Canadian Oddity #2:
In Canada, marriage licenses can be obtained at your local credit union. That's what I call convenient!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Le Français est impressionnant! (French is awesome!)
I started learning French using the Rosetta Stone computer program the other day, and I really like it! I feel like I've learned so much already; no wonder the program costs like $500 (about $250 per level if you buy them separately). Luckily, Jeff already owned the first two levels, so those will keep me busy for awhile.
The program uses "total immersion" teaching tactics, which means it doesn't translate or explain anything in English; you have to figure out what things mean by using the French and pictures alone. At first I was kind of skeptical about this as I've always thought it's better to learn a bunch of vocabulary and grammar before you actually start putting the words together, but I feel like I'm learning so much faster this way without seeing any conjugation charts or grammar rules. There are times when I really want to ask a question about such things, but as I go along, I usually tend to figure it out myself.
Being already able to speak German fluently and having so much prior exposure to Spanish is definitely an advantage when learning French this way as I already understand the concept of words having genders, adjective endings depending on gender, different forms of "you," etc. There are also a lot of French words that are similar to or the same as German and Spanish words, many of which are just pronounced somewhat differently.
My biggest challenge though is reading the words with silent letters. Based on what I've learned, a very large percentage of French words have letters at the end that are silent. Also, French combines a lot of words together in the form of contractions, but they are unlike the contractions we have in English, so it's a bit hard to get used to.
The program has voice recognition capability, so when it says something in the language and you repeat it (or try to), it can tell if you said it right or not, and will make you repeat it until you get it right (or give up). It's like having a native French speaker all to yourself.
The cool thing about learning French here is that it is an official language of Canada, and there are many people here who actually speak it as their native language with whom I could practice. Before coming here, I didn't realize that 23% of the Canadian population, about 7 million people, speak French fluently! Going to Montreal or anywhere else in Québec and being able to speak it there would be particularly chock full of awesome.
Additionally, it also helps that the text on the majority of product packages and signage throughout Canada is written in both French and English. I've learned a few words just by reading that (i.e. Pâte de Biscuits = cookie dough).
Through this two official languages phenomenon and several other factors, I'm beginning to recognize that Canadian culture isn't only similar to the US, but primarily a combination of US and European culture with original Canadian characteristics mixed in. You add stuff from plethora of other immigrants in there and that makes things even more interesting. Perhaps Canada is the best of all worlds. Of course there are problems where the cultures clash or whatever, but overall I am finding the immense amount of multiculturalism amazing.
The program uses "total immersion" teaching tactics, which means it doesn't translate or explain anything in English; you have to figure out what things mean by using the French and pictures alone. At first I was kind of skeptical about this as I've always thought it's better to learn a bunch of vocabulary and grammar before you actually start putting the words together, but I feel like I'm learning so much faster this way without seeing any conjugation charts or grammar rules. There are times when I really want to ask a question about such things, but as I go along, I usually tend to figure it out myself.
Being already able to speak German fluently and having so much prior exposure to Spanish is definitely an advantage when learning French this way as I already understand the concept of words having genders, adjective endings depending on gender, different forms of "you," etc. There are also a lot of French words that are similar to or the same as German and Spanish words, many of which are just pronounced somewhat differently.
My biggest challenge though is reading the words with silent letters. Based on what I've learned, a very large percentage of French words have letters at the end that are silent. Also, French combines a lot of words together in the form of contractions, but they are unlike the contractions we have in English, so it's a bit hard to get used to.
The program has voice recognition capability, so when it says something in the language and you repeat it (or try to), it can tell if you said it right or not, and will make you repeat it until you get it right (or give up). It's like having a native French speaker all to yourself.
The cool thing about learning French here is that it is an official language of Canada, and there are many people here who actually speak it as their native language with whom I could practice. Before coming here, I didn't realize that 23% of the Canadian population, about 7 million people, speak French fluently! Going to Montreal or anywhere else in Québec and being able to speak it there would be particularly chock full of awesome.
Additionally, it also helps that the text on the majority of product packages and signage throughout Canada is written in both French and English. I've learned a few words just by reading that (i.e. Pâte de Biscuits = cookie dough).
Through this two official languages phenomenon and several other factors, I'm beginning to recognize that Canadian culture isn't only similar to the US, but primarily a combination of US and European culture with original Canadian characteristics mixed in. You add stuff from plethora of other immigrants in there and that makes things even more interesting. Perhaps Canada is the best of all worlds. Of course there are problems where the cultures clash or whatever, but overall I am finding the immense amount of multiculturalism amazing.
Discovering Canadian Oddities: An Ongoing Occurrence
Canadian Oddity #1:
3.25% fat milk -- When 3.5% is too much, but 3% just isn't enough...
