A couple of days before flying to Toronto to see my best friend, I decided to rent a car. The idea of driving in an unfamiliar city made me nervous, but after relying on Ubers during my 2023 visit (before my friend’s son was born), I figured a rental car could save both money and time.

As I drove around Toronto each day, I felt myself blending in. At first, I was just adapting to traffic patterns. Soon enough, I got comfortable running “side missions.” I went to the movies (I saw Weapons, in case you’re wondering). My girlfriend and I took walks around Humber Park. We wandered into stores to buy an umbrella, medicine, or food to cook at my friend’s place. Before I knew it, I felt at ease, almost like a local. When it was finally time to get an Uber to the airport, all I could think was, I don’t want to leave.

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