Canada: Land of the Shiny and New

I just got back from Canada. After seeing the falls from the Buffalo side, I had to plan a trip to see it from our neighbor's perspective. It would be my kids' first time out of the country, we could break in our new passports, and according to the Groupon ads, everything is shiny and new in Canada.

In the distance is the promised land!

The last time I had been to the Falls, I had squirmed uncomfortably as I rode through the ghetto that surrounded our national treasure. Instead of feeling like there was a permanent red carpet rolled out for one of Nature's most amazing creations, it looked like someone had tried to tidy up the foyer, but then let the dog in--the one with the muddy feet and weak bladder who was constantly chewing on everything.

There were throngs of tourists walking over the Rainbow Bridge. We watched them, our noses and cheeks pressed against the dirty glass of the observation deck as bodies elbowed us on all sides. But without a passport or enhanced ID, my family could not join them in the promised land of the grass is always greener in Canada.

The NY Falls are beautiful!

Still on the NY side.

Finally, after five years, we loaded up the car for an overnight trip, sure that we'd be there in time for breakfast--waffles and eggs that were fluffier and more delicious than ours because everything is better in Canada!

Eight hours, three pee stops, and some over-salted Roy Rogers chicken later, we rolled into the edge of New York. First, I pissed off Border Patrol by planting myself way over the designated stop line. It was like a pharmacy, where every visitor was given his own private consultation and the rest of us were supposed to keep our distance while they discussed embarrassing things like incontinence and excessive gas.

I was told to back up, and by the time my front tires were behind the white line, I was beckoned impatiently to come forward. I knew I had been bad and that made me nervous, so I forgot to change gears and almost rammed into the person behind me--an elderly couple who I was sure was Canadian and therefore nicer than us Americans. Until they beeped aggressively and gave me the finger.

Finally, I pulled up to the booth and tried to explain myself to a completely uninterested border patrol guard who frowned and demanded that I take off my glasses and roll down the back window--because I obviously was hiding my son--who had passed out with his mouth open and had drool flowing from his new braces like the Niagara River.

When he asked me what I did for a living, I launched into a full job description like I was in the most important interview of my life. Halfway through my second sentence, he waved me off as if saying, I'm done with you, please get out of my face before I punch you in the throat.

We drove over the border, windows still open. Crisp, clean air filled the car, pushing out the stench of stale french fries and hours old coffee. The rush of The Falls greeted us like new neighbors, and we all smiled, lost in our own thoughts:

- Me: I can't wait to see the Buddhist Temple!
- Bella: Maybe there's a place to hike all the way down to the Niagara River!
- Max: I wonder if they use Canadian bacon in the Crunchwraps at their Taco Bells?

Fry Coma

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE.  

Her blogs have been syndicated on multiple sites including The Masquerade Crew. More posts like these can be found at Humor Outcasts and The Patch where she is a regular contributor.  

FOLLOW me on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and CF_Winn on Instagram.

Mahalo: There Are Two Sides To Every Story

Years ago, while I was reading Toby Neal's Christmas e-newsletter, I had some sort of out of body experience. Although I was completely focused on the computer screen in front of me, I was also strangely disconnected from my body--and it made me feel more alive than ever.

Toby is a mystery writer who lives in Hawaii. Her books entertain us and her newsletters keep us up to date on American life off the mainland. In this particular newsletter, she had included pictures that captured the beauty of Maui in such a way that for a moment or two, I was there with her family, smiling up at the sun and breathing in the salty air. 

My messy life with all of its problems dropped away, and my soul wandered through the sandy paradise that Toby is immersed in every day. Back in my New York bedroom, the wind howled and tossed the snow around outside my window, but I stared at my laptop screen and thought, It looks so peaceful in Hawaii. I'd really like to go there one day.   

 

It's as beautiful as it seems. Even more so.

And just like that, I let the thought go. I went back to enjoying Toby's pictures and musings, all the while appreciating that she had shared her experience. 

Two weeks later, when I saw a Facebook post about a timeshare that was available for rent, my heart skipped an excited beat. A quiet ding went off inside of me as if I were checking off a task I had every intention of completing. The timeshare was cheap and close to the beach. It was in Oahu, Hawaii.

