C:\Marlow\

It’s funny how every country has their own perceptions of others and their own way of telling you about theirs. I just met some Spaniards in my room in the hosteland their first thought is “You know the Raptors? They have 2 Spanish players”. I met some other Spanish bboys and their question was “Oh you know the Boogie Brats?”.A mexican that asks if our “soccer fields are really ALL grass” or a French girl that tells you she “likes Celine Dion”. An American that says “Toronto, that’s near Niagara falls, right?”.

You have to be ready to answer these questions constantly in a hostel because “where are you from” is the travel equivalent of frosh weeks “What’s your major?”. I’ve tried to spice things up with more open ended questions having been in the same hostel 10 days but I’ve received a few blank stares that change in to smiles once I readjust my line of questioning to a more geographic one.

But do you think it’s our nationality that defines us? It brings up that classic psychological debate of nature vs nurture and there’s tons of arguments for both sides. But it makes me wonder, what defines Canada? A country that struggles to find an identity when it’s just a big mixing pot of cultures. It’s like trying to pin a taste on trifle or budae chigae.

After travelling around a bit I’m intensely jealous of fall these other countries with Cultural identities and histories. The Koreans have their language and Kimchi, the Chinese have so much culture and history they could build 10 more great walls out of the books it filled. Walking around France I’m jealous all over again. There are apartment buildings here that are as old as our country and still have people living in them. I can’t even count the number of French restauraunts I’ve seen here.

It’s not that I begrudge the acceptance or diversity of our country. It’s one of the things I love most about Toronto. Korea-town, Little Italy, Greek-town, Little Portugal, China town, etc… but it leaves me wondering where is Little Canada?

I’ve felt for a long time that everyone in Canada is just a permanent visitor and find it kind of sad that we don’t really have a culture of our own to have in common with other Canadians. Maybe it’s partially my fault for not liking hockey or something. What do we do or have that no other country has in common with us? What makes Canadians unique? In what areas does Canada excel or is number one?