Phew...another year gone by and once again I can't believe how fast time flies. It was only a little bit over a year ago that I found out I was accepted into the Faculty of Nursing at UBC and couldn't imagine what the experience would entail. I am now halfway through the program and now I can't imagine that a year from now I will have already graduated and (hopefully) have a job as a nurse.
In terms of my education I have definitely learned a lot since starting the program in September and continue to expand my knowledge every day. I find it amazing to think that after only nine months I already know so much and have acquired so many new skills! I have also grown even closer with my friends who entered the program with me and met some great new people as well.
Through it all my love of cooking, baking, and food in general has only grown. One of the greatest benefits of entering the program and meeting new people was that I got to share my passion with even more friends. Not only have I become better acquainted with some friends over good food, but I have formed some very close bonds with many great people.
I know that last year I wrote about how this blog transformed my life and that's true...to a point. The truth is that I have transformed myself over the past two years and I think the blog naturally reflects that. Whereas in the beginning I was cautious about my cooking skills and new recipes, I now have great confidence and a "don't shy away from it" attitude. I think that I have relaxed more and am better at accepting mistakes or "kitchen flops". Not everything can turn out perfect all the time and I realize that now...or at least I understand most of the time.
In about a month I will be traveling to Europe to study Italian cooking for a week and I couldn't be more excited. Of course I look forward to learning new techniques and eating all of the amazing food, but I am also equally excited to meet the other people who will be my companions for a week. I will be completely surrounded by a group of "foodies" and I can't wait to create so many new food friendships and memories.
The greatest lesson that I have come to learn in the past two years of cooking and blogging is that food is not just something to fill our stomachs. Yes, we need food for energy and ultimately survival...but it's more than that. Food is a medium, a platform. Food can be used as an icebreaker between new acquaintances or as a memory between friends. It can connect people in unimaginable ways from all over the world or simply bring families together in the same household. I am in awe of the power of food to change people's lives both physically and emotionally, and I am thankful to have learned this lesson and be able to pass it on.
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