Ok, I'm here... Now what?
Well...
My story begins on Saturday May 14, 2005... Well it begins a little before that...
As a part of my Mechanical engineering studies at the University of Victoria (UVIC) we are required to perform ~400 hours of applied work study for graduation; and I was presented with this opportunity.
The last 3 or so weeks have been spend scrambling to put together passport and other such paperwork so I might be able to successfully enter the United States. This scrambling involved generally a lot of driving including a 2-day 869kms, Victoria down-and-back (yes, I know this is not the first time that anybody has done something like that, just thought I would share)
I packed up Thursday night, a computer tower, a 79lb suitcase (as the airline scale tells me), and a day-pack. I finished with a enough time to get one more evening with the old-old school, had a drink and some food with Simeon, Ryan and just about the whole Kamloops "East Side Mario's" crew.
Dad and I loaded up Friday morning, and fired off, down to Surrey to pick up passport and then basically kill time until my 8am flight on Saturday. We picked up the passport and then tried to find a card board computer box and packing material; suprisingly difficult. (is their any place else in the world, other than Richmond where there 4 computer stores on one block?). We Grabbed Supper at Hon's and I has a little more time to say some good-byes; John, Lyndsey and I grabbed a beer at one of the hotel pubs on SE Marine.
** Nobody should be offended by this... I have soo many good friends in the Vancouver area but didn't have enough time to see everybody, I apologize.
The next morning I found myself in waiting in-line at the Harmony Airlines desk at Vancouver International. Check-in, is well Check-in... Pretty boring stuff. I couldn't have asked for my experience with US-immigration ("Department of Homeland Security", good name guys?) to have gone better, They pretty much just waived me through. Which is pretty awesome, as that had the potential to make things very stressful, as they certainly do not have to let me into their country.
6.1hrs of flight later I found my self in Honolulu, it was about this time that I actually realized that I had left Canada. Its kind funny how that stuff works sometimes. I grabbed a quick bite, then took a 30min hop upto Hilo, where I will be staying for the next 8mo!
I was picked up from the Hilo, International Airport (about the size of Abbotsford Int.) By my Supervisor, Tomas's wife. She dropped me by my apartment the University Palms, Right on the edge of the University of Hawaii-Hilo Campus. The apartment is catering to the students and is set up much like the apartment style cluster housing at UVIC, yes I do have a room mate.
My story begins on Saturday May 14, 2005... Well it begins a little before that...
As a part of my Mechanical engineering studies at the University of Victoria (UVIC) we are required to perform ~400 hours of applied work study for graduation; and I was presented with this opportunity.
The last 3 or so weeks have been spend scrambling to put together passport and other such paperwork so I might be able to successfully enter the United States. This scrambling involved generally a lot of driving including a 2-day 869kms, Victoria down-and-back (yes, I know this is not the first time that anybody has done something like that, just thought I would share)
I packed up Thursday night, a computer tower, a 79lb suitcase (as the airline scale tells me), and a day-pack. I finished with a enough time to get one more evening with the old-old school, had a drink and some food with Simeon, Ryan and just about the whole Kamloops "East Side Mario's" crew.
Dad and I loaded up Friday morning, and fired off, down to Surrey to pick up passport and then basically kill time until my 8am flight on Saturday. We picked up the passport and then tried to find a card board computer box and packing material; suprisingly difficult. (is their any place else in the world, other than Richmond where there 4 computer stores on one block?). We Grabbed Supper at Hon's and I has a little more time to say some good-byes; John, Lyndsey and I grabbed a beer at one of the hotel pubs on SE Marine.
** Nobody should be offended by this... I have soo many good friends in the Vancouver area but didn't have enough time to see everybody, I apologize.
The next morning I found myself in waiting in-line at the Harmony Airlines desk at Vancouver International. Check-in, is well Check-in... Pretty boring stuff. I couldn't have asked for my experience with US-immigration ("Department of Homeland Security", good name guys?) to have gone better, They pretty much just waived me through. Which is pretty awesome, as that had the potential to make things very stressful, as they certainly do not have to let me into their country.
6.1hrs of flight later I found my self in Honolulu, it was about this time that I actually realized that I had left Canada. Its kind funny how that stuff works sometimes. I grabbed a quick bite, then took a 30min hop upto Hilo, where I will be staying for the next 8mo!
I was picked up from the Hilo, International Airport (about the size of Abbotsford Int.) By my Supervisor, Tomas's wife. She dropped me by my apartment the University Palms, Right on the edge of the University of Hawaii-Hilo Campus. The apartment is catering to the students and is set up much like the apartment style cluster housing at UVIC, yes I do have a room mate.
posted by hardy. at 4:51 PM
2 Comments:
Heya you better tell me about your roomie!!! And where are the pictures?? :):):)
So jealous. Can't believe you're in Hawaii. Ugh! Congrats on getting one of these blogs...nice layout ;)
xo C.
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