I had no idea that my first trip to Nova Scotia Canada would be such a life changing experience. We traveled there for my Grandmothers family reunion in 2014. I felt like I was transported back in time. The people I met had traditional values that dated back to old ancestors. The city of Halifax Nova Scotia was where my grandmother was born and raised. During this trip I met family members that I never knew existed. My Canadian relatives had a very warm welcoming presence that made me feel at home. Even the people I had never met were so thoughtful and accepting. This is a feeling that I’ve never felt before, which is what made it so special. I felt like I belonged.
Halifax is a very historic city that was founded in 1749 and has kept its history alive. Everywhere I looked brought history to life. One day we went on an amphibious vehicle called the hopper that toured historic buildings including the town clock and the citadel. The citadel was in a strategic location designed to guard the city during war times. The inside of the citadel made me feel like I was stepping back into time. After touring the city, the hopper headed for the harbor to tour the waterfront and shipyards. From the harbor, I thought it was very interesting to see the contrast between old historic buildings and the modern high rises.
I got to go ocean fishing and fly fishing with my great uncle who was excited to share the Canadian culture with me. After the fishing trip, my Uncle Ron took the time to show me how to prepare the fish and get it ready for the barbeque. It was one of the best fish I have ever had and
was one of my favorite experiences of the trip. I was introduced to a wide variety of sea food, including, lobster, calamari, mackerel, bacon wrapped scallops and even fresh caught muscles. Everything tasted good except the calamari looked like it was still alive and the lobster roe kind of grossed me out. The McDonalds even served lobster rolls and other sea foods which I found very amusing. I have never had so much sea food in my life.
My whole family had reserved a resort in the community of Hubbard’s, about 30 miles outside the city of Halifax. It was located on a large saltwater bay. One of my favorite things about the resort was that we had our own private dock reserved for our family. Two of my cousins docked their boats there and we also had access to kayaks. I enjoyed sitting on the dock at the bay watching the locals paddle up in their kayaks. Each and every one of them made conservation with me and welcomed me to Hubbard’s. On the second day, I could not resist hopping in one of the kayaks and paddling away around the bay as fast as I could. I also had a fun time jumping off the dock with my cousins and swimming across the bay to a small island. Every day was a new adventure, bringing new experiences into my life.
The day before I left, another new experience came my way. My uncle brought his scuba gear and got me all suited up so I could attempt to catch some crab with my bare hands. As the crabs ran away from me as fast as they could, they reminded me of big crunchy spiders and sent me in the other direction as well. As much as I wanted to catch some crab, it didn’t end up happening. The water was very cold and had a high amount of salt in it, which made it difficult getting to the bottom. My body just wanted to float to the surface. All in all, it was another awesome experience that left me with another happy memory.
I had no clue that this trip was going to make such an impact on my life. I left Canada with a new sense of family. My new-found family taught me what family is really all about.
I came home with a new appreciation of spending time together and sharing so many memories together. Seeing where my grandma was born and how she grew up gave me a glimpse of my family roots that I have never been aware of till that time. I had no idea that my first trip to Nova Scotia was going to be such a life changing experience. I can’t wait to go again and reunite with my Canadian Relatives!
