Winter is unfamiliar to me. Coming from a tropical country like Thailand, I’m not accustomed to the cold. It’s a season I’ve experienced only briefly through week-long vacations to places like Japan or Korea. Yet, be it the snow, the sub-zero temperatures, or the seasonal festivities, every time, winter never ceases to amaze me.
Now that I’m a first-year university student in Canada, I’ll be experiencing Canadian winter for the first time. In fact, I had my first taste of snow here just a few days ago! However, I know that I’m still not acclimated to living in a cold climate yet, and I’ll need to adapt. Here’s how I plan to spend my first winter in Canada as an international student from Thailand.
- Embracing winter and participating in winter activities
Undoubtedly, having to live through Canada’s coldest months is something I’ve never experienced before. As such, I intend to make the most of it! There are countless winter activities I’m eager to try — from playing in the snow to ice-fishing, to skiing. Also, ice skating and hockey are especially popular here, so I’ve made plans with friends to explore various ice rinks around Waterloo and Toronto.
- Layering up and buying winter clothes
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown to enjoy fashion as a hobby. Yet, winter fashion is unlike dressing for any other season. You need to buy clothes that look nice, but are also practical and comfortable — they still have to keep you warm in the freezing temperatures! I brought winter jackets and boots from my home country, but I realized that winter clothing is much more affordable in Canada, as they’re considered necessities here. For instance, I took advantage of the early Black Friday sales this week and bought gloves and thermal clothing!
- Sharing winter with my family
Through social media, I’ve been able to alleviate my homesickness by staying connected with my family. Since there won’t be any snow or extremely cold weather back in Thailand, I intend to send them many pictures of Canadian winter to share my experience.
- Going for walks
Waterloo has many trails ideal for walking and cycling, such as the Laurel and Hillside trails. I love walking as a form of exercise, and despite icy grounds, I plan on taking many walks in the winter. My friends from Canada have also advised that getting used to walking on slippery surfaces will help me adapt and get used to walking outside in winter, too!