The feeling of being home after exchange is almost something I can not put into words. Anyone who has studied abroad or lived abroad will probably understand what I mean.
I had a very different life in Australia and it is a bit overwhelming returning to my old one. In some ways I am also confused because I have returned to both my jobs I held in summer 2018 and it feels like nothing has changed. Except I have changed. And that is what makes things feel weird. I think we present differnt versions of ourselves in different environments and what has not changed is the self I present at work. What has changed though is the fact that I’m aware of this and more aware of the version of myself I want to try to always be.
Sometimes it feels my whole trip was a dream, but it wasn’t and I have to pinch myslef to remind myself. I was on the other side of the world. For me to work through these feelings it has been nice to other exhange students I became friends with on exhcange as well as my friends who has been on exchange in past years. It was uplifitng to find out a close friend of mine is meeting up with her friends from her exchange and still keeps in touch with them a year later. I think there is high hope that I will get the opportunity to do the same.
With change at school almost every semester and feeling like my hopes and dreams are changing every 5 minute, life in Ottawa always feels constant and for that reason I am happy to be home,happy to be sleeping in my bed and on my very comfy couch and happy to have some life long constants around me.
Being home has been hectic and I’m actually enjoying it. In every way other than writing for my blog I have been productive. I am making money, not spending money and spending quality time with family and friends. I have not done anything super exciting becasue don’t worry I would write about it. I mentioned it on my blog last year but one of my jobs is gardening so not anything super thrilling. My family is still amazing, my sisters still annoying and my cat is stil adorable.
I want to take this moment to say thank you to anyone who reads this blog, it means a lot to me. Stay tuned for lots more exciting stuff to come.