#belfastdan

[belfastdan]

After almost 3 years living temporarily here, I am thrilled to announce that I have officially become a Permanent Resident of this great country I call home today, Canada. 🇨🇦 It wasn’t an easy process proving my worth, sometimes soul destroying, but I made it. Thank you, Canada for having me. I’m excited to start building foundations.

[belfastdan]

Nothing is Guaranteed

Bonjour à tous.

Ça fait longtemps que je n'ai pas écrit.

I write this as I fly back to Ireland for the first time since arriving to Canada in May 2015. I am very much excited to see my beloved Belfast, family and friends for the first time in far too long.

Nothing in Life, is Guaranteed

I’m currently on an unknown path that is both exciting and testing.

I’ve literally no idea where I’ll be this time 6 months. My two year visa end date is creeping up and I’ve nothing yet sorted to remain here. I’m currently doing my part to remain here but if it doesn’t work out, I’ll have to leave for a new unknown adventure.

Just recently I was reminded that nothing is for life and that nothing is guaranteed. I went to work as normal one day and left work that same day unemployed. The company made many cuts without notice and I wasn’t fortunate to be saved. This is the first time I’ve ever been put in this position.

At first I was shocked and for a few days I sulked and moped around a bit - struggling to understand, accept and believe what had just happened.

What a Difference a Week Makes

I’ve already turned this difficult news into a positive experience. The first thing I did was to take advantage to head back to Ireland for Christmas earlier. This helped transition my negative energy to positivity with the excitement of seeing my niece, meeting my cousin’s new baby and spending Christmas with my family and friends that I’ve missed so much.

It has reminded me that ‘things’, jobs and security are just small ingredients for happiness. Happiness is so much more than that and off course must be challenged. True friendships, family, love, rich experiences, culture, health and the power of music are so much more stimulating and important to me.

I’m so lucky to have such incredible friends and my Mum, who have always been there supporting me. We must ever be afraid to reach out for help sometimes.

Loosing Fear Helps Challenge the Soul

Stability is gone, but freedom and curiosity has arisen and it’s time to embrace the unknown again.

I had a really brilliant year at the company, meeting new friends, working in advertising, commerce and publishing that I’d never experienced before, having a professional lifestyle in Canada after my 8 months vacation and off course enhancing my design experience - always pushing new boundaries and learning new skills daily.

Maybe I was getting too settled, but what I have realised is that job security entitles someone to fire you. Either you are working to build someone else’s dreams or building your own.

Maybe it’s time to start building my own, as you can fail at what you don’t love, so you might as well take the chance in failing whilst trying to do something you do love. That’s so exciting.

I have no fear. The next 6 months will determine a lot of things which are yet unknown and I’m excited to see what’s next. What I do know is that if what’s ahead is anything close to my last year and half in Montréal, I’m in for a treat.

I am in charge of my own destiny and am ready for the next challenge. I am eternally grateful to be on this earth and to be healthy and able enough to enjoy all that life brings and throws my way.

Time to enjoy my beautiful Belfast and New York before returning to ma belle Montréal.

Health to enjoy, a peaceful 2017.

Merry Christmas - Joyeuses fêtes à tous et bonne année.

Namaste,

Daniel

[belfastdan]

Je suis très excité. I’m going home for Christmas! Argh!

Just days till I see my beloved Belfast and this wee bake, after 1.5 years.

[belfastdan]

Autumn in Quebec is very special.

[belfastdan]

Québec, Canada is so wonderful, but there really is no place like home. I miss you dearly, Ireland.

(via SONDER Ireland - YouTube)

[belfastdan]

Half a Year in Montréal.

[belfastdan]

Entry 3 - Tuesday 7th July 2015

It’s a long one... 40 Days in Montréal now. What a city. What a province. What a country. What an experience.

