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[lykanthropoi]

On my trip to Karlsruhe I finally understood why I love hot, humid weather. Karlsruhe, the town I lived in for the first twelve years of my life, has a microclimate of its own which is completely distinct to the rest of Europe. Due to an odd configuration of the Back Forest, the Rheinland and the general topographic location, Karlsruhe has two months of hot weather which resembles a tropcial climate. When I was there it was 30 degrees Celcius (not the hottest it gets), with about 80 percent humidity. Troups from across Europe come to Karlsruhe to prepare for the tropics. It's unbelieverable.

In my mind I always remembered long and hot summers, punctuated by quick rainfalls which soaked everything. On our first day in Karlsruhe we got caught in a rainstorm, and it soaked us from head to toe in a matter of ten minutes. Joel compared it to a monsoon. 

When my mother picked me up I asked her whether this was normal, and she looked at me baffled. Did I not remember the long and hot summers which made her feel comatose for two months a year? The thing is, I do, but I also know that memory is fallable, and that particularly with regards to our own childhood we imagine things to be more sunny, more bright, and more beautiful in general. Little did I know I was absolutely right.

Now I'm back to writing my dissertation. Ack, should do so much more...

Comments

[whizzie.livejournal.com]

Hi from another global nomad. I too have this fondness for, and comfort with, hot weather. I lived in the tropics and in the desert for most of my childhood and can adjust to hot and humid or hot and dry temperatures very quickly.

[lykanthropoi.livejournal.com]

Hey, good to meet you! :) Yep, hot weather is nice. I see from your profile that you're living in Canada now? I've been in a steady relationship with a Canadian boy for the last 5 years, and if we stay together I think we'll ultimately settle down in Canada, as it is a seriously nice place. :D

I lived in Holland for the last four years, which was a good experience, although I was mostly surrounded by other international nutters. Do you speak Dutch? I lived in Maastricht...

[whizzie.livejournal.com]

Yep, Dutch and English are my first languages. I honestly can't tell you which is the ultimate first. Perhaps the fact that I tend to resort to Dutch when I'm emotional indicates a slight preference toward that over English. I lived in Hilversum, Laren, Bussum, Tilburg and Utrecht between 1982 and when I left to the UK in 1997. Got married in the UK and then moved to Canada (west coast). We're now kinda sorta mulling around the idea of a temporary move to the UAE, just to give the kids a bit of a TCK experience. They've been living in the same area since birth and all I can do is *tell them* about my experiences when I think that the broader view and experience is so desperately needed in this day and age. We can leave Canada for two years minus a day without losing our permanent residency status, and we'd like to make use of that while we still can.

What got you travelling so much? For me it was my dad's job in hotel management.

[lykanthropoi.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's quite a few places! Sounds like you were kinda having a TCK experience while living in the same country. It's interesting what you said about your first language. I've recently discovered that my first language is German - which is ironic, seeing as I'm studying to become an English teacher. *shrug* Life is odd that way.

I'm not sure about what I'd do when I have kids. On the one hand the TCK experience is really cool. On the other hand, there is something to be said about being emotionally grounded in a 'home' place. Although if you return after two years they may have the best of both worlds...

It was my Dad's job which made us move to Belgium first when I was 12. Then, when I was 18 I decided to study in Maastricht, and now I live in England. I'm bilingual though - Dad's English, so I've always spoken a bit of English.

Out of interest, where on the West Coast do you live? It's not Vancouver Island, is it?

[whizzie.livejournal.com]

Why yes, we do live on the island :) Does your boyfriend live here too?
And yes, we traveled extensively when I was a kid, from age 4 to 12. We then settled down in Holland. For my parents it was "back home" again, but for me it wasn't. I have never seen Holland as "home", though I can feel *at* home there. When I first came to Vancouver Island, we took the sea plane from Vancouver harbour to Victoria harbour, and as we flew the plane turned south and gave us a beautiful view of Strathcona and the more northern regions of the island. I broke down right then and there, and cried "I'm home!". That was the first time in my life that I ever felt that I was home, that I'd come home. And after 9 years it still feels that way. This is home. We went back to Europe in 2006 - to Holland and the UK where my husband's family lives - and even though it was nice to see the relatives again, we both felt even more that Van Isle is "home".

[lykanthropoi.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I guessed right! Dunno why, although your last post mentioning a 'ferry' and the 'mainland' may have tipped me off... :)

Yeah, Joel's from Nanaimo originally. But he moved to Hong Kong when he was 17, and then to Holland where I met him. His family still lives on Vancouver Island, and I've been twice- I love it there! I felt so at home there, but I don't know why. The second time I came I worked at a kids camp - I don't know if you've know it, it was Camp Narnia - and when the plane took off I was near in tears. But I told the Island I'd come back next year... unfortunately by then the camp had been sold... :(

But wow, that's amazing that you've lived there all along! Congratulations on finding such a beautiful place! :D

[whizzie.livejournal.com]

Let me know when you're here again! We're near Victoria though, so that's a few hours from Nanaimo. I've not heard of Camp Narnia, though the name itself invites good and inspiring images. Their website is also bare-bones awaiting new action. Too bad that it was closed.

[lykanthropoi.livejournal.com]

I loved Victoria... thought it was a beautiful place! If we ever do more to the Island I hope that's where we'll settle. Or somewhere near-by.

Yeah, the camp's been inactive for two years. It was pretty amazing when it was going though. Some people are thinking of starting it up again - I wholeheartedly hope it works, the world would be a better place with it. There were always a high proportion of TCK's there - it was just a place where everybody with an open mind felt very much at home with. People who had lived aborad were always encouraged to share their experiences, rather than conform. It's one of the few places I felt I could belong to. Just added to the magic of Canada, really...