So what is left to say after a whole year (almost) of being away from home? Well, it feels great to be back home in Canada after being abroad so long but it also feels quite strange. We have gotten so used to being on the road that normal doesn't seem normal anymore. For now we just have to adjust our expectations and get on with the day to day life we knew before we left.
We have spent a lot of time already discussing what this trip has meant to us and what we have learned from being pushed out of our comfort zone. One thing that really stands out is how we were blessed every step of the way. From all the incredible people that we met to all the places we were able to call home, it was one blessing after another. We kept on saying, 'I could live here' because of the wonderful reception we got (or maybe it was because we were able to spend so much time in some of the places and didn't feel hurried).
We also found out that we enjoyed being challenged (at least one of us did) by all the different settings we were in. Problem solving was part of our daily routine. Trying to figure out everything from language to transportation to grocery stores to local customs was a 'puzzle' but it meant there was never a dull moment.
People are the same everywhere in so many ways and also so different. We could connect with people across the language barrier with a smile and would also shake our heads at how different their driving or eating habits were. The friendliness we were shown by complete strangers was often very touching. It has been sad watching the news and seeing the rioting in Taksim Square in Istanbul. Our first reaction was that we hoped the really helpful kabob chef on the corner was okay. We experienced the same feelings when there was footage of another earthquake near Wellington and hoped that our friend Richard was alright. The friends we made along the way were also important in keeping our energy level up. Our mantra was 'give it 24 hours' when we came to a new city and felt overwhelmed. Sure enough we would meet somebody or have an encounter that made us feel welcome and the new intimidating city became yet another puzzle that was solvable. By the time we left many places we could have given a mini tour because of all the advice we had been given.
We learned so much about other cultures and gained a real appreciation for how people everywhere are working hard to create a better lives for themselves (and it doesn't have to look like our model). Some places have achieved success in ways that are much more environmentally sustainable than others and some places are on the road to self-destruction. Seeing it first hand was like living in our own documentary. Our heads were always swiveling as we tried to take it all in. Matthew definitely had more than just a sightseeing trip for a school year. I don't think we can put into words everything we all absorbed (some of these ideas will only pop out some time in the future).
The world is changing very fast and we found ourselves wondering often if it can keep going. The quote 'infinite growth in a finite world is insanity' came to mind often as we looked at yet another impossibly high skyscraper or endless mall. Thankfully we did find lots of quiet places where nature still seemed to be relatively unscathed but even there we heard stories about how things are starting to change. At one point we joked about being on the 'climate change' tour because every country seemed to be going through the driest, hottest, wettest, coldest, etc. patch that they could ever remember. The stories about the destruction of habitat and its affect on everything from endangered species to water supply were seemingly everywhere. Hopefully many of these places will be there for Matthew to see when he starts backpacking on his own one day. Canada can learn a lot from other countries that are much more serious about everything from recycling to protecting water resources. Then again there are plenty of 'what not to do' scenarios out there as well (China and smog come to mind) that we can learn from.
Due to our (I guess that should be 'my') health issues, we gained a real appreciation for good health care. Europe has a wonderful system and so do New Zealand and Australia. Hopefully we can keep our public medicare system going and not take it for granted. Paying more to keep our system healthy shouldn't be an issue if we see how vulnerable we all are (not only in our health but also in our finances). People shouldn't go broke because of a health issue. We met the most helpful and caring doctors and nurses during our unintended visits to hospitals and clinics in various countries who really seemed to care about our welfare and didn't treat us like a number. I especially appreciated the incredibly friendly and professional help I got in Dunedin with my retinal detachment emergency. We felt so secure in knowing that everything was being done to make sure of the best outcome possible.
One thing we already miss is the 24/7 family time we had. It was just the three of us and it felt empowering to move from one place to the next and rely on our own wits and teamwork to make it work. Elaine and I were very impressed at how well Matthew handled the year with just his parents (and a few friends along the way) as company. Skyping with friends back home helped but it was the day to day 'quality' time that brought us closer together than we could ever be at home. We rarely had a down day and he was almost always ready to go charging off to see or explore the next sight. Staying connected won't be possible in the same way but hopefully we can maintain the open communication and desire to be together that made our year special.
Lastly, we knew we were never alone. There were always people around willing to help. We just had to be open to asking instead of trying to stumble on by ourselves. We couldn't have pulled this trip off without all the sound advice of our travel agent Max Johnson who not only set up the trip but was always ready to help us with a car rental (it's so much cheaper from abroad than when you are in a country) or new airline tickets when our plans were altered due to my eye surgery. And most importantly there were our families and friends back home who were only an e-mail or Skype call away which was emotionally uplifting. We always knew there were thoughts and prayers helping move us forward from one experience to another.
Thank you for following along on our trip. Hope it was a window into what is all 'out there' in this incredible world of ours. We're already counting the days until we can get 'out there' again.
No comments:
Post a Comment