Canadian Love Map Podstarter

Today's story belongs to Paul, of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Growing up can be tough, especially if you're juggling the responsibilities of childhood with the anxiety of caring for an ailing parent. For Paul, his mother's bipolar disorder was a constant fixation of his young life. It was a weight he carried with him wherever he went... that is until he first stepped foot onto a basketball court.
While pursuing athletics, Paul felt a sense of stability and control he hadn't yet known. He was a gifted basketball player, and his passion for the game would eventually secure him an exciting career in sports broadcasting. But all that time, Paul never forgot how hard it was to care for his mother at such a young age. This would eventually inspire Paul to share his experience vulnerably in a new children's book, The Backpack.
His mission: to let young people struggling with mental illness in their family know that they are never alone.
So, how does a career sports broadcaster shift radically to the medium of children's books? How did Paul come to reconcile his conflicted feelings about his childhood and mother? Listen to hear all about this and so much more in this story of strength, purpose, and vulnerability.
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!

Today's story belongs to Alicia and Tyson, originally from Newfoundland and Manitoba, respectively.
Adventure, freedom, and excitement. Many of us have daydreamed about shedding our familiar patterns and embracing the unknown, but very few of us bring these fantasies to life. That's not the case for Alicia and Tyson.
Alicia, a busy entrepreneur and self-described hoarder, couldn't possibly have expected that, when a mutual friend introduced her to Tyson online, her whole life would change. Tyson was her opposite in many ways: a quiet, thoughtful minimalist with a restless appetite for adventure.
Together, this unlikely pair would push each other to embrace opportunity, so when the chance to move out of Alicia's Truro, NS home and into a vintage Airstream trailer year-round, they committed 100 percent.
So, how do two opposites attract in such a powerful way? How do you downsize from a 2400 square foot house to a 180 square foot trailer? Listen to find out!
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!

Today's story belongs to Shellie Ann Tobin and Danielle MacDonald, originally from New Waterford, Cape Breton Island.
The East Coast of Canada is steeped in a rich musical tradition that binds families, communities, and generations together. This is the world that Shellie and Danielle were born into. The two sisters grew up singing together and with the people closest to them, but when Danielle married into a military family and moved away, it was the music that kept these siblings connected.
Having always yearned to perform music professionally, Shellie and Danielle's dream was put on pause until one fateful day when Shellie received an unexpected call from her younger sister, who said, "I'm moving back home, let's do this."
Now, the singing sisters form two halves of their band, Hearts of Kin, and the dream they shared together growing up has become a beautiful reality.
Learn more about Hearts of Kin by visiting their website, heartsofkin.com
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!

Today's story belongs to Awele Oye-Onwuka from Lagos, Nigeria (and from Antigonish, Nova Scotia).
Like many young people in Canada today, Awele is an international student hailing from the lively, busy city of Lagos, Nigeria. Awele loved growing up in Nigeria, having extremely close relationships to family and neighbours alike. That said, even as a young girl Awele planned on travelling abroad for her studies.
Her original plan was to study in France, and if not France, then somewhere else in Europe. It was at her parents' urging that she began to research alternate destinations for study, which eventually led Awele to discover a small university in the quiet town of Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Taking a huge leap of faith, Awele chose St. Francis Xavier University, and a few short years later, has now found herself loving the school and town that she has come to call her own. Now, she shares her excitement and love for St. FX to prospective students, inspiring them with her story of courage, curiosity, and compassion.
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!

This week's story belongs to Anita and Kevin Kirkbride, of Florenceville, New Brunswick.
Have you ever wondered what became of your high school sweetheart? For former flames Anita and Kevin, this common curiosity became a window of opportunity two decades after the young couple parted ways. However, a series of coincidental synchronicities kept the two connected.   
Having broken up at the end of high school, Anita and Kevin would both go on to meet new lovers during their college years, eventually getting married and starting families. Neither could shake the deep connection they shared when they were together as kids, and when both marriages ended in separation, the smouldering embers of their former love began to burn brightly again.
Listen to hear a story of courage, rediscovery, and embracing life's coincidences.
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!

Today's story comes from Julia Rivard Dexter of Loon Lake, Nova Scotia.
Like many children, Julia struggled with reading. This would become a source of strife and insecurity for the young girl, until she found her fit in competitive canoe kayaking. In the world of sports Julia excelled. Her dedication and commitment would lead her to the top of her game, and eventually, the Olympics in 2000.
After the games, it was time for a new challenge, so Julia threw herself into entrepreneurship. At the time, her son Max started to have his own struggles with reading. Not wanting Max to feel the same insecurity she had felt in school, Julia would go to found and launch Squiggle Park, a learning platform that gamifies literacy education. The goal at first was simple: find a better way for her own son to learn how to read. The impact, however, became much larger than that.
This fresh, fun approach to learning was embraced by students and teachers alike, and since launching in October 2016, Squiggle Park has grown to be used in over 12,000 schools.
Presented by Charm Diamond Centres
Hosted by Nancy Regan
Produced by Podstarter
Do you have a great love story? You could be the next guest on the Canadian Love Map! Apply here!