Glacier National Park features some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world and yet it is quite unknown. In summer 2019 I had the privilege to live in West Glacier, a small town that anchors the western entrance to GNP.

When I first got there, I didn’t know much. Because of that, I spent plenty of my free time chilling by Lake McDonald or hiking in the park and as a result, I quickly learned some of the “unwritten rules”. Today I’d like to share this knowledge with you.

Bring (some) winter clothes.

Don’t be too shocked if you see snow in July. Logan Pass is at high elevation which means the temperature drops drastically. Bring a sweater and a windproof jacket.

Get a bear spray.

While there have been only 10 fatal bear attacks in the park’s history, I still recommend you have a bear spray with you at all times. You don’t even have to buy one if you are only visiting the park briefly – rent it in Apgar Village instead. If you decide to get a new one, check Costco deals.

Don’t forget to educate yourself on how to use the spray (watch a youtube tutorial).

Other animals you may encounter are moose, mountain goats, as well as rare or endangered species like wolverines and Canadian lynxes. Be alert and aware.

Personal experience: I had two bear sprays that I never had to use, even though I hiked once per week. In total, I saw 4 bears (always from the car). My friends had some closer encounters but none of us ever felt endangered. Still, we were fully prepared and aware that anything could happen.

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Flying during the COVID-19 outbreak is an experience, to say the least. My original plan was to stay in Canada and wait out for the situation to get better. However, when it was starting to get more serious, I chose to leave. By that stage, the borders all over Europe were already closed, and traveling to the USA was not an option either.

Booking a flight

I reached out to our embassy on the day I found out I had to make a decision. No repatriation flights were organized for Slovenians in Canada so I was pretty much on my own here. I booked my flight on Lufthansa’s official website and informed our ambassador of what route I was taking. He then shared the info with Slovenian embassies in the countries I was passing by. He also gave me some tips.

The situation at the time of my travel

I was flying on April 6 and April 7, 2020. All flights to Slovenia were (still are) suspended until further notice, so my best bet was to fly to Croatia or Austria. The main difference? Vienna is further from Slovenia and upon landing, you are required to take two trains to get to the border. In Croatia, you take a 20-minute taxi ride instead.

Europe had an agreement allowing all EU citizens a transit in a foreign country as long as they were returning home. Read More

Every few hours, I glance at the phone. I know there are messages I still need to answer, but instead, I swipe a notification to the left and clear it. Not today, I tell myself again.

When you are moving overseas, you usually don’t question if you are ready to survive the apocalypse away from everyone. In January, when I was getting ready for Canada, I knew exactly what I was going to do (or should I say: which country I will try next) if things don’t work out. What I didn’t take into account was a global pandemic.

Life in Toronto before the outbreak

My impulsive decision to go to Canada no longer seemed such a brilliant idea when I was boarding the plane at the beginning of February. Read More

While I was still at home, I often mentioned what a long period 4 months are. How much can change during one quarter of a year. And people would, over and over again, tell me my time in the USA will pass quicker than I can imagine. Here we are, two months and a half into the trip and I am just starting to realize how little we still have left.

Never bored

At the end of July, I got a second job at a gift shop next door. Read More

It has been almost a month and a half since I packed my life into 2 suitcases (and 20 boxes!). A day after I moved out of my apartment in Ljubljana, Slovenia, I was already on my way to the States with my friend Nina. We came here not knowing what to expect or what is coming next. And to spice things up a bit, our employers were just as lost as we were. The first few weeks have been full of surprises. The good and the bad. So how is everything, you ask.

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