Fort McMurray

Now, you may know this, but before I made my move to Norway three and a half years ago, I was planning on moving to Canada. I had done a lot of research and found that the only province that would be likely to have me was the province of Alberta. But alas, the job could not be bus driver, but had to be something else. Something more flexible. Like hotel receptionist. Which I had done like a lifetime ago and never really liked that much.

Finding it very hard to find a job, I decided on coming back from my one and only holiday in Canada, that I would switch my view to Norway. I got hold of a language course, booked a holiday to Oslo, booked another one to Bergen and by the time I was offered a job as a bus driver in the town I now live in, it was a year later. 

And then I got an email. From my Dutch/Canadian contact. He could easily get me a job, he said. Just say the word and I could be working as a hotel receptionist, he said. There were plenty wanted, he said. In Fort McMurray, he said.

Now, you all know about my latest troubles, but they pale in significance when you hear about Fort McMurray. All eighty three thousand residents have been evacuated. Most of the town has gone up or is going up in flames. All due to massive forest fires. 

I did make some Canadian friends several years ago. I met them in the Netherlands and I met one of them again in Canada. In fact, she showed me the coulees and the hoodoos. They live in the South of the province. However, he was in Fort McMurray and was one of those thousands of evacuees. He is doing fine and so far, all those other evacuees are fine as well. It's just a case of finding them a new home now. 

I could have been one of those evacuees. Could have been one of those people without a thing to my name. Instead I live in Norway. In a lovely apartment with a fantastic kitty cat. 

Get home safely Richard and give Kay a big kiss and Lindy a big hug!!!