Home sweet home?

Back in Santiago and as before my feelings are ambivalent. It was lovely to go home to see family and friends while at the same time have a brief taste of winter, just enough to make one appreciate returning to the middle of summer in Chile. Santiago indeed began to seem quite appealing when faced with grey mornings, short dark days and drizzle, not to mention icy temperatures. However it is also hard to leave behind the world as you know it and set off on a 17-hour journey for somewhere which still doesn't feel remotely like home but is in fact where you now live, like it or not. Initially on arriving here three days ago my first thoughts were positive and full of renewed optimism as the sun shone down and we wove our way through busy roads until reaching our beautiful and spacious new apartment. Again I was struck by the light, by the imposing mountains, by the lush vegetation blooming with splendid pinks and purples. The children of course were delighted to be back in their new house with all their clutter occupying not just the new nursery but also the spare bedroom and living room. Being so young has distinct advantages in that their world is the present, the here and now. They still talk excitedly about their trip on the plane and various people close to their hearts far away but are soon taken by the next toy or game they chance upon... and good for them. I'd hate to think they were unhappy or pining for a life they can't have at the moment. As for me, I can't complain as the weather is so pleasant and I am busy settling into the new place. We are lucky to have the rest of the summer to unpack the remaining boxes, sort out what's left and also take off for some time at the beach soon... though I can't help feeling it's not really January at all and somehow on that plane last week we were transported back in time to some point in the early 1980's...