious air, quite distinct from the early days of O-week and Homecoming. Deadlines now seem to be twice weekly, which has been difficult to get used to compared to the workload at Southampton, however the weighting of assignments and the work involved is relatively less.
Fall study break over Halloween gave us the opportunity to travel, so with the advent of snow and colder weather, we booked a last minute vacation to the Caribbean – Cuba!! Travelling to Cuba from Toronto is relatively easy (only a four hour plane ride) as well as affordable; the perfect opportunity for a mid-semester break from work. The island itself was stunning and the cultural aspects were also fascinating; it was interesting to witness for ourselves the adverse effects of the U.S embargo on the Cuban population.
Upon our return from Cuba, the mid-term season was truly underway. The style of the mid-terms for my modules was slightly more unusual than anything I was used to at Southampton, and in a sense it seemed more informal. The structure of the mid-terms tended to range from multiple choice to a mix of short-answer questions, to test your understanding thus far – the turn around for these results is also extremely rapid – from 1 to 5 days. If your performance in these mid-terms is not quite what you had hoped for, or you believe that you could do better; the majority of lecturers also offer the opportunity to re-take these mid-terms.
The food in Rez is getting rather tiring – but if you love fries or any other potato based, deep-fried delicacy, you’ll get along just fine! The Canadian food hasn’t made much of an impression so far, and if you’re a cheese lover – forget trying to find any real cheese which hasn’t been processed to the point that it is only suitable to slide in a burger! Having said all this, Canadian poutine can not be beaten, with so many numerous varieties for every taste bud!
As my time here at Western draws close to an end, I realise just how lucky I have been to be living on the Global Village Floor at Delaware Hall. Our weekly floor meetings, have reminded me of the family nature of our floor and how amazing it has been to make so many great friends from around the world! The Western motto certainly rings true – that Western truly does become your home.
The thought of leaving in a month’s time really saddens me, but I know that I can hold with me, the knowledge that I have made friends and memories for life! Distance can only strengthen friendships, eh?
Mid-terms followed by Cuba Libres