Don’t be sorry it’s over…

…be thankful that it happened.

Well, this is the last weekend of our 8-month adventure. We move back to our life in Toronto next week.

Where have the last 8 months gone? I think back to December 27, 2011 when we left the cottage after Christmas, and had to say goodbye to John’s parents & our puppy. That was the first of so many goodbyes. Good-bye to our condo, our bed, all our stuff. Good-bye to my family, Canada. It was sad, but also exciting because we had no idea what adventures laid ahead.

The last 8 months have been an amazing experience, and part of me is sad that it’s over. We love to travel, so being able to travel while studying & working was awesome. It was also so nice to be with my hubbie everyday. We worked out together every morning, and had breakfast & lunch together everyday. I had the time to read nutrition blogs & try new recipes. Soon it will be back to the grind for me; I’ll have to start using an alarm clock again, eat breakfast at my desk, and workout on my lunch breaks. I’ll actually have to wear make-up & heels, blow-dry my hair, and put together a presentable outfit. I’m going to miss the days of no make-up, a messy bun & my lululemon uniform (John might not though).

Throughout the last 8 months I’ve written about things I’ve learned along the way. But if I could take away one learning from the last 8 months it would be: don’t take things for granted. It’s amazing how many of us don’t truly appreciate what we have until it’s gone. And it may not be the big things like family & friends (because most of us appreciate that), but it’s the little things that are overlooked, the things that are simply part of your life & routine.

I’m excited to move back to Toronto with a new appreciation for what I once considered the ‘same old.’ A few of those things will be:

-Having friends & family living in the same city (yes, I didn’t truly appreciate that!)

-Our home. Having lived in so many different places it’s amazing how much you miss your own space.

-St. Lawrence Market – a beautiful farmer’s market steps away from our condo

-Our king bed. I can do a queen, but a king is just that much more room to stretch out.

-Walking Fisher in the park. Dogs give you a reason to walk, and walking is so good for your mind & body.

-My wine glasses. I have really nice wine glasses that we got as wedding presents, and I miss them!

-A gym in our building (we walked 30 minutes to the gym in Buenos Aires!)

-Wearing make-up & heels, blow-drying my hair, putting together a presentable outfit, and working out a lunch 🙂

I’m also looking forward to the day when I’m walking to the subway on my way to work, and I think, what’s the alternative? And I’ll smile to myself with the reassurance that I know what the alternative is. And we didn’t just talk about the alternative – leaving our life to travel for 8 months – we actually did it.

P.S. A little update on my course: I just finished my last test, and all I have left to do is follow up on 2 case studies, and write the final exam – the end is in sight!