COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh
Today is the day I finally cross back over the ocean, returning to the land of snow and ice. I'm ill-prepared for the drastic change in weather I'm about to face, (pretty sure my leggings and long-sleeved dress is no match for a Canadian winter), but I've got my new cozy Cath Kidston socks (a surprise gift from Katherine), one of my many Bangladeshi scarves, and a few extra pounds to keep me warm.
As excited as I am to go home to the cold, I'm still taking the time to enjoy the last bit of flip-flop weather I'll have for the next month. My feet are up, I'm enjoying the tropical views, and I'm ready for R&R!
DHAKA, Bangladesh
Though it's probably the worst time to leave right now (from a program point of view), I'm beyond excited to be sitting in the Dhaka airport en route to a proper Winter Wonderland. Bangladesh is not exactly home to the most Christmas-y of winter feels, but I did find this gem in one of the hotels near our office:
I was pretty impressed to walk in and see a Christmas tree and little "snow-covered" house lighting up the foyer. Not going to lie... it made me miss Canada a little bit more when I saw that.
It's been a hectic last few weeks since my line manager left, and I was back up to my 12-14 hour days, but today was surprisingly serene. I think I must be getting used to the work and figuring out how to manage the chaos because I even shocked myself when I looked around mid-morning and could actually say "Ok, I'm ready." My desk was cleaned and organized, my e-mails answered and sorted, last minute worky-tasks were done, laundry washed and put away, room cleaned, and bags packed. I even had time for one last meal at "Bamboo" - our favourite local restaurant down the street (bottom two photos).
Now here I am, currently 4 hours into my 31 hour journey across the world, sitting in an airport coffee shop enjoying a cappuccino. I'm not looking forward to my 9 hour layover in Dhaka and 8 hour layover in China... but I've got a new book downloaded ("Can't Hurt Me" by David Goggins), and despite not wanting to spend any more quality time with my NGO-name emblazoned laptop, I've brought it with me (along with a hard drive stocked full of movies) to get me through those 8 hours in China where WiFi is non-existent.
Good thing I like traveling...and airports. I really like airports. I think it's interesting to see how many things are the same (or similar) across countries. It's fun to wander around the shops and see what each country puts on display as a reflection of themselves, and I think It's fascinating to people-watch. I'm always trying to guess the story behind each person - where are they going? Are they coming home after months away? Are they taking their first trip after years of saving for it? Is it just another business trip? Or is it yet another stop on a multi-country hop around the world? I've said it before, but striking up a conversation with a stranger is such a fun experience. It's so cool to hear someone else's story and learn about the adventure they're on. I've met so many interesting people, learned about many fascinating places that "You just have to go", some of which I've been to, and others that haven't yet become a reality (like Las Colorades, a pink lake in Mexico that a beautiful Mexican girl told me about in the Toronto airport).
I hope I can meet someone and inspire them to discover somewhere new. But as much as I love to talk about my travel experiences and discuss all the countries I've been to, one of my favourite topics is Canada. It's funny how you don't really realize how much you love your own country until you're out of it. I find myself constantly talking about how amazing Canada is, and how glorious the Rocky Mountains are. Maybe it's a bit of homesickness, or maybe being away from home just makes you appreciate all those little things you take for granted.
But either way, no matter where in the world I am (and how long I spend there), I will always be a true Canadian at heart. I'll always say "eh" (even though I have no idea I'm doing it), hockey will always be the greatest sport, I'm always going to think -20 is "not that cold", and I'm always going to think winter and Christmas just isn't winter or Christmas unless there's snow.
GUANGZHOU, China
Fast forward 11 hours and suddenly I'm in China. I was in the middle of writing this post when the guy working in the coffee shop in the Dhaka airport came over and told me that my "complimentary" hour was up and I either needed to promptly purchase something else, or leave at once. So I left. Apparently once you buy something they set a timer and sit there watching you... waiting for those minutes to tick down so they can score more money off of you. I would have understood if the place was busy and there were queues of people lined up outside the door, but there were only a handful of us in there, and loads of empty seats. I suppose I could have just bought another 200taka coffee, but it's the point of the matter. Instead, I wandered around trying to find somewhere to sit where I wouldn't be eaten alive by mosquitos, where people don't think it's ok to just casually lean on my bags (seriously, who thinks this is ok?!), or attacked by random men sitting down beside trying to sneak selfie's with me, then get upset when they finally decide to ask for one, and I tell them "no." I really don't understand the fascination with people wanting to take a photo with me... it's been 6 months of this and it still boggles my mind.
So here I am, sitting in "Pacific Coffee" in the Guangzhou airport, and I'm bundled up to the max, wearing every piece of clothing I have in my carry-on. I thought I was going to freeze when I got to Canada....but I clearly I forgot about the fact that it's winter in China too. I remembered there's no WiFi, but forgot about winter... *face smack*.
Everyone is walking around all smug in their fluffy down jackets, toques, and winter boots, and here I am – I’ve got my cozy new socks pulled up calf-high over my black lululemon leggings, I’ve swapped out my Toms slip-ons for a bright red pair of MEC moon boots (essentially they’re puffy down booties meant to be worn in a tent or backcountry hut, but I love them for keeping my feet warm on long haul flights), my fluorescent yellow and green scarf is wrapped in layers around my neck and pulled up over my head, I’ve put a baggy grey sweater over my long-sleeved forest-green dress, and I actually went and bought a blanket that I’ve wrapped around me like it were a sari.
And yes, I have been walking around the airport like this. I’m definitely classing it up here in China.
And I’m still cold.
My fingers are so cold I can hardly type, and I’m not quite sure how I’m going to make it through these 8 hours without developing a mild case of hypothermia. I remember winter happening in Chinese airports before. The same situation happened to me on a layover in Shanghai. I have no idea where I was going, but I’m pretty sure it was some tropical South East Asian country where puffy jackets are not required. And I froze there too.
You think I’d learn.
But that’s ok…. I’m on R&R, and nothing is going to get me down! I may be freezing in China, and by the time I board my flight to Canada I’ll have been awake for nearly 29 hours, but that’s ok because for the next 3 weeks I don’t have to worry about e-mails, or meetings, or coordinating schedules, or fighting with the printers, or struggling with language barriers… I get to sleep in. I get to eat as many salads and fresh raw vegetables as my heart desires. I get to have a hot shower every day (and not just contemplate if I want a hot shower bad enough that I’ll actually shower in my office bathroom – which I haven’t done yet, by the way). I get to sleep in a soft bed. And I get the joy of experiencing a white Christmas with my friends and family.
And to me, that's worth every minute of this journey.
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