I've been in a little bit of a funk. And I think it's because I miss Morocco.
I've been back for over 2 weeks now, and I still find it hard to get back into my routine.
Post-vacation blues is actually a thing. If you Google the term, you'll stumble upon many articles about it on travel blogs and websites. It even has its own entry in Wikipedia.
According to Wikipedia, post-vacation blues " is a type of mood that persons returning home from a long trip (usually a vacation) may experience." It is also referred to as post-travel depression. In my opinion, that's stretching it a bit; depression is a serious issue.
When it comes to the length of the trip, the definition remains vague. Personally, whenever I am away for more than 7 days, I find it harder to come back. By day 10, I'm usually enamored with the city/country I'm visiting. Empirical proof: Buenos Aires and, now, Morocco. When I'm gone for more than 10 days I honestly don't want to go back and I consider moving to the city/country where I am. Case in point, after my trip to Asia last year (I was away for 16 days), I'm seriously considering retiring in that part of the world.
This may sound like a first-world problem, but it is not. It has nothing to do with the destination the traveller has visited, but every thing to do with the sense of well-being (freedom?) one feels when they change location and take a break—the ability to take a break is a privilege. I would also argue that a staycation (a vacation spent at home) may trigger a similar mood. I think it has to do with taking a break from the routine.
But, this time around, my blues is more than just about the trip.
My trip to Morocco coincided with some very deep personal thoughts I've been having about life and my lifestyle, in particular. The usual assessment I go through when I'm entering a new decade. *sigh*
What became really clear to me during my trip is how I miss a slower pace of life. I miss not having to rush through life. While people looked busy, going about their business or their hustle, they still took their time to sip tea. Like in Haiti, the concept of time seemed to be fluid, less rigid than it is in North America. Punctuality is relative.
I also realized how I miss fresh, in-season produce. Am I the only one who thinks that food tastes better—not talking about seaoning—outside of North America? Like, mangoes actually smell and taste like mangoes. There's something to be said about eating foods that are in season. I have be ranting about this since I came back.
Last, and definitely not least, I came back to winter. It has been snowing since October. So, it's officially been winter for the last 6 months. And I'm over it. *eye roll*
So, I have a mild case of post-vacation blues. It'll soon fade away. Besides, there are other trips in the horizon...