Across a Continent

Imagine having to say goodbye for good. When you move all of your belongings and just go. There are people you won't see again. It is indeed a sad time whether or not is your choice to move. There are places you won't see again, and the landscape is only a memory. It is not the end of the world but it may seem like it.

Let me tell a personal story. I was five maybe six when I first traveled across an entire country to my new home, with my step dad's parents in beautiful British Columbia. From New Brunswick on the east coast all the way to where the sun sets on the West Coast. The drive across was actually quite boring. When we got there it was so much fun. I remember looking back at all our family and friends wanting to stay, but too small to make an impact on the decision.

The drive over, it was my brother and me in the back seat, my mom and stepdad up front. It took a week and about a hundred times of me asking are we there yet? I remember asking it a lot late in the ride, my butt was starting to really ache man. Though I took pictures of my brother on a disposable camera and ate alphabet cereal, so I got along alright.

In British Columbia, we explored the forests, roasted hot dogs on the fire, went fishing and camping. It was weird because my family before my stepdad's family was poor. I didn't use to receive $100 on my birthday. It was nice and we didn't feel like we're not going to be able to pay bills or buy food.

The schooling system was so much better on the West Coast. The work was harder but the teaching methods were better. I made a book in third grade. The school system had a book reading contest, also what they call start student of the week. I think I got it two or three times throughout grade two, and you could get a coupon for a free A&W root beer, an eraser pencils, and just other miscellaneous stuff.

This one time we went to like some sort of adventure playground. I even remember the name, it was Bubbabaloos. You could climb up nets, jump on trampolines, run across bridges, just like McDonald's play place but five times bigger. Something it really takes a child's mind to fully understand how amazing it is. This is where I saw my first Star Wars movie —The Phantom Menace. In the end, my brother and I had an imaginary lightsaber fight. The movie theatre was Empire Theatres. We played ac arcade game called Time Crisis when we were there too.

One summer I was biking and swallowed a bug whole. I was on my way over to a school friend's house. We went sliding across one of those water mat things for kids. It didn't work at first but we eventually got it working. One day after school we played some good old-fashioned laser tag. I eventually kept losing and got fed up with it. Another fun time was when I saved up enough for a PS one. My favorite game was Final Fantasy 7. I played it so much along with Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

After two years we wrapped it up and moved back to New Brunswick. Another week-long adventure in a car to a different part of New Brunswick. Having to make new friends all over again. The nerves were overwhelming every time. One thing I can say is it is not that scary, and sometimes thinking about it is worse than the reality of what is going on. So stop breath in the fresh air and go exploring, nothing like finding a secret spot somewhere too.