Jens

I couldn't leave the kind hospitality of JB & ES without a post concerning Jens, their very adorable dog.  His name is Jens, named after the cyclist Jens Voigt, but his name is frequently affectionatly lengthened to Jento (as in Ianto) or Jentle.  He's a crazy dog, but very friendly, always pleased to see you, and generally out to lick any piece of bare flesh he can lay his tongue on.  He enjoys making you open the back door so he can go outside and then want to come in (with a hilariously adorable two legged frantic scrape against the glass pane), only after he can no longer see you waiting with the door open for him. He hates being left alone, is petrified of being in the car, even when we are taking him for a walk.  And when he's on his lead he has a very frantic excited attitude, pulling you along, running from person to person to check we're all there and then bounding off as far as his lead can carry him (about 2m) before attempting to run along on his hind legs, his fore-legs waving in the air being held back by the collar on his neck.We've had some good times over the past three weeks, especially playing tug of war with his favourite toy.  He doesn't let me win very often! I'm going to miss him!

Also, its been a fantastic three weeks with JB and ES, they've really helped me settle in to Australia and Canberra.  They've applied no pressure in finding my own place, letting me find somewhere that I actually think is a nice place to live.  I also feel as though I've been introduced to Canberra from the local perspective rather than the student one, which is always a great alternative viewpoint from which to learn a new city.  I wonder how many international students ever end up with as much local knowledge as I already have, having spent three weeks in the real world!  I am very grateful to them.

JB and ES also had a cat called Bentley, but frankly its Jens who'll always have a special place in my heart!