First Impressions.
 During the first weeks, I explored my new neighbourhood, Le Plateau - cycle lanes, hipsters, creative people, green spaces, trees, great coffee shops, independent food stores and many cultures. It really is the dream location. It’s been strange living with people again after many years in my own place, but challenges, discomfort and compromising are great for our growth.

I spent the first weeks’ evenings and weekends accepting every invite and opportunity to socialise, network, explore exercise and to have fun. My highlights were Muték electronic music festival, cycling every weekend around different parts of the city with my new friends, C2MTL digital conference party, a lecture on Designing Public Spaces, an inspirational leadership talk from Jack Welsh, a house warming party, Piknic Electronik, the Montréal Mural Festival, seeing Shamir live, Métis Garden Festival build week and an all night techno rave at Stereo for Canada day. I have arrived.

Namaste.
 After an intense few months before leaving home and 14 years working full and part time, I think this was the first time I stopped. There was a lot of time to think and I haven’t been great in my own company in the past, so I started a high intensity function class and yoga which I have been practising twice daily all month; these helped give me both purpose and structure to my days. Yoga has transformed my thinking and I honestly have never felt as at peace with myself and as strong. As a non religious person, I guess it’s my way to find peace and stillness along with others in silence and I am quickly seeing the benefits, both mentally and physically.

Yoyo. Other than fitness, I relied on good weather and special events to get me out of the apartment mid day during the first weeks. On the rainy days (there were many more than I had expected) my procrastination was becoming a problem. I began focusing on what I was missing out at home, instead of embracing my new journey. I was beginning to wake up with high anxiety daily and so I made some changes. I came off social media as an exercise to discover myself and allow myself to sink right into this great city, without concern about what else was going on in the world. I didn’t cut off contact in a dramatic appeal, but purely to focus on myself and give Montréal my all. Ups and downs always come back up again, and the love and support I have at home and the new friends here have helped bring me back again. I miss Belfast and many special people that I’m blessed to still have in my life, but I’m living the dream. As hard as it has been at times, I am proud that I set my mind to something and have already made a great achievement.

Montréal Moments.
 In summary, giant murals, awesome architecture, tons of French, art and cultural celebrations, delicious food and some of the kindest most wonderful people that we have yet to meet along my travels. Montréal is a city that dreams, the city that moves forward, the city that cares about the environment, the city that is in love with electronic and techno music, the city of festivals, the city that lives for the summer, the city that closes every road for a day of cycling, the city that allows you to club till 11am if you want, the city that closes its largest streets for outdoor markets and most importantly, the city that has made me feel so very welcome since day one.

Jobs in Francophone Land.
 My good friend Maxime put my name forward for a graphic design job in a marketing agency in the city and I was fortunate to be offered it after two interviews, but there was something about it that didn’t sit right with me and so I trusted my gut feeling and turned it down. It was a great experience to interview for the first time in six years and it actioned me to begin searching for something more suitable. Freelance opportunities have came up and will keep me going as the the search continues for something more permanent. A life previously followed by society’s plan for me has been interrupted and I’m loving this transition of not knowing what’s next.

Exploring the Province.
 Last weekend, Nik, Chloe and I travelled to Québec city for one night with my old friends Marc and Clarmont to meet their beautiful new son, Antoine, and to attend a fun benefit at the Musée National des Beux-Arts du Québec. We had a great time in this glorious and historic city.

The following day I left for the countryside along with a team of people to rebuild last year’s award winning garden at the Jadins de Métis’ International Garden Festival. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to know an amazing bunch of people whilst working and living together in the beautiful countryside. We had some incredible food together daily in our beautiful Victorian beach house and had camp fires on the beach till sunrise. The bonus was seeing the Aurora Borealis on our second night - it was the most stunning spectacle that I will never forget. We finished our time here with a trip to Parc national de la Gaspésie - the most stunning mountain range - unfortunately our hike was cut short, as in, it didn't happen, as one of our cars broke down at the top of the mountain. You couldn't make it up, ha. Next time.

