Seeing P.E.I. again for the first time: A tourist's annual visit

When dipping her toes in the water at Cavendish Beach, P.E.I., this weekend, Italian exchange student Martina Angelini had an immediate reaction.

"Oh, the water was cold," Angelini said laughing. "Like, it hurts."

But that didn't stop the grade 12 student from walking barefoot in the sand exploring Prince Edward Island with her Nova Scotian host family over the Victoria Day long weekend.

She was travelling with the Townsend family from Halifax, joined by their other exchange student from Vietnam, Phuong Nguyen.

Nguyen said because of the number of beaches in Vietnam, feeling the beach sand under her feet felt like meeting an old friend.

"It is amazing," Nguyen said. "It is really a cool experience because I don't think much people would have this experience and my host family is amazing."

Host mother Monica Townsend said this is the seventh year they have brought exchange students to Prince Edward Island during the long weekend in May. The students stay in Canada for the school year and are part of the Nova Scotia International Student Program.

She said it's important for the students to see different parts of the Maritimes during their time in Canada, and as a  host parent, it good for her to witness their reactions to settings she's grown used to. 

"It's just seeing our place through their eyes because we take so much for granted living here and to see it from their point of view, it is like reliving a whole new world again," Townsend said.

Townsend's daughter, Danielle Palmer, looks forward to introducing the exchange students to her traditional favourite things during the long weekend exploration.

 "My favourite thing would probably be all the beaches and just the scenery and everything around like the red sands." 

Even though the sun was shining, a brisk wind meant sweaters and jackets were kept on.

The beaches were mostly empty at this time of year as P.E.I.'s tourist season picks up when school's summer holiday begins.

Some businesses and campgrounds don't officially open for the season until June.

"Coming here at this time, even though it's not open, we get to see it without a lot of people," said Townsend.

"Like when we go and see the Anne of Green Gables house we can actually get pictures of the students in front of the house without other families ... just to see it without all the crowds and the tourist season.

For Angelini, who has visited the the sea in her home country of Italy, the shoreline is not new but at the same time, it is.

"We live by the sea and it is really different, like the beaches are not so big as this one and they are so crowded so it is really good to see something so different from where I live."

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