Quebec City, Canada
“Six years? You’ve been travelling and living abroad for six years?” I get that question a lot, followed closely by, “How old are you?” and then, “How do you afford it?” Occasionally, however, I also get, “Don’t you miss home?”
Home. Where does someone who has dedicated her life to being on the road call home? I have been all over the world, and yet I’ve never met a country I liked more than Canada, never met a country that I felt more comfortable in than Canada. I’ve always been extremely patriotic, and I consider myself to be incredibly lucky to hail from the true north, strong and free. And while I am almost perpetually travelling, sometimes going years without seeing Canada, I will always think of it as my home.
Be that as it may, I love to travel, and I don’t see myself permanently settling down in Canada (at least not for a while). I’m happiest when I’m travelling, and there are so many things I love about being in new countries. So now, sitting in my warm bed in Antigua, listening to a Brazilian strum a guitar in the courtyard, full off of a traditional Guatemalan stew and a cold Moza beer, what do I truly miss about Canada?
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1. Water. In the past three years, with the exceptions of Japan, South Korea, Australia, and America, every single country I’ve visited has had contaminated/unsafe tap water. Nearly every single day I need to think about how I can sterilise water or buy water. Every single time I brush my teeth I think about the water I’m using. Every single time I eat a salad, or bite into a piece of fruit, I think of how it was washed. There is nothing I appreciate more than turning on a tap in Canada and getting cold, delicious, safe water, and endless amounts of it. I often think we Canadians don’t realise how lucky we are to have this most valuable of resources in such an abundant supply.
2. Efficiency. Canada really is quite an efficient country, and I rarely have to wait for anything in Canada, even at the post office, bank, or doctor’s office. Trains usually show up on time, taxis are always waiting, and food arrives swiftly. If I have a problem, someone can help me fix it almost immediately. When I travel, I really have to remind myself that not every country in the world (very few of them, actually) run as smoothly as Canada…especially when I am waiting for a bus.
3. Freedom. I constantly think about this when I travel. In Canada, I am basically free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. I was born in a country that gave me opportunities to learn, to be healthy, and to choose my own path. I often compare myself to the lives of other young women around the world, and I remind myself every day how lucky I am that I was born in such a safe and supportive nation.
4. Hygiene and health. In Canada, I rarely feel dirty. I can take long showers, showers that have both hot water and lots of pressure. I can wash my hands whenever I want. If I fall down and break my leg, I can go to a hospital and they will give me amazing medical service…and it won’t cost me a thing. If I get sick, I can walk into a pharmacy and buy some pills that will most likely cure me in a few days. When I travel, I am in awe of how physically dirty I often am: dirt under my fingernails, greasy hair from lack of a good shower, and, depending on the country I’m in, actual mud caked on my body. Every single day I spent in India I was amazed at how much grime I could wash off my feet at the end of the night. I’ve also been horribly ill while on the road, and all I wanted was some good, strong, Canadian medicine and a bowl of chicken noodle soup.
5. The Language. No, I don’t miss English – I love hearing new languages and learning new languages and I believe that being surrounded by unfamiliar words is one of the best things about travelling. What I do miss, however, is being able to read whatever book I want, whenever I want to read it; the most pitiful thing you’ve ever seen is the selection of English books leftover at a hostel. I have read some abysmal books purely because they were in English (the same applies to movies). This point is one of the main reasons I decided to purchase a Kindle e-reader before this particular trip; I simply couldn’t take one more Danielle Steele or James Patterson nightmare.
6. Privacy. I absolutely loved living in my house in Canada; it was so quiet and cosy, and completely my own. I slept in my own comfortable bed, and I slept without earplugs. I didn’t have to share my space with anyone, and I didn’t have to worry about someone else using my things or seeing me naked or hearing me go to the bathroom. When I travel, I am constantly sleeping in different beds, constantly being woken up by other people, constantly packing and repacking my things, and constantly aware of the fact that my travel towel doesn’t quite cover my entire bum.
7. Cheese, Milk, Espresso, Cereal, Sandwiches, Pasta…Again, I don’t actively miss these things. I am a huge foodie and I absolutely love trying new foods when I travel. I have discovered some fantastic dishes that have now become some of my favourite foods: cao lau in Vietnam, sashimi in Japan, tagines in Morocco, and amok curry in Cambodia, to name a few. Once in a while, though, all I want is a sandwich and a cold glass of milk. Of course, this doesn’t apply to all countries (I would gladly eat in France or Italy for the rest of my life), but in my experiences in Asia over the last three years and my current experience in Central America, occasionally I crave/need/dream of the cuisine in my home country. (Cheese. I dream of cheese nightly.)
8. My Family. “Don’t you miss your family?” I am often asked. Why yes, I miss them every single day, of course I do. My parents, my brother Kitt and my sister Zalie are everything to me, and my life never feels quite right without them. But my dad lives in Winnipeg, my mum in Toronto. My sister is most likely moving back to Tel Aviv, and my brother is moving to Vancouver. We are all constantly moving, travelling, coming and going. The main reason why I spent a few months in Canada over winter is because we all (with the exception of my mum) happened to have the opportunity to be in the same place at the same time, and I couldn’t pass that up. We all love each other very much, but our lives have taken us in different directions, and so we keep in touch as best we can and cherish the brief times we have with each other. They have never once asked me not to do what I love, never once asked me not to travel, and for that I love them even more.
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What do you miss most about your home country when you travel?
