Squamish Love

On the road again

Arriving in Vancouver brought me to a place of giddy peace, stoking the contradictory whirlwind of emotion already pulsing through my every vein. Reverse Culture Shock like no other had taken me over in one fell swoop. The fact that I could actually understand the conversations of everyone around me was overwhelming. I was invited into their private lives, forced to listen to their intimate dialogue with the friend or lover by their side. And having a keen sense of hearing doesn't exactly help lessen the invitation. While living in Korea I realized that I spend a lot of time in my own head. There, I could not understand the murmurings of others that surrounded me in crowds and grocery stores and on buses and trains. I am now back home in a land that speaks my language and yes, I can understand.

I was greeted by the burly blond beard of my wonderful brother, Alex. It had been two years since we saw each other last. Too long. We wandered around Stanley park and along the coast. The sun set in a brilliant tropical cocktail fan of purple and orange. We fell asleep on the beach as a small family picnicked to our left. Upon waking we wandered back to his house where I spend my first night in Canada on the floor (the Korean way). Alex and I had a lot to catch up on but I also had to make a quick trip to visit my grandma Pat. She is quite the lady. Funny and still with it. Talking to her and listening to life advice, I became more aware of family dynamic. By default, those connected to us through blood is out of our hands and into the universe. My particular gang is getting better with age, or at least my tolerance to them ;) Truthfully, my family is quite the diverse bunch of fun.