As I want to slow down in my travel behaviour a bit I am currently settling down at Auberge Alexandrie – a hostel in the gay quarter of Montréal.

For doing 2-3 hours work (preparing breakfast, helping at reception or folding and ironing linen) I can stay here for free, get a hug from my colleagues every morning and really feel welcomed. That for sure makes me miss my family and friends at home even more 🙂

Especially at the moment I feel like being at a youth summer camp – every day another activity guided by my hostel colleagues: drum festival, salsa night, BBQ, fire work world championship – Montréal in summer is hardly unbeatable when it comes to the number of (free) events.

In one of the latest publications it was said that Canada is the number two desired country in the world to live in (following number one Germany). Looking at my original travel schedule I did not even think about going to Canada and at the moment it is hard to believe that I will leave my new temporary home Montréal in less then two weeks.

A blog entry says that living in Montréal is like going out with a multiple personality girl on a date – on the one hand you have the charming French cafés and bakeries, on the other hand a really New York style graffiti scene. Furthermore Montréal convinces with the charm of its architectonical mixture – Brittany houses are neighbouring New York style apartments and British colonial architecture. I love that stuff fore sure!

I went to Canada because I met so many awesome Canadians during the first half of my trip and it continues in their country itself. Everywhere they immediately start talking to you. Especially Toronto is multicultural in a way I never experienced before. A day of beauty treatment becomes a world trip itself: a Nepali did my nails, my hair was cut by a Japanese women and afterwards I went grocery shopping in Greek town. I am looking forward to see more of this great country – especially more of the countryside like I did at Niagara falls!

For the next two weeks here I will have a look if I can get a paid job as a waitress (difficult as you have to speak French and English perfectly). I will keep you updated. So far best regards from my new temporary home Montréal.