Having returned to Canada on June 21st and flying today, July 23rd, back down to Costa Rica, Robyn and I spent just over a month at home, and we loved every minute of it. At the time of our return we were excited to see familiar faces, speak our native tongue, eat more-familiar fare, and regain our strength, and we feel that we were able to accomplish all this and then some. While in Guatemala we talked (often) about the various things that we would do within our brief taste of a summer of freedom in Markham, and when we got home we tried to knock as many of the items off the list of to-dos as possible.
Robyn (and her 'I have to take my job home every night so I deserve the summer's off') aside, I have not been able to enjoy any portion of a summer without the unyielding presence of a job since I was 13. At 14 my parents drove me to various golf courses in order for me to start my short-lived career as one of the best cart-boys in the GTA. When I reflect on the things I chose to do with my summer of unappreciated freedom at 13 and compare it with how we spent this past month, I recognize that not a lot has changed. In my first teenage year my family still owned a cottage and I was playing competitive baseball all around the province, and these two activities dominated my summers. It's funny to see that, now given a chance to return to a employment-free lifestyle, I still gravitate to the same two summer pasttimes. But having a driver's licence and access to a vehicle has expanded my range...
During the month at home I was able to:
- Spend three weekends (8 nights total) at friends' cottages (a giant thank-you goes out to the McDonough family and Reid family and Chilvers family for making all that happen)
- Play 4 games of baseball for Da Beers. We went 1-3 but I am comfortable with my contribution
- Play 2 games of 3 on 3 hockey with Robyn's brother Aaron
- Play ball hockey once
- Go for 1 run
- Take numerous saunas
- Walk Robyn's dogs 5 times
- Overthink the items that I should include in this list
Sports and activities aside, Robyn and I also made a point to re-engage as members of the Markham libraries, take long, lazy breakfasts, house/apartment hunt on the Danforth, shop for natural foods and funky clothes at Kensington, and spend time with family and friends.
We were able to celebrate (in chronological order):
- Ryan Steane's annual date-of-birth extravaganza
- The glorious wedding of Lauren and Adam Segal
- Aaron Fluxgold's birthday
- The arrival of my new second-cousin Maella (congrats again Sara and Marlon)
- Robyn's stool sample results returning 'tropical disease free'
Most of all Robyn and I were grateful for the chance to spend time with our family and friends, though, as all of the activities above would mean little without them. Travelling allows us to see and share experiences with each other that we will hold onto for the rest of our lives, but without a great group of people to regale these adventures to they would lose some of their lustre.
Robyn (and her 'I have to take my job home every night so I deserve the summer's off') aside, I have not been able to enjoy any portion of a summer without the unyielding presence of a job since I was 13. At 14 my parents drove me to various golf courses in order for me to start my short-lived career as one of the best cart-boys in the GTA. When I reflect on the things I chose to do with my summer of unappreciated freedom at 13 and compare it with how we spent this past month, I recognize that not a lot has changed. In my first teenage year my family still owned a cottage and I was playing competitive baseball all around the province, and these two activities dominated my summers. It's funny to see that, now given a chance to return to a employment-free lifestyle, I still gravitate to the same two summer pasttimes. But having a driver's licence and access to a vehicle has expanded my range...
During the month at home I was able to:
- Spend three weekends (8 nights total) at friends' cottages (a giant thank-you goes out to the McDonough family and Reid family and Chilvers family for making all that happen)
- Play 4 games of baseball for Da Beers. We went 1-3 but I am comfortable with my contribution
- Play 2 games of 3 on 3 hockey with Robyn's brother Aaron
- Play ball hockey once
- Go for 1 run
- Take numerous saunas
- Walk Robyn's dogs 5 times
- Overthink the items that I should include in this list
Sports and activities aside, Robyn and I also made a point to re-engage as members of the Markham libraries, take long, lazy breakfasts, house/apartment hunt on the Danforth, shop for natural foods and funky clothes at Kensington, and spend time with family and friends.
We were able to celebrate (in chronological order):
- Ryan Steane's annual date-of-birth extravaganza
- The glorious wedding of Lauren and Adam Segal
- Aaron Fluxgold's birthday
- The arrival of my new second-cousin Maella (congrats again Sara and Marlon)
- Robyn's stool sample results returning 'tropical disease free'
Most of all Robyn and I were grateful for the chance to spend time with our family and friends, though, as all of the activities above would mean little without them. Travelling allows us to see and share experiences with each other that we will hold onto for the rest of our lives, but without a great group of people to regale these adventures to they would lose some of their lustre.
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