Recently, two different families I know here in the UK shared their exciting news that they would be relocating to my native home sweet home within the next few months. For one family, it would be a first time overseas move to a foreign land. For the other, it would be another overseas move. Both had questions and thoughts on the logistics involved, and I eagerly listened and offered my own experiences and thoughts when asked.
And, of course, it has had me reminiscing on my own family’s recent overseas, inter-continental trek back here to the UK and all the joys and headaches that this heaped upon us. At the same time, it’s also had me listening to that inner bursting of wonder deep down inside that always has me looking over the horizon and gazing longingly at maps for my next postal code. Incidentally, I’m hoping this will be somewhere on the “Continent” as many Brits call mainland Europe to differentiate their sacrosanct status of being an island (some have also pointed out to me that this is what makes them “British” as opposed to “European”).
Then again, my friends’ upcoming move to Canada has also been tugging at the homesick heartstrings. Not that I regret returning to England by any means. I have had a deep sense of peace and being settled for the past year and half that we never really felt when we relocated to and lived in the States. Let’s just say it’s been making me miss the familiar people, places, and things that make me proud to call myself Canadian. Remarkably, this sense of longing hasn’t been aching too badly since I joined the “Canadians in the UK” expat group on Facebook.
Somehow, being connected to my fellow Canucks over here has been really comforting. Aside from the usual questions and posts about applying for visas and dealing with taxes or renewing passports, it has also been fun sharing articles about and from home (e.g., “Economist says Toronto and Montreal are the best cities to live in the world”) I’ve especially empathized with the longings for food and drink that we miss (KD and Tim Horton’s, anyone?!) or have brought back from the homeland (e.g., multiple photos posted of KD whenever anyone goes home and brings loads back, hehe). It’s also been nice to receive invitations for the occasional meet-ups in person to hang out and just enjoy being Canadians far away from home. We also enjoy talking about the things we find amusing about living here compared to what we’re used to “back home.”
It really goes to show that it’s not necessarily the geographical place that makes a place “home.” I’ve probably quoted this before since it’s definitely one of my adopted life-time descriptors, but it’s so very poignant and true:
“Home is not where you live, but where they understand you.” – Christian Morgenstern
the bok choy nomad 
