Ottawa Summerz

Hey friends, how are y’all doing?

Being back in Canada is…actually really nice. I was crying so hard when I was leaving Israel it was wild. I cried myself to sleep on the cab to the airport and then my friends found me at the airport in a corner balling — wow was I emotional and dehydrated. My last few days abroad I stayed up all day and all night (I didn’t sleep for 48 hrs) as I wanted to watch the sunsets and sunrises, hang out with friends, and just pack. A personal success — my bag was not over-weight!!! (Though I did end up sneaking an extra 20-pound suitcase onto the plane…more details on this story later). My suitcase ended up not leaving Tel Aviv, so even though I was in Ottawa, my heart and my luggage was half-way around the world. Sitting on my short 45-minute flight from Toronto to Ottawa, a business-man sits next to me and goes “hey! where are you flying from?”. I respond “Tel Aviv” and a tear streams down my cheek. He goes: “that’s great! I just got back from Thunder Bay”. We had such a lovely flight together as he was asking me cool questions — about what I missed when I was away to cultural differences I noticed to the first food I’m going to eat when I’m home. When I landed in Ottawa, I felt relieved — it was nice to be home. I sat on my bed and looked at my map with all the pins indicating where I’ve travelled, and everything felt like a dream.

For the first week I woke up at 4:00am. I jumped on the trampoline and watched the sunrise and had breakfast with my dad who wakes up at 6:00am everyday for work. The one week I had to recuperate was really nice and familiar, and I have had a blast everyday since. There are a few friends that I speak to on a regular basis — friends that live nearby in Canada or friends that I know I will see soon. Though there are some friends with whom I speak to every single day, and I don’t know when or if I’m ever going to see them again. Is it worth it? I think studying abroad is so cool because we have met so many people from all over the world, and that is so magnificent!

It is weird because since I’ve been back I have had many “blasts to the past” moments where people who I have forgot about have returned to my life. I started the same job I had last-year, working in the programming office for the Israeli Film Festival in Ottawa, and it is so comfortable. I know everyone and everyone knows me..I’m not nervous anymore. Moreover, when I workout at the gym I see my old teachers and some friends from my elementary school, and it’s so nice to see how we have all changed and grown up. Going to my sister’s graduation was one of the most incredible nights. Her school (the same school I graduated from) is closing due to lack of enrollment (only 37 students). The head of the school, my fave Rabbi who officiated my parents’ wedding and taught me how to question, write and was so open to discussion was there and it broke my heart. This school was his baby and closing it is so difficult for him. So, what did he do? Him and the grads gave no shits. They entered the room and danced their way to the stage to this Hebrew clubbing music. Can you picture this strict Rabbi fist bumping to clubbing music? Everyone was laughing so hard, and I was cheering him on. It then got very emotional, he said such a powerful speech and I was crying. It is so sad that my high school is closing down. All my old teachers were there and they were SO happy to see me. They asked about my year and it is so crazy that we graduated THREE YEARS AGO. The best part was — my old crush was there. He shows up in this nice suit and he was totally chill — too chill — and awkward like he used to be. He’s becoming some famous movie producer and drugs are his new best friend. It’s so funny to think about the way I used to feel about him and the way I didn’t even think twice about him when he walked by. The best part was hanging out with my old crew — Jacob and Michael. I think I blogged about them last summer too on this blog (happy 1 year to this blog!). It is so great how you don’t see someone for a whole year and nothing has changed. Michael asked me “how was your year?” and I responded with the typical “great, it was awesome!”, that simplistic answer that I’ve given everyone. He then said: “no…actually how was it?”, and I was kind of stunned…how do you answer that question? But then I realized, only true friends really care about that, and then I smiled :). I’m really looking forward to going back to Queen’s. There are some girls in my sister’s graduating class who are going to Queen’s, and I can’t wait! (maybe I’ll be their don ;)). Reconnecting with old friends gives me hope that I will re-connect with my friends from exchange again!

