Vacation: YVR to PEK

I am writing this at the airport while waiting for my flight from Vancouver, Canada to Beijing, China. I have a 6-hour layover in Beijing before my flight to my dearest Manila, Philippines.

I am excited to see friends and of course, Jomar. I am looking forward to all the Filipino food that I miss back home.

A few days ago, Gordon (CEO of Gumstix) asked where I was going for my vacation. I said, "I am going back home." I, honestly, did not expect his response, "But this is your home."

If you've been reading this blog (I doubt people read this but oh well), you would notice that I have a love-hate relationship with Canada and as much as it has become a home the past almost 2 years, Philippines will always have a special place in my heart. I don't know. Maybe this feeling will be gone after a decade of living outside of the country but right now, all I know is I miss home every day.

I read this post from a fellow immigrant (I think she's from India), she said that, "The narratives that colour and contour our identities in Canada—of being resilient, enterprising, marginalized, inspiring, vilified, grateful, and so on—are underpinned by the subtle and not-so-subtle understanding that we have to constantly prove why we belong here." Yes, every single day I still feel that way, the feeling that you have to prove why you deserve and prove why you should be in Canada.

I can't wait to be back home where my language, color, and accent belong.

Oh, one last thing, I was freaking out yesterday when I left work. Ian (my manager) is insisting I take a break and don't check my email or any of our systems. I am not used to that! I don't know. Maybe I don't know how to take a vacation. Or maybe because of my role at Gumstix, I feel like I should always be checking to ensure our customers are doing fine and our systems are working as expected. But being asked by him not to check my email and to enjoy my vacation - I felt weird. I am weird. Oh well.

Hopefully, I am able to find internet connection in Beijing so I could make a post again. Please pray for my flight and my luggage so we both arrive in Manila - alive, complete, and on time.