Canada was quite an adventure. I felt safe traveling alone as a Black woman, and I would recommend Toronto to any solo traveler. I stayed at the Radisson Blu on the Harbour, and it was a great hotel, nothing too special. The customer service was immaculate, and I felt welcome whenever I came in. When I left in the morning, at 3:00 am, the front desk attendant ensured that I had a ride and a safe connection to the airport. I’ve never had someone at a hotel check in on me like that before.

The wildest part of this trip was hearing about the UFOs being shot down over Lake Huron. If you are not aware, this is close to Lake Ontario, where I was staying. The whole time I was thinking, “What if we entered an interstellar war while I am in Canada?” I was also thinking of the last time I was in Canada on March 20, 2003. I bet you are wondering, how do you remember the day so well? Well, I’m glad you asked. That was the day the US invaded Iraq; we were so worried about being out of the country at the time that we rushed home. Rushing home meant speeding toward the border. It would be best if you didn’t speed anywhere, especially far away from home. I distinctly remember the coach telling the Mounted Police Officer that we were headed home to the US, and the Officer said I support what you are doing 100%. He was speaking about the war, but it was strange because we weren’t doing anything.

I collect some pretty strange things. Well, they are not odd to me. My mother collected bells, and I have adopted the tradition of getting one from each city I travel to. This is the one souvenir that I will try not to leave without. This is my tiny collection of snow globes, bells, music boxes, and a thimble. Are there any other random collectors out there?

Oh, one quick note. Am I the only person who thought the customs officer was flirting with them? They were asking about my plans and were interested in what I was doing during my time… When it was over, I felt so empty, like, oh you were asking because it was your job, not because you care about me…

I probably need to unpack that with a therapist.