International K-9

Most of my friends and family know that I'm a massive dog person. If the idea of walking around with a person who stops to pet practically every dog they see embarrasses you, spending any amount of time around me would probably be very difficult for you. Honestly, when it comes to cute (heck, even not so cute) canines, I have virtually no self-control; I HAVE to go say hello and give them a pet. Just yesterday as I was going into the supermarket, there was this 12 week old black lab named Bonnie... Ben practically had to drag me away so we could get on with our grocery shopping. 

That's something I've absolutely loved about traveling: playing with dogs anywhere and everywhere I go (rabies be damned!). Just like the vast majority of people I met along the way, nearly every dog I've come across has been friendly (except for this one dog in Germany who tried to bite me at a flea market. Ah well, can't win 'em all). These are just some of the many canine friends I've made during my travels:

Agadir, Morocco

Mandalay, Myanmar

Dong Hoi, Vietnam

New York, USA

Siem Reap, Cambodia 

Nha Trang, Vietnam

Tavewa Island, Fiji

Santorini, Greece

Shrewsbury, England

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Venice, Italy (can't find the dog? Look in the pram. Yeah, that's a thing)

Should I Stay or Should I Go

Whenever I write a post after neglecting my blog for a while, I always like to start it off with some type of greeting. So, a big 'hello!' to anyone still interested enough to be reading my blog nearly two years after I started it (time flies doesn't it?!)

After another nine month stint abroad (mostly spent working in Australia and doing a bit of traveling around Europe) I'm back at home once again. Much to my parents' dismay however, I'm still not home for good; I'm here to apply for a British Working Holiday Visa, which would allow me to live and work in the UK for up to two years.

The idea of living in the UK first appealed to me years ago while studying abroad in France. I traveled to many countries that year and while I absolutely loved places like Italy, Greece and Morocco, I couldn't really picture myself living in any of them long-term. Cultural differences and language barriers are a fun challenge while you're traveling but (as I discovered while living in France) can be slightly more frustrating if you're trying to pay your rent, see a doctor or open a bank account. In the UK, however, I realized that although the cultural differences and language barriers weren't entirely non-existent (That couch you sit on? Brits sit on 'settees'. Pleased about something? A Brit would say they're 'chuffed'. Toilet paper = bog roll. I could go on and on...) they were far less of an issue for me being a Canadian. It was a lovely place, different enough to still be exciting but similar enough that I never encountered any major difficulties and I remember thinking to myself, I can imagine myself living here some day.

Although the idea of moving there has been in the back of my mind for some time, the main reason I'm (hopefully) going there now is Ben. Luckily he absolutely loves Vancouver and is not opposed to moving here BUT we want to try living in the UK to see how we like it. (I don't know exactly where yet, we'll see what happens!)

Luckily the visa process wasn't too difficult, just tedious. My application package (along with all of my current/expired passports) has been sent away for processing and I'm now waiting to hear if I've got it!

 My passport collection - guess the Brits want to see where in the world I've been!

Like the last time I was home for a visit, I'm trying to cram a bunch of visiting/activities/errands into a very short amount of time and have been pretty busy, hence the lack of blogging. But I'll be updating the blog again soon with what I've been up to. Until then, fingers crossed I get this visa!

Food Is Secondary

I love ethnic food of all kinds but if I had to pick a favourite... it would have to be Italian. My family, Ben and I have been in Seregno, a city just outside of Milan, for three days now visiting our extended family and we have been eating well. (Arguably too well, as we're all under the impression that our clothes feel just slightly snugger than when we got here.) But when you're surrounded by such delicious food (and lots of it!) how can you not indulge yourself a bit? (Warning: if you're hungry, now is probably not the best time to look at these photos)

Ciocolatta con panna

Sciatt (kind of fried cheese)

Pizzocherri (regional pasta dish with cheese and vegetables)

Gelato

Croissant (but unlike in France, it's sweet!)

Homemade pesto lasagne

We even had the great pleasure of going to an all you can eat pizza and risotto restaurant. Where, you know, the waitress just walks around with a variety of flavours of each and serves you the kinds you want. Yes, THAT ACTUALLY EXISTS. I literally thought I'd died and gone to Heaven.

Just one of many slices

Just one of many (many) servings

As mouth-watering as Italian cuisine is, it is without a doubt best enjoyed with good company. As my mom likes to say, 'Food is secondary' - it's who you're with that really matters, and I would have to agree. None of these meals would have been half as delightful without the company of our extended Italian family.