The small comforts of home
on A Serendipitous Journey (Kenya), 27/Jun/2010 02:35, 34 days ago
More than twenty hours of travel time later, I’m back on Canadian soil and although it’s dark and dreary at the moment, it feels good to be back!I’m writing this from Pearson International Airport in Toronto during my final layover. I have lived abroad enough times not to experience culture shock each time I return, but the small pleasures of the western world still stand out. For example, my senses awoke immediately to the smell of a granny smith apple the guy beside me on the plane was crunching on and I couldn’t help but smile as I washed my hands in a steady stream of warm water in the clean airport restrooms. Not having even left the vicinity of an airport yet, I am already struck by speed and the sense of purpose with whichpeople walk, the polite way in which people stand in organized line ups at the check out, and even in a busy airport the amount of personal space I have all around me. Another simple pleasure is the large flat screen TV screens in the waiting rooms throughout the airport. Excited to watch the news and catch up on local events I just sat myself in front of a large TV in one of the departure lounges, only to be presented with a long CTV special on Kenya – on the Maasai tribe, Nairobi and the 2007/8 post-election violence! ...I couldn’t help but giggle at the coincidence that I can nevertruly leave Kenya behind.I’m looking forward to some down time to rest, relax, reconnect and start to think about what comes next for me as my VSO term comes to close this Fall and I’m sure by the time my vacation nears.