(Note I’m a minor)

Live in America, been to Canada. What’s it like in South Africa? It sounds pretty cool

Live in Australia. I’ve visited Germany, Austria and been to the United States about 4 times. We had a bus tour of Singapore during our layover to Germany if that counts

Live in Kuwait. Have lived in a few other countries. Have spent time in more countries than I have the energy to list this morning – well over a dozen…

I live in the US, have traveled throughout most of it, and I have spend time in Switzerland, England, Japan, Australia, China, Canada, and Mexico.

i live in the U.S have been to Canada and i am semi fluent in Spanish.

mi nombre es blue moon or i think it would be Azul Luna

Luna Azul

I am from Scotland. I have been to all the countries of the UK, to southern Ireland and to France

oops

Q8 what language is spoken in Kuwait

I’m from Portugal but live in Canada. I’ve been to the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Dominica (not the Dominican Republic, different country!), Germany, Brazil and Malta.

Wow you all are so well traveled! I’m very jealous!

I’m from the United States and I live in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been to Canada and all of the West Coast states.

BM: People here speak different Arabic dialects, but many people (most I think) speak at least some English.

Wow you all are so well traveled! I’m very jealous! I’m from the United States and I live in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been to Canada and all of the West Coast states.

Jellie – people travel from all over the world to visit the West Coast states, so I’m a bit jealous of you to have it there on your doorstep !!

The west coast is gorgeous. I fell in love with Vancouver when I visited. I really want to go back and spend more time! And maybe visit the american west coast too

oh cool

Currently live in Australia, grew up in Greece (where my mum’s family is from), lived in Germany and the UK, spent substantial periods of time in Egypt (where my mum was born) and Denmark (where my dad’s family is from.) I have spent more of my life travelling than I have in the one spot. I’ve not spent any time in the US besides a month in Hawaii, but that will be rectified later this year courtesy of my illustrious employer when I go to work out of our New York office.

I live in New Zealand Been to Australia two times and that’s it so far

Q8, do you speak Arabic? I am learning MSA. I’ve heard that if you master that, dialects are easy to learn afterwards so that’s what I’m doing  

Italian here (am I then only Italian on the forum???)

I’ve had long stays (1-2 months) in Japan, England and Scotland, then travelled around all of Europe thanks to my family’s camper Still working on my US trip, but I gotta say, the place scares me, lol My family’s scattered all around Australia (Perth area), Brazil and Argentina, still have to visit those places too…

Ata marie foreverfluffle! Arabic speaker here. How are you finding the lessons? It’s such a beautiful language but I imagine it’s not the easiest to learn. Egyptian Arabic is one of my first languages. Whenever I converse with other Arabic speakers I am invariably mocked, because my expressions/pronunciation are not only particular to Egyptian Arabic but to the dialect spoken in Alexandria. The way I speak has some similarity with Lebanese Arabic insofar as French words are often incorporated in conversation, given that French was/is often spoken as a first language across the Maghreb, as is the case with my family (probably more prevalent amongst my parents’ and grandparents’ generations than my own. I don’t think I’ve ever heard my grandparents, my mum or my aunts have a conversation without using Greek, Arabic and French in a single sentence!) If you don’t mind me asking, are you learning Arabic for professional purposes or just for fun?

Ah Muchelle, I just realised that I neglected to mention that I went to university in Milan for a few months! I’ve visited Florence, Pisa and Lucca a few times too. Whereabouts are you from?

Besides the countries I’ve already mentioned (the ones I’ve spent the most time in) I’ve also been to New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia, Singapore, Morocco (one of my favourite places, I’m busting to go back), France, Austria and Switzerland. Lebanon, Vietnam and Japan are at the top of my “countries I really really want to visit” list.

Hah! I’m from Florence

Amazing! I’m quite envious of you right now, it’s so cold and miserable in Melbourne!

I’m from the Republic of Ireland! I’ve visited all of the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Greece, Tunisia, Malta, and a bunch of other places around Europe.

Dia duit mo chairde coinín béag! (Hello my little bunny friends!)

Tony’s Mum, I am so very ashamed to say that during the year I lived in the UK I never made it to Ireland (it’s also on my “places I really really want to visit” list.) A large portion of my favourite authors are Irish and spending a day emptying the contents of my bank account at Ulysses Rare Books in Dublin is my idea of a good time!

