Redefining Home

It's been a spell, hasn't it? Going to MTL and returning to Japan has turned my emotions and my body upside down over the past 2.5 weeks (that's it??!?). Returning to my home city was brillant and exceeded all of my carefully constructed expectations. I was overcome with happiness by laying eyes on my family and my best friends. I re-settled effortlessly into my temporarily vacated roles as big sister/daughter/friend and found that though everyone was living their lives like they're golden, I am irreplaceable and well missed. I'm still jet lagged and while I wish to go over my 9 days in la belle province in minute detail, I'm going to keep it brief.

My second stop after going to my mother's home was visiting my godson. It would be our first meeting. He was beautiful. I fell in love. He took a shine to me immediately. The rest is history (those are his feet up there).

I fell in back in step with the girls and felt so amazed by their sheer beauty and their love for me. "It's like you never left." Such sweet words were honey to my ears.

I stood up as godmother at the baptism of Shauna's son, I met the apple of Ayanna's eye, I crossed the border to Burlington to buy the essential unmentionables and skin care products that have not yet made their way to Canada. I ate A LOT, and had a Dining Diva reunion at delish Bouchon de Liege and caught up with La Filipinas over much desired pizza, amuse bouches and Rockaberry Pie. I managed to squeeze in dishes from Ghana, the West Indies, Vietnam, France. The fancy schmancy and the ordinary. My gastronomical wishes were fulfilled and I was satiated.

The days flew by too quickly as I had to squeeze in quality time with the girls, with my sisters, with my mom, uncle and cousin. Many phone calls were made and even more were missed. I let people down but such is the nature of the visiting beast. I didn't cry upon depature as I know I'll be back in September for a wedding. But my throat did get tight as it does when I have to say goodbye.

And the big surprise is I cut my hair. All off it. I've decided to go natural and embrace the authentic me free of chemicals. This was not a hasty decision; I've been mulling it over for the past 6 months, ever since it took 4 hours to get my hair did in a Japanese salon here. I'm so over putting chemicals in my hair to get that "look" that wasn't authentic at all. I wasn't born with straight hair. It's a process, one that is to be repeated every 6 weeks. One that would entail having a stinky assed "relaxer" slathered on my dome, leaving limp hair, scalp scabs and that distinct processed smell. Don't get me wrong - approximately a week after the process, I'd be loving my hair - so shiny, so bouncy, so straight, so fake. But the process itself, along with the financial and mental expenses, proved to be to formidable for me to maintain in the land of the rising sun.

So here I am: free and nappy. I've decided to follow my progress as my hair grows providing an outlet for my frustrations and triumphs (and to save my loved ones from hearing me bitch and moan). I'm bringing it public and I'll announce the URL soon. Watch this space for updates...



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As my title mentioned, I'm in the process of redefining home. I'm currently in a bit of a limbo. Montreal will forever be the city of my heart, while Japan will never be home. My mind is currently bombarded by too many thoughts, but I'm taking comfort in something a very amazing man said to me recently: "People can be home." In this time of personal confusion and uncertainy, I find solace in his words.