Story by Sean Previl Illustration by Kaitlyn Divnich Photos by Eva Antonel
W
hen the cold weather moves in, birds are the first to leave the country in search of warmer climates and more food sources. They return to the same place year after year, making their destination their winter home, and return to their point of origin once the cold weather leaves. These feathered friends are on to something - snowbirds, those people who vacation in, or move to a warmer climate during the winter months are often searching for the same thing: an environment that boosts their physical and mental health.
February 2014 - The HUB 29
“It’s always good to see the world in a different light, to enlighten your mind and your spirit. It generally recharges your batteries.” Interested in becoming a snowbird? Here’s what you need to know! www.snowbirds.ca
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Even those who only head south for a short time every winter say they like to just “get away” while others say it’s a good way of relieving stress and the “winter blues.” Local resident Christine Smith, 56, heads away for the winter months because it’s easier for her to relax and get away from any unnecessary worries she deals with at home. “It’s just easier to get away,” says Smith. “When I’m down south I can just sit back and forget any stress I have. I go to Florida every winter because it’s better than the snow. If it’s not Florida, then it’s somewhere else that’s warm. I plan my vacations far in advance, so I’ll know where I’m going as early as October or November, so it’s something I really look forward to.” The “winter blues” come when the colder weather hits and there are fewer hours of daylight, leading to a depressive mood and lower motivation at work. Around mid-January, 15 per cent of all Canadians will experience some form of the blues. “Mentally in the winter they’re more isolated,” says Natalie Westfall, a mental health and addictions nurse at the Erie-St. Clair Community Care Access Centre. “They don’t have the vitamin D either, from the sun, and they’re more prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder, which can cause symptoms of depression.” SAD is an illness that makes people feel sad and tired during the day because there is less light in the day. Physical health can be affected by the winter months as well. “There’s an increased risk of virus transmission and all kinds of bugs going around,” says Westfall. “There’s decreased physical activity so sometimes they lose some of the conditioning they built up over the nicer months and also an increased risk of slip-and-falls and car accidents.” “I also find it a great way to meet new people and just find a place of my own,” says Smith. “I’ve made new friends since I started travelling every year and have people I can go out to dinner with or head to the beach. But then there are other times I can just relax at my home in Florida and still know the stress won’t follow me.” Westfall says this is a common response from snowbirds because in the warmer climates there are many things to do whether you’re young or old. “When they do go to those places people tend to be pretty active,” says Westfall. “They do a lot of walking, golfing, swimming and there’s also the social aspect. The way those communities are designed, there’s a lot for people to get into. Getting out of the community, even if it’s for a weekend or a month, it just gives you that extra charge, that boost to get through the winter.”
Interestingly, people occasionally head to cold climates to get away from winter in their city, but according to Westfall there is a specific reason for going to places like Whistler, B.C. or Banff, Alta. “Winter is strikingly beautiful and sometimes we don’t see that in Essex County because we don’t have the landscape that you would see in Banff or Alaska, with the mountains and everything,” says Westfall. “So going places to where you can really take in that breathtaking winter scenery probably gives you some more appreciation for the winter.” Seasonal migration doesn’t come cheap. Al Valente, owner of Valente Travel, says, “People make such a significant investment to go on vacation for weeks or months because it can be good for someone to get away.” “Years ago, travel used to be a luxury,” says Valente. “That’s changed drastically because everyone’s lives are getting a lot busier and more stressful. It’s almost a necessity to get away. It’s always good to see the world in a different light, to enlighten your mind and your spirit. It generally recharges your batteries.” Snowbirding is an attractive proposition, but it’s not always possible. Illness of a family member, work or budget constraints may prevent you from an annual or extended getaway. Windsorite Joel Liburdi, 27, said he only goes on vacation when he knows he can afford it. “It depends where someone’s at. If I can do it, I’ll go.” According to Sunwing.ca, a week in the sun varies in price and can range from as little as $800 per person, taxes included, for a trip to Orlando, Fla. with prices climbing for more lavish resorts or other sunny destinations. Valente cautions, however, that if someone wishes to book a vacation package during the holidays, they should expect to pay closer to $2,000 a person for a deal at a three- or four-star hotel plus flight. Still staying put this winter? Liburdi says he finds other things he can do in order to keep busy. “For me it’s a lot of friends, family and spending time (with them),” says Liburdi. “So it doesn’t really
Warmer climes make it easier to stay active in winter
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People are finding ways of enjoying the winter season and staying healthy bother me to stay home. All I have to do is call or text them and say. ‘Hey do you want to hang out?’ Whether we go downtown or we go for a cup of coffee or we go for a walk by the river, even in this cold weather, it doesn’t bother me.” Windsor and Essex County has many things locals can do during the winter season. From the Winter Classic and the North American Auto Show to Winter Bites and the Windsor International Film Festival, there’s always something to do when the city gets cold. Gordon Orr, chief executive officer of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island says the county is such an appealing place for those who stay because its winters are often different than any other part of the country. “Windsor-Essex is the southernmost community in Canada and as such we enjoy a longer tourism season by way of good weather longer than most destinations,” says Orr. “We’re very fortunate that even the snowbirds that do go away, they don’t have to go away as long of a period of time.” Even though the snow and cold temperatures can often be an excuse for not going out and many just want to stay home, people should still try to get out. “It is far too easy to cocoon and hibernate at your home,” says Orr. “If you do that you’re missing out on some great theatre performances, some great restaurants, some delicious meals and you’re able to go out and see some of our wineries at a time of year which is less busy for them, which would probably
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give you more time to enjoy what they have to offer.” When she moved here five years ago with her snowbird time behind her, Jo-Anne Duffy says she knew she had to become involved in the community in order to make up for not knowing a lot of people. “I knew I had to get involved or I would be stuck in the residence here,” says Duffy, who owns a condo downtown. “I like to meet new people, get new ideas and new experiences and I think it just keeps me healthy. I think some people could get depressed if you’re staying in one place and not being with your friends.” A former snowbird, Duffy also says she and others may prefer to stay in Windsor because going alone isn’t always fun. “I enjoy them (vacations) when I’m doing them with my friend, but I find when I come home I want to share all that and there’s no one to share the fun,” says Duffy. Whether it’s heading to the sun or the “picturesque” snow or staying home when the chilly weather comes in, people are finding ways of enjoying the winter season and staying healthy. While we may benefit from having a shorter winter season being so far south in Canada, we still need to get through those frigid, dark days. By getting out more often, getting involved and staying active, you’ll find that it’s really not that hard to stay warm - even in the cold.