A decade!

I have been living in Canada for a decade now. I cannot believe ten years has gone by already.

My first time moving to this country was in Fall of 2003, and I hated it. It turned me into a monster, the green-eyed monster to be precise.
I felt overwhelmed by everything around me, the people, Marc's family, the culture, the language, even the food. I MISSED my family so badly it made me sick, not homesick, just sick. I had such a jealous and controlling behavior, it drove me insane, I didn't feel like myself. I felt like I didn't belong and couldn't stand Marc leaving me even for a minute. I am not the jealous type, so this new behavior drove me over the edge, and I decided one day to just leave. Leave Canada, leave my husband, leave it all behind. So a few days after we got sealed in the Edmonton Temple, I left the country without warning.
Was I glad I did? Absolutely! I was able to find myself, do some personal growing, and through the challenges I encountered back home, I was able to prepare myself to be away from my family again. It was hard living away from Marc, so I was happy when he came back to Tahiti after eight months of being apart.

November 05th, 2005, we were back in Canada. This time, we did things differently, and found a place of our own in Paradise Hill. It was a humble adobe where we made great memories and even had our favorite, to date, Christmas together as a couple, on that hill that was far from being paradise.

The past decade, I have grown to LOVE this beautiful country that is Canada. It truly is a great country to live in. I feel at home here now, home away from home but home nonetheless. I have learned a lot in 10 years. Learned to speak another language, learned about the Canadian culture and traditions. Learned to respect the laws, rules, and ways of my adoptive country. Learned to love its citizens. Learned about myself, the kind of person I am, and can be. Learned about my husband. Learned to accept other people's way of doing things that are so different from the Tahitian way.

Living away from Tahiti, my family, and my people is not easy. It never will be but you learn to live with it. You don't go through this life without learning to make sacrifices and compromises. I don't feel homesick everyday neither do I miss Tahiti everyday, My family on the other hand, I miss them every single days, and will miss them until we meet again. Twice a year, I have major meltdowns where I cry my heart out because it hurts to be away from my parents, my siblings and my beautiful nephew and niece. Twice a year I allow myself to do that because it is a much needed process that keeps me going, and helps me to recharge my battery and embrace the years ahead of me.

Being in Canada is a blessing! I didn't always feel that way but I do now. I am proud that my children can call Canada their home and native land.

Side story: A few weeks ago, their nursery leader came to me and said
that she asked Y and little M where they were from and they answered that they were from Canada.
When asked where their mamma was from they said their mom was from Tahiti.
I am glad they know where they are from.