3.25% fat milk -- When 3.5% is too much, but 3% just isn't enough...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Mixed bag
The fastest trip to the doctor I ever had was yesterday. Walked in, told them what I wanted, paid $50, waited 2 minutes, met with the doctor, walked out. I think the whole ordeal probably took about 10 minutes, 15 max, and I had never even been there before. Where was the long line they speak of when criticizing Canada's health care system? I can remember numerous times when I've had to wait FOREVER in that little examining room in the doctor's office just to see a general prac. If you don't bring a book with you, you're screwed. You'll be staring at a cheaply-painted wall or reading charts of the circulatory system over and over for an hour. And $50 is what I would have paid in the US as a co-pay with my previous insurance at a similar establishment for the same service. I have travel insurance right now, which only covers medical emergencies and lost luggage, not routine doctor's visits. So $50 for someone without health insurance to get quality medical treatment without having to go to an ER. Hmmm...
Granted, this is the only experience I've personally had with the Canadian health care system, so it may be an exception to the norm. Also, many Canadians complain about their system, especially the wait times to see a specialist, but I feel like we in the US often have to wait just as long, if not longer. Also, did you know that Americans pay more for health care per capita than Canadians do? Sure, Canadians get taxed a lot for almost everything, but they are getting what they pay for, live longer than we do, and have significantly less poverty and crime. It sounds like a utopia in comparison. If Americans pay more on average and get less care and benefit, what does that tell you? It's crap! Crap crap crap!
The bottom line is this: all Canadians have access to health care that they can afford. Heath care is a right, not a privilege like it is in the US. Everyone has a right to live a healthy life.
I will now step off my universal health insurance-loving soap box before staying on it all day. The US health care system makes me so angry sometimes that I would love to throw my computer out the window, and this is one of those times, especially because I see how good other countries have it in comparison with ours and it makes me mad. On to less irritating topics...
Wanna see our new kitty?
We (well, I) named her Tulip, pretty much just because it's a funny name as well as original. Have you ever heard of a cat named Tulip? We got her on Easter day too, so that sort of makes sense as it's a Spring type thing. It took her a couple days to get used to her new territory, but she's pretty well acclimated now I think. We adopted her from a very well-run branch of the humane society, so well run that I might even start volunteering there, I was so impressed. Everything was so clean and organized, it was incredible, and they treat the cats like hotel guests. Some of them have medical issues, so they do what they can to accommodate those, even if it includes buying really expensive food or rushing them to a vet on a Sunday.
We first tried to adopt a cat at the local Pets Mart and submitted an application for one, but they never called us back. They wanted to do a home inspection and everything, which I feel is kinda unnecessary. You would think they'd want to find homes for these poor cats, but no. I'm really happy with the cat we got though. She's quite well behaved and very friendly, not to mention cute. She looks like a teddy bear when she's sleeping. Awww...
Back to Canada. I don't know the specifics of the entire process, but I've learned that in order to obtain a driver's license in Canada (as a teenager, not an adult that has just landed in Canada or whatever), one must adhere a series of decals to ones car before receiving a full-fledged driver's license. In BC (and probably the other provinces), when driving on a learner's permit, one must adhere a letter "L" sticker to the back of their car for a year. They must then take a test to advance to next level, which is the "Novice Permit," with which comes a "N" decal to put on the back of their car, which looks like this:
Sorry, but I couldn't help that their car was dirty. Apparently they don't teach proper automobile hygiene in Canadian driver's training. Anyway, they have to have this "scarlet letter" on their car for a minimum of 2 years before they no longer have to be branded. If they get even just one infraction on their driving record, however, they could have to start the entire 2 year program over from the start. Sounds brutal. You have to pay for this torture as well as schools don't provide it for free or a small fee. When Jeff got his (I won't mention how long ago), it cost $500, and one can only assume it has gone up in price. I wonder if this sort of system results in fewer car accidents and traffic violations...?
Granted, this is the only experience I've personally had with the Canadian health care system, so it may be an exception to the norm. Also, many Canadians complain about their system, especially the wait times to see a specialist, but I feel like we in the US often have to wait just as long, if not longer. Also, did you know that Americans pay more for health care per capita than Canadians do? Sure, Canadians get taxed a lot for almost everything, but they are getting what they pay for, live longer than we do, and have significantly less poverty and crime. It sounds like a utopia in comparison. If Americans pay more on average and get less care and benefit, what does that tell you? It's crap! Crap crap crap!
The bottom line is this: all Canadians have access to health care that they can afford. Heath care is a right, not a privilege like it is in the US. Everyone has a right to live a healthy life.
I will now step off my universal health insurance-loving soap box before staying on it all day. The US health care system makes me so angry sometimes that I would love to throw my computer out the window, and this is one of those times, especially because I see how good other countries have it in comparison with ours and it makes me mad. On to less irritating topics...
Wanna see our new kitty?
We (well, I) named her Tulip, pretty much just because it's a funny name as well as original. Have you ever heard of a cat named Tulip? We got her on Easter day too, so that sort of makes sense as it's a Spring type thing. It took her a couple days to get used to her new territory, but she's pretty well acclimated now I think. We adopted her from a very well-run branch of the humane society, so well run that I might even start volunteering there, I was so impressed. Everything was so clean and organized, it was incredible, and they treat the cats like hotel guests. Some of them have medical issues, so they do what they can to accommodate those, even if it includes buying really expensive food or rushing them to a vet on a Sunday.
