Tag: Travel
-
Reflections from a Train Through Peaceful Europe: Remembering While Moving Forward
As the train carries me through the heart of Europe, I watch the landscape transform into scenes of preparation and celebration. In Vienna and countless other cities, Christmas markets are opening their doors: wooden stalls adorned with lights, the scent of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts promising warmth against the winter cold. Children will soon…
-
A Walk Through Hallstatt: Carrying Ukraine’s Colours
The morning mist clung to Lake Hallstatt like a gentle embrace as I stepped off the ferry, the Ukrainian flag carefully folded in my backpack. This picturesque Austrian town, with its swan-dotted waters and fairy-tale houses reflected in the lake’s mirror surface, seemed almost too peaceful, too perfect. Yet it was precisely in this tranquil…
-
From Krimml to Kamloops: When Water Teaches Resistance
Standing by waterfalls in Austria and here in Canada, I’m reminded that water doesn’t ask permission to flow – it simply moves, persistent and unstoppable, carving its path through stone and time. The roar of Krimml Falls, the rush of water near Kamloops (Margaret Falls) – these forces have been here long before our struggles…
-
From Salzburg to Kamloops: A Message of Hope and Congratulations
As my train pulled away from Salzburg’s station, I found myself thinking about another kind of journey, one that began nearly a decade ago when I first made the decision to come to Kamloops. It wasn’t just the mountains or the rivers that drew me; it was the leadership I encountered in Dean Airini and…
-
Arriving in Salzburg: A First Attempt at Land Acknowledgement
Posted from the trolleybus, traveling through Mirabell Platz and City Center to my Airbnb Yesterday I arrived in Salzburg, Austria, and as I settled into the rhythm of this beautiful city, I found myself reflecting on a practice I’ve learned from Indigenous communities in North America – the importance of acknowledging the land where we…
-
Prague’s Creative Reminder
The people of Prague found a brilliantly clever way to show solidarity with Ukraine and remind visitors of important history. When someone asks for directions to the Russian embassy, locals respond with genuine helpfulness – and unmistakable symbolism: “Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the Russian embassy?” “With pleasure! Start at…
-
The Double Doctor: An Air Canada Tale.
In the vast skies above Canada, where maple leaves dance on tail fins and hospitality soars higher than cruising altitude, there exists a peculiar tale of a Ukrainian name, a persistent computer system, and unexpected medical emergencies at 35,000 feet.Meet Oleksandr Kondrashov – or as Air Canada’s unwavering computer system prefers: “DR OLEKSAN KONDRASHOV.” The…
-
A Beautiful Journey: A Day of Wonder in Victoria
As the sun rose over British Columbia on a crisp Sunday morning, two groups of friends embarked on an extraordinary adventure that would converge in the picturesque city of Victoria. This day would become not just a tour of the province’s capital but a linguistic journey through the beauty of the English and Ukrainian languages.…
-
Tips for Embracing Jet Lag and Enjoying the Midnight Sun in Bodø, Norway
Travelling from Canada to the magical city of Bodø in Northern Norway this summer? Don’t let jet lag get you down – instead, use it to your advantage to experience the enchanting phenomenon of the midnight sun! Here are few tips to make the most of those extra wakeful hours under the golden glow of…
-
Chasing Chestnuts: From Ashcroft to Kyiv, a Journey of Botanical Fascination
On a recent trip to Ashcroft, I was thrilled to spot a beautiful red chestnut tree in full bloom while exploring the area on the way to Desert Hills. The sight of those vibrant red blossoms immediately made me think of the majestic chestnut trees that line the streets and parks of Kyiv. In Lviv,…
-
Colorado Stands with Ukraine
During Ukrainian Easter, I visited extended family in Denver, Colorado. There were several reasons why for this year’s “grading retreat,” I have decided to spend Ukrainian Easter week in the US. This trip was planned for April 2020, but due to pandemic, it has been postponed. As Putin’s aggression in Ukraine escalated in February, Inna’s…