An Athlone couple who set off on a Canadian adventure

SHAUNA FOSTER & DOMINIC GRIFFITHS

Shauna Foster and Dominic Griffiths have been living in Canada since 2017, and live in the greater Vancouver area. "We both call Athlone home, but Dom is more of a blow in!" said Shauna, who answered these questions for us.

When did you move to Canada, and how did the move come about?

We arrived in Canada late September 2017. We were both feeling like we needed some kind of adventure. We definitely didn't plan on staying this long.

One of Dom's pals had been living in Vancouver for a couple of years at this stage. He raved about the quality of life over here, and how much it had to offer, being so close to the mountains and the ocean, and having proper summers. He did lie about the rain though! Snowboarding was the big draw for Dom - just having it on your doorstep - and it's definitely grown on me.

Knowing people already here, and knowing that there was such a big Irish community, definitely influenced us.

What do you do there?

Dom fell into a job in Geosciences in the first couple of weeks and has been with them ever since. He travels a lot with work, which isn't the easiest at times, but he has definitely had some amazing experiences and seen more of Canada than most Canadians.

With my retail experience from home I soon landed a job as a Merchandising Manager for one of Canada's leading sporting retailers. After tiring of retail, I now work in Creditor Insurance. Office life is a nice change of pace.

This has been another strange year due to the pandemic. What was 2021 like for you?

No more than anyone else, it has definitely had its ups and downs. Our thoughts and prayers are with those that have been seriously ill or lost anyone during this pandemic. It’s been very tough being away from family through it all, but we have managed to make the most of our situation. We're still together anyway!

We've been busy with work so we didn't get to make much banana bread, unfortunately. Having so many outdoor activities; hiking, camping, surfing, snowboarding available to us has been amazing. We're definitely very thankful for the most part. Chasing after our husky puppy Kaskae always keeps us busy.

What are the best and worst things about living in Canada?

Best things: More opportunities employment-wise, and the outdoor life.

Worst things: Being away from family, grizzly bears, city driving and the fact they don't include taxes on prices in shops.

What are your plans for Christmas Day this year?

We're having a few friends over for a quiet dinner. We'll try not to burn any of the food. There will be a few Baileys coffees, and then we'll hopefully make it up the slopes at some stage.

What are some of the things you will miss most about Christmas in Ireland?

Taytos! My mum sent some in a package but they didn't last two days. A pint of Guinness in Sean's with friends. Hugs. Being able to have a real tree, an open fire, and a cup of Barry's with family.

Is there any message you would like to send to friends or family reading this?

We're missing you all terribly, but it will make the next gathering all the sweeter. Stay safe, stay sane. Be kind to each other, we could all do with a bit of it in these times.