17 comments
All of the above but I’m happy I appreciate those things now. I’m fairly certain when I lived in Canada I didn’t realise how much I’d miss those things when I didn’t have them.
i also dream of cheese.
-MM fanatic; feta, cheddar and XCH.
I also miss the efficiency of home. Is it just that we are used to the way it is done in North America or is the rest of the world really that inept? Haha..
I also miss freedom of speech. I live in Thailand where there are certain subjects that are very taboo to talk about. Like I could go to jail for voicing my opinion. What year is this again? I guess the constitution had some stuff right..
Your “home” looks so beautiful!! I think at the end of the day if I left my home it would be my family and my bed that I miss the most.
I miss all of those things when I travel too… isn’t Canada amazing when you sit down and think about it? The thing I miss from home when I travel is never panicking every single time I try to flush a toilet. Seriously. After having nearly every single one I used in Peru overflow on me (and no, I did not put toilet paper in it!) I am now terrified of toilets in most other countries. Very thankful for our good Canadian plumbing!
Definitely the junk food! 😉
I just came over here from Chronicled blog and I’m so so glad she introduced me to you. It sounds like you’ve lead such an AMAZING life, and from one Canadian to another, you’ve highlighted some truly amazing bits about Canada that I find myself overlooking (sometimes we need that reality check don’t we!?)
I will for sure be back
Hello, Oh how I wish to be your travel buddy… Nice blog here.. I love it..
Jay – Totally! You don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone…
Ellie – We are so lucky to live in a country that allows freedom of speech, you’re right!
Andi – I’ve never lived in Quebec, but it is indeed beautiful! I really miss my bed, too…
EM – Yes! I am so sick of never being able to flush toilet paper, or, duh duh duhhh….BUCKET TOILETS.
Oneika – Absolutely! I always miss a good Rice Krispie square myself…
Jacquelyn – Thank you so much! I’m really happy that you like my blog! Looking forward to more comments from you…
Angelo – Thank you very much for your kind words! Glad you like my blog…
The first night I was back in the states after a year in Bangladesh I woke up around 3am (thank you jetlag) and got up to get a glass of water. I stood in the bathroom filling my glass from the tap when all of a sudden I looked in the mirror and it dawned on me. I was going to drink tap water. Then I did a happy little tap water dance, drank my H20 and went back to sleep! 5 months later and I’m still enthralled with water.
Renee – I always feel the same whenever I go back to Canada! We are so blessed to have clean water…
I understand the language thing. I’m in London right now, and it’s felt nice to be able to buy a magazine or newspaper and actually be able to read it.
You were smart to get an e-reader for your current trip – I wouldn’t wish Danielle Steele on my worst enemy. 🙂
Rebecca – I just downloaded two new books! After scouring the bookshelf at my last hostel I’ve decided that my Kindle is the greatest thing since sliced bread…
I just returned from Japan and what I missed most about Bangkok while I was there was cheap food (or anything else for that matter). At least there are options in terms of price range here.
I miss that about Thailand, too! Although, I constantly miss the food in Japan, which was my home for over two years…
Late to the party here. I found your blog by googling “I miss Canada” I’m an American and lived in Toronto for five years up until six months ago. I am now back home in NYC. I knew there were things I would miss about Canada but wasn’t sure exactly what those things might be. Six months in my first thoughts are, (from my point of view mind you) Canadians are part of a community. Whereas USA has such a large population it is easy to forget that we are a part of a greater family. I felt like I was a part of Canada even though I was a work visa visitor. I enjoyed hearing peoples heartfelt stories of how they loved Canada. Ironically Americans are sometimes mocked for that same patriotism but that is another post. Canada to me felt like a warm loving family whereas back in USA I feel like a latch-key kid. Thank you Canada for the nice time I had.
Late comment here 😛 I’m a Canadian in Australia right now, and it’s funny – this is my 4th time here, and I’ve lived a total of a year out of my life here, but this is the first time I’ve felt so, so homesick for Canada! I think it might have something to do with the fact that I may end up having to move here with my Aussie husband 😛 But for me, the things I miss are a bit different – being in Australia, you don’t need to worry about things like clean water or hygiene 😛
It might sound odd, but I miss the Canadian environment. It’s fall there now, and I miss seeing all the leaves change and fall, I miss the cold bite in the air. It seems most Aussie houses don’t have proper indoor heating the way Canada does, so I also miss not freezing to death in my own house when it’s cold outside (cos when it’s only 8 degrees outside, it’s also 8 degrees inside, and my particular apartment is nearly always several degrees colder than the outside temperature). I miss the trees – the trees here are so different. I miss the birds – the magpies in Canada are prettier, and talk to themselves with neat little zippery noises… the crows make lovely raw cawing sounds that echo the remoteness of it all (yes I know I’m crazy for enjoying the sounds of crows)… here in Australia, they sound like some guy going, “Aaa. Aa.” Not at all nice. We also have more songbirds in Canada. I just miss the feel of Canada itself.
I also miss the nice Canadian social norms. Aussies are generally quite nice people too, but more in the sense that they’re often boisterous and friendly, whereas Canadians are more often a little calmer, I think. Aussies also really love to constantly tease each other. I’ve got a chronic illness that often leaves me fatigued and a bit slow on the draw, and the constant teasing wears on me and makes me feel awkward. I guess I had some fun with it when I was here in the past, and had more energy for it, but now I just want to chill from that, but it’s such a part of the culture here that now I just feel like I don’t fit in (except maybe with my husband’s British old lady relatives. Yes, for real).