Toronto, Canada
I lived in Toronto for less than a year, from 2006 to 2007. I lived in a little apartment in a brick building, close to parks and Vietnamese restaurants and coffee shops. I never really felt at home in Toronto, but it was the last time I had all of my possessions in one place, all of my books, records, and items I collected throughout the travels I had already been on. Over three years ago, then, I packed all of these things into boxes and shipped them to my dad’s house for storage. I then lived in Edinburgh and Osaka for a little over three years (where I inevitably collected many more books, records, and souvenirs). These days, however, back in my dad’s house for a visit, I am finally opening up those boxes again, finding things I haven’t seen and sometimes hadn’t thought of in all these years. Posters from Russia, knick knacks from Portobello Market in London, my currency collection, religious icons from Mexico, travel books, vintage magazines from Hungary…it’s all there.
It is such a joy to go through all of these things I once loved, loving them again. It also makes me feel that, sooner than later, I’d like to have my own place again, one that doesn’t feel so transient, one that I can settle in for a little while, one that I can actually call “home”.
4 comments
i love this post. your old place in toronto was amazing – haven’t met you and gotten to know you a bit it ‘feels’ like you – which is the biggest compliment i think one can receive about their home. i feel like i could walk into your former home and know all about the person who lived there and what was important to them.
one day you’ll have ‘home’ again & it will be filled with even more stories and mementos of your well traveled life.
Kisha – Thank you so much. People have indeed said that about all of my homes, that it “feels like” me, and yes, I do take that as a compliment. I love decorating and organizing my apartments so that I walk in and am instantly reminded of how lucky and lovely my life is. I can’t wait to find my new home (especially as it will be decorated with things from India!).
Faye – It IS so nice to see all of my old things! I don’t think I am going to settle permanently this fall, I might just hang out in my hometown, work until Christmas, and then move somewhere new in January. I think I am going to be too tired and too broke to move somewhere in August or September! Plans always change, though, so who knows…
I feel ya! This place looks like somewhere I would want to stay in. I am drawn to the photos esp. the books! I have books scattered all over the world and someday I would want them all in a bookshelf in a place I could also call home.
Thanks for this (nostalgic) post Brenna!
Oh, thank you! My wall of books is actually not photographed…it was on the right wall of my living room and I had four bookshelves full. I finally had a chance to go through them all (over 1000 books in total!) and it was so much fun. I can’t wait until I can have a place to put them again!