Readjusting to the West Coast

 

Luckily, Vancouver Island is stunning

My lack of posts has not been because I don’t have anything to write about, but rather that I have too much. Between saying my goodbyes in Toronto, scrambling to replace a passport last minute - 48 hours to be exact, a trip to Manhattan, and readjusting to life on Vancouver Island, I just haven’t known what to say. How can I pick a topic to focus on much less condense it all into a blog post?

Being back in my hometown is surreal. Everything is so familiar and unchanged that it’s like I never left. Yet it is always an adjustment switching from the pace of the city to a quiet town. I went paddleboarding yesterday with my closest friend while the water was smooth as glass and everything was quiet and still. I didn’t realize how little quiet I had experienced being in the city until that moment. It’s moments like those mixed with the stunning scenery and noticeably fresher air that makes me appreciate being back in my home town. 

But other days the quiet gets to me. If you’re someone that needs a fan or sound machine to sleep, you know how suffocating complete silence can be. While I don’t miss the frequent sirens and car alarms, or the sound of garbage truck outside my window when I’m trying to sleep in; I miss the liveliness of it all. 

I miss Toronto. I feel like I’m in the midst of a breakup with the city. We had amazing times despite our frequent arguments over the weather. Now, since it looks like I’ll be living in Vancouver this fall, I have to get over the love I formed for the place. I distract myself with all that I love about the west coast and comfort myself with thoughts of rediscovering the passion I once felt for Vancouver. 

But for now, Vancouver Island is my recovery place. I have the summer to readjust and will do so while reconnecting with old friends, planning a bridal shower for my darling sister, hopefully starting yet another temporary job, and appreciating the nature that I missed while living amongst the concrete.

Feel free to come join me. Because it's not just the city I miss.