Life and Experience

After a little more time than I had anticipated, I finally feel like I can call this place my home. I feel as if can say I am settled in; not just into my house, but overall I am becoming more and more settled into my new environment. I was cautioned time and time again that coming here was going to be a huge change, and a big culture shock. Even after all these warnings, I haven’t really experienced this ‘shock’ that was apparently awaiting me. Surprisingly, since the beginning it hasn’t been super rough adjusting to being here. The toughest part has been adjusting to the fact that I am in a foreign and unfamiliar place without the things and those people who I am so familiar with surrounding me; it’s not the ‘foreign culture’ but instead what’s missing. Obviously there have been nights where I wake up and want to be in my own bed and in my own surroundings back at home, but as time goes on I don’t have these nights as frequent anymore. I am starting to build a routine and as time goes on it is beginning to feel like real life again. The next couple of months here aren’t going to be a holiday as many people have suggested to me; I’m continuing with life and living it. I am still working, and studying and doing other day-to-day activities that I did when I was back home in Canada. I’m just living it in a different part of the world, which means living life differently, but still living it.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

                                                   (Joe Lewis)

Since I have been here, I have had more time to actually think (it gets dark at seven every night and there’s not much to do after this time). Looking at the big picture of my life, I am going to be here for three months but the impact is going to last the rest of my life. The experiences and memories that I make here are going to ones that never leave me, and ones that most people will not have the chance to make. I most likely won’t have this same opportunity, so it’s important to savour and admire every moment that I get here. I the grand scheme of life, the home sickness and the ‘hard’ times are going to be nothing in comparison to the impact that it’s going to leave. Live love laugh and experience life.

What I get to wake up to every morning....amazing.