feels like home.

i'm leaving odot tomorrow. not forever, but as i pack up literally all my favourite stuff, sometimes it feels that way. and i was just beginning to LOVE ottawa. growing up, i think i felt really sheltered living my suburban existence. i craved more then bbqhaven, and was convinced i would never, ever settle in ottawa. now i'm not so sure.

after three months back in ottawa, it definitely feels like the kind of city i want to settle in. it is big enough, but not huge; it has culture and great food; it has a history that lives on in the present; it has diversity, language, hiking, and lots of green space. it doesn't have traffic like toronto, it has personality (not so much in the suburbs, but certainly in many neighbourhoods) and it is full of (mostly) friendly people. i wish it had more diversity in employment (so much government!) and was in a more central local, but in beauty, it can't be beat by much (except maybe vancouver and sydney!). i can't stand the winter, but, well, i don't think i'll like it anywhere that i go.

there are so many things that i have gotten used to in ottawa these past few months, and i am really sad to leave them! i'll miss perfect books on elgin, the greatest little indepedent bookstore that i have found. they write little reviews of their favourite books on recipe cards, and make suggestions! i have never disliked any book i have been recommended there. i'll miss my weekly coffee dates at bridgehead, a fair-trade coffee shop located in all my favourite neighbourhoods around town (westboro, the glebe, elgin)... i had almost tried all their teas! i'll miss gatineau park, which i have rediscovered this summer in a hiking revolution. i can't believe i have lived so close to it for years and have barely visited at all. i'll miss weekend trips to merrickville, my favourite little gifty-shop town where they serve tractor beer, SO worth the trip. i'll miss the market, rama lotus yoga, the construction, beers at the fox and the feather, burgers at the works, and the kids that return emma when she goes for a walk without us. i'll even miss the tree-lined streets in the glebe, the HUGE curb at the end of our driveway and our neighbours that scare the crap out of me!

ottawa will always be a home that i feel comfortable returning to. even though i have lived here almost my whole life, i still discover new things every day. for example, ginny and jessie took me to the green door, a lovely vegetarian cooperative restaurant today for lunch. teaching internationally is a great move for me right now, but i hope i return to ottawa in the future for longer than just a visit.

i'm off to the cottage for the weekend, so the next time i write, i will have embarked for mexico! dean and i leave bright and early monday morning, and we'll start with a full day of driving so we can make it as close to chicago as we can.

finally, my adventure is about to begin.

i'll update from the road.