The word “nuts’nuts’a’shun” is included in the title for two reasons. The first one being, that it means snowflakes in Hul’q’umi’num language spoken by the Snuneymuxw First Nation in and around Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, and since winter has already arrived (as much as it can in the Pacific Northwest), we have already seen some snowflakes gracefully flowing in the air. The second reason is, that especially during the first days of my orientation here at Vancouver Island University, I was told several times, that the city of Nanaimo is built on the 1st Nations’ holy grounds, and everyone should respect that. In general, the 1st Nations’ are a staple part of the past and present of Nanaimo.
I arrived here in late August, when the weather was still rather warm and I enjoyed the beautiful views on and off Vancouver Island. Since then there’s been this and that to complain, but that’s a different story for a different time..
I had never been to Canada before, and it is not often that I get to see mountains like the ones in British Columbia, so I was completely in awe when I took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay, BC to Departure Bay, BC.
I’m a 3rd year International Business student, and I set out to study accounting, finance, and economics here at VIU. One of the best things about VIU as a university is, that there are so many different courses to choose from, that it was almost impossible to pick just a few! Not just that, but some of my friends chose to study the wine industry (their first homework was to buy a wine glass to taste some samples in the following classes..), Chinese, and professional time management just to name a few.
Vancouver Island’s nature is truly amazing, from the mountaintops and very Finnish-esque forests to the massive Pacific Ocean’s shore in Tofino, BC. For a person who loves the nature and different outdoor activities like myself, Vancouver Island takes your breath away. Just be sure to grab your raincoat and umbrella, as the weather is definitely not always like in these pictures..
I only have a bit more than a week left until I depart from Vancouver Island, and several exams will keep me busy, but I can’t wait!
Cheers,
– Kasperi
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