We first tried to adopt a cat at the local Pets Mart and submitted an application for one, but they never called us back. They wanted to do a home inspection and everything, which I feel is kinda unnecessary. You would think they'd want to find homes for these poor cats, but no. I'm really happy with the cat we got though. She's quite well behaved and very friendly, not to mention cute. She looks like a teddy bear when she's sleeping. Awww...
Back to Canada. I don't know the specifics of the entire process, but I've learned that in order to obtain a driver's license in Canada (as a teenager, not an adult that has just landed in Canada or whatever), one must adhere a series of decals to ones car before receiving a full-fledged driver's license. In BC (and probably the other provinces), when driving on a learner's permit, one must adhere a letter "L" sticker to the back of their car for a year. They must then take a test to advance to next level, which is the "Novice Permit," with which comes a "N" decal to put on the back of their car, which looks like this:
Sorry, but I couldn't help that their car was dirty. Apparently they don't teach proper automobile hygiene in Canadian driver's training. Anyway, they have to have this "scarlet letter" on their car for a minimum of 2 years before they no longer have to be branded. If they get even just one infraction on their driving record, however, they could have to start the entire 2 year program over from the start. Sounds brutal. You have to pay for this torture as well as schools don't provide it for free or a small fee. When Jeff got his (I won't mention how long ago), it cost $500, and one can only assume it has gone up in price. I wonder if this sort of system results in fewer car accidents and traffic violations...?
Friday, April 10, 2009
An expatriate of hope
Even though I've lived in foreign countries before, I've never realized how much being an American means to me as I have while living in Canada. I believe this is because I've never before been seriously presented with the idea of giving up my nationality for a completely different one. I decided long ago, before ever dreaming of moving to Canada, that this is something I would never ever do. Being an American is an important part of my identity, part of the essence of my entire being, and calling myself a German, Austrian, Canadian, etc. would, to me, be just like calling myself male instead of female.
This post is not meant to be an ethnocentric pro-American essay; it is rather a testimony of how proud I am to be a representative of the country in which I was born. Sure, I tend to criticize many aspects of American government and society on a regular basis, but this does not mean I hate my country or the people whom have been elected to lead it. This regular questioning and criticism does not come from a place of disdain, but a place of caring for all Americans and a place of love for the ideals for which our country represents (or tries to).
The world watches us like a hawk. The Canadian media is flooded with American news, film, television and music. The German and Austrian media is quite similar, however slightly more removed. These countries tend to pay more attention to our country than they do their own. I've discovered that some Canadians don't even know the name of their own Prime Minister, and yet they not only know the name of our President, but they know enough about him in order to generate educated opinions of him and the way he runs our country. This does not mean that Canadians are dumb, ignorant or do not care about their country; it means that the US has such a great influence over the world that non-Americans intertwine American society, culture and government with their own in a tremendous way.
Not only are we being closely watched by the world, but we are looked up to by many as a symbol of hope and leadership. If the US fails the world in representing these characteristics, it generates feelings of fear which sometimes lead to feelings of hate. Some Americans might perceive these feelings of hate as envy, but I really don't think that is usually the case. When I was in Austria in 2004, I saw an issue of profil (which is the Austrian equivalent of der Spiegel) with the headline "Die wichtigste Wahl" (The Most Important Election) and a ginormous picture of President Bush and Senator John Kerry on the cover. For Europeans (Austrians, at least) to view our election as the "most important" election in the world, that really says something. I don't think some Americans realize the extent to which the decisions that are made by the US government or the impressions of American culture that the media portrays affect the entire world. So when other countries disagree with our foreign policy decisions or whatever else, we tend to get an attitude of "If you're not with us, you're against us." These countries are with us and part of us whether we or they like it or not, so when we fail to listen to their opinions, and we give them names like "Old Europe," we are diminishing our integrity as a democracy, a virtue for which I think Americans are most proud.
The United States has done so much to help the world as well as done so much to hurt the world, even at times with the best of intentions. The fact that we have such a great impact, both positive and negative, means we must continue to carry that responsibility in the best way we know how. Our government leaders are not the only ones who are responsible for this, but all Americans, especially expatriates who might be the only exposure one might have to an American that does not involve a TV.
I love my country so much that I would be willing to give up the rights that Canadian citizenship would give me if it meant keeping my identity as an American. Luckily, it doesn't look like I'll have to. Dual citizenship is legal in both the US and Canada, so I'll probably go that route, even though it entails pledging allegiance to the Queen, which will be pretty weird. I have nothing against the Queen, but I really do not identify with her as I do my country of origin. I just hope, as an American discovering Canada, that I represent my country to the best of my ability by personifying the ideals for which we stand and thereby giving whomever I meet a sense of hope.
This post is not meant to be an ethnocentric pro-American essay; it is rather a testimony of how proud I am to be a representative of the country in which I was born. Sure, I tend to criticize many aspects of American government and society on a regular basis, but this does not mean I hate my country or the people whom have been elected to lead it. This regular questioning and criticism does not come from a place of disdain, but a place of caring for all Americans and a place of love for the ideals for which our country represents (or tries to).
