Have you ever noticed that moving to a new place, even if it’s just a few doors down, can change your daily routines and make you learn a few things about yourself?

Last week I moved into a remote log cabin in British Columbia and I was quite surprised not only by the change in my daily routines, but also by my reaction to these changes.

My new home is a little log cabin with a loft bedroom, full kitchen and a front porch with a view of the mountains. I have all the basic utilities except for a telephone –  there is no cellphone coverage either. My commute to work is a 5 minute downhill stroll and my commute home is a 15 minute uphill puff. I have no neighbours on my side of the mountain.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I have no “human” neighbours – but there certainly are a lot of creatures.  Believe it or not, my new daily routine is challenging me to co-exist with bears, cougars, coyotes, wolverines, mule deer, moose and small rodents.

The most difficult animals have been the bears. It seems that black bears and grizzly bears really enjoy my neck of the woods. Not only do I see my neighbours almost daily, there is plenty of evidence of their visits when I am not around: mounds of fresh bear scat, toppled outdoor furniture, window screens pushed in. It all points to big creatures looking for food.

I must admit that the first week was quite nerve-racking. I was living alone, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hungry bears. I slept with a knife on my night table, learned how to use bear spray, and even acquired a bear banger (noisy flare). I developed the habit of whistling and singing when walking on the path to warn the bears that I was about. When I cooked, I kept the windows shut and I never left any garbage outside.

My first few “close encounters of a bear kind” were very alarming. I couldn’t believe it when a family of three casually waltzed by my window, and one afternoon I found a large brown bear calmly lying on my porch. My anxiety about these animals surprised me, but finally, I decided that I had had enough of living in fear. Somehow I found the courage to confront one exceptionally pesky brute.

I left the safety of my cabin, armed with pots and pans, and clanged away to scare him. He didn’t run, but rather looked at me, snuffled loudly, sauntered off, and slowly climbed a tree to look for insects. At the time I didn’t realize it, but I had made it clear that this was my territory.

I am not seeing as many creatures now, and I am sleeping better at night. Acting with cautious courage in this new environment was a big challenge for me, but a challenge that I am glad I overcame.

As the snow melts, the bears will head up into the alpine and I will be faced with different situations. I am not sure what challenges will come my way, but I look forward to daily routines that continually change with the seasons.