Like I mentioned before, moving to a new country is far different than moving to a new state. The approach you take, will really determine how successful it is for you. I, however, made some errors that I can hopefully help someone else from doing. It's funny.... when you get hit with a moment of 'Oh, this is different' and you are caught off guard by it. Because, here is the sometime,s brutal reality, not everyone does things like we do in America. Now, you may laugh and say to yourself. "I wouldn't ever think that,' but trust me, it happens. Some of those realizations come slow and are easy to handle, and sometimes they are harder, much harder. So, here are some things, I have found to be different. Some silly, some serious. :) Take them as you like.
Food: Well, of course its different! But, here there is a twist. The packaging is the same, looks the same on the box, but you open it up and 'Hell, no this is not a wheat thin" is what comes out of your mouth. Funny story,( this does happen to be one of my favorites from when I was little, just ask my mom) So, needless to say when I found a box here I was excited! 'Ahhh... something familiar.' I Get home, all excited, only to open the box to this strangely shaped, not a wheat thin at all, thing. I say to myself, 'Ok, I'll try it.... game on,' but much to my snacking disppoinment its not the same, and it won't become the same and I can't change that. (See? now you know how profound moments can come from snack crackers.) So, where do I go from here with this? Well, to Costco in Idaho is where. No joke, I was visiting a friend in the states and bought damn near a shipment of Wheat Thins. They are safe, and snug in the basement pantry for me to enjoy. So, I challenged the difference. But, in reality I didn't. I just temporarily fixed it. Because when my stash is gone, well its fours hours plus to a new one. Its that, or take on the the new Wheat Thin (not happening :0))
Then there are other things, like American Cheese, so not American cheese. No offense to the hard working people here are Kraft Canada, but its not what we know to be American Cheese. Pepperoni, for pizza, vastly different as well.....
Politics - Of course these are different. But in all things, there are similarities. People get very angry etc. Have strong political sticking points etc. However, there is one area that I wish we could adopt in the US. Their campaigning. Here an election campaign goes for 45 days (give or take a few). And thats it!! 45 days... and the commericals are not trashy, vindicative things that our country has stooped too. So, no crap for 100+ days.... 45 days in and out - over. Now, this is has a flip side. They can have these elections if/when either side takes a vote of confidence and the majority party loses. So in the last few years, there have been quite a few. But, I'll take that over the soap opera tactics we have adopted in the states.
Prejudice - Here, its really not prevalent. There are no undertones, or longs histories of bitterness. Now, this is not to say its not here... but you can't sense it on the surface like you can in the states. This is one of the most culturally diverse places I have lived, and I like the color frankly. Gay Pride is also alive and well here.. but on a much different level. Here, the advertise on TV the Gay Pride parades, with the very clear message that this is a time of celebration, not a time for hiding, that we are guilty of. CATV - one of the Canadian networks has this great commercial, that shows how the parades are coming, with the dates, how its going to be great fun! With rainbows, balloons etc. Then they say ' Because, here in Canada, we celebrate the differences.' and the commercial closes with a face painted with a rainbow on it! Awesome stuff! Now, as politically charged as this issue is... I'm not here to take that on. The point is, this is important to me, because of those that I love, and the fact that you can be gay in Canada, live as a married person, with all benefits says something. This I like, a lot.
One of my new friends here shared a story about going to Memphis and hearing some of the best blues! Now, she tells the story about coming out of the bar on Beale Street and starts to take pictures, of the uniquness, things not found in Canada. She comes acorss this retaurant with a catchy American name, that I will leave out and goes to take a picture. There are a ton of bikes outside and they vie to get into the picture. She takes it and they say "Aren't you scared down here?' " No, not all all he replies." They apparently looked at her and asked her where she was from... 'Canada!' she replied! 'You're different, we can tell, but its cool your not scared. We don't find that around here a lot." Hmmm... Not much I can add there.
Paritoisim - That is the same on both fronts. Canadians love being Canadian! You see it on shirts, flags etc. just like the states. Canada Day which falls on the 1st of July, was neat to watch. We went to the Rodeo here in town, and it was fun to see. Now, here is an interesting observation.... you see others being patriotic, and its hits you, this is not my country per say - I am really just a visitor. you observe and enjoy, but you don't feel it like they do. I missed the 4th quite a bit. No fireworks, baseball, or Star Bangeled Banner being sung. It was, well, tough.
So here's the net, net. You cannot come into a change like this and expect what you assume will be similar, to be. Change is brutal, and fun and scary. You will have to give up certain comforts, and things that you just didn't think about. You really have to roll with it, as simple as that sounds. We really have no weight here as American's - we are just people that have moved here from the states. Now, here is the interesting part. Whenever we tell people where we moved from, they say "Why would you move here????" I am still exploring that.
Here is what I have learned - I do miss home, I do miss the familiar. I miss a lot of things. There is just a feeling that is different. But, I also appreciate some things that I think I was taking for granted. So, when I do visit now and when I go back to live, I will have a better appreciation for where I came from. But, I get to add the appreciation of these great Canadians. We could learn a thing or two from them.
But, they really need to learn how to make a Wheat Thin.
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