MY DISCOVERY TRIP WAS AN EXCHANGE BETWEEN NFYFC & 4H (THE CANADIAN VERSION OF YFC) VICTORIA BLAKELY FROM CANADA VISITED ENGLAND FOR 5 WEEKS IN JUNE 2012 AND STAYED WITH ME & MY FAMILY FOR 1 WEEK I TRAVELLED TO NEW BRUNSWICK, CANADA FROM THE 11 TH AUGUST 2012 – 17 TH SEPTEMBER 2012 I STAYED WITH VICTORIA FOR 1 OF MY 5 WEEKS IN HER HOME CANADIAN PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK

I ARRIVED IN NEW BRUNSWICK ON 11 TH AUGUST VICTORIA COLLECTED ME FROM THE AIRPORT – IT’S NICE TO SEE A FAMILIAR FACE ON YOUR FIRST DAY IN A NEW COUNTRY NEW BRUNSWICK (NB) IS AN EASTERN PROVINCE OF CANADA THAT BORDERS THE USA THE ONLY BILINGUAL PROVINCE OF CANADA THE CAPITAL OF NEW BRUNSWICK IS FREDERICTON THE FLAG OF NEW BRUNSWICK

1 OF THE 3 MARITIME PROVINCES OF CANADA ALONG WITH NOVA SCOTIA & PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND (P.E.I) APPROXIMATELY 73,000 KM² - JUST OVER ½ THE SIZE OF ENGLAND POPULATION OF 751,000 – 70 X SMALLER THAN THE POPULATION OF ENGLAND 80% OF NEW BRUNSWICK IS FOREST FORESTRY, FARMING & TOURISM ARE THE 3 MAIN INDUSRTIES NEW BRUNSWICK

THE RIORDON FAMILY RUN A DAIRY FARM OF 150 AYRSHIRE CATTLE POKESHAW HAS ITS OWN VILLAGE BEACH  THE RIORDON FAMILY 

ACADIAN DAY – 15/08/12 POKESHAW IS SITUATED IN THE NORTH, FRENCH AREA OF NB ACADIANS ARE THE ORIGINAL FRENCH SETTLES OF CANADA WHO REFUSED TO SWEAR AN OATH TO THE KING OF ENGLAND IN THE 17 TH CENTURY & WERE FORCED TO FLEE 1 DAY A YEAR THE ACADIENS CELEBRATE THEIR PRESENCE IN CANADA BY PARADING & MAKING LOTS OF NOISE EVERYONE WEARS RED, WHITE & BLUE THE ACADIAN FLAG   WE VISITED THE ACADIAN VILLAGE IN GRANDE ANSE WHICH IS A MUSEUM OF THE LIFE OF THE ACADIANS IN CANADA

A CANADIAN WEDDING! THE ENTIRE SERVICE & RECEPTION WAS IN FRENCH THE WEDDING OF THE RIORDANS COUSIN JIMMY THE PLACE SETTINGS TRANSLATE TO ‘TO LOVE IS NOT JUST TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER, IT IS TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER IN THE SAME WAY’ AN EARTH OVEN ON THE BEACH! IN THE MORNING WE DUG A DEEP HOLE ON THE BEACH & STARTED A WIFE INSIDE WE PUT THE FOOD IN THE HOLE WITH THE FIRE & COVERED THE TOP WE THEN LEFT IT FOR 8 HOURS WE ATE DINNER ON THE BEACH WHILST THE SUN SET

GAGETOWN IS HOME TO THE 2 ND LARGEST MILITARY BASE IN CANADA PRINCE HARRY HAS TRAINED THERE FAMOUS FOR THE SAINT JOHN RIVER WHICH RUNS THROUGH NEW BRUNSWICK & IS KNOWN AS ‘THE RHINE’ OF CANADA I STAYED WITH A FAMILY ON THEIR SMALL HOLDING OF 15 BEEF CATTLE FOR 3 DAYS  HORSE RIDING WITH A VIEW OF THE SAINT JOHN RIVER

I STAYED WITH THE BAKERS WHO HAD MOVED FROM ENGLAND TO NEW BRUNSWICK 5 YEARS AGO! WHALE WATCHING WE WENT WHALE WATCHING IN THE BAY OF FUNDY WE SAW PORPOISES, SEALS AND MINKY WHALES ONE WHALE SWAM RIGHT UNDER THE BOAT

THE 4H PROVINCIAL SHOW ALL 4H CLUBS IN THE PROVINCE COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER IN COMPETITIONS FROM WOODWORK, SCRAPBOOKING, STOCKJUDGING, COOKING THEY SHOW ANIMALS FROM HORSES, CATTLE, GOATS, DOGS, CHICKENS AND THERE IS EVEN A ‘BEST DRESSED DOE’ RABBIT COMPETITION A TWO DAY EVENT HELD IN FREDERICTON

4H

I STAYED WITH VICTORIA AT HER UNIVERSITY IN FREDERICTON, THE CAPITAL OF NEW BRUNSWICK. WE VISITED THE BAY OF FUNDY A NATURAL PHENOMENON WHICH BOASTS THE HIGHEST TIDES IN THE WORLD.

THE HOME OF MCCAINS FOOD CANADIAN SCHOOL BUSES & CANADIAN SCHOOLS. HOME OF THE WORLDS LARGEST COVERED BRIDGE AT 1282

MY FIRST MOOSE! AND LOTS OF OTHER WILDLIFE MOOSE HUNTING CANADIANS IN NEW BRUNSWICK CAN ONLY HUNT MOOSE OVER 1 WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER DURING THE WEEKEND THEY CAN ONLY SHOOT 1 MOOSE YOU HAVE TO ENTER A BALLOT SYSTEM & BE PICKED TO GO NEW BRUNSWICK IS SPLIT INTO AREAS AND YOU CAN ONLY HUNT IN YOUR AREA MOOSE SCOUTING TAKES PLACE UP TO A MONTH BEFORE THE HUNTING WEEKEND TO FIND THE RIGHT AREA TO GO