Same difference

'' So going back to an old routine then'' a friend of mine emailed me after I booked my ticket Home to England.

I already knew it would not be an old routine because :

1/ It's Brighton
2/ Everything changes
3/ it's Brighton

And how can it be an old routine with British humor in it ? Especially when your first conversation with an English man in England after 8 months sounds something like that :

ME '' Thanks for picking me up''
HIM '' I haven't even tried to pick you up . We're not even home yet''

Old routine? Hell no.

Brighton. Where no one gives a shit about what you look like , who you are and who you want to be. Yeah , it's great ! Except when you're just back from 6 months in Australia and 2 months in Thailand.

Hey I'm french. What? you don't give a f**** ? My forced french accent used to be s.e.x.y in Australia. What izz ze problem.

Hey look at me I'm pale skinned. What? So are you? I used to be the center of attention in Thai villages. Here , the only time a guy looked at me on the street was a drug addict who had his eyes closed

'' hey sis, you have a light?''

A humbling experience. So was my first day back at work at Kipps Hostel .

Yes I did follow everyone around with a pen and a paper. I could not even use the till.

Didn't you used to run this place before? Shut up.

No old routine there either.

Me , my pen and my paper were so nervous that I thought I was going to throw up the 265 instant coffees I had that morning. The rules were different. As in , not the same. As in '' if you think you're coming back to your comfort zone you're kidding yourself, love ''

The place looks so neat and EVERYONE seems to know what they're doing. Everyone but me. I've worked there the longest, and yet was on my first day.

" Shall I show you how to use the new Screen'' Oh God.... There are more New technologies here than in a supermarket in China. Did I tell him that I still can't use my fake Ipad properly?

Cigarette ? Sure ( I looked at the note on my hand. it said : Remember you stopped smoking.)

Shit

Another coffee? Hell yeah.

And then of course after a while of sweating , remote controlling and running around for no reason I realized. Different decoration , different staff , different rules but hey.... same atmosphere....

Kipps is another word for family. All you need to do is show up. The staff welcomes you , makes you so comfortable that you never want to leave again. Oh and if you ever consider leaving, their yum lasagna or pancakes will make you re consider. The next thing you know you have Canadian ,french, Swedish Romanian sisters, English Italian brothers, German cousins... Yes ,Kipps is the reason why you 'd chase a South African dude around Bangkok and become his official stalker. Because we're family, mate.

For the first time I could grasp the concept of Kipps family from the outside, like a guest would. Good job guys. And I give a 100% rating to everyone who made me feel like I was still a sister ( the first one who says mum will be forced to hoover for me for the next 15 days)

Everything changes but I've got good news for you. Some bonds remain...

My first check ins? Jet lagged Aussies fresh from the plane, Mate.

G'day!!!!!!! Of course I talked to them like... family. Because they were, also. That's my job and I absolutely still love it.

Everything changes but some bonds remain...

Me and my runners were on time this morning on the beach for my first day back at BMF bootcamp.

'' Who's in for a fitness test?''

Why not.

'' you've been traveling too long'' said my fitness instructor as I was agonizing. An hour later I could barely walk and had to reconsider my green bib from 8 month ago (the highest level) and swapped it for a blue bib ( the beginners level)

Shit. I've got to do it all again. Everything does f*** change.

Everything changes but some bonds remain....

'' you're coming to the Water ? '' says my crazy friend Kathy ( find yourself a cool nickname and I will change your name if you want ) as she was running towards the water with her clothes and runners on.

'' Water? As in... swim in the water in September at 7am in.... ENGLAND ?'' You're talking to an ex Aussie, mate. Are you mad??? No way. I'm going home.

10 seconds later I was in my underwear in the English Channel. Minus 10 Aussie degrees but how much fun.

'' We can go for a cup of tea now'' she says proudly as she was getting out of the water with her clothes and runners still on. Only the Brits ...

Yes, everything changes.And there is no such thing as going back to an old routine.

We can either ignore the change and hang on to a past that is no longer real, thus ignore all new opportunities people / life can offer you in the present.

Or you can take the risk and embrace it.

What have we got to loose?