The world watches us like a hawk. The Canadian media is flooded with American news, film, television and music. The German and Austrian media is quite similar, however slightly more removed. These countries tend to pay more attention to our country than they do their own. I've discovered that some Canadians don't even know the name of their own Prime Minister, and yet they not only know the name of our President, but they know enough about him in order to generate educated opinions of him and the way he runs our country. This does not mean that Canadians are dumb, ignorant or do not care about their country; it means that the US has such a great influence over the world that non-Americans intertwine American society, culture and government with their own in a tremendous way.
Not only are we being closely watched by the world, but we are looked up to by many as a symbol of hope and leadership. If the US fails the world in representing these characteristics, it generates feelings of fear which sometimes lead to feelings of hate. Some Americans might perceive these feelings of hate as envy, but I really don't think that is usually the case. When I was in Austria in 2004, I saw an issue of profil (which is the Austrian equivalent of der Spiegel) with the headline "Die wichtigste Wahl" (The Most Important Election) and a ginormous picture of President Bush and Senator John Kerry on the cover. For Europeans (Austrians, at least) to view our election as the "most important" election in the world, that really says something. I don't think some Americans realize the extent to which the decisions that are made by the US government or the impressions of American culture that the media portrays affect the entire world. So when other countries disagree with our foreign policy decisions or whatever else, we tend to get an attitude of "If you're not with us, you're against us." These countries are with us and part of us whether we or they like it or not, so when we fail to listen to their opinions, and we give them names like "Old Europe," we are diminishing our integrity as a democracy, a virtue for which I think Americans are most proud.
The United States has done so much to help the world as well as done so much to hurt the world, even at times with the best of intentions. The fact that we have such a great impact, both positive and negative, means we must continue to carry that responsibility in the best way we know how. Our government leaders are not the only ones who are responsible for this, but all Americans, especially expatriates who might be the only exposure one might have to an American that does not involve a TV.
I love my country so much that I would be willing to give up the rights that Canadian citizenship would give me if it meant keeping my identity as an American. Luckily, it doesn't look like I'll have to. Dual citizenship is legal in both the US and Canada, so I'll probably go that route, even though it entails pledging allegiance to the Queen, which will be pretty weird. I have nothing against the Queen, but I really do not identify with her as I do my country of origin. I just hope, as an American discovering Canada, that I represent my country to the best of my ability by personifying the ideals for which we stand and thereby giving whomever I meet a sense of hope.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A high-priced basket
I have one word to describe alcohol regulation in Canada: bizarre. I hear that it's a bit less bizarre now than it was 20 years ago, but nonetheless, it's quite different than how alcohol sales are regulated in the US. You can't just go into any gas station or grocery store and buy booze; you have to go to designated publicly or privately-owned liquor store or cold beer and wine store and get it there. Private establishments have to purchase the alcohol from the Liquor Control Board, run by the Canadian government. Thus, the government has absolute power to set the price of alcohol, and, needless to say, these prices are astronomical in comparison with US prices. For example, one can buy a 6-pack of Bud Light in Kentucky for $5.49 (very precise, I know), whereas a 6-pack of Bud Light in British Columbia is $11.99. Since Canada brews its Bud locally, you can't even blame the high price on the beer being an import. So yes, as an avid Bud Light connoisseur, I'm screwed.
Going into a government-owned liquor store is quite the experience. Jeff and I went into one the other day, and it was HUGE! One can get just about anything. Just in case you want to try a lot of different things, this particular store had these cute little grocery basket-carts so that you don't feel like you're buying a lot of booze even though you may be. Genius.
As you can see, the high-priced booze didn't deter us from buying. I'm sure we're not alone. I've been told that the government controls alcohol sales for the mere fact that, by doing so, it generates ginormous revenues. That's it. No sort of safety-like "stop binge drinking or drunk driving" type of excuse. It's all about the money. At least they're honest.
Going into a government-owned liquor store is quite the experience. Jeff and I went into one the other day, and it was HUGE! One can get just about anything. Just in case you want to try a lot of different things, this particular store had these cute little grocery basket-carts so that you don't feel like you're buying a lot of booze even though you may be. Genius.
As you can see, the high-priced booze didn't deter us from buying. I'm sure we're not alone. I've been told that the government controls alcohol sales for the mere fact that, by doing so, it generates ginormous revenues. That's it. No sort of safety-like "stop binge drinking or drunk driving" type of excuse. It's all about the money. At least they're honest.
Something a Bit Less Profound
I am a reality show freak, so I was extremely heartbroken when I discovered I couldn't watch them on the websites of the major US networks while in Canada (I have sense discovered other sites on which I can watch them, but most are not of the greatest quality). Anyways, in order to satisfy my uncontrollable addiction, I discovered that many reality shows broadcasted in the US have a Canadian equivalent, including Canada's Next Top Model, Project Runway Canada, Canadian Idol, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, and I'm sure many more that I have not yet discovered. Their websites do not discriminate against the origin of my computer in terms of allowing me to watch them, for which I am very grateful (yet another way that Canadians encourage diversity in their country).