It belonged to a friend of a friend, so I reached out to my friend and she put us in touch with each other. After just one conversation, I jumped on the opportunity to surprise my daughter with an amazing graduation gift and to check off an item on my bucket list. While we worked out the details, I made a new friend, Missy. 

This was the view from my room!

But as the vacation approached, life happened. My job cut my hours by more than half. My oldest child was about to start college and suddenly paying for her education and eating were two luxuries I couldn't afford.

I knew had to cancel my travel plans. I was disappointed on the surface, but strangely, underneath, I was also calm. Sad or not, something told me that I needed to ride this wave wherever it took me.

Unfortunately, it didn't take me to anywhere like Hawaii. My daughter started school and had to drop out of the trip. My brief and unhappy marriage dissolved and my divorce was finalized. I started working a second, part time job to supplement the income I had lost. Instead of paradise, I visited a life lesson or two and I licked a few ego wounds.

In the meantime, Missy refused to give up. She worked behind the scenes to reschedule my trip, keeping my dream of visiting Hawaii alive, even though neither of us was sure that I could pull it off.

With her in my corner, I learned how much individuals can gain from having a strong support system. After years of having to figure everything out for myself and my kids on my own, I felt like my happiness mattered to someone. I kept slogging along, determined to see the light (and hopefully the beach!) at the end of this dark time.

It was almost a year later, and only a month before we were supposed to go, when finally, and without any effort on my part, everything fell into place. In April, during one of the longest, coldest winters New York has seen in a long time, my kids and I got on a plane and took the thirteen hour flight to Honolulu.

Max made sure we'd find our bags easily

It wasn't until we were there for two days that it really hit me. Each morning, I got up at 5 am without an alarm and walked around the corner to Starbucks. I enjoyed the sunrise and my coffee on the outside patio. By then, I had learned the Hawaiian word for deep gratitude--Mahalo--and I said it to the Universe for making that warm, beautiful vacation possible. But on Day Two, I realized that this was so much more than an island getaway.

Some of my favorite things

If I had taken the trip when we originally planned, I wouldn't have bonded as much with my new friend, Missy. And I don't think I would have appreciated the gift of waking up each morning because I wanted to--not because I had to. At home, I was a single mother of three, working multiple jobs to make ends meet. I considered trips like this impossible. So, not having to be tied to a schedule or my usual responsibilities meant more to me, especially after the dark period I had just come out of. Mahalo.

My relaxed face

The kids and I ventured outside of the pretty tourist area of Waikiki and hiked through the rural area of Honolulu. We passed small schools and crowded yards with barking dogs. We saw signs pleading with developers to stop destroying the land. And in the urban areas, just outside blocks and blocks of upscale chains like Coach and Cheesecake Factory, there was so much homelessness and poverty that it made me wonder what the locals really thought about us being there.

Someone's bed and belongings

The kids and I ventured outside of the pretty tourist area of Waikiki and hiked through the rural area of Honolulu. We passed small schools and crowded yards with barking dogs. We saw signs pleading with developers to stop destroying the land. And in the urban areas, just outside blocks and blocks of upscale chains like Coach and Cheesecake Factory, there was so much homelessness and poverty that it made me wonder what the locals really thought about us being there.

The contrast was so profound, I'd have to be in a coma not to feel grateful for the opportunity to be spending time with my kids in one of the most beautiful places in the world. And when it was over, I was grateful to return home to a life that wasn't as hard as I had imagined before I left. Mahalo.

Fireworks on the beach. Sorry about the flash!

Since the trip, I have relaxed more and worried less. Things have gotten easier for me, and I am excited about what is in store for me each day. I still have problems, but now they are just another piece of the path I am traveling on--one that always seems to lead to something better. Mahalo.

Paddle boarding in the lagoon

I'd do it again in a minute

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE.  

Her blogs have been syndicated on multiple sites including The Masquerade Crew. More posts like these can be found at Humor Outcasts and The Patch where she is a regular contributor.  

FOLLOW me on Twitter, Facebook, Google +, and CF_Winn on Instagram.