February arrives with freezing temperatures for most of the eastern states and of course that includes Canada. Thirty seven years ago, I arrived in a small city in the Northwest Territories, called YELLOWKNIFE. It was a frigorific day-38C (-36F). That was the first time I saw and touch SNOW. It definitely shock my whole system especially when I left my birth country a couple of days before and it was a scorching + 42C(107F). This part of northern Canada has very long winters (short days) and very short summer with (long days). Sometimes I still wonder how we survived living there for 10 years but we did. When it was time to move, we did not choose a warmer city as we ended up in the Yukon Territory and lived in their capital city of WHITEHORSE. The temperatures were similar but it seems like we get more breaks during the winter months. It is a very pretty city and I cannot forget the view from my living room window - snow peaked mountains, the northern lights and amazing sunrise/sunset. Four years was all we got but I think we could have stayed if not for the forced job transfer. It was really funny because the choice of cities to transfer to was Winnipeg or Toronto. We were hoping for Vancouver or maybe even Nevada, but I think that was just my fantasy. I guess we did not really complain because Ontario has all the four seasons and we saw them all for twenty three years and Ontario became our home (Mississauga and Ottawa).
Today is my 6th month living in the sunny and warm San Jose, California. I feel very lucky to retire in a city with no harsh winters. The way I look at it - I served my time living in those cold and chilling cities for 37 years. A reward is not taken for granted. Every morning when I look up to the blue sunny skies, there's nothing else to say but THANK YOU.
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| Yellowknife - Whitehorse - Mississauga |
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