Natalie’s Blog-Back to Life….Back to Reality

Now that I’m back home in Canada, I look back on what I was thinking the last few days of the trip: “It’s time to go home.” Aside from my family and friends, what did I REALLY miss about home?

Did I miss the fact that when I walk down the streets of Toronto that not one person says hello to me?

Did I miss looking outside into my backyard and seeing a fence that divides my property from my backyard-neighbours’, people who I haven’t spoken to for the 14 years that I’ve lived here. It wasn’t the backyard that I remember having in Peru, that’s for sure.

What about the wildlife? What wildlife you ask? All we have here are skunks and racoons, animals we consider pests and some that companies make a profit off of “controlling the population”.

What do I do for entertainment here on a weekday evening vs. what would I do in Peru? Would I spend time with family and friends playing checkers, Rummy, or listening to music? NOPE! Instead I think I’ll watch The Bachelor or go spend hours on Facebook.

When we were in Peru, Lent began, and it’s tradition to give up (sacrifice) something for about 40 days. I still haven’t decided what I’ll give up which makes me wonder what people in developing countries give up for Lent, considering they don’t have all the luxuries that we do to begin with.

I think back to the day of Carnival, when I gave my water gun to a little boy who didn’t have one. I watched him play with it for a bit and then pass it on to his friend, who then passed it on to his friend. That water gun cost me almost nothing, but to those kids it was gold.

Things are so different being home again. It’s hard to explain my trip to those who haven’t experienced it for themselves. That’s why I’ve been unusually quiet. What do you say to people when they ask you: “How does it feel to be home again?” I guess I just have to deal with the fact that it’s back to my reality for the time being…until my next escape, whenever that may be.