Well, I've been here seven months, which makes Tonga the country outside of Canada I've lived the longest in (over Afghanistan by a month). So, I think its time for a little reflection on life in Tonga vs life in Canada.
Things I miss about Canada:
Real coffee. If you offer me coffee, I don't want to see you reaching for a jar of crystals on the shelf. That isn't coffee, that's astronaut food. You know that person who says, "I can't believe they opened another Tim Hortons in [city/town/across the street from a Tim Hortons]."? Send that person to Tonga so I can smack him.
Paved roads. Wow I took that for granted, even the roads at KAF were better than here. I complained about construction bumps on the Queensway, well try every excursion from point A to point B as an off-roading adventure (though on a bike, which helps). And you had better hope it didn't rain the night before, because then you can add river crossings to your trip.
Leash laws. The SPCA. Or, maybe any law or any organization that has something to do with controlling animals? That would be nice. The only canine control here is hungry Tongans. Which is not a joke, it's Pacific culture reality.
A public library. Even Chapters (with a Starbucks that serves real coffee, of course). Living in a country that burned down their only bookstore, you start to realize how much you took your access to literature for granted.
Things I don't miss about Canada:
Anonymity. It's fun being a rock star every day, and the only "European" in a school of over 1000 people, and having people I've never met yell out, "malo Taniela" when I bike by. I bet it'll be boring being just a regular guy again back in Canada.
17 August 2008
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