Upon doing some quick research, I have only come across two reality shows that originated in Canada: Family Christmas, which shows a real-life family celebrating Christmas (sounds kinda lame, doesn't it?), and Pioneer Quest, which shows 4 people living a pioneer life for an entire year, which could be kinda cool. I haven't watched either one, nor do I even know if they are still on the air (any Canadians out there who wish to enlighten me?).
Back to the shows aired (not necessarily created) in the US that have Canadian versions: the Canadian versions are almost exact replicas of the US versions; even the lines they use are mostly the same. For example, for you Project Runway fans: Heidi Klum is replaced by the legendary supermodel Iman, who is a brilliant fashion icon and AIDS activist, but the show is entirely the same except for one line in which Iman says "[Designer's Name Here], you just don't measure up" in place of what Heidi says when someone is eliminated on the original show, which is: "[Designer's Name Here], you're out." No offence to Iman or the show, but this measure up line is corny as hell and annoys the crap out of me. I'm not sure if it's because the entire show, except for this one line, is the same, and this pathetic attempt at giving the show an unique identity is completely lame, or if it's just the fact that the sentence is lame in its own right. To give the show some credit though, I found some of their challenges to be extremely unique and often much more challenging than many I've seen on the original show.
Canada's Next Top Model is also in the exact same format: challenge in the beginning, photo shoot, evaluation by 4 judges, and then the handing-out of photos to the contestants who are still in the running to be Canada's Next Top Model. From what I've seen, there is nothing about the show that makes it unique to Canada.
Upon these disappointing discoveries, I began to wonder if the unoriginality of these reality shows is exclusively Canadian or if replica shows of other countries are just as unoriginal. Dancing with the Stars did not originate in the US but in Great Britain, where it is called "Strictly Come Dancing." I found a clip of the show on YouTube and noticed that the US version is almost exactly the same in terms of the set, show format, judging (although there are 4 judges instead of 3), music, etc. as the original British version. They even have 2 of the same judges. So, apparently Americans are as unimaginative as the Canadians in terms of their reality show reproduction.
I suppose this replication would make sense as these shows are franchises. However, aren't most franchises allowed to have some variation depending on the market in which they serve? I'm pretty sure that most people do not care about this as much as I do, if at all, but since I'm all about discovering cultural differences, no matter how insignificant, it would be nice to see a show, even though it might be a franchise of a show created in another country, make a honest effort to give their show a culturally-specific identity. You would think they would want to as the US versions of these shows are broadcasted on the major Canadian networks during Canadian prime time TV. We in Canada actually get these shows twice in one night as they are aired at the same time as they are in the Eastern timezone as well as during the prime time of the timezone in which we reside.
A question to end this useless critique: does the mere fact that the contestants are from Canada (or from whatever reality show-replicating country) make the show appealing enough to warrant another version, even when shows from different countries can be as easily viewed? I suppose so if they get good ratings and profitable advertising sales; however, I feel as though these replica reality shows are just another small way that countries are losing their precious cultural singularity.
Upon doing some quick research, I have only come across two reality shows that originated in Canada: Family Christmas, which shows a real-life family celebrating Christmas (sounds kinda lame, doesn't it?), and Pioneer Quest, which shows 4 people living a pioneer life for an entire year, which could be kinda cool. I haven't watched either one, nor do I even know if they are still on the air (any Canadians out there who wish to enlighten me?).
Back to the shows aired (not necessarily created) in the US that have Canadian versions: the Canadian versions are almost exact replicas of the US versions; even the lines they use are mostly the same. For example, for you Project Runway fans: Heidi Klum is replaced by the legendary supermodel Iman, who is a brilliant fashion icon and AIDS activist, but the show is entirely the same except for one line in which Iman says "[Designer's Name Here], you just don't measure up" in place of what Heidi says when someone is eliminated on the original show, which is: "[Designer's Name Here], you're out." No offence to Iman or the show, but this measure up line is corny as hell and annoys the crap out of me. I'm not sure if it's because the entire show, except for this one line, is the same, and this pathetic attempt at giving the show an unique identity is completely lame, or if it's just the fact that the sentence is lame in its own right. To give the show some credit though, I found some of their challenges to be extremely unique and often much more challenging than many I've seen on the original show.
Canada's Next Top Model is also in the exact same format: challenge in the beginning, photo shoot, evaluation by 4 judges, and then the handing-out of photos to the contestants who are still in the running to be Canada's Next Top Model. From what I've seen, there is nothing about the show that makes it unique to Canada.
Upon these disappointing discoveries, I began to wonder if the unoriginality of these reality shows is exclusively Canadian or if replica shows of other countries are just as unoriginal. Dancing with the Stars did not originate in the US but in Great Britain, where it is called "Strictly Come Dancing." I found a clip of the show on YouTube and noticed that the US version is almost exactly the same in terms of the set, show format, judging (although there are 4 judges instead of 3), music, etc. as the original British version. They even have 2 of the same judges. So, apparently Americans are as unimaginative as the Canadians in terms of their reality show reproduction.
