The circle is complete

Today is exactly a year from the day I landed in Calgary. A year that flew by like many before, but this one had much more significance attached to it. These beautiful fall colors greeted me in the Rockies when I landed and they are going to greet me goodbye at the very same place. Some may wonder why I mention Rockies. Am I not in the Rockies all the time? No! Coastal mountains and the Rockies are two big mountain chains (each double the surface of the Alps) with a very different geological past. One granite, other limestone. One has much more precipitation due to ocean... Ok, nobody wondered, let's go on.

Wedgemount Lake, BC

Today was my last day at work for this year. Plans are made to do a road / mountaineering trip for next week. After that few days of buying gifts as an ultimate challenge for me. At least some gifts that I can put in my suitcase (excuses, excuses...). Living through that painful experience, 15 hour flight is going to be a piece of cake.

I decided to slow things down and go home for 3,4 months at least and return with new WH or YP, whatever comes first. When I announced that to my GM a month ago, he was pretty happy about it. He said he would be much happier if more guys took some months off during the low season. So my laziness scored me some plus points :D .

Lower Joffre Lake, BC

Northern Lights on Mount Seymour, BC

CELPIP results got in and the score was for Listening and Reading 12, while for Writing and Speaking I got 8. 12 is the maximum grade. I expected a little bit higher grade for Writing but “luckly” it wouldn't change my overall score much. Even though I consider myself a decent speaker, that part of the test was hardest. 30 second preparation for 60 seconds of consistent talk about some random subjects you get, not an easy task. 

Overall, I think I got what I deserved give or take. My preparations were a couple of days long, mostly consisting of taking an example test from CELPIP's official web site. That is by my judgment most important thing, to get familiarized with a way test works. That way you are preventing wasting time and concentration on the format of the test itself. And yes, practiced to talk a little bit in front of the screen. It is amazing how much strange that is. 

My translated diplomas and transcripts from University traveled a lot due to reasons unknown to me. They finally arrived 2 weeks ago and now I'm waiting for WES to do its part. I'm hoping that my Master's will be recognized. Anything less is going to be little disappointing, but not much I can do about it.

With this English test scores, let's say Masters and almost 3 years of experience I would have 410ish points by my calculations. If I got 9s for Writing and Speaking I would already be at 460ish points which would be more than enough for ITA. It is nice to know that if everything fails, I can always try to repeat my test and try to get 9s. I decided to wait for second WH/YP, work 2 more months and then I'll have a year of Canadian experience and I'll apply for the Canadian Experience Class. CEC is just one of the streams for Express Entry. The main difference is that you don't need to have 67 points to be eligible as you need to do when applying for Federal Skilled Worker. Second thing is that you don't need proof founds (12k $ for single person, 15k $ for couple etc.). I saved more than planned and now I can stop worrying about at least that part of immigration process.

Garibaldi Lake, BC

Mario Burek flew home couple of days ago. Good thing we will see each other in Zagreb in less than a month, so saying goodbye was not as romantic as I hopped, no puckanje, no tears, nothing :( . Kirk decided to quit his previous job and take a job in mining up north in Fort Mac. 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Sounds like a good scheme for a (very) good money if you ignore working on -30 degrees. He will be the one bringing heaps of cash to our future household, so can't complain. Vedran decided to move to Vancouver after driving all the way from Calgary just to go out for the weekend. Famous nights at Roxy made him change his life and now he is living 10 minutes away from me.

Some new friends entered the scene and even though they are Serbians, I like them (not to take seriously). Thanks to Nikola I ate Smoki / Domacica / Dzem od kajsije...almost like I was living back home. While we are at the food section, I still didn't feel any urge or craving for home food. There is really too much different food that it can't be boring at any point.

Old hotel in Ymir near Salmo near Nelson, BC

While we are at the food, Marko from Victoria started a new mini series of his Vlogs about “young” Croatian immigrants (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu6_f1Vru9s&feature=youtu.be). For now there are 2 episodes, each in 2 parts, but new ones should be coming soon. Maybe somebody is going to find some useful information at some point of conversations. Regardless of that, Marko came to Victoria with his parents when he was in his junior school. He craves for Riva (in Split) and drinking coffee there as a part of ritual more than drinking coffee itself. It is hard for him to cope with it that I don't care about that at all. One of his questions to Silvije from Zagreb and me was what do we miss from home. My answer was pretty much nothing while Silvije is missing a lot (but far from the decision to go back to live in Croatia). It is going to be fun to track my answer that same question year after year. I'm here only a year, while Silvije is 7. I don't have a family while he has a wife and a child. I left Croatia with 28, he left it couple of years later. I would say that all of those factors play a role in our answers to some degree as well as our characters and our hobbies. And yes, thanks to Marko and his family and rest of the Victoria crew. Janjetina and zeljanica were superb.

Needle Peak traverse, BC

I still don't know the answer what I miss from home. I said it before (too) many times, here is very easy to try to do whatever you imagine. I'll get my first ever photography award next Tuesday, open a small company with a friend who is living in Croatia, start some projects with a mountaineering club, join mountain rescue once I get PR, invest in some engineering courses, work less when I feel like it etc.

Sun has been shining for 5 months straight and only once I was hot during the night. Once! When I return, buy a (used) car, live in the house with some of the friends and in general be more relaxed about life (if possible) and money (possible). I don't know...everything is much more dynamic, if you want it to be.

Area 44, Squamish, BC

Some of my very good friends like to say that my heart is as cold as Canadian average temperatures during the winter. Even though they are joking, sometimes I can be really cold when maybe I shouldn't be. But as we all evolve as a person as long as we are alive, I think this year taught me to be a little bit warmer person. Living far away from your past life thus having limited supply of friends makes you appreciate people more. My theory will soon be tested as soon as I see old pieces of shits called my friends :D 

The second point on the same subject is that I didn't care too much about going home and stuff until I bought a ticket. Then, as the days are coming closer, I feel more and more emotional. I know that is normal and stuff, but I'm not used to that, at all. Probably all those feelings will vanquish after a week or two, but it is nice to feel it.

Last kilometers of 7,841 km long Trans Canada Hwy

Ice cave under the Wedgemount Glacier, BC

The most interesting part will definitely be about my mental picture of life in Canada vs. life in Split with a year long time out. Mentality, nature, ladies, egos, lifestyle, friends...being involved in many things as well as talking too much about everything, it will be a delight to observe all.

Ps. Support to all illiterate people who are being oppressed in every corner of the world! And cheers to Marge, who is probably going to labor as we speak :D