It has been a good three weeks in Toronto, and it was exactly what I needed. After a whole year of turmoil, stress, and even an injury, I needed to come home to be able to breathe again and to start the healing process in physiotherapy. People say you never know what you have until it is gone, and coming back to Canada this time was refreshing: it really made me appreciate my homeland a lot more.
So here are the things I have awfully missed while being away:
- Efficiency: There’s a reason why Canada has a reputation for being some of the nicest people in the world and why we value customer service. We really do care about people and we do want to help make people’s lives easier. On a customer help line, it is so refreshing to be asked, “How can I make your day better today?” or even to know that there is a 24h helpline available. It is nice to know that I have free health care again, where I had to wait for 6 months to even receive my health card in France, and that I no longer have to send in those reimbursement forms by mail and not knowing when I would receive my money back. Efficiency and customer service pushes our economy to move faster, and to become better.
- Arts and Culture: In France, people who are under 26 years old basically gets free to national museums and monuments in the city. This was pleasing, and I enjoyed that benefit (very much). Although I do and probably can get similar benefits in France as I would here in terms of performing arts, I didn’t have the time to explore those realms very much and off course, it was mostly in French. While winding down in the city I love, I always catch up to the things I couldn’t do while being away, and that also means being among my friends. This summer, I’m going on a helicopter ride, seen Cinderella on ballet first row (with youth rush tickets), and even taken a 3D printing workshop!
- Support System: Coming home and being able to know I have everything in the palm of my hands really is a comforting feeling. From being able to catch up with my friends and family, to meeting new people and finding new mentors, I have been very blessed to connect with old and new individuals. A part of my summer is always taking time to reflect on my goals, to do research and even conduct a few informational interviews. It’s always nice to know people who cares and take time to reach out.
Living abroad really pushed my limits and gave me stories to tell for a lifetime. Coming home to Toronto and to see how so many things are still the same, yet I have grown so much, it is an interesting perspective to see and reflect on the world again. Static things never change, but I have, and that makes all the difference.
I’m really enjoying my time in Toronto and need this time to breathe, reflect and prepare for my next adventure.
Everyone has a story.
This is mine.
