Stawamus Chief

Guestbook The Most Beautiful Place on Earth

Growing up in British Columbia I always saw the license plates that donned “Beautiful British Columbia.” I grew with this pride as in one direction we were nuzzled by the mountains and on the other we were left to gaze at the vast oceans and major waterways. And somewhere else you can find yourself lost in a luscious green forest with trees that speak stories and tower over you like the skyscrapers in the city. But how does one justify their home as “The Most Beautiful Place on Earth,” when you haven’t been anywhere else?

My most recent travelling experience in Canada occurred in the summer when I travelled to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec to study Aerospace amongst 52 other Air Cadets from all over Canada. With this experience, the true definition of diversity came out and it taught me many things about myself and Canada.

This was farthest east I had ever gone in Canada which provided me with a contrast to what I was used to. I noticed that the same mountains weren’t there and there was no longer an ocean for me to call home. The air was a bit thicker and we came right when there was a heat wave. It felt incredibly different. The way the scents flowed through the air and how all the animals and organisms interacted were different in their own way. The people also spoke differently as I could recognize the French in the air. Being in Western Canada, I never really acknowledged the fact that Canada was bilingual until I went on this trip. But what made the experience jarring and phenomenal were the people.

Each person had their own story of their upbringing. We shared all of our stories and experiences from home and we compared everything, even comparing milk bags and milk cartons. With this, I learned that there are so many other great places in Canada full of diversity, and that the environment that you are raised in greatly affects the person you are. The saying “Absence makes the heart grow fonder” (Unknown) is an incredible force that I felt on this trip. Although what I was seeing and experiencing was new and exciting, I always ended up going back to that point of reference, and that was my home.

When I got back to Vancouver I decided that before I do anymore exploring of Canada I first have to conquer my home. This is so that when I travel outside of British Columbia I can share with Canada the stories of my home. This is why I chose this photo of the Stawamus Chief. I took on this challenging hike right after I came home and every time we stopped at viewpoint I was so grateful to be home and wished that I could show all my friends. This photo was taken as I sat at the edge thinking “Wow, this is my home and I love it so much.” The photo does no justice to the view and the emotions felt that day, but in attempts to share with my friends the beauty of British Columbia, I posted it on my social networking sites and captioned the photo “Beautiful British Columbia”

Vancouver is where my heart is, but when I travelled to Quebec, there was still that sense of home. The idea that we were all Canadian unites us in our heart and souls. Canada is truly a diverse nation, both with its people and the nature. Now that I’ve seen a different environment I still believe that British Columbia is the most beautiful place on earth.