Souvenirs From Across the World is a feature created by Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books! It was created so all of us bloggers could get more acquainted with one another, sharing “our countries, cities, cultures, traditions, writers, authors” through blog posts, and then (if you want to) getting paired with another blogger and sending one another souvenirs through the mail!
The main goal of Souvenirs From Across The World is to create a link between all bloggers, from everywhere, and to share a bit of the diversity that makes everyone unique on the blogosphere.
Since hearing about the last #SFATW feature a few months ago, I’ve been excited for the second round so I could give it a go! This month’s theme is ‘Things I Love About [your country/city]’, and I’m happy to share some things I love about Canada/Ontario!
1. The Outdoors
This probably isn’t specific to Canada, but I genuinely love how much we value spending time outside, preserving natural spaces through provincial parks and trails and heritage sites. Both my adopted hometowns (the one I go to school in, and the one my parents live in) have so many lovely walks, beaches, and breathtaking views. My school even has a river running through campus, and if that’s not awesome, I don’t know what is!
5AM kayaking at the provincial park I camp at every year
White trilliums are the Ontario provincial flower; they grow wild and it’s illegal to pick them!
2. The Snow
Although there are definitely times I curse the snow, and wish for summer (usually when waiting for a bus in -30 degrees weather) I really do love it. I remember in my first year of uni, there were a bunch of international students living in my building, and when the first snow came around, they all went out and played in it like kids, in total wonderment! It was so humbling. Of course, two days later they were all wishing it didn’t exist, but it really is quite magical. Some of my favourite memories are blanketed in snow. I’ll take the cold over the excessive heat we’ve been having lately any day.
Me, on a road trip with a friend, standing on a snow covered field (with lake Ontario in the distance)
My campus in the winter (that’s the river running through the middle!)
My campus again, this time with the view from the library
3. Apple Picking
This is more specific to where in Ontario I actually live – there are apple farms everywhere! In the fall, it’s a family tradition to go apple picking a few times, making applesauce, apple pie, and apple crisp!
4. The Road Trips
Because Canada Ontario is so big (you could drive 5 hours and still be in the province), we end up going on a lot of road trips, which I love! My family and I have driven east from Ontario as far as P.E.I. (which is absolutely stunning!) and north to the very top of Ontario, and we’ve gone south into the U.S. All that’s left is to go out west (and probably more to the north), which I my brother and I plan to do once he finishes high school!
This was taken when we went out east a few years ago, on the boat while whale watching (AND WE SAW A POD OF BLUE WHALES, WHICH ARE MY FAVOURITE)
The flower pot rocks in New Brunswick!
There are just so many beautiful places in Canada! Ben Brown (a Youtuber) also made this absolutely breathtaking video of western Canada, which you should definitely check out!
5. The People
Okay, okay, so Canadians have a pretty cliché reputation around the world, and while we don’t all ride polar bears/ski to work, or play hockey, or apologize every other sentence, I find most Canadians to be genuinely nice people. Of course being Canadian doesn’t guarantee kindness, but I love walking down the street and smiling/saying good morning to someone, or having a casual conversation with a complete stranger.

And most people are very accepting of difference. There’s a lot of diversity here. This is probably my smaller town roots getting nostalgic, but there’s a sense of community that comes with being Canadian. You can meet another Canadian in a completely different country, and it’s often like talking to a neighbour.
That’s my list! Check out the #SFATW schedule here so you can participate too! Happy Wednesday!
Loved this post! Especially all the photos. Apple picking is so much fun, I’m waiting for October till the green apples come out to go with my family and dog. Just like you, I prefer the snow over too much heat anyways. You’re so lucky to have beautiful views even when your home or at school =)
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Oh my goodness, green apples are definitely worth the wait 😄 I’ll take Autumn over Summer any day. Thanks so much!
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You’re very welcome!!
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This is a brilliant post and in the UK, where I live especially, I love to do on walks and appreciate the countryside, as well as my beautiful city!! Those pictures are beautiful, would love to visit Canada one day! 🙂
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Oh, I have some family in the UK and when I visited them a few years ago, the beautiful walks and countryside were one of my favourite parts! I hope you get to visit Canada one day! 😄
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This was such a wonderful post, thank you so, so much for contributing to my little feature, and for sharing your thoughts about Canada! Oh I really love this place – well, I haven’t been there yet, but it’s one of my biggest dreams to get there someday. To do a road trip, to discover big cities as well as small towns, see it when it’s snowing and when it’s really sunny. I just really want to go there, and …. I love apples A LOT, I really want to go apple picking as well, now! 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post, and those pictures are all so beautiful! 🙂
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Oh and thank you for creating it! I hope you get to visit Canada some day 😄 Your post made me want to go to France even more than I already did before (which was quite a lot)! Thanks again 😊
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Beautiful post!! I’ve always wanted to visit Canada and am seriously considering moving to Newfoundland because, like you, I find the heat unbearable and it’s always ‘crappy’ weather over there :D. As someone who’s been engaged to a Canadian, I can attest to the friendliness of the people. His family was SO welcoming and non-judgemental (in the end, he turned out to be a dipshit, sadly, but that’s besides the point 😉 ).
But yeah, *sighs* love these pictures!
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Yes, I’ve met quite a few dipshit Canadians myself, lol. I’m sorry to hear you had a bad experience with one! On the whole I think we’re pretty good. 😜 Thanks so much!
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Hahaha, there are dipshits everywhere XD but yes, very hospitable you guys are! 😉
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Canada seems like such an amazing place! It’s definitely somewhere I hope to visit one day soon. It looks and sounds so beautiful.
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Yes! It’s got its problems like any other place, but it really is quite beautiful 😄 I hope you get to see it one day!
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I love this blog post for a lot of reasons, starting with the fact that we’re both Canadian. I think you touched on everything there is to love about Canada/Ontario perfectly. Apple picking is a family tradition for mine as well, as are road trips! I don’t share your love of the snow, but out West, especially British Columbia, has captured my heart. I definitely agree with you on the people 😉 Great post!
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Canada looks beautiful! It really seems appropriate for a road trip! Those views are really stunning, plus I’ve always wanted to experience what winter is like and Canada seems to be the best place for that. It must be super cold up in the north, not sure if I can handle that.
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