We jumped out of a plane.
Week 2 in UWaterloo was still a week where everyone was still in the Orientation mood and lessons were not that intense yet. Weather was pretty warm, almost reaching 30 degrees on some days. Temperatures fluctuate day by day, some days are chilly but most days are warm. The school was still bustling with activities. There was a carnival with amusement rides set up in school that only cost $2 for a ticket.
Fun at the carnival
We went for our classes during the week, but had plans to get out of town for this weekend. Having come all the way to Canada, we wanted to do something that we wouldn’t be able to do in Singapore, and that was how we ended up at a skydiving facility.
It was not for the faint-hearted, but we felt that it summarises the exact spirit of going for an exchange abroad – to be open to new experiences, step out of our comfort zones and push ourselves to greater heights. Skydiving is an exhilarating sport and we recommend it.
With adrenaline pumping, we felt ready to take on the challenges of school in the coming week.
Tip list:
1) If you plan on going skydiving, the facility we went was SkyDive Toronto (http://www.skydivetoronto.com/), it cost us $450 (including stills, video from a hand camera and after student discount). Skydiving is really safe but expensive so consider wisely.
2) We rented a vehicle to get to the facility too. Learning to drive on the other side of the road may sound daunting at first but we got used to it after the first 15 minutes or so. Just have the person beside the driver constantly reminding the driver to keep to the other side of the road and you should be fine. Car rental can cost around $80 with insurance and young driver (below 25) fees included.
3) Do your assignments early so that weekends can be spent travelling. Study as hard as you play.
