Well I guess we had to go there.........

Having reduced the number of Frost's to two and increased the numbers of cars to one it was time to "have a bit of a go". On our calendar there were two appointments for the same weekend. An Exchange Teacher's welcome to Canada followed by a conference and information session in Toronto. Or a welcome home party for our friends Greg, Marianna Caralina, Maea and Julia and their family who were in Jerrebomberra last year. The welcome home was in C#**#@*wood. 

So what would you do?

Well I'll you what we did, it was easy!

WE WENT TO BOTH, OF COURSE!!!!!!!!

What a wonderful new friend Garmin the GPS has has turned out to be. Not sure whether it is a he or she but whatever it sure seems to be able to find its way around which makes for a lot less stress in and around the CuRVee.

We had arranged to stay with  Cheryl Howe in Toronto. She had done 2 exchanges to Australia and the latest on was as Principal of Sutton PS, which is a school and an area that I knew reasonably well having presented a Surf and Water Safety talk there. Sutton is also near the home base of a couple of well known beekeeping families, Cheryl knew both the Bingley and Kershaw families well.

We were driven to the welcome which was good as we walked through the door and were welcomed with a drink, I guess we were in the right place at the right time. The welcome was, in a word, welcoming! LOL!! It was nice to meet some of the peopole who have done a similar thing to Julie and transferred 24,000km to start teaching different kids in a different place and in a vastly different climate...

After we were collected we returned to Cheryl's and talked Australia, Canada, Exchanges, kids, teachers, parents, Departments of Education, travel and weather. Oh and as Cheryl was a wine lover we talked WINE!!!!

The next morning saw us in a High School meeting with the Canadian League of Education Exchange (CLEE). This was an informative, valuable and entertaining meeting and I'm sure we benefited greatly.

Following the meeting we headed to lunch at the Swiss Chalet (yet another restuarant chain) with Ingrid, Belinda and Emma who are the youngest of this year's exchange teachers and have yet to get cars. Unfortunately we and Garmin the GPS disagreed on where the Swiss Chalet actually was so it took a bit longer to get there than we had hoped. Never mind we got there and the food was good and even "Frosty friendly".

Well then we had to bite the bullet and head to Collingwood. It's a hard thing for a couple of true supporters of the only team, the mighty Saints to go to a place called Collingwood after last year. I don't really know how it happened but in 2009 became friends with an Exchange Family who became Geelong supporters and in 2010 became friends with people who became Collingwood  supporters. I think I'll make everyone I meet this year pledge allegiance to the Mighty Saints!!!!!

Apart from those minor issues it was a great night. They and their extended family were amazingly friendly and inclusive which is something which seems to ingrained in all Canadians. And they have such great houses!!!!

The trip home took us along a similar route to our trip from Owen Sound which made it a little easier for both the driver and the navigators (me and Garmin) and this time Jimmy and Frank hadn't left a train parked on the road. However, there was quite a bit of snow falling and on the road but I guess it is winter......