I suppose this replication would make sense as these shows are franchises. However, aren't most franchises allowed to have some variation depending on the market in which they serve? I'm pretty sure that most people do not care about this as much as I do, if at all, but since I'm all about discovering cultural differences, no matter how insignificant, it would be nice to see a show, even though it might be a franchise of a show created in another country, make a honest effort to give their show a culturally-specific identity. You would think they would want to as the US versions of these shows are broadcasted on the major Canadian networks during Canadian prime time TV. We in Canada actually get these shows twice in one night as they are aired at the same time as they are in the Eastern timezone as well as during the prime time of the timezone in which we reside.
A question to end this useless critique: does the mere fact that the contestants are from Canada (or from whatever reality show-replicating country) make the show appealing enough to warrant another version, even when shows from different countries can be as easily viewed? I suppose so if they get good ratings and profitable advertising sales; however, I feel as though these replica reality shows are just another small way that countries are losing their precious cultural singularity.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Point of Canada
Jeff and I drove all the way from Cincinnati to Abbotsford, British Columbia in my 2007 Chevy Aveo. The trip took about 5 days with a short break to visit my peeps in Michigan. We drove up through the UP and crossed into Canada at Sault Ste Marie. I had been quite nervous about crossing the border for awhile as they ask you how long you plan to stay in Canada, what you're doing there, etc., and as I was entering Canada as a "visitor" (legally), I thought they might get suspicious if we answered "forever" and "living there" to the 2 previous questions, and even though we did give them those answers, they seemed more concerned with what Jeff was doing in the US for the past 4 days than what I'll be doing in Canada indefinitely. We expected them to search our car full of crap, but they let us go without any issues.
Ontario is just like northern Michigan in terms of its terrain: beautiful hills covered in evergreen trees. This was not so unusual to me, although I never expected Ontario to be such a bloody long province. Once we entered Manitoba, however, that's when things got weird. The landscape became incredibly flat and the freeway was extremely straight for miles and miles, so straight that once we did finally reach a curve, it felt unnatural and was somewhat difficult to execute.
Seeing pancake-flat terrain with very few trees and buildings for hundreds of miles is not for the mentally unstable, let me tell you. For a couple of days of driving 12-13 hours on the flatness, we both got extremely giddy towards the end of the day. It became somewhat frustrating for me, so frustrating that I eventually turned to Jeff and asked, "What is the point of Canada?!" to which he answered, quite deservedly, "Screw you!" In my mind at the time, after seeing hundreds of miles of nothingness, a fair-sized portion of the country that looked almost completely uninhabited, I kept asking myself why this country even exists. There's nobody here! A little while after we entered the Canadian Rockies, however, I started to get the point.
In drastic contrast to the the flatness of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, British Columbia is extremely mountainous. Once we entered the mountains, we never left them. Up and down we went for hours, going around curves so sharp and massive that if you went an inch too far left or too far right, you would ensure your untimely demise (ok, so it's not that dangerous. Not even close. That line just popped into my head and I had to put it in here.) It was so gorgeous, especially when the sun was setting.
Some may not agree, but I really think this area of mountains, although not as big, is comparable with the beauty of the Alps.
The point (or maybe one of the many points) of Canada is this: diversity. The different extremes in terrain lead to a wealth of diverse economic opportunities: mining, agriculture, logging, tourism, etc. This diversity, however, only begins with the landscape. From what I've been reading, Canada encourages immigration (unlike the US), and by doing so gets some of the best and brightest foreign skilled workers and college students that the world has to offer. The United States isn't the only "melting pot" nation in the world, and quite frankly, Canada might be a bit better at it as it continues to use this diversity to its advantage.
Did you know that only 10% of the residents of Vancouver are actually from Vancouver? I could not believe the number of Asians I saw there. I was also surprised to see some Middle Eastern and Asian men wearing turbans in public. I can't remember the last time I've seen anyone wearing a turban in the US, and I think it's sad. There is also a ginormous Chinatown in Vancouver, in which the street signs are even in Chinese. I get the feeling that this area is not only to attract tourists, but to also serve the local Asian population in a big way. And I'm just skimming the surface with these observations. I can't wait to discover what else in this country is chock full of awesome.
Ok, back to the trip. There were some occurrences of random weirdness along the way.
While driving through the mountainy part of Alberta, we saw a sign that read "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump." Jeff told me that the Indians (they call them First Nations People in Canada, which I find kind of awkward to say but much more fitting than the use of "Native American" in the US) would herd buffalo off of a cliff so they would save time and ammo not having to kill them individually with weapons (WTF moment). That's what I call efficiency, and whoever is responsible for marketing that place is a genius.
Also, there was also this random dude in the middle of nowhere pulling a funky-looking cart behind him, like one of those carts you'd see in China.
He might have just been backpacking across Canada and decided to bring a bit more than a backpack with him.
I was also pleased to see recycle bins sporadically placed along the highway, even in the middle of nowhere!
If the Canadian federal and/or provincial governments (not sure who funds what here) can provide a free recycling service in the middle of no man's land, then why can't the US provide one in an ordinary town with peeps in it?
