Hello Everyone! [caption id="attachment_722" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Awesome Intern at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse - Nanaimo"][/caption] My name is Johanna, I am 19 years old and I'm from Germany.  Back in Germany I live with my parents and my younger

Friday, September 25th, 2009  4:00 PM to 9:00 PM The Bite of Nanaimo is TheatreOne's biggest fundraiser of the year, proceeds go towards high quality professional programming, including Mainstage, Just Kidding, and Fringe Flicks. [caption id="attachment_715" align="alignright"

DOUBT: a Parable, the 2005 Pulitzer prize winning play which was recently made into an academy award nominated movie, makes its Vancouver Island debut at the Bailey Studio on Rosstown Road.  The Nanaimo Theatre Group is proud to present this passionate, important theat

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="264" caption="Vancouver Island Leadership Conference 2009"][/caption]

There is a place that is just a five minute walk away from the university called Colliery Dam Park. It's a great place for a walk between classes, it's a nice place to sit and relax while reading text books, and it's a wonderful place to walk through to help relieve any homework/exam deadlines and stresses.

There is a new term that is starting to make some impacts on students: Nature Deficit Disorder (by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods). This term is used to help people understand that being outdoors and in nature is as important as eating, drinking, and sleeping.

Looking for an alternate to a large overcrowded, impersonal and often expensive public bus to get to tourist destinations on Vancouver Island such as Nanaimo, Tofino, Port Alberni, Courtney, or Victoria? Of course you are! Welcome to TikiTour Bus Company, a small and friendly transportation company that happily caters to backpackers from across Canada, North America, and around the world. [caption id="attachment_667" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Tiki Tour Bus - Painted Turtle Guesthouse Blog Site Nanaimo"][/caption] TikiTour Bus charges similar prices to the big public bus companies that offer transportation on Vancouver Island to many destinations including the popular bus trip to Tofino. With Larissa, you get there faster and in comfort with no time wasted waiting for people to upload and off load at all the tiny towns - we go direct and stop for random sightseeing and fun short activities along the way. For example, on a hot day we may stop for a swim at a lake so deep they haven't found the bottom, hike up to a huge trestle bridge and risk a train coming and feel like you are in the movie "Stand By Me" and run from the train, hug a tree in Cathedral Grove which is British Columbia’s pride with some of the oldest trees or even perhaps a mini pub crawl along the coast.

A number of mid-Island groups and organizations have received 2010 Olympic Torch Relay community grants, totalling $76,000. They include $40,000 to the City of Nanaimo to have the torch arrive on zipline carried by Paralympian Michelle Stillwell. The funding will help cover the costs of multicultural entertainment, fireworks and street performers during the event. Another $7,000 has been designated to the Snuneymuxw First Nation for a blessing ceremony, a Coast Salish feast and a performance by school children from Qwam Qwum Stalicut and Snuneymuxw drummers and singers.

We love students! Every year, international students from around the world stay at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse while studying at Vancouver Island University... Here are the frosh week activities and other information of interest to new VIU students! This following information is courtesy of VIU News: VIU Campus Rec Orientation - Presented by VIU Campus Rec VIU Campus Rec hosts three days of activities on the upper campus, lots of activities, prizes, and of course FOOD! Come out and see what VIU Campus Rec is offering this year. Location: Upper Campus Date: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 to Thursday, September 10, 2009 Time: 11:30 am Cost: FREE! Contact: Viu Campus Rec Staff Number: 250 740 6418 Ext.2 Email: gym@viu.ca Web: http://www.viu.ca/campusrec