Onwards.
 Now that I have explored, found places I like to be with people I like to be with, I’m going to focus on finding work, volunteer some more and finding the perfect French course to help me fit to both professional life in Montréal and the francophone social circle I’m now part of. I’m also going to read a book (a rarity) and continue my daily yoga and meditation. There are also some brilliant festivals coming up which I intend to be part of and many things unknown as yet.

I’m back on Facebook and Instagram, but taking it slow as it’s been nice focusing on myself and not looking at my phone every 10 minutes. It’s funny when you’re interacting with people who are on social networks how much you notice how little people live in the moment. I’m going to continue my journey of self enjoyment and Montréal moments living.

Daniel Love x

[belfastdan]

Entry 2 - Friday 29th May 2015

Wednesday began a 12 hour train ride from New York to Montréal. It’s was a good time to reflect on how part one of my journey to North America has gone thus far.

The Journey. The train journey here was stunning and very comfortable through the beautiful American countryside, passing through mountain ranges, lakes and many beautiful old towns - expecting to see the Whistle Stop Café en route. Border control was great, all went smoothly regarding my visa - I’m now a legal citizen for the next two years.

In Summary. New York was incredible - a perfect balance of meeting up with friends and doing lots of fun things inside and out of the city that is so alive with energy. Labour weekend highlighted the best of the city, we partied hard, rested a little in the sunshine, ate incredible food and drank on a few rooftop bars overlooking the world’s most famous skyline.  It still gives me goosebumps every time I arrive there - the lights, the people, the food, the ambience, the smells and the opportunity.

I stayed with Denis mostly in Hell’s Kitchen after a night with Molly in Long Island, who were perfect hosts and made my trip so comfortable and so much fun. Julie, my long time friend from Montréal also came from London for the weekend to mix some business with pleasure, before celebrating her 30th Birthday in Montréal this weekend. I met up with Paul Costello - the former Managing Director of the Washington Ireland Program and his cousins on Sunday for a great dinner, it was alive with conversation and great advice about my journey ahead. I then met my cousin and uncle at his new bar in midtown Manhattan who has assured me there’s a job for me there, if things don’t work out in Canada - comforting. Finally, I also met up with Neil and Emma Hutchinson last night for a drink and food - it was comforting meeting some Northern Irish people in the big apple for great conversation on the 40th floor of the Strand Hotel.

The 18 Year Old Daniel. In 2003, the 18 year old me took off for the first time alone ever and arrived in USA on a J1 as a shy, untravelled, uncultured and unaware young man. It took me to New York for the first time, a city I’d always dreamed about visiting some day and also Montréal. It changed everything. It changed what I looked forward to, what gave me energy and what I would spend most of my hard earned money on, to the point where I’ve never not had a trip planned since. That, until today. it’s the first time that I’ve no idea what’s happening next. In some ways I’m reliving this trip 11 years later, yet as a completely different person.

Home Sickness. At the moment my brain is treating this like another holiday, as it’s only been a week. I’m not missing my home comforts as yet. However, missing someone in particular is already tough, especially after an intense few months with that person. The want to be with someone is very real and not possible, at least until July when I’ll get a visit - keeping in touch daily definitely helps feed that itch. It’s hard to be distracted from anything but the thought of being together again.

Montréal. As I pulled into Montréal’s Gare Centrale on Wednesday I was excited to see the beautiful Montréal skyline. Oliver, my new room-mate picked me up and brought me to my new apartment in The Plateau, near downtown Montréal. It’s the first time I’ll have lived with people in a while but from what I know thus far, there’s a better person like Oliver to live with and help set me up in Montréal. Already at my first event last night with him talking about designing of public spaces with some incredible speakers, followed by the #C2MTL after party - mingling and networking once again. Tonight starts my first festival of the Summer - Mutek Montréal. Very excited to dance again to some electronic beats.

For more pictures, follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/belfast_dan/

Have a great Bank Holiday weekend everyone.

Daniel Love x