A Geek Overseas

Fodder for the imagination... all of it (Personal Photo)

The grass is always greener on the other side of the ocean... because with Facebook and Twitter, we can erect a facade of utopian perfection on an adventure of studying abroad, travelling, and cultural immersion. Mistakes can be erased as easily as a blemish in Photoshop, negative experiences omitted like unflattering photos.

But even cast iron souls can crack.

It was on Halloween when I felt my first true, metallic pang of homesickness, like when you bite your cheek while chewing bubble gum. Every year, my friends throw a cozy Halloween bash, a night of candy and Catan, of silliness and Star Wars—of good times, games, and overall geekiness. This year, I was an ocean away from the festivities, and the geek in me longed to join them. There isn’t a huge gaming community here in Nice (to my knowledge). My allusions fall on deaf ears (“One does not simply apply for a Carte de Sejour” ; "Brace yourselves: Paperwork is coming."). I also long for our Wednesday roleplaying nights, a summer evening of fellowship:

Another cure for homesickness -- a shelf of my favourite
souvenirs, colourful and fantastical... beware the
Amsterdragon in all its purple glory
(Personal Photo)

It’s seemingly casual, a group of friends sitting around a table, sheets of paper in front of them, with open bags of chips and cans of soda, pencils and pretzels scattered in a seemingly chaotic fashion across the tabletop. Perhaps there are a few hardcover books stacked on the corner for reference. You might hear background music to set the mood.

There’s a certain magic in the air that makes you lick your lips in anticipation of what’s going to happen—or, rather, in anticipation of what might happen. No future is certain, fate often being subject to the whim of the Dungeon Master (the DM) or the roll of a twenty-sided die. In one breath, they are players speaking a language of dice and strategy, and in the next, they are characters conversing with the other members of their party. An elven sorceress flutters her eyes at a human paladin while a dwarvern warrior complains about a lack of ale. Occasionally, the DM intervenes as an NPC (non-playable character) or spins a twist to the ever-evolving tale. For a few hours, these friends can escape to a different world. And then they part ways and blend back into normalcy.

Or a night wandering the Christmas markets
(Personal Photo)

It is a similar experience to when I write, where the rest of the world fades into a murky backdrop. Writing is a solitary pursuit that feeds my introverted side; however, I also require a certain type of social stimulation to shoo away the creeping tendrils of loneliness. It’s difficult to find that balance. Here, it comes in irregular bursts, such as a class wine-and-cheese night or an impromptu lunch with a classmate.

As close as I'm going to come to a Christmas tree
(Personal Photo)

I find it a fantastic way to build my confidence in improvisational speaking (for job interviews, etc.). Although some people are gifted in this way, it tends to make me nervous, rendering me tongue-tied or forcing my speech into long-winded tangents. When you write, you have the time to perfect your words, shape them like potter’s clay into beautiful lines of ink on a computer screen, music to the ear.

I’m not going to be coming home for Christmas, so I’m going to have to wait until June to rejoin my gaming besties back in Canada: Skyping our sessions simply isn’t possible (perhaps when DiceMaster gets up and running). In the interim, I’ve been using writing as an output for my creative energy.

À la prochaine fois!