The weather during the trip was actually a lot better than we thought it was going to be, but we did have to drive about 200 miles in "blizzardous" conditions.
It was so windy man, I thought my Aveo was going to get blown off the road.
Here are a few more pictures of things that don't need any sort of commentary, they are so beautiful:
Sorry for the poor quality; all the pictures we took were through a dirty windshield while the car was moving. We didn't want to take the time to stop as we had so far to go.
After about 45 hours of driving and over 10 tanks of gas, we finally arrived in Abbotsford on Friday night. We had been going up and down in altitude for so long that once I stepped out of the car, I felt extremely dizzy and nauseous, like I had been drinking for hours. We were so glad to be home though.
**To my Canadian readers, if any: I realize that many of my opinions here could possibly be quite ignorant, maybe to the point of being completely false. Please remember that I have been in Canada less than 2 weeks and still have a lot to learn, considering I knew very little about Canada before coming to live here. Just know that I possess an extremely open mind and that I will eventually get it right (hopefully). Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.**
Ontario is just like northern Michigan in terms of its terrain: beautiful hills covered in evergreen trees. This was not so unusual to me, although I never expected Ontario to be such a bloody long province. Once we entered Manitoba, however, that's when things got weird. The landscape became incredibly flat and the freeway was extremely straight for miles and miles, so straight that once we did finally reach a curve, it felt unnatural and was somewhat difficult to execute.
Seeing pancake-flat terrain with very few trees and buildings for hundreds of miles is not for the mentally unstable, let me tell you. For a couple of days of driving 12-13 hours on the flatness, we both got extremely giddy towards the end of the day. It became somewhat frustrating for me, so frustrating that I eventually turned to Jeff and asked, "What is the point of Canada?!" to which he answered, quite deservedly, "Screw you!" In my mind at the time, after seeing hundreds of miles of nothingness, a fair-sized portion of the country that looked almost completely uninhabited, I kept asking myself why this country even exists. There's nobody here! A little while after we entered the Canadian Rockies, however, I started to get the point.
In drastic contrast to the the flatness of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, British Columbia is extremely mountainous. Once we entered the mountains, we never left them. Up and down we went for hours, going around curves so sharp and massive that if you went an inch too far left or too far right, you would ensure your untimely demise (ok, so it's not that dangerous. Not even close. That line just popped into my head and I had to put it in here.) It was so gorgeous, especially when the sun was setting.
Some may not agree, but I really think this area of mountains, although not as big, is comparable with the beauty of the Alps.
The point (or maybe one of the many points) of Canada is this: diversity. The different extremes in terrain lead to a wealth of diverse economic opportunities: mining, agriculture, logging, tourism, etc. This diversity, however, only begins with the landscape. From what I've been reading, Canada encourages immigration (unlike the US), and by doing so gets some of the best and brightest foreign skilled workers and college students that the world has to offer. The United States isn't the only "melting pot" nation in the world, and quite frankly, Canada might be a bit better at it as it continues to use this diversity to its advantage.
Did you know that only 10% of the residents of Vancouver are actually from Vancouver? I could not believe the number of Asians I saw there. I was also surprised to see some Middle Eastern and Asian men wearing turbans in public. I can't remember the last time I've seen anyone wearing a turban in the US, and I think it's sad. There is also a ginormous Chinatown in Vancouver, in which the street signs are even in Chinese. I get the feeling that this area is not only to attract tourists, but to also serve the local Asian population in a big way. And I'm just skimming the surface with these observations. I can't wait to discover what else in this country is chock full of awesome.
Ok, back to the trip. There were some occurrences of random weirdness along the way.
While driving through the mountainy part of Alberta, we saw a sign that read "Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump." Jeff told me that the Indians (they call them First Nations People in Canada, which I find kind of awkward to say but much more fitting than the use of "Native American" in the US) would herd buffalo off of a cliff so they would save time and ammo not having to kill them individually with weapons (WTF moment). That's what I call efficiency, and whoever is responsible for marketing that place is a genius.
Also, there was also this random dude in the middle of nowhere pulling a funky-looking cart behind him, like one of those carts you'd see in China.
He might have just been backpacking across Canada and decided to bring a bit more than a backpack with him.
I was also pleased to see recycle bins sporadically placed along the highway, even in the middle of nowhere!
If the Canadian federal and/or provincial governments (not sure who funds what here) can provide a free recycling service in the middle of no man's land, then why can't the US provide one in an ordinary town with peeps in it?
The weather during the trip was actually a lot better than we thought it was going to be, but we did have to drive about 200 miles in "blizzardous" conditions.
It was so windy man, I thought my Aveo was going to get blown off the road.
Here are a few more pictures of things that don't need any sort of commentary, they are so beautiful:
Sorry for the poor quality; all the pictures we took were through a dirty windshield while the car was moving. We didn't want to take the time to stop as we had so far to go.
After about 45 hours of driving and over 10 tanks of gas, we finally arrived in Abbotsford on Friday night. We had been going up and down in altitude for so long that once I stepped out of the car, I felt extremely dizzy and nauseous, like I had been drinking for hours. We were so glad to be home though.
