Passports.

My human has been watching a Facebook friend as she and her husband and well-behaved Berger Picard have traveled across Western and central Canada.  It's hard to imagine a well-behaved Picard, while living with the FG.  Mind you he DOES have more and more moments of good behavior...Anyway,  the travelers have clearly enjoyed their visit to the Rockies and the plains and the forests of Ontario.  And as they head back to the US, my human has realized her pride in Canada.  And she counts herself as lucky - because she grew up in the US but she lives in Canada - so she holds passports in both countries and is a citizen of both.  

She recalls the time that an American once labelled her as a "traitor" for obtaining Canadian citizenship after living here for 30+ years.  The comment hurt her deeply.   Despite the often controversial political US climate,  her roots DO lie in a country where her grandfather emigrated from Poland - and where she proudly said the Pledge of Allegiance every day in school.  She does believe in the US - and it IS her birthplace.  It is in her heart.  But - she has also lived in a land where people are genuinely NICE - and where she has been welcomed and able to work and create a job that she truly loves.  Canada is not without problems - and she could write a book about the health care system.  But it IS a good place to live.  And while Nova Scotia sometimes feels like it is at the end of the east coast...and well, I guess it is except for Newfoundland (which is an island), it is a well-kept secret.  Not to mention the fact that she was adopted by two Polish Lowland Sheepdogs from this province!

And as for us dogs and passports, we don't carry them for travel within North America - but as I understand it, dogs in Europe DO carry passports. They contain medical information, which allows dogs to go from country to country.  You can obtain passports from every country from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.  I understand that IF I was going to Zimbabwe, I COULD get a "Canadian" passport.  I have no travel plans right now - but who knows?!  One thing you DO need to check when traveling is whether the country has any quarantine period for newly arrived pets. That would NOT go over well with the dogs in THIS household....

So what's my point today?  To love your roots and the passport that you hold - but to also love where you live.  And if both are in the same place - lucky you!  And if you have two places - or maybe MORE - lucky you TOO!  Don't forget your roots - but appreciate and explore the place where you live.  And be grateful for that opportunity!

Have a good one...