While China is emerging from weeks of quarantine, and much of Europe is already under various degrees of social isolation, Canada is only just embarking on our own journey of “social distancing”. Around the world many aspects of life as we have been accustomed have ground to a halt. Cafes, bars and restaurants are closed, many people are working from home, schools have moved online, and even some provincial parks are closed. It’s strange to think that the great outdoors…
There is quite literally no sound more breath-taking than the blow of a whale. This is the sound that has been lulling me to sleep at night and waking me up in the mornings over the past three nights. What a beautiful sight to wake up to: whales breaching outside my bedroom window. I spent some time this evening trying to get a decent photo but found the best views were when I didn’t have my camera on hand… or…
Summer Cultural Celebrations This past couple of months have been especially busy with travelling to Vancouver for my Canadian Citizenship Ceremony, continuing to purge my belongings, thinking about where I am going to be travelling to/ working/ living after I finish work at the end of June, and of course getting started on report cards for 7 classes so there hasn’t been much time to write a detailed post (nor to do much worth writing about!). Thankfully there has been…
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….
Every now and again I find myself noticing small things that seem to hint at my subsequent moves around the world. Of course the connections are easy to spot in hindsight and are almost certainly mere coincidence but one such link between my hometown in the UK and my current home in Canada is quite interesting. Since I am feeling nostalgic for all things British at the moment I decided to do a bit of further research into this link…
Located on Cormorant Island, Alert Bay is accessible by car ferry from Port McNeill and is well worth a visit for anyone staying on the North of Vancouver Island. Alert Bay inhabitants are probably the friendliest people I have met and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to travel there for work many times over the past year. The first time I visited Alert Bay was in early January 2014. We set off with intentions of visiting the…
As Christmas is fast approaching I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about shopping in Port Hardy. Although it’s a small town there is still quite a bit of choice when it comes to places to spend your money and one of the best things about living in a small community is that there are lots of products that are made right here on the North Island. 1) Drift & The West Coast Community Craft Shop – Located upstairs…
For the second time in the space of four days I am sat in candle-lit darkness. It is not uncommon for rural areas in Canada to experience frequent power cuts, especially if power lines are surrounded by trees like we are here. Last year, several times, my residential area was affected by trees pulling down power cables and blocking the route into town. Once in a while the power outages go beyond my residential area, affecting the entire region; today…
Despite working on average more hours than I have ever worked before, I can’t help but notice that since moving to Vancouver Island I am far less stressed than before. While some of this is due to leaving behind a source of negativity, a lot of it has to do with being close to nature. As I have mentioned before, Northern Vancouver Island is a wilderness destination. It’s an outdoor lovers’ paradise with hiking trails, fishing, and an abundant rainforest…
I have always been intrigued by people who choose long or complicated commutes to work. When I lived in France I commuted on a packed urban train for what should have been 45 minutes but door to door was more like 90+, including time spent waiting at cold and over-crowed metro platforms. It was a battlefield to force myself onto the train and I am surprised I didn’t lose a limb to the doors, fighting the masses to climb aboard…