The international student, who came from Belize, had never seen snow in person, let alone experienced all the emotions and feelings that go along with it. There is the obvious feel of cold and wet that leaves one shivering, but Leandre had also felt the joy of the flakes of ice crystals falling around her and accumulating at her feet.
Born in Guana and raised in Jamaica, the daughter of Salvation Army leaders knew about the winters that awaited her in Corner Brook.
Or did she?
During her late-August plane ride to the western world, she said she was warned about the Newfoundland winters. She began to wonder what she had gotten herself into.
It didn’t take long for Leandre to realize all her research was ineffective preparation. She ran outside into the bitter air during the year’s first snowfall. She let the flakes fall on and around her, admiring the spectacle — a marvel she had only imagined. Quickly though, she found herself cold and wet, and thinking it was not all fun and games.
For a period in November, snow covered the ground and the temperatures were cold. Leandre admits to not enjoying it so much. She had to purchase warmer clothes than she anticipated, and even found herself in bed with the cold on at least a couple of occasions.
Regardless, she had seen those holiday-themed movies featuring white Christmases. The sleigh rides and the snowmen all seemed an unimagineable world away.
“When I was smaller, I thought Christmas only happened in places with snow,” she said.
As the temperature unseasonably warmed and precipitation turned to droplets, Leandre’s heart also dropped a bit. She could do without the cold and other hassles of winter, but those childhood dreams of a white Christmas were being dashed. Until last week, even green grass stood along the banks of Grenfell Campus, Memorial University.
“I wanted to brag about it,” she said.
With an extended forecast of partly sunny skies and no precipitation for earlier this week, it appeared certain a green Christmas would be a reality.
However, an unexpected snowfall Friday put a blanket over the ground, which has remained. Some consider a few sprinkles of snow on the ground a white Christmas, while others have a two-centimetre depth condition on Christmas morning. With a warming expected Christmas Eve and the chance of rain Christmas day, either could still be in jeopardy.
Leandre, who was shocked by the unexpected snow last week, knows enough about winter now to hope there’s no great storm in the days ahead. Although, she hopes the tiny blanket remains for nastalgia purposes.
“Just not too much,” she said.
Leandre also has been assured winter will arrive as always. She will get the chance to do the snowshoweing and skiing she looks forward to.
For now, she is still hoping for the opportunity to do that bragging to her mom, dad and younger brother in Belize.
