Lots of things: Home. A Canadian. A breakfast-lover. A sun worshiper. A traveler. An idiot with money. A spontaneous spirit. But most of all… I am incredibly lucky.
After my first year of living abroad, I arrived back in Canada late Monday night, just in time for Canada Day. It was a long 28 hours of traveling: involving a luxurious overnight bus ride from zihuatanejo to Mexico City (foot rest, full reclining seat with food AND an English movie!), a chilly wait until I could check in (could someone please explain why they built the cafeteria waiting area OUTSIDE?), two long flights and a LONG wait for luggage in Atlanta (which never arrived… apparently they forgot to tell me that the luggage went straight through to Canada. Lucky for me, I got to see the ‘welcome to the USA’ video approximately 14 and a half times!).
I love my life in Mexico, but I am SO happy to be home for the month. I am proud to be from the country of Terry Fox, lovely summers, cottages, Blue Rodeo and other people who are proud to be Canadian. It is such a sight, after a year in a very different culture to see Canadians flooding the streets in celebration without alcohol or riots, to see people waiting in single file for port-a-potty’s, and to see everyone sitting calmly in lounge chairs during outdoor concerts. In general we are such a kind, respectful bunch, aren’t we?
My dad picked me up at the airport and we had a quick catch-up before I went to bed; which obviously involved a cup of Tim Horton’s coffee. My parents had tried to surprise me with the finished full household renovations they have been working on for the last three months, but unfortunately I was greeted with a surprise in progress! From what I can see it will look great, but the whole house is in a bit of disarray at the moment. They have decided to upgrade to new stainless steel appliances, a gorgeous granite kitchen countertop and new carpet. I am so proud of my very modern and fashionable parents!
My first full day home was Canada Day, which was a flurry of patios, phone calls to meet up with friends and fireworks, which all proved to be difficult without a cell phone! Oh, how we rely on being connected. I may have to invest in a temporary cheap cell phone for my time here. I loved every minute of the Canada Day celebration; it was an amazing welcome back to the capital.
There are so many negatives about living abroad: missing out on friends and family, not settling, expensive flights home… but in truth, being away for so long makes me appreciate every minute at home even more. I am loving hearing English, decent coffee, calm traffic, the warm (but not boiling hot) weather, seeing familiar faces, two-way streets, delicious beer, my family, having a car, going to lulu lemon and MEC, seeing Katie and Elena… and having the summer off to enjoy it all. Writing this, I am realizing: it is ridiculous how lucky I am.
