Toronto

Over the last 6 years, since ASid left home for higher education and beyond, Hans and I have bonded over shows and food. We watched ‘Money Heist’ and went in search of paella. We loved ‘Ted Lasso’ and tried jollof rice. We had to eat lobster with ginger and green onion right after that episode of ‘The Brothers Sun’ ended! I could write more about our culinary adventures that followed our viewing pleasures. And I am only able to do that because I live in Toronto.

Recently, I told someone that I do not feel the urge to travel because the world resides in Toronto. I can simply visit neighbourhoods and restaurants in my city to see and taste what the world has to offer.

Many many moons ago, we visited 3 cities in the States - Washington D.C., Philadelphia and New York. I wrote about that road trip. What I did not write about was my experience of seeing the Statue of Liberty in person for the first time … unfortunately, there was really nothing to write about! I had seen this iconic NY landmark in so many movies that seeing the actual physical structure wasn’t that exhilarating. That was the moment I realized that traveling to see monuments wasn’t for me.

I could make monumental moments with my dear ones simply by spending time with them close to home … sometimes even without leaving home!

I was a wide-eyed 18-year-old visitor when I moved to Toronto in 1992. I was supposed to have been here for only 4 years, and now it has been over 33 years. Within that time, I have grown and the city has grown as well. Initially, I felt like it took forever to get to any place. Everything seemed so far away; perhaps because I depended on my father, my brother and my then husband … in that order … to drive me around. In the last 3 years, since it has just been Hans and me, nothing has felt too far. The city seemed to have shrunk.

What once was new and intimidating is now old and familiar.

I do not believe I would have realized my dreams of being a teacher and a writer as well as I have in any other city. I don’t believe any other city in the world would have inspired me as much as Toronto does! Even with all its imperfections, it is the perfect place for me.

When the magic will happen one day, Toronto will be in the centre of it all.