**To my Canadian readers, if any: I realize that many of my opinions here could possibly be quite ignorant, maybe to the point of being completely false. Please remember that I have been in Canada less than 2 weeks and still have a lot to learn, considering I knew very little about Canada before coming to live here. Just know that I possess an extremely open mind and that I will eventually get it right (hopefully). Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.**
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
From Ignorance to Total Immersion
The first time I can remember being in Canada was in 1995. My mom, a few friends and I drove over the border in Sault Ste Marie (didn't need a passport back then), exchanged some money, and went to a McDonalds with a red maple leaf on the golden arches. That was the extent of the visit. All I remember is the McDonalds menu looking somewhat different and there being a few stores that we didn't have in Michigan.
A few years later, a friend from college invited me to go to Stratford, Ontario, with her and her family for the Stratford Theater Festival. It was pretty awesome as there were 12 different theaters with an exorbitant amount of plays to choose from. We stayed there for a few days, and one night we went out to a bar where we were able to buy alcohol legally for the first time ever as we were both still underage at the time. The server took our drink orders and started to walk away when I asked "Don't you want to see our IDs?" She gave me a funky look and said "Do I have to?" and looked at them anyway, just to humor us. Like a lot of people, we got a kick out of being able to drink alcohol in a foreign country while still being too young to drink in our own. It felt scandalous.
These two short and insignificant trips to Canada were the extent of my dealings with and knowledge of the country, except for the fact that it has a universal health care system, over which I drool every time I hear about it. I, as a resident and citizen of the United States, never heard or learned much about the country...ever. I really didn't give a crap about the country, to be honest. I'm sure many Americans can say the same thing. We hear virtually nothing about Canada in the American media; yet, it's right above us and expands our northern border for thousands of miles (believe me, I know).
Despite all of that ignorance and irreverence for the country, I am now living in Canada, probably for good. Falling in love with a Canadian was never my intention--I always thought I'd end up with a European, considering my previous experiences in Europe, and maybe finally plant roots in a German-speaking country. But, like many people I'm sure, I could not resist the Canadian charm that I never knew existed, and the rest is history.
Before entering Canada a week ago, blogging about my experiences here never really crossed my mind. I kept a blog of my adventures in Austria, but that's Austria. However, after spending a few days here, I've had enough "WTF" and "That is so awesome!" moments that I started feeling an urgent need to write about them. I don't necessarily write to entertain others; I mainly write to entertain myself. I love writing, but for some reason I've become lazy about it in the past few months. Anyways, this particular blog is dedicated to my experiences in Canada, my new home. My other blog, And now for something completely different..., is the blog in which I try to push my liberal agenda, although I think that only two or three people have ever read it. Check it out and comment if you feel the need to get fired up about something, even if you don't agree.
On that note, I think I'll end this particular entry as it's getting a bit long. More posts are coming soon as I have so much more to write about.
A few years later, a friend from college invited me to go to Stratford, Ontario, with her and her family for the Stratford Theater Festival. It was pretty awesome as there were 12 different theaters with an exorbitant amount of plays to choose from. We stayed there for a few days, and one night we went out to a bar where we were able to buy alcohol legally for the first time ever as we were both still underage at the time. The server took our drink orders and started to walk away when I asked "Don't you want to see our IDs?" She gave me a funky look and said "Do I have to?" and looked at them anyway, just to humor us. Like a lot of people, we got a kick out of being able to drink alcohol in a foreign country while still being too young to drink in our own. It felt scandalous.
These two short and insignificant trips to Canada were the extent of my dealings with and knowledge of the country, except for the fact that it has a universal health care system, over which I drool every time I hear about it. I, as a resident and citizen of the United States, never heard or learned much about the country...ever. I really didn't give a crap about the country, to be honest. I'm sure many Americans can say the same thing. We hear virtually nothing about Canada in the American media; yet, it's right above us and expands our northern border for thousands of miles (believe me, I know).
Despite all of that ignorance and irreverence for the country, I am now living in Canada, probably for good. Falling in love with a Canadian was never my intention--I always thought I'd end up with a European, considering my previous experiences in Europe, and maybe finally plant roots in a German-speaking country. But, like many people I'm sure, I could not resist the Canadian charm that I never knew existed, and the rest is history.
Before entering Canada a week ago, blogging about my experiences here never really crossed my mind. I kept a blog of my adventures in Austria, but that's Austria. However, after spending a few days here, I've had enough "WTF" and "That is so awesome!" moments that I started feeling an urgent need to write about them. I don't necessarily write to entertain others; I mainly write to entertain myself. I love writing, but for some reason I've become lazy about it in the past few months. Anyways, this particular blog is dedicated to my experiences in Canada, my new home. My other blog, And now for something completely different..., is the blog in which I try to push my liberal agenda, although I think that only two or three people have ever read it. Check it out and comment if you feel the need to get fired up about something, even if you don't agree.
On that note, I think I'll end this particular entry as it's getting a bit long. More posts are coming soon as I have so much more to write about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
