I almost don't want it to end...but I think it has to now. We have been Home for 7 weeks. Our shipments have all arrived, the house is more or less back to "normal" and life goes on. That's the practical stuff of course, but it's taking more time on a personal level to re-settle, re-patriate and get used to our not so new surroundings again.
Things we had just got used in one foreign country, have now changed again and we find ourselves back in another foreign country. Canada didn't feel foreign when we left it in October 2009, after 3.5 years of living here but upon returning, whilst some obvious things feel familiar, like our home and our friends, other things feel new again and require some re-integration. A year is just long enough. Just long enough to feel like you have truly lived in a place and experienced a taste of the culture, the lifestyle and all that entails. It's just long enough to build some great friendships and to miss the people you have left behind. It's just long enough to explore lots of great places and just long enough to see all the seasons come and go. A year can go by really fast, especially if you're doing all of the above and truly engaging with your experiences.
Our year (and a bit), 15 months to be exact, did go by fast. It's true, I did spend a month back in Canada in the summer and a month in the UK in the Autumn and although we have never added up the days, I suspect that Alan actually spent more time out of HK during those 15 months than he did in it...travelling around Asia on business. That boy was hardly on the ground! It was a unique year and for me, a year was perfect. I left Hong Kong in January, ready to return home, but also knowing that I'd love to return to Asia in the future....there is so much more that we didn't get to see and do. What is it they say...something like Always Leave them Wanting More....well, I think it's safe to say that Asia has our interest and whilst I am glad to be back in Canada and I'm ready to embrace my next Chapter here, Hong Kong and Asia in general, has a little piece of me.
Farewell Dear Asian Chapter....
x
