Home.

Today marks a week since I returned back home to Vancouver, and it's been quite a roller coaster ride to say the least! I'm happy to be back, but it hasn't been without it's lows. After a year away, in a culture and environment that is so different from home, I have been experiencing reverse culture shock.

The first day and a half were very odd - a bit of an out of body experience. I felt I had changed so much as a person through all the new experiences in the past year. Yet, when I returned, everything seemed exactly the same. The radio station still played the same songs and commercials. Stores still opened and closed at the same time. The bushes standing by the driveway looked the same. Everything was still going around like clockwork.

I guess the sense of oddity comes from the fact that even though I was gone, life for everyone else continued in what seems like the exact same way I left it a year ago. And once I got over that, a wave of fear washed over me. The excitement of the last year was hard to find in my surrounding environment. Crossing the street was no longer a game of Frogger, but a fairly organized event where drivers, 90% of the time will slow and stop when you set a foot on the road. Stimuli that kept me on my toes and my guard up the last year no longer existed. I feared falling into the routine I had left behind a year ago.

View from Steveston Fisherman's Wharf, Richmond, BC

While I wallowed for a day and a half at home somewhat depressed, I soon had to get out for a meeting with the Commonwealth Games Canada Game of Life Walk/Run - Vancouver committee meeting. The bus/skytrain ride out was less than inspiring - the mountains I looked forward to seeing so much were not calling my name (weird, I know!). Soon, I realized I was SO glad I got out and had that planned before I got home. Once our meeting started and we talked about where the event planning was and what needed to be done, I started to feel like myself again. I also was very glad that after the meeting I met up with some some friends and UBC Japan Association Alumni and enjoyed some very good conversation and a cheerful atmosphere. I started to feel revived again. That leads me to a piece of advice to anyone returning from an extended period of time abroad: Make plans to get out and meet people/friends before you leave to go home!

Sakura/Cherry Blossoms in full bloom beside the Burrard SkyTrain Station, Downtown Vancouver.

This past weekend I spent a lot of time outside getting reacquainted with what I love about this city. On Friday, I went out to Steveston (Richmond, BC) with CC because I had a hankering to see the ocean and have some chips (fries in Canadian speak) on this gorgeous day. We walked around the pier and the docks, looked at much of the fresh and frozen catch on the local fishing boats, had the most delicious fish and chips, and even bought some salmon roe from one of the fishermen, Tony, to make some homemade caviar with! I highly recommend Blue Comet Seafoods on the Steveston Wharf who is also found at the Vancouver Winter Market and will at various Vancouver Farmer's Markets this summer. Tony was a great to talk to and very knowledgeable about his "Ocean Wise" accreditation and sustainable salmon fishing. Following that, on Saturday, we went out to Stanley park to do a walk through of the CGC Game of Life Walk/Run on yet another gorgeous day with Cherry Blossoms (Sakura) in bloom downtown. Had a lovely family dinner once I got home and had the best steak I've had all year courtesy of mom and dad (thanks!). Sunday I got out to Westwood Plateau's Academy golf course for short round of golf with my dad on the third gorgeous day in a row with a clear view of Mt. Baker in the background. It was the first time I felt warm outside and unfortunately, my allergies to spring also attacked me. Sneezes and sniffles galore. Ugh!

View of the North Shore and Lions Gate Bridge from the Stanley Park Seawall.

So 7 days after getting back, I'm starting to feel "normal" again. I'm enjoying driving (also very weird), and grocery shopping! I also recognize that we live in such a consumerist culture here and it is VERY hard not to fall back into that habit. It helps that I'm broke and without a job so I can't buy anything!

Totem Poles, Stanley Park, Vancouver. 

So even though my adventure abroad is over, for now, I will continue to blog. I really enjoy reflecting on my thoughts and sharing many of the wondrous tidbits of information I come across in sport, recreation, life, travelling, and eating. To all the new friends I have made in the last year, I will no doubt be using this blog to try and entice you to come visit.

Ciao, for now.