Homesick

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Finland. We hadn't seen the sun for a week and now it's here and it's wonderful.
Although the sun seems to have brought the REAL start of Winter.
In the past two days it's dropped 9 degrees! But we can deal with cold if there is sun.

All I can think of today is Melbourne. The thought of not seeing it for another 6 months hurts my stomach and brings tears to my eyes.
My friends, the coffee, the movies, the live music, the bars, the food, the people...
Sometimes I close my eyes and imagine that when I open them I'll be waking up in my little St. Kilda flat. I'll walk out into the summer sun and down to my favourite cafe for a soy flat white. Read The Age and eavesdrop on people's conversations.
Then I'll catch a tram to the other side of the city and window shop in Brunswick St. Eat a tempeh burger at The Vegie Bar and have a Coopers at one of my favourite bars.
Or maybe I'll catch the ferry to Williamstown and eat fish and chips on the beach before catching it back for a drink at The Espy, waiting for a band to begin.
I'll meet up with my mates and eat felafel at 1am as we stumble on the the next gig. Run into old friends in random places and chat for hours.
Or I'll sit in a little cafe in one of the back alleys and watch the business people bustling to and from lunch then go to the beach and sit on the jetty, letting the warm sun make me drowsy.

I'm happy here... but it's not home. I might have Finland in my blood, but it's not in my heart.
In the words of Christine Anu... "My island home is waiting for me."