Tales of travel disasters, life’s little ups and downs, and things that generally piss me off about living abroad.
This is the first time in almost two years that I’ve felt like I have the time and energy to do things that I enjoy, so after over a year since I last signed in, I’ve decided I’d like to get back into writing again, even if it’s just for myself. For all of us, there have been so many challenges and changes, yet still no end to the ever-mutating Corona Virus Pandemic. After a long hiatus from blogging, it’s…
I recently set my students an assignment to write a few paragraphs about ‘A Day in the Life of’ any career of their choice. I asked them to consider what time they might have to wake up, what they would eat for breakfast, what some of the typical tasks would be, and what time they would take breaks, etc. This got me thinking about my ‘typical’ day. Typical being employed loosely here as I’ve realised that no day ever really…
It’s been over a week since I landed in Paris lugging two large suitcases and an inconveniently large carry-on containing more than enough clothes and hopefully all the necessary documents I need to start my Parisienne life. The first week felt rather productive so I am trying hard to keep up the momentum of achieving something each day. I am fortunate to have many close friends in Paris and several of them have helped me out with places to stay…
Although it was coming to live in Canada that prompted me to start writing this blog, I have never discussed the process(es) by which a person can come to live and work in Canada. One week ago, almost 10 years since I first landed in Canada with ‘Permanent Resident’ status, I finally became a Canadian Citizen. Â I decided to write a series of posts to help anyone considering a long-term move to Canada. There are different processes for people seeking…
Although looking out the window today it feels like winter with the grey skies and drizzle, it’s starting to feel like spring around here. Not only are the trees beginning to blossom, the buds open, and the bears awaken, it also seems as though many of us are coming back from a period of hibernation. Living in a small town, especially one which is so remote, can leave me feeling cut off and longing for a more varied social scene….
Since I moved to Canada in 2011 I have been fortunate enough to see a few incredible musicians and artists in concert. In Winnipeg we saw: The Eagles (amazing), Pink! (quite the acrobatic entertainer), Cher (costumes…), Queen & Adam Lambert (we were standing right by the stage – fantastic show), and finally, yesterday in Victoria we saw Sir Elton John, who will be celebrating his 70th birthday in two weeks time! Elton John did not disappoint. What a talented musician…
It’s easy to get caught up in the monotony of everyday life and spend most days going between work and home, not finding time to explore. I have been guilty in the past of taking the places I live for granted and of failing to appreciate all there is to do until it is too late. As my time on the north island is rapidly passing by and I have made the decision to leave B.C. this summer, I am…
Between gross winter weather and the post-holiday-return-to-work blues I have not been getting out and about much so don’t have a great deal to write home about. Instead, over the past few weeks I have been focusing on slowly (and I do mean slowly) getting rid of stuff. Somehow in recent years I have accummulated so much in the way of material possessions that the idea of moving abroad is massively overwhelming. With thoughts of relocating in just a few months…
Friday evening I had my first hiccough with the new website. While I have had a blog on and off for several years, this is the first time that I have dabbled with my own domain name. Following the advice of many pro bloggers I decided to use wordpress.org as my blogging design platform which means my blog is hosted elsewhere and having my blog hosted elsewhere is possibly what saved it. It would be a dream come true to…
Moving to a foreign country can be a wonderful opportunity to learn a new language and to experience a new culture. Moving to Canada is no different. Canada is officially bilingual so you will have the opportunity to put those school French lessons to good use (depending on the region). The First Nations of Canada have their own languages such as Ojibway and in my current location Kwak’wala and many people are making efforts to preserve their native languages and…