Though..I have a crazy story about reconnecting with old friends. Yesterday, I was supposed to grab a coffee with Elana Moscoe. She asked if she could bring a few friends, so I asked who the friends were — three guys that I grew up with (our parents are friends, we went to nursery together and they’re a few years older). They were SO lovely!! They are in med school, are adorable and have the best personalities! They were asking me about my year and about my family and it was cool cause this was legit a reunion of too long. My parents were in awe (cause they love those boys) and were so happy that I was social. Sweet right?

I’ve been actually having a lot of fun at home. I’ve been bonding with my parents and have been planning my life (where am I going to grad school? where will I live? what am I having for dinner tonight?). I’m also working a lot and am researching my next travels and am making a photo album of my year abroad!

Please post about your summers so far! I miss you and am excited to see both of you soon 🙂

Waking up from a Dream

I can’t believe I am home.
On the 12 hour flight home, I wrote down some points about my year abroad.

This year I…

cut my hair short. asked for help. smelled the flowers. realized that there is no limit on consumed falafels. turned off my phone when getting dinner with friends. did my makeup. got lost. gave the hot bartender my number. brought a hot boy to the bar when the bartender didn’t call. read cool books. spent too much money. tried every restaurant. ate kilos of sweet strawberries on the train home from the market. had bad sex. had good sex. was so honest. ran. hiked. licked my salty lips after jumping into the Sea. cooked. went out late. made coffee. woke up early. learned a language. cried from a broken heart. cried from breaking a heart. booked a plane ticket the day before my flight. took photos. watched the stars. realized that if you loved the wrong one so much you can love the right one so much more. sent postcards. green tea and honey cures everything. rode the train to see the whole route. knew every bartender at my favourite bar. explored the city at night with new eyes. hosted pre-drinks, birthdays and dinners. bought a watch to not rely on my phone for the time. gave directions in Hebrew. used eight different currencies. started a donation drive. re-read old blog posts and letters. tanned. applied sunscreen. joined a soccer game. performed on stage. found myself, and didn’t stop running.

Even though my suitcase and heart are still in Israel, my feet are on the ground in Canada. What a magnificent year. Looking forward to see you both soon 🙂 it is extremely necessary <3.

Nowhere is Home

Hello ladies, forgive me once again for my lack of dedication to the blog I like to have a theme when I write these posts and I finally found one while I was travelling. Majority of this was written in a random airport in Thailand so forgive any gaps in my logic.

I’ve been thinking about the concept of home for awhile now, especially while I’ve been in Thailand. The idea of home seems so strange (not Windsor, if that still even is my home). I haven’t truly felt the permanence of having a home since I left for Queen’s. I’ve moved from place to place, country to country over the past 3 years and this time next year I don’t know where I’ll be. I guess I’ve come to realize I’m the only thing that makes a place home. I’m operating as a solo unit. I don’t have a spouse, or children, and I definitely don’t require adult supervision. Maybe this is a part of being an adult? Making a home wherever you see fit, for however long you please. I must say I like this idea. Windsor was home, Kingston was home, Hong Kong was home and I’m ready to make my next home.

The choices we will make in the upcoming years will effect a large part of our future. WE GRADUATE IN LESS THAN A YEAR! Can you believe it? It feels like yesterday I was taking shots of vodka in 1E!

 While these decisions make me nervous they also make me extremely excited. I can’t to see where the next few years will lead for all of us.This time last year I definitely did not think I would have traveled and lived in the places I did. I am loving the unpredictability of life, where our plans can change in an instant and every experience will lead to a great memory.

Of course this post comes from an optimistic place, because who knows we could all be living with to are parents working a sad job. I refuse to focus on that, it’s way too depressing. But it is also important to be realistic and I think that is one of my worst characteristics. I can be too hopeful, dream and want too much out of a situation or experience. Maybe I’m just waiting for things to happen to me instead of making things to happen. If that makes any sense at all.

I can’t wait to see you both in Kingston! We definitely have a lot to catch up on and I’m starting to forget what you all look like.

That’s all I have for now but, don’t be too disappointed I definitely have one last Hong Kong post to roll out and you’ll definitely be seeing it in the near future.

Also has anyone answered the Q&A recently? Just realized I haven’t looked at it in ages

Until next time

Alexa