Emigration tale: Canada has attractions but no place like home

IT’S NOT the view from the CN Tower, or the Rocky Mountains, it’s not the cobblestone streets of Montreal or the Islands in Toronto, but the shiny floors of Dublin Airport’s arrival hall which are a sight for sore eyes.

18 months ago I was in the same building heading off to Brazil, and then to Canada to live and work, saying goodbye to family and friends. I didn’t know then, that upon arriving home only decorum, and nail strength, prevented me from ripping up the shiny tiles of T2 to kiss the turf beneath.

While I was away working and living in Toronto I missed milestone birthdays, minor surgeries, job promotions and exams. I missed nights out and weekends away. I missed random drinks in the pub, and lunch in town.