Eire is one of the places I haven’t yet visited  looking forward to travel there

Well if you’re ever in Dublin, let me know! I can show you al around

I’ll drop you a pm for sure if I come

Hazey Jane, that’s amazing how your family mixes those languages together!! I’m learning Arabic because I am pulled to the Middle East (Syria especially). I’m half way through a 6 month course which will give me the qualification to get into the Bachelor of Nursing course (I went through year 13, but didn’t get enough credits to get level 3.) I hope to become a nurse in 3 years, do my two years working experience, and then go overseas. So I have about 5 years to learn the language and a few dialects! So far, I can read how words sound, but my vocab isn’t big enough to understand everything yet  

No one knows what Syria will be like in 5 years time, I don’t know if I’ll actually work inside the country, but I want to make some change however small, and be able to give practical help. Closer to the time I’d find a group to go with. So the exact plan isn’t set, because things are constantly changing, but helping in the Middle East is what I’m most looking forward to in life.  The best books I have read about what it’s like inside Syria and in war are: The Crossing by Samar Yazbek, and The Morning They Came for Us by Janine Di Giovanni. These really helped me to be realistic and also to keep aware of how mortal I am… If I’m going to help people, I need to stay alive, otherwise everything will be futile.

And for Aurora bunny, although I have a crazy future plan, she always comes first. I can’t take her with me, so I will have to find someone to look after her for me when I’m gone which will be really hard. But I’m not leaving her with anyone until I am 110% sure she will happy, well loved and cared for until I’m back.  I know that if I give up on this dream I will live with regret.

Sorry for writing an essay!! <3

@Muchelle, I think you’re the only regular active member posting from Italy. We did have another member from Assisi post at one time. : )

@foreverfluffle, your goals are very admirable!

You have nothing to apologise for, foreverfluffle! I know we’re all here to bond over mutual adoration of our furry friends, but I love hearing about people’s varied backgrounds, &c. Your aspirations are incredibly humbling and admirable. What is happening in Syria (and elsewhere in the ME) is utterly heartbreaking. The tragic reality is that it is a region which has sadly never really experienced a significant period of peace during the 20th/21st century. My Teta (that’s Egyptian/Lebanese/Palestinian Arabic for grandmother) was actually born in Syria but her family fled to Egypt because their lives were made very difficult on account of being non-Arab. When the family left Egypt to come to Australia in the 70s my mum’s cousin went to Lebanon instead because her husband is Lebanese with family in Beirut, the civil war broke out within less than a month of them being there (now they live in Montreal, where there is a huge Lebanese community, what with the French connection.) It’s so very sad.

You’re right about having mortality put into perspective, I think a lot of people who have similar intentions of providing aid to war ravaged areas are so driven by their humanitarian urges that they often disregard the fact that they’re not immune to atrocities. That’s not to say that said atrocities should dissuade anyone from assisting, of course.

I’m sure that if/when the time comes to part ways, your darling little bun will find a new home where she is very well loved and cared for!

Posted By Blue Moon on 4/30/2017 9:10 AM

mi nombre es blue moon or i think it would be Azul Luna

Hi Blue Moon!

I’m fluent in Spanish too. I think your name would be “Luna azul” . How did you learn Spanish?

Posted By Tony’s Mum on 5/10/2017 1:27 PM

Well if you’re ever in Dublin, let me know! I can show you al around

Hi Tony’s Mum!

I lived in Dublin for 3 years a few years ago. I used to teach in Trinity College (that lovely old library!).

Yilina: Ah no way! What did you teach? My cousin teaches history there now. I did my degree in Dublin Insitute of Technology so you’re our rivals grrrr

Muchelle: My co-manager in work is Italian (from Turin) so I know how to swear a lot but that’s about it lol

Posted By Tony’s Mum on 5/11/2017 4:02 PM

Muchelle: My co-manager in work is Italian (from Turin) so I know how to swear a lot but that’s about it lol

Hit me up when you need new insults to impress her I’m from a different dialect area, so it’s a whole new set of stuff to learn/use lol
Thinking that I’ll need to revamp my spoken English before I hit the road… I had this weird evolution from Scottish to New York-ish and right now idk what I sound like xD

I’ve been wanting to go to NY for a lifetime, buuuut… I don’t know if I could survive out there, especially because of the food (not being an etilist Italian, I’m simply allergic to vanilla, cinnamon and a bunch of ther stuff that ‘murica loves )

Holy hell Muchelle, that’s no fun! If I found out I was allergic to vanilla and cinnamon I would cry like baby Jesus in the manger. And there’s nothing wrong with being elitist, Italy does have some of the BEST. FOOD. EVER. Melbourne has a gigantic Italian population (I think it’s second to the Greek population. and we have the biggest Greek population in the world outside Greece) so we are super spoiled here. I live and work in the suburb that is widely regarded as being Melbourne’s food centre. About a month ago two Italian boys opened up a pizza shop just up the street from my office that makes nothing but vegan woodfired pizza. They bought their oven over from Italy and make all their own vegan cheese. It is INSANE.

