It’s a random Wednesday night and I’m sitting with a glass of wine beside me, typing away on my laptop while my husband showers, getting ready for an impromptu date night. The house is silent. There isn’t a child’s voice in ear shot.
My kids self orchestrated a sleepover with their grandparents for no reason in particular, other than the fact they could, for the first time in their lives. Talk about a win-win-win. The novelty hasn’t worn off for any of us yet.
Having my parents in the same city is amazing. They’re here in Calgary part time, splitting their time between this city, where my brothers and I all live once again, my childhood home in Ontario, and snow-birding in Mexico, as many Canadians do to escape the harsh winters. But even if it is part time, we’re all making the most of it.
I’m not going to lie, after being away from family for all those years, having the chance for my kids to sleepover at my parents house WITHOUT needing to take a 30 HOUR flight, is right up there in the top five things I love about being home….right next to drinking out of the tap, not needing to thoroughly disinfect all my food, ditching the malaria spray, being able to order things on Amazon, getting mail, having the sun stay out past 6:00pm, driving my own car, seeing the blue sky(when there isn’t forest fire smoke), family bike rides, neighbourhood parks, having people speak English EVERYWHERE I go, hearing music I know on the car radio, affordable strawberries and blueberries, buying books and not worrying about them taking up weight in my suitcase, being in the same time zone(ish) as most of the people I know, having my own home, with my own furniture, seeing old friends, being around my brothers, my kids having cousins…
Okay, that’s more than five, but there’s so many little things to be thankful for when they’ve been taken away for what at times felt like a lifetime.
Last week, our new home Calgary, Alberta got named the 4th most liveable city in the world. I never grew up here, but I did move here in my 20’s after university, and then met my husband here. We both thought it was a ‘good’ place to live, but it wasn’t until we came back after years away that we could really appreciate just how amazing this place is.
Of course we’ll miss aspects of living abroad. I already do. Our expat friends living in Madrid were here visiting last week and I believe my last wine-infused words to them were, “Take me with you!!!”
I was joking, because we’re happy to be here, but there is that little part, deep down in the corner of my adventurous soul that will always long to be let loose. To her I whisper, ‘Hang tight girl, I’ll let you out soon!’
I know that personally, my happiness is travel and adventure dependent. We may not be living a life in constant motion anymore, but I’ve already planned for a couple quick trips in the fall and Christmas vacation. Plans for March break and summer holidays are already stewing away on the back burner, so there are still many vacations to be planned. Now they’re just spaced out reasonably, and I can actually look forward to, and enjoy planning them, instead of seeing vacation planning as a chore(slap me now). It’s embarrassing to say, but we did get to that point trying to plan out when and how to ‘escape’ on vacation.
Good news friends! I no longer feel the need to escape! There are currently mini vacations and summer festivals everywhere we turn in this city. Stay turned for winter, I could be changing my tune, but again, that’s where looking forward to vacations comes in!
CULTURE SHOCK
When we arrived there was a lot of culture shock! Reverse culture shock for me, and regular culture shock for our kids. The guy on the radio announced what a beautiful summer day it was outside, and simultaneously my daughter came in the front door of my parent’s house shouting, “Mom I need another pair of socks and pants. I’m freezing!” She was already wearing two pairs of socks. It was late June.
I couldn’t take them to the grocery store without them being TOTALLY over stimulated by the selection of things they could possibly have access to. I’m not talking about the toy or candy aisle being too much for them to handle. I’m talking about them loosing their minds in the cracker aisle. Welcome to North America kids!
It’s been interesting this move because things I am finding perfectly normal, my kids are pointing out as different. We’re experiencing culture shock differently this time around because for the first time, everything is not new at the same time. My kids have taken lessons(swimming) for the first time in English with great success, but again, it wasn’t until I saw them in the pool, looking ever so slightly confused, that I remembered that they are, for the first time, operating 24/7 in their non-dominant language. It’s the first time in their lives that they’ve ever lived somewhere English-speaking. What is a relief for me, is a new challenge for them.
I could tap away here for hours about what it’s like being back home after so long, but there’s a dinner reservation that awaits and my wine glass is now empty.
For now I’ll leave you with this.
The house is unpacked, we’re loving being back, and just to keep things interested…..I’m heading back to work full-time next week and….
We’re moving again. Right after the kids start school. Dead serious. But that’s another story that I’ll crack out on my laptop the next time my kids are at their grandparents house.