It’s springtime here in the deep southern hemisphere. Josh was the first to feel it. His clogged nose and watery eyes came and went with the bloom of the acacia trees. I see spring everywhere. People and mannequins donning yellow, green, and Robin’s egg blue. Sandals on and bare feet out. It’s easy to think it’s May; but it’s November and it feels strange to be surrounded by the colors and symbols of rebirth, baby animals and all.

Halloween came and went without a peep. In spite of having a substantial Anglo population, and many remnants of English culture (hello savory pies!), South Africans don’t celebrate the Day of the Dead or Samhain. That’s probably because here Halloween happens when things are being born. There isn’t a pumpkin, Great or not, to be seen. And the leaves are bright green.

Being tricked to thinking it’s May, I flash back to May of 2009. We are leaving for Germany on what was supposed to be a 6 month to one year adventure. That was exactly three years ago, right? No wait, it’s coming onto four years. We’ve been on the road a long time! It seems like ages ago that my bare feet tread over the pedicuring texture of Pamukkale.

What was supposed to be Belgium, Germany and Vietnam turned into Belgium, Germany, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Czech Republic, Singapore, Brunei, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Russia, Mongolia, USA, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, South Africa, and Swaziland. And I also took a detour last year to Brazil, via Puerto Rico, St. Barts, Grenadines, Dominica, and Barbados on an Amazon cruise with my family.

Everyone (except our moms) has stopped asking when we’re “coming home,” because it’s obvious we’re not.

We don’t have homes, really. Our stuff lives in a storage unit in Hialeah, Florida not far from the ¡Ñoooooooooo, que barato! store. “Mom’s house” is the closest place to home for both of us. So when will we next be back in North America? I don’t know. We do not even know where we will be next spring.