@Hazey Jane  Your history and roots in the Middle East are very interesting, and that your own family has been touched by war and racism…  It really is heartbreaking the things that happen in the Middle East to affect so many lives. 

So far no one in my family shows promise of being a dedicated bunny lover, no friends either. But I don’t need to worry.  If/when I’m ready to go, I won’t leave until her future is certainly bright and secure.  You have encouraged me, thank you.

I’ve never been able to even tolerate the smell of vanilla and cinnamon, even so it has taken years to guess that it was because of allergy. I tolerate a bit better the organic versions, but if it’s chemical or extract it means instant killer headache… luckily here in Italy they’re used but not over-used as in other countries

@Hazey Jane: woo! good catch lol I’ve always wanted to open a cafè abroad, maybe I should hook up with Melbourne italians…

@vanessa: ohh ouch I didn’t know indians love their cinnamon too. I almost went to an indian restaurant last week (never tried indian food, bf wanted me to try but they were all booked) and I had no idea!

Posted By Tony’s Mum on 5/11/2017 4:02 PM

Yilina: Ah no way! What did you teach? My cousin teaches history there now. I did my degree in Dublin Insitute of Technology so you’re our rivals grrrr

Muchelle: My co-manager in work is Italian (from Turin) so I know how to swear a lot but that’s about it lol

Hi! I used to teach in the Hispanic Studies Department, in the Arts Building. Have you ever been to the main Campus? The Arts Building is the ugliest one of them all, the grey one located in front of the old library. Most of the classrooms didn’t even have windows (!), so 0 ventilation. A great space for sweaty students and a hyperactive teacher like me . DIT rocks, by the way; I love teaching with a passion and helping people learn is one of my main joys, but I was never happy with the elitism of TCD.

Posted By Muchelle on 5/09/2017 4:51 PM

Italian here (am I then only Italian on the forum???)

I’ve had long stays (1-2 months) in Japan, England and Scotland, then travelled around all of Europe thanks to my family’s camper Still working on my US trip, but I gotta say, the place scares me, lol My family’s scattered all around Australia (Perth area), Brazil and Argentina, still have to visit those places too…

Ciao Muchelle!

Non sono italiana, ma sono innamorata della tua lingua. Di dov’è sei esattamente? Ho visitato il tuo paese tante volte: ho fatto un corso d’Italiano a Firenze per 1 mese (è bella quella città!), e sono andata a Roma 3 volte e a Puglia 5 anni fa per visitare une delle mie migliore amiche, Tina, che è Italiana (è grazie a lei che non ho dimenticato l’Italiano). Mi piacerebbe tantissimo ritornarci, ma adesso vivo in Riunione, una piccola isola vicina a Madagascar, e è troppo caro :S.

Bacione!

I live in Michigan and I have been to South Carolina and Florida (which I hated!) all of these are in the US. Why does the US scare you Muchelle ? It is a very lovely place.

Posted By Yilina on 5/12/2017 10:11 AM 
Ciao Muchelle!

Non sono italiana, ma sono innamorata della tua lingua. Di dov’è sei esattamente? Ho visitato il tuo paese tante volte: ho fatto un corso d’Italiano a Firenze per 1 mese (è bella quella città!), e sono andata a Roma 3 volte e a Puglia 5 anni fa per visitare une delle mie migliore amiche, Tina, che è Italiana (è grazie a lei che non ho dimenticato l’Italiano). Mi piacerebbe tantissimo ritornarci, ma adesso vivo in Riunione, una piccola isola vicina a Madagascar, e è troppo caro :S.

Bacione!

Ciao! Come va? Scrivi benissimo, le tue amiche stanno facendo un ottimo lavoro per mantenere il tuo italiano vivo! 
Io sono proprio di Firenze vivo poco lontano. Adesso fa un caldo infernale (siamo quasi sui 30°, ma forse fa più caldo a Reunion…

Quando ti va di fare pratica scrivimi pure in privato Ci sono sempre per chiacchierare hehehe

A presto!

@Vanessa: when I’ll find the courage I’ll announce it somewhere I’d like to meet people from the forum heheh

@ReeseBun: eh, mostly the food bothers me because of my allergies, then also I’m not used to superbig cities… I managed Tokyo fine, but they are super organized so it didn’t feel like a metropolis at all ^_^”””

Oh, yeah the super big cities are scary. I’ve never been to one

My mom took me to NYC in late April. I’m noise sensitive but it isn’t actually too bad. Except for the J walkers. Ate some really good pizza there though