'Once Upon a Time in Canada' Chapter 90.

I’d be lying if I said my trip back home was completely stress and problem free, and that I wasn’t shitting myself. In the early afternoon of June 1st, I was about to go on one of the most nightmarish rides of my life. This was something that has never happened to me on all the times I have travelled, and never to an extent like this. Right now, I’m sitting down and relaxing, going over everything in my head, making sure that I had everything and that I was ready to go. I’m just about to enter the customs zone and just hope nothing goes wrong and hope for the best. What could go wrong?

In the last minute, I ate those words. It was the first time in my travels where something went horribly wrong. I’m standing at one of the customs ports, coming to the horrible realization that I have no ESTA visa. That’s how my nightmare began. I calmly and expeditiously tried to complete a new ESTA visa before my flight. But it couldn’t be approved in time for my flight; therefore I was forced to miss it, as it was made clear by the American officers "No ESTA, no entry." So I thus had to rebook for the next day and had to ask Rachel’s mother if I could stay with her for one night. Which she did, thankfully. Maybe the next day will turn out better.

This is it. There’s nothing after this. There isn’t even a back up plan. Why me? I can’t miss this flight! The flight can’t stop and wait for me. No matter what, things have got to work out and I’ve got to be on this flight. I face two possibilities today. On one hand, the unlikely scenario, I face the possibility that my ESTA will somehow not work and I will have to miss my flight again. On the other hand, the likely scenario, I face the possibility that my ESTA will work and I will get on my flight and will be on my way home. I guess it wouldn’t be the end of the world if the former happened and blew up in my face. I wouldn’t know what to do then, mind you, but if it doesn’t go according to plan, I’ll still be alive to figure something out. I’ll have to come up with a new contingency plan then. I’m hoping it won’t be as bad. My mind wouldn’t have the ability to comprehend the situation. I’d just collapse and die.

I still can’t quite believe that this is really it. I’m finally going home! This country had been my home for the last year and eleven months. I figured out how to survive on my own, at least for that amount of time, and I got to build my own life away from my family. My difficult struggle to making and maintaining my own life became somehow routine. Get up in the morning, eat breakfast or brunch, go to work or tend to my chores, hang out with my friends, watch YouTube videos, eat dinner, and go to bed. That was my life. Then, the next thing I knew, I was going back to be who I was back in New Zealand, just with a new perspective on life and new set of goals. I did a little bit of everything in Canada, because I didn’t have my family around to do it for me.

That’s all over now. I have no more chores to do, and no more friends to hang out with. I’ve had my last meal at Jin Dal Lae. I’ve slept in my room at Belinda’s house for the last time. I’ve got to meet up with and hang out with my friends. Even with Lucas, Porfy, Ken and Kaori at Storm Crow Manor. I’m leaving Canada today, one way or another. It’s about time I go back home.

Also, see Chapter 89 and Epilogue.