The American pharmacy is a strange and terrifying place. Aisle after aisle of things I don’t recognize, and no one to ask in my first language. Today’s quest: cold medicine. I stood there for ten minutes trying to decipher ‘non-drowsy’ vs. ‘maximum strength’ vs. ‘with expectorant’ while my head pounded. In Quebec, you just ask the pharmacist. Here, it feels like a test you’re meant to fail.

It’s the small things, you know? The big losses are obvious. But sometimes it’s the simple act of not being able to ask, ‘Est-ce que ça va m’endormir?’ in a fluorescent-lit maze that makes you feel the distance most acutely.

On the plus side, I did find gummy vitamins shaped like cartoon characters. So. There’s that. 🇨🇦➡️🇺🇸