Home sweet home
When I was in Japan, I used to dream of Vancouver and now when I am in Vancouver I dream of Japan. In an entire reversal of roles. It still has not sunk in that I am home in Vancouver, at any moment it feels like I am going to wake up on my futon in Japan. I have been home for 3 days and for the most part of the 3 days I have not ventured out too much. I am fighting a post travels bug of some sort. I jokingly tell everyone that it is either SARS or Malaria. However, it is more likely a cumulation of lack of sleep, dry air plane air, and the pollution of Delhi that has made me suspectible to a cold bug. I spent the better part of yesterday firmly ensconced on the couch being pampered and worried about by my family, something that has not happened in years and years. It was rather nice to be taken care of when I was feeling so miserable. Someone to cook me my fav. foods and someone to do my laundry.
It is still a rather strange sensation for me to be in a house with my parents. Afterall it has been 7 years since I have lived at home. It is very strange for me, nice at the moment but not sure how it will last long term. Going from being entirely on my own to sharing a house with 4 other people. The last time I lived at home was when I was in highschool.
Other than that I am adjusting well, I have not major reverse culture shock episodes, although I hope to get it over and done with soon, so I can get on with my life in Canada. I do have pangs of missing Japan and my students. I cannot help but look at the people around me and think about how different it is in Japan.
I guess I am going through a bit of post-Japan withdrawl.
Friday, August 22, 2003
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Am I really in Vancouver??
I had no nose pressed up against the glass of the window as we approached Vancouver, I could not believe that I was seeing the Vancouver skyline against the mountains. After 2 years, I was finally coming home for good....well, not quite for good but for a while at least. Even at this point I am not 100% sure I am in Vancouver. I think it is a cumulation of Jet lag and disbelief that I am not in Japan. At any moment it seems like I am going to wake up from this dream and be in my apartment in Japan.
I cannot express what kind of feelings are going through my head. It is this mixed bag of being happy I am home and also of missing Japan and my kids, along with missing Nepal and the kind people I have met there. Once again, I cannot express how wonderful and attached I am to Nepal. It is definately some where to go back to. In fact, I am even now plotting about a trip next spring to Japan and Nepal. We'll see what happens.
At this point I am just going to relax and spend time with my family and friends and take it easy. Sleep is one of my first priorities.....
I had no nose pressed up against the glass of the window as we approached Vancouver, I could not believe that I was seeing the Vancouver skyline against the mountains. After 2 years, I was finally coming home for good....well, not quite for good but for a while at least. Even at this point I am not 100% sure I am in Vancouver. I think it is a cumulation of Jet lag and disbelief that I am not in Japan. At any moment it seems like I am going to wake up from this dream and be in my apartment in Japan.
I cannot express what kind of feelings are going through my head. It is this mixed bag of being happy I am home and also of missing Japan and my kids, along with missing Nepal and the kind people I have met there. Once again, I cannot express how wonderful and attached I am to Nepal. It is definately some where to go back to. In fact, I am even now plotting about a trip next spring to Japan and Nepal. We'll see what happens.
At this point I am just going to relax and spend time with my family and friends and take it easy. Sleep is one of my first priorities.....
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Adventures over
In about an hour I will be heading to the airport to fly home. My flgiht is at 12:00 am and I will have to change flights 2 times, once in Bangkok and once in Taipei. I am not looking forward to the flight but really happy that I will be heading home. I have had a great adventure in Nepal and probably decided that I will not venture back to Delhi for a long time. I am not tough enough for this country.
I cannot express how amazing my adventures have been over the last 2 years and how I am a little sad that they are coming to an end. However, I am sure that I will be happy once I have set foot on Canadian soil....reverse culture shock and all.....well, I will see how it goes. If it gets to be too bad I can always go back to Nepal.
Anyways, just wanted to write one last blog from somewhere other than Canada.
In about an hour I will be heading to the airport to fly home. My flgiht is at 12:00 am and I will have to change flights 2 times, once in Bangkok and once in Taipei. I am not looking forward to the flight but really happy that I will be heading home. I have had a great adventure in Nepal and probably decided that I will not venture back to Delhi for a long time. I am not tough enough for this country.
