kraft dinner & pop tarts

Hello englanders!

So I really wish I could write everyday, because when I actually do get round to writing, I don't know where to begin because so much has happened! Ive been here a week now, but it feels like so long... I also wish I would take more photos, but it is so cold outside that it's effort to press the shutter button! I think once i get my own netbook it'll be more likely that I'll post often, as opposed to now where I'm having to use crappy hostel computers :Z

On the topic of cold, I'm finding my bookface feed so funny right now! Everyones like WTF IT'S SNOWING AND IT'S LIKE MINUS TEN, Britain is such a fail when it comes to snow! Here, it's constantly snowing and the locals call -15 'warm'. Everything here still functions, the buses run on time, the shops still open... bloody brilliant! One sad thing though was that the snow here isn't an exciting novelty like it is in Britain, and you don't see snowmen or anything like that because it's actually too cold to pick the stuff up. However, I did see two deer outside my window two days ago padding across the snow, one of the most amazing things! The whole place is amazing - I can't remember what I wrote in my last blog post but after a 14-hour greyhound ride, I am now living in Banff! Was a really nice journey actually, the views were breathtaking and i got more sleep than i had done the whole time I was in Vancouver! 

Banff is amazing. I can't describe the thrill of looking outside of your window and seeing a mountain - it could almost not be real, like a painting. I'm excited for summer where it actually, in my opinion, becomes more beautiful as the snow melts to show bright green grass and hills, but still with snow-topped mountains and blue skies. SO EXCITED TO GO KAYAKING AND GO TO YUKON SADJGHASKD more on that later!

One of the reasons I've been so busy is the dreaded job hunt! I've been stressin outtt like my usual self - it's not just me though, literally every day since we got here me, will + andy (two boys that i met on the flight that are at the hostel with me, we're all 18) we spend at least an hour thinking, what the fuck are we doing here and who thought it was a good idea to come to canada with no job and no money. Well actually, I lie... andy doesn't stress at all. He's one of the most laidback guys I've ever met in my life, it's quality! But basically, we were glorified bums.

However, I proper got my head in gear and applied to a gazzilion jobs on Sunday and went round handing out resumes in the cold on Monday. I wasn't actually hoping to get anything back because there have been people here FOR WEEKS that haven't found anything, but in the end (well, so far) I've ended up with four options! On Monday when I went to hand resumes out I got an automatic interview at a hotel in Banff, for housekeeping. Pretty much could've had the job there and then but I was slightly apprehensive because in housekeeping you spend most of the day on your own, and I really enjoy working with company! It's funny because at the time I was so like YES and really thought I was going to have to take this job... so glad I didn't! The next day, I got two emails offering interviews. One for Tim Hortons, which is like a coffee shop chain that's as big over here as Starbucks. It's not as classy as Starbucks, like with sofas and that, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, because they sell an amazing variety of donuts and they are delicious! The second was for a job working in a deli/bakery in a place called Lake Louise, which is a ski resort about 35 minutes north of Banff.

Both of the interviews were in Canmore, a town 25 minutes south of Banff, so yesterday it was back on the greyhound and I headed there! Both interviews went really well, but SO frustrating, due to the fact that both jobs WOULD'VE been perfect... but they weren't, bar one thing. The Lake Louise deli job is my ideal job, it's not a chain so it's got a bit of quirkiness about it, and staff accom is included. But it's in Lake Louise... apparently it's really quite small and there isn't even a proper food shop there, and everything is really expensive anyway. And I quite like Banff. As for the Tim Hortons job, well the people were so friendly and it looked like a really fun place to work, the store I would be working at is in Banff so it'd be ideal... except it doesn't include staff accom! In the end, the Lake Louise had to win because even though I love Banff, staff accom is really quite necessary, as Banff is a really expensive place to live - that is, if you can even find accom! It's around $600 a month + a deposit, whereas staff accom is $300... 

It's true what they say about canadian people, they really are lovely. I haven't been served by anyone rude the whole time I've been here. There's been one or two that weren't overly friendly, but like I think I only noticed that because everyone else is so much - like, if they'd've been in the UK. they would've fit in! Whereas it appears to be the norm here to just be pleasant. For example, whilst in Canmore I was slightly lost trying to find Tim Hortons, so asked the help of a woman passing by with her young daughter. Tim Hortons ended up being a 30 minute ride away so she offered me a lift instead! I mean, you just wouldn't get that in England - and even if you did, you probably wouldn't want to take it. Then, when I got to Tim Hortons, the woman serving me ended up being a Londoner, got really excited and sat me down with a free hot chocolate for a chat! She's been in Canada for two and a half years and would never go back. She was also really interested in how I got my visa, as she wants her 24 year old son to come over and work for a year, so I was really happy to help!

Just realised I haven't talked about the social side of things - well, despite the inevitable wobbles I am much happier here than in Vancouver. I've met so many brilliant people! Was a bit strange to discover though that I was sharing my room with a 40 year old Romanian man. And no one else. He was really creepy... started asking me if I had a boyfriend etc, which as soon as a man asks me that I know it means trouble. He then went on to ask like 'what would you do if you caught your boyfriend having sexual relations with another girl?' and told me i was narrow minded when i refused to answer! i was just like, he wouldn't, i trust him 100%. and he kept saying I don't mean that, I mean hypothetically... whatever! So Will was a darrrling and moved in with me because I didn't want to sleep on my own with him :) He ended up getting on really well with 'Tibi' (tiberio!) but that was inevitable because he gets on well with everyone... although the first thing Tibi asked him was "are you lovers?" (about me + will) to which i just rolled about laughing... I wasn't in the room at the time but apparently Tibi thinks we like each other and despite having a boyfriend I was 'open'. WHAT WHEN DID I SAY THAT but he ended up being so amusing, especially when during a late night conversation he came out with 'so on average, in the UK what age do people become sexually active?' Hahaha. He was comedy - he's moved out now, and me + Will had the room to ourselves for two nights, which was really good cause it meant we didn't have to be quiet and everyone could come chill in our room! Two Germans have moved in now though, pooooo.

The title of this blog post refers to the awful diet that we've been living on as of yet. Haven't eaten a veg since I got here... anyway, I only have ten minutes left of my time so I'm gonna have to wrap this mammoth up! So in summary, Banff is fun but on Saturday i'm off to have 'nodge' in Lake Louise... (Cannot believe I just wrote that, Will made me do it, but it doesn't mean penis contrary to how it sounds.)

Speak soon, love!