To say that it has been surreal would be an understatement. I am quite literally on the other side of the planet (I am using "literally" in the informal state making it an emphasis rather than what the word actually means, which is okay now because people have used it wrong for so fucking long that the dictionary just said, "Fuck it, just put it in that way, we give up"). It's November and it's hot. No "Turkey Day" celebrating a buncha ill-prepared white folks who took advantage of an indigenous population; though if I looked hard enough I'm sure I'd find a holiday here just like that. I haven't had a decent burrito that I haven't made myself. And I'm missing out on the McRib! Which, to be fair, is probably a good thing.
Needless to say, my world has been figuratively turned upside down. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
I thought when I came here I acclimated well. It wasn't until several months here that a friend of mine mentioned to me that I must be feeling discombobulated. Turns out, I really was! Things are so different here. I miss Mexican food, I miss good Chinese food, I miss the fact that those two options were on the same block for me along with everything else I loved to eat. I miss my neighborhood of Bernal Heights, if you ever get the chance, head on over there. It's the best hood in SF that hasn't been completely hipsterized. I miss the people, I miss the homeless guy who once gave me change when it looked like I had none. I miss my friends whom I saw less and less over the years, but when we actually did get together, it's as if not a day went by since last we hung out; only now there were small children hanging around and no one wakes up in their own (or someone else's) urine, unless it's from one of the small children. I miss my family. My grandfather passed away a couple of months ago. I knew when I kissed him goodbye that it was the last time I'd see him. I miss my nephews, I was with those kids just about every day. I miss movies and television coming out in a timely fashion. I miss cheaper everything. I miss the ocean (currently landlocked).
And even with all those things, I wouldn't trade what I have here for any of that (though a good burrito would be a close call), because not only do I love my wife, and do so more each and every day I'm with her, I love this place.
I love that I'm not afraid that I'll get mugged or shot if I take a walk at night. I love that there are kids who walk home from school like I used to when I was a kid. I love that I'm surrounded by nature. I walk two minutes in any direction and I may walk into a kangaroo, though my chances of getting mugged by a kangaroo jumps to one thousand percent at that point. I love how quaint this town can be. I love that sugar and corn isn't injected into every motherfucking thing I eat. I love the seafood here. I love that my news isn't death and murder and hatred and fear. I love that I'm avoiding the stupidity of my government (though the stupidity of this government is getting right up there). I love that I now have a niece that makes me smile every time I see her. Above all, I love the fact that after six years of long distance phone calls, Skype calls, the few months of being in each other's company; I can finally, and without fear of when will be the next time, reach next to me and hold my sleeping wife.
A year being with the woman I love is the kind of happiness I'd wish for everyone. Of course getting used to life on the flip side is an adjustment, but what in life isn't? I think back to the question my friend asked me; yeah, it took some time getting my head straight, might've taken this whole year to do so. But if he would've asked me if I was happy, I wouldn't have had to think twice on that one.
I am very happy, I look forward to spending the rest of my life with Ruth, be it here or back in the states. Whatever comes, it'll be the both of us together, and I'll never have to doodle something like this from one of the times we were just hanging out on Skype.
Now I just need to learn to make better burritos.
- Too lazy to tout the computer around so this was douched from my iPhone
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