I cannot express how amazing my adventures have been over the last 2 years and how I am a little sad that they are coming to an end. However, I am sure that I will be happy once I have set foot on Canadian soil....reverse culture shock and all.....well, I will see how it goes. If it gets to be too bad I can always go back to Nepal.
Anyways, just wanted to write one last blog from somewhere other than Canada.
Monday, August 18, 2003
Why I hate India
Of the countries I have visited there is not one that I would say that I really do not like, that is until India.
India is nuts....let me say that again....it is nuts...when you step out of the safety of the airport it a free for all and you are swarmed by Taxi drivers. It is a really agressive society. After being in Nepal and being treated so nicely and everyone being so friendly I was in quite the shock in India, where 10 people will swarm you while you are stopped at a light and ask you to buy something or to go to their hotel.
We went to the Taj Mahal today. Which turned out to be an adventure that I do not ever want to relive. We got up at 5:00 am so we could meet downstairs for our bus for 6:00 am. Then proceed to ride a supposedly a/c bus for 8 hours only to be told that if we wanted a ride back to our hotel in Delhi (which was covered in our bus ticket) that we would probably not arrive until really late. Thus conveniently an alternate plan was made for us, we would be dropped off at a travel agent and they would take us via taxi to the Taj Mahal and other tourist sights and then be put on a train back to Delhi. Of course if we wanted to take the deluxe train we would have to pay extra. Elita and I vehmently said No...we will take the regular train. So, we see the Taj Mahal which is spectacular, then were taken to a marble factory and were told that this man is the descendent of one of the original builders of the Taj and is no in charge of taking care of it. He then told us all about marble and tried to sell us crap and kept talking about how it is free to ship, how it is like you are taking the Taj with you. My god he would not let us leave, finally we got out of their, having wasted an hour where we could have been seeing Agra. They took us back to the travel agent, where the man working there conviently owns a gem store and proceeded to take us there to look at gems. He was pushy and even suggested that we allow him to borrow our addresses in Canada so he could send some gems there and then have someone pick them up...we said no way!!! Then he proceeded to grill us about why we didn't want to do it. Finally to shut him up we bought some gems from him. Nothing too expensive...then we took a 3 hour train ride back sitting on hard wooden benches. My first experience with Indian trains and hopefully my last.
Of the countries I have visited there is not one that I would say that I really do not like, that is until India.
India is nuts....let me say that again....it is nuts...when you step out of the safety of the airport it a free for all and you are swarmed by Taxi drivers. It is a really agressive society. After being in Nepal and being treated so nicely and everyone being so friendly I was in quite the shock in India, where 10 people will swarm you while you are stopped at a light and ask you to buy something or to go to their hotel.
We went to the Taj Mahal today. Which turned out to be an adventure that I do not ever want to relive. We got up at 5:00 am so we could meet downstairs for our bus for 6:00 am. Then proceed to ride a supposedly a/c bus for 8 hours only to be told that if we wanted a ride back to our hotel in Delhi (which was covered in our bus ticket) that we would probably not arrive until really late. Thus conveniently an alternate plan was made for us, we would be dropped off at a travel agent and they would take us via taxi to the Taj Mahal and other tourist sights and then be put on a train back to Delhi. Of course if we wanted to take the deluxe train we would have to pay extra. Elita and I vehmently said No...we will take the regular train. So, we see the Taj Mahal which is spectacular, then were taken to a marble factory and were told that this man is the descendent of one of the original builders of the Taj and is no in charge of taking care of it. He then told us all about marble and tried to sell us crap and kept talking about how it is free to ship, how it is like you are taking the Taj with you. My god he would not let us leave, finally we got out of their, having wasted an hour where we could have been seeing Agra. They took us back to the travel agent, where the man working there conviently owns a gem store and proceeded to take us there to look at gems. He was pushy and even suggested that we allow him to borrow our addresses in Canada so he could send some gems there and then have someone pick them up...we said no way!!! Then he proceeded to grill us about why we didn't want to do it. Finally to shut him up we bought some gems from him. Nothing too expensive...then we took a 3 hour train ride back sitting on hard wooden benches. My first experience with Indian trains and hopefully my last.
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