Hello, Hello :) I am Katharina and I am one of your hosts at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse since the 1st September 2010. I am going to stay here for six months experiencing the great ambiance at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse, in Nanaimo and on the whole of Vancouver Island! Hopefully, I will also have the time to visit some parts of the Canadian mainland, before I will return to Germany where I originally come from. At home, I am studying English and French - so Canada is the best place for me to be! As I have already lived in France for one year, I decided to stay in the English speaking part of Canada. And here I am - in Beautiful British Columbia :) I am very glad to spend six months on Vancouver Island because there are so many things to do and discover! I am looking forward to visiting Tofino, going again to Victoria, hiking up Mount Benson, enjoying the Canadian nature and experiencing the city life of Vancouver. Simply spending my time in Nanaimo and at the Painted Turtle is fun, too. You missed our Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner, but you could join us for the next exciting event: Halloween. This will certainly be fun! Finally, I experience (North-)American traditions on the spot! But not only can I enjoy the habits of Canadians here, my internship at the Painted Turtle also allows me to get to know many different and interesting people from all around the world. You should come as well to stay with us at the Painted Turtle Guesthouse and have a lot of fun during your stay in Nanaimo!