Home is where the poutine is

We have now lived in China for  just over six months.

WHAT?!
I know.

Weifang has been, in a word, fresh. Living here is comparable to what I imagine living on Saturn would be like. The language is foreign. And despite somewhat best efforts, the dialect is always different from what you expect from person to person. You are an alien. And, don’t think that buying lenseless glasses, a panda hat, ear muffs, and pants with reindeer on them will help you fit in. Been there. It doesn’t.

After living in Barrhaven for 23 years, living somewhere like Fangzi is a big shock to the system. Everything is new. The smells, the people, the experiences. It’s amazing. Refreshing, inviting… just what I want traveling to be like. I hope to be this engulfed into the culture anywhere else we choose to live later in life.

While I’ve never considered myself to be patriotic, in almost any way. Besides celebrating Canada Day on the hill, and cheering for Team Canada in the Olympics. I must say I show very little Canadian pride (my bad). Though,  I keep hearing this little annoying voice in my head saying:

“Eh! Danica. Where ya at girl?”
And, that voice is me. (not that I speak like that).

It wasn’t until a few days ago where I realized that, even though I’m still soaking in the experience, lately my mind has been elsewhere. In Canada. In Ottawa. Believe it or not, in Barrhaven. (gasp!). Yep. Never did I ever think that I would miss Barrhaven. Never. Why am I mourning Barrhaven, why? I just don’t understand. I had wanted to high tail it out of there since sixth grade. Why and how is it that I could miss a place so much? I know I’m not keen on living in Barrhaven again, ever. But that is not to take away that I can’t wait to get a big ol’ dose of B-haven in the summer.

I miss my family and my friends, of course. But there are also a lot of things about Ottawa that I guess I took for granted. First and foremost I miss the luxury of getting pizza delivered to your home (oh what I would give!). I also miss: the Bytowne theatre, the Works, Chapters, Clock Tower (specifically with RGB Sr.), The Turning Point record store, Booster Juice, Pure Gelato, Rideau street shopping,the market, the homeless weirdos, Miss. Vickie’s chips, Tim Hortons (Apple Cinnamon tea!), Caesars, outdoor rinks,and… I miss poutine – more than I think is normal.

I am loving living in China. But, uh, I’m so stoked to be back in my city. And, to (temporarily) live walking distance from Riocan.

Pathetic? Yea, maybe.