“And the danger is that in this move toward new horizons and far directions, that I may lose what I have now, and not find anything except loneliness.” Sylvia Plath
Having spent almost three months reducing the vast amount of paraphernalia I accumulated from my many travels since graduating from Maynooth in 2001. I had lived a nomadic life for the previous 12 years with every move I made designed to be for a short time, but some moves materializing into longer stays meaning I had items in my possession from all my travels. The reduction was vast and I left Dublin bound for Vancouver feeling several tons lighter. This weekend marks exactly a year since I arrived in Vancouver and hence the subject of this entry.
I am two weeks away from the beginning of teaching and the year's planning is all coming to fruition now as the international students arrive next week and UBC proper begins on the 2nd of September. My excitement grows as I think of being back in the classroom again after more than a year absence. This year professionally has been amazing with more opportunities than I could have ever hoped for in terms of research, teaching, travel and working with colleagues and students - sometimes I still pinch myself to make sure it is real! It is phenomenal to be part of an education institution that despite its bureaucracy and politics still manages to put the education of the students first, and I am motivated by this every day.
On reflecting on the year what strikes me above all else is just how hard moving really is and I wrote on this in my transitions2 post in December. Having returned to Ireland briefly in July for 6 days I have pondered on this once again upon my return. Drawn to Ireland because it encompasses so much of who I am from my closest friends, to my grandmother May, to the years spent in my education there and of course to my mother Jo the foundations for my existence, I still struggle upon every return journey to see myself there. But being away once again for a year and feeling my emerald heart glow more strongly I accede that my Ireland comes with me where ever I go in the world. You may ask then have I not fallen in the love with the city of my birth as I have with my job here? The simple answer is no not yet, but only time will tell. My memories of Vancouver are of grandparents, cinnamon rolls, Vancouver island, jet skies in the Okanagan and yes a brief encounter of my own with the city in 2011. Vancouver is a beautiful city and we have been blessed with a delightful spring full of colour and a fabulously warm winter. I spent yesterday hiking up to an alpine lake, we have gone snow showing, attended a summer wedding in Whistler, eaten food from every corner of the world, enjoyed rich music and theatre and reconnected with my McPhee cousins. I think I am still finding my corner here and trying to allow the city into my soul as I have other places, but it all takes time. One of the major high points for me has been setting up an apartment for the first time and doing that with Pete, and a fun part of that has been growing a mini garden including tomatoes! What I miss most of all is my peeps, my close friends, the people I don't have to explain things to but can just be. We are scattered in different parts of the world living our daily lives with the connection of our friendship but with miles between us. It is the challenge I face the most here in Canada, finding people that I can connect with but it is a challenge I embrace.
In retrospect then the realization is clear that I am a little piece of every place I have been and Vancouver will become part of me too.
Having spent almost three months reducing the vast amount of paraphernalia I accumulated from my many travels since graduating from Maynooth in 2001. I had lived a nomadic life for the previous 12 years with every move I made designed to be for a short time, but some moves materializing into longer stays meaning I had items in my possession from all my travels. The reduction was vast and I left Dublin bound for Vancouver feeling several tons lighter. This weekend marks exactly a year since I arrived in Vancouver and hence the subject of this entry.
I am two weeks away from the beginning of teaching and the year's planning is all coming to fruition now as the international students arrive next week and UBC proper begins on the 2nd of September. My excitement grows as I think of being back in the classroom again after more than a year absence. This year professionally has been amazing with more opportunities than I could have ever hoped for in terms of research, teaching, travel and working with colleagues and students - sometimes I still pinch myself to make sure it is real! It is phenomenal to be part of an education institution that despite its bureaucracy and politics still manages to put the education of the students first, and I am motivated by this every day.
On reflecting on the year what strikes me above all else is just how hard moving really is and I wrote on this in my transitions2 post in December. Having returned to Ireland briefly in July for 6 days I have pondered on this once again upon my return. Drawn to Ireland because it encompasses so much of who I am from my closest friends, to my grandmother May, to the years spent in my education there and of course to my mother Jo the foundations for my existence, I still struggle upon every return journey to see myself there. But being away once again for a year and feeling my emerald heart glow more strongly I accede that my Ireland comes with me where ever I go in the world. You may ask then have I not fallen in the love with the city of my birth as I have with my job here? The simple answer is no not yet, but only time will tell. My memories of Vancouver are of grandparents, cinnamon rolls, Vancouver island, jet skies in the Okanagan and yes a brief encounter of my own with the city in 2011. Vancouver is a beautiful city and we have been blessed with a delightful spring full of colour and a fabulously warm winter. I spent yesterday hiking up to an alpine lake, we have gone snow showing, attended a summer wedding in Whistler, eaten food from every corner of the world, enjoyed rich music and theatre and reconnected with my McPhee cousins. I think I am still finding my corner here and trying to allow the city into my soul as I have other places, but it all takes time. One of the major high points for me has been setting up an apartment for the first time and doing that with Pete, and a fun part of that has been growing a mini garden including tomatoes! What I miss most of all is my peeps, my close friends, the people I don't have to explain things to but can just be. We are scattered in different parts of the world living our daily lives with the connection of our friendship but with miles between us. It is the challenge I face the most here in Canada, finding people that I can connect with but it is a challenge I embrace.
In retrospect then the realization is clear that I am a little piece of every place I have been and Vancouver will become part of me too.
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| Up close with the cherry tomatoes |
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| The patio with the tomato plants |
2 comments:
Thanks for the update! I love your little garden!
I can only agree with HC! I miss you and I want to sit in your garden with a glass of red and just be!
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