Samantha C.: Alive and Well and Living in Tasmania

After leaving The Abbey I spent four years getting a BA in French and Sociology at U of T - Scarborough Campus, which was essentially like a bigger version of high school WITH boys. Met some interesting characters there and also had Irma with me there. Happy to say I learned how to play a mean game of euchre and hearts between (and occasionally during) classes, and not so proud to say I picked up the smoking bug.

Paris and Roma
After uni, what better way to utilize my fresh French degree and support my new smoking habit......than a year in Paris! Okay, maybe not quite a year, but 9 months is still pretty damn good. Off to Paris I went with Claudia and another girlfriend from uni to attend The Sorbonne........or rather, sit in cafes and watch the world go by. Paris was to say the least incredible, definitely has that "je ne sais quoi" about it. Spent Christmas in Roma with Claudia's family and friends and had my first real coffee.....espresso and LOVED it.

Life with AMEX
Back to real life in Toronto and launched what was to be my eleven year career with American Express. I think I've been pretty fortunate and have actually had a rather diverse and rewarding career. At Amex, I moved around a few times and was fortunate enough to travel quite a bit. My favourite job there was as a Project Manager, helping to develop and launch new products and programs.....which had me travelling down to Phoenix, AZ, alot (beautiful, hot and sunny).

Whistler
In the late 80's, I started going on annual ski trips with my family to Whistler, BC and every time I had to leave I questioned why. These trips became more frequent and longer, and one holiday in 1999 my parents came back and said they had bought a small (very small) old school a-frame there. I was overjoyed, to put it mildly! A few years later, not content with my career, the pursuit of the material gods or my personal situation (nothing dramatic......just no good man in my life), I decided to drop it all and move to Whistler to be a ski bum!

I arrived in Whistler in 2001 with the intention of working some random job for the winter and then moving down to Vancouver to get a "real job". Fortunately I fell into the Hospitality industry and ended up working at The Westin Resort & Spa for six years. Again, I enjoyed the opportunity of holding several positions, last heading up the Front Office team as the Front Office Manager. Best thing about working for hotels ladies........the GREAT hotel rate discounts!

For anyone contemplating it, I would definitely recommend Whistler as a place to live for a little while. It's a small town, but with international amenities. You never feel like you're living in a little backwater.......and you always feel like you're living in the most beautiful place in the world!

Falling in Love
During my first summer in Whistler, I met the man who is soon to be my husband. He's Australian and was only in Whistler for another 8 months after we met. Not ideal, and not easy, but we carried on a long distance relationship ......travelling back and forth between Whistler and Tasmania for six years, meeting up for holidays .........until we became engaged in May 2008.

Since then, we've been busy working on my immigration to Tassie and of course the wedding which is coming up April 2. My initial visa was approved in November and I moved to Primrose Sands, Tasmania on Jan 10th this year. Tasmania is very much like BC, very natural and green, and is reported to have the cleanest air in the world. Primrose is a VERY small community, but I'm loving it out here. I'm not working yet, but that won't be too far off, so I'm enjoying it while I can.

The wedding takes place up in Byron Bay, NSW and then we're off for a honeymoon in the Whitsundays........sun, sand and I'm learning to dive!

Life since high school has been a great ride. I've learned a few things along the way.......you know, all those things that "older" people tell you when you're young, but that you can't appreciate until you've experienced.

I like to think that I live along this line, most of the time...."I'd rather regret things that I've done, then things that I haven't".

Looking forward to reading stories and seeing photos of our Class of '85.

with love,
Sam