By Audrey Lyons, 01/11
Let me tell you, waking up extra early on such a brisk day was no easy feat! My homestay group and I were up extra early in order to fit in a CTB stop on our way to the bus (and get some much needed caffeine) in preparation for the week ahead. We started the day off heading out bit later than intentioned, but our wonderful drivers Stacey and John made up for our lost time beautifully!
As is typical for many tours, our first day was full of travel. We all found different ways to stay occupied on the bus, from personal activities to group bonding over the movie ‘The Prince and Me’. Members spent their time knitting, playing cards, or in my case learning to cross stitch! We faced some concerning weather in Canada, but once again our drivers saved the day and we were none the wiser until all was well.
We stretched our legs in Kingston, Ontario and spent time wandering around the mall (including the food court!). A bunch of members quickly located the music store in the mall in typical Chorus and Glee Club fashion!
We finally arrived in Montréal in the late afternoon and soon set out exploring the city! Group dinner ended with a lovely rendition of the Bloch and we broke off to pursue our respective interests. For me and my group this meant wandering the city to see the beautiful light displays on every corner!
Though it is only the first day of this tour, it is already so special to me. The opportunity we get from membership within this group to bring our music to different people is truly one-in-a-million. We may have largely spent the day traveling and unpacking, however I already feel closer to my fellow chorus members, and I am so excited to keep fostering these relationships that will last a lifetime!