One day I’m lying on the beach, soaking in the sun, running into the ocean to cool off. The next day, I’m shoveling snow in a parka, every bone in my body shaking like a leaf, wishing I were inside.

It seems like a horrible joke. But it’s not; it’s the joy of returning to Canada after a winter vacation.

Don’t get me wrong; I realize I am extremely lucky to have had the chance to travel to Cuba over Reading Week. But while it may have been the best week of my life, it made returning to Canada that much more miserable.

February is known to be the most depressing month of the year. The winter blues have officially set in. Spring still seems a million months away. There is no end in sight to the frigid weather and piles of snow.

The solution? Seems easy. Get on the bandwagon and book a trip down south. It was a great week, filled with tons of fun in the sun. But the harsh reality of the return home seemed too much to bear.

And then we landed on Canadian soil and it became all too real. Being welcomed home by snow, cold and slush was like a slap in the face. And it stung like the initial stages of frostbite. A week later, I’m still wishing I were somewhere warmer and anywhere but here.

The only good news on the horizon – March 20 is the first day of spring. Only 22 days left.

E-mail Maureen Lamothe: lamo0164@algonquincollege.com