What’s a moment when you realized you were officially an adult?
Daily Prompt 2855
Well now, I really just do what I like on this blog now don’t I? The past year has been absolutely wild, jam-packed with life, and light on the writing. In the time since I last blogged, so many huge life changes have taken place, and I definitely feel a sense of imposter syndrome (not to mention immense privilege) about much of it. Like, who let little old me get married, move overseas and buy a house (!?) in the span of a year and a half? In my head, I’m still in my early twenties, but my niggly knee, silver hairs and aging cultural references remind me that I am in fact edging towards my thirties. Still a chicken, but maybe not a spring one. A world away from the Gen Alpha and baby Gen Zers I teach, it feels like. Maybe I am an adult now after all.
I’m typing from a train between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street. A week ago today, I was at a dinner party in Mount Vic, saying goodbye to lovely friends made over my year and a half stint being back home in Wellington. It has been bittersweet to spend all this special time with friends and whānau. We have been anticipating this international adventure for a long time coming, but it still hurts to leave behind these communities we were just starting to feel a sense of belonging in and I don’t think I fully believe it could be years until I see my family in person again. Cliched as it sounds, it is lovely to feel so loved and know you will be missed when you pack up your life and move to the other side of the world for “just a little while”.
The past few days have been a whirlwind: my wife and I landed in an extraordinary London heatwave on Thursday (a high of 38C was recorded at Kew Gardens, which until very recently has been absolutely unheard of in England). In the span of a few days, I have binged The Simpsons between Auckland and Singapore, successfully fallen asleep on a plane (!!), crossed hemispheres, delighted in above average inflight meals, and had my wife mistaken for my sister by the flight attendant when we ordered identical drinks and then I selfishly took mine first even though she was in the window seat. Oops! I blame the jetlag…
That’s all from me for now, but I solemnly swear I am committed to documenting these travels with some frequency… and also that I’m up to no good.
bohemianhumanist.com 