Australian family experiences first snowfall in Saskatoon

An Australian family that moved to Saskatoon this summer is getting its first taste of a real Canadian winter.

In fact, the snow that fell this week in Saskatoon marked the first time Sarah Williams and her family had ever experienced wintry weather.

She said, so far, her two sons love it.

“They’re making huge snowballs. We’re out walking in it. No one else was. But the Australian family, in the street, was out,” Williams said.

Williams said this week also marked the first time they’d ever experienced a daily high temperature cooler than the average temperature in your home.

“In Perth, I mean, if it was 15 C, we’d all be complaining about how cold it was,” Williams said. “Now that we’re in the minuses as the maximums, it’s all a big shock. But it’s beautiful at the same time because we’re loving the snow and just the look of the place. It’s amazing. A winter wonderland.”

She did admit she has been feeling apprehensive about winter driving.

“It frightens me a bit. You know everyone’s very quick to tell me stories of driving along, coming to a four way and sliding through it and slipping on the road and breaking your leg,” Williams said. “(It) scares me a bit. So we’ve got our cars fitted out with the winter tires.”

Williams said she and her husband, who works in mining, moved to Saskatoon in July for a new career opportunity.

Williams is working as a teacher.

“As a family, we wanted to have a new experience in a different country and we thought ‘why not?'” Williams said.