Wednesday 1 July 2015

10 reasons why I love Canada


HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

In honour of Canada's special day I want to share 10 personal reasons why I love this beautiful country so much (and no, there will be no mention of hockey, poutine or Tim's coffee):

1. I love its people. 
Last year my car broke down in the worst possible spot: On a narrow, winding, busy road, just behind a bend so that the other drivers could only see me at the last moment and had to step on their brakes to avoid a collision. It was awful, dangerous and had all the potential to turn into something even worse.
But you know what? Almost every person that drove by stopped their car, rolled down the window and asked if I needed help. In the 30 minutes it took for BCAA to come and rescue me, at least a dozen people had offered their help. One lady actually parked her car and stayed with me until the tow truck arrived, directing traffic and lending moral support. Not one person honked at me, or was rude in any way. This is just one example of the kindness of the Canadian people, there are many more - but this one stayed with me, because it turned a frustrating situation into a wonderful example of human compassion.

2. I love its beauty. 

Canada is magnificent. I love nature, and being able to live amidst so much natural beauty makes me happy every day. Mountains, forests, deserts, rivers, lakes, the ocean, wide open spaces - Canada has it all.  

3. Freedom
I can live out all my fantasies here in a way I would have never been able to in Germany. We live tucked away from prying eyes of neighbours, which is the best way to live in my opinion. Our little farm is our personal paradise, where we are free to do as we please.
But it goes so much farther than that: #lovewon 10 years ago here in Canada, we can freely speak our minds without having to fear for our safety or lives, and most Canadians show tolerance towards each other and demonstrate a "live and let live" attitude.   

4. Possibility
I have the overwhelming sense of "it's not too late" here in Canada. When I went back to school at the age of 28, I was convinced I would be the oldest person there and dreaded that prospect. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was somewhere in the middle, with students ranging in ages from 18 all the way to 52! I love knowing that I can do something else if I want to, with the only limitation being my own imagination.

5. It makes me feel like I have every opportunity in the world. 
This is a continuation of the previous point: Canada makes me feel like the possibilities are endless. Career changes, moves to a new town, starting over, trying something new are all easily done here.
All these things may not seem like a big deal to you, but if you grew up the way I did, trust me, they are. The expected career path for me was school, university, one job, retirement. Dropping out of college the way I did and changing career paths several times was not what my parents had imagined for me. The word "disappointed" was thrown around, and it was very difficult for them to accept that my path is not that unusual these days.
Here I feel free to do whatever I want. I like my job a lot and have no intention of changing it. But if I were deeply unhappy, I would do it in a heartbeat. Silently suffering and gradually getting bitter and more miserable is not how I would want to live my life.
In Germany, a work environment developed where you are often forced out of your job in your 50s, which makes it much more difficult to do a career change halfway through your work life.    

6. It makes me feel accepted.
I am a stranger in this land, with the accent and typical German bluntness to prove it. Yet I have never, ever felt unwelcome here. On the contrary: I have come to see my accent as an asset, an icebreaker, conversation starter, something to be proud of. I love feeling not only tolerated, but truly welcome. Canada's openness and acceptance makes me feel like a real Canadian!

7. The summers are amazing.
O.M.G., are they ever. Sun for weeks, warmth but no mugginess, mild nights and brilliant, hot days. British Columbia in the summer is glorious!

8. The autumns are spectacular.
Colourful, sunny, with crisp mornings and warm days, fall is almost better than summer. I have blogged about my love for fall frequently, because I'm such a fan - and as a blogger, I have to. ;-)

9. The language
The English language is a dream. I love listening to it, speaking it, and most of all, to write it. I found my writing voice in English, and it's one of my biggest goals to become better at it. English is a huge unifier in the world, because so many people all across the globe speak it. Without moving to Canada I would have never learnt to speak it properly, let alone fallen head over heels in love with writing.
Thanks Canada!

10. Multiculturalism
I work with people from Korea, Scotland, India, the Philippines, China, South Africa, Russia, and probably a few more countries that I'm forgetting right now.
Our friends include Australians, Irish, Filipinos, Germans, Americans and many Canadians.
Moving to a new country is an experience that only someone who has done the same can truly understand. I love meeting fellow immigrants and exchanging stories. All of us came here because we wanted to, and appreciate and love Canada for all it has to offer. It has become our home, and I am so happy about it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!



 CANADA DAY!!
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13 comments

  1. I've only been to Canada (Vancouver) once, but I loved it so much! I definitely need to get back to Canada and explore more of it!

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  2. Yes, please do!
    I am very emotionally invested of course, but I love it with all my heart. We live close to Vancouver (about 45 minutes by car), and we adopted it completely as our home. You can do everything here: surfing, roller blading, skiing, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, clubbing, visiting museums, enjoying great restaurants - it has something for everybody!
    Even if it's mostly sitting by a pond and watching the dogs, geese and ducks, like in our case ;-)

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  3. I've never been to Canada but WOW it sounds fantastic :D I love places where there is so much multiculturalism - it's like getting the best of all worlds in one! I'm so glad that you're loving Canada - can you imagine if you had never moved there??
    ~ Samantha

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  4. I know it sounds silly as English is my first language but I also feel it is such a great language to express yourself in!

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  5. Happy belated Canada Day! I would totally live in Canada. BC, specifically.

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  6. You certainly added urgency factor to my dreams about living in Canada! ;)

    Love your optimistic approach!

    Inviting you to share some posts with our Link Up Party - Idea Box:

    http://milaslittlethings.com/2015/07/idea-box-thursday-link-party-17.html

    xx

    Mila

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  7. Honestly, no. My life would be so completely different, and not in a good way.
    I love Canada so much! The US is similar in many of these aspects, so you're already living in a country that's wonderful! But if you ever get the chance to come up here, please do! It's awesome :-)

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  8. It really is! How