This morning I watched a drone video about Scotland, and I was in awe about the beautiful countryside there. It is not so long ago that we had a lady in our neighbourhood, who was born in Scotland. She kept the rolling Rs in her accent all her life. I mean you could hear where she was from. She immigrated to Canada and settled here. I am wondering whether she ever missed her beautiful home country.
For my own part, I was born in northern Germany, then lived 25 years in Norway.
In my mind I still carry the pictures of my German upbringing and my later life in beautiful Norway. I am catching myself in bittersweet memories when watching videos about those areas.
Leaving behind your surroundings for ever can cause you to develop homesickness. It's not that I am regretful about our moving around in the world and especially settling here on this beautiful island, but sometimes there is the urge to board a flight and go and reexplore where I once was happy. And obviously, it is also about meeting old friends and seeing again family members.
It has always been my curiosity which was the motor for living in a different place, as it has also been for extensive travels.
It has enriched my mind and led me to meeting very nice people. Yet, sometimes I feel the urge to "turn back the clock" and reexperience what has been, or at least go to those old places and enjoy them to the fullest.
My grandma had a brother who moved to Canada in 1950. he ended up spending most of his life in Vancouver,BC. However, when he retired he got the urge to move back to Germany. Following this urge, he sold his apartment, got everything including his big Lincoln, into a moving container and off he went. Arriving near his old home town, he got a house built and settled in.
However, it didn't take long and he got regrets. Things had changed over 40 years. Germany wasn't anymore what he remembered. There were too many people, the roads were too narrow, too many rules and regulations and he couldn't find the freedom he had grown used to in Canada. He had gotten homesick for Vancouver and finally moved it all back to British Columbia. Sometimes following these sudden urges doesn't work out.
When visiting Germany I enjoy my visits, but after some time I am always longing back to Canada. The same would happen if I would go to Norway. Nice to see it all again, but it's not home anymore. With the example of my granduncle and my own experience I can withstand the feeling of having left behind something very familiar.
Some say you can never go home again,I say the world is your oyster.There are many roads to travel with many memories to gather.
ReplyDeleteThat is true, my friend.
DeleteAt least Grandma's brother did it and then went back with more appreciation for where he was for the rest of his life. I call that worth a lot, more than gold. :O)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think he learned to appreciate that his home was Canada. And most immigrants coming to North America had to learn that appreciation over the years. Those who did not probably returned to their country of origin at some point. That has never really been an option for me.
DeleteYou can visit where you were raised but to go home again is not an option for many..Onc has to go to cities where one can make a living and live..I lived in foster homes and was not fond of where I was forced to live, I went as far in north America one can go san diego California, it was so hot and humid and lots of people but I got used to it..people were nice and kind to me I moved up past los angeles and settled in people are people all over the world and in California this was the late 60's and early 70's it was a lovely state to live..Not so anymore, I live in Washington state 40 years and then before that colorful Colorado, I only miss the heat and dryness of colorful Colorado and the people, here people hunker down most of the year due to inclement weather and they are closed minded only thinking peole who are white have any rights, we are near the Oregon border, I absolutely hate Oregon and would never live there again, prejudiced and ass backwards people indeed..I say make where you live home, we travel a lot and I mean a lot, I see people and I am reminded people are just people no matter their shortcomings or kindnesses, as for ones hometown I say bah humbug I would never tell people I met in California where I was from so thankful to be away from that hell hole..it is all in one's perspective I say, love your blog and your many thoughts about Trump and the USA...
ReplyDeleteAfter being raised in southern Ontario in the city and our cottage at the lake I can to love country living, I have memories of all the good times, but those places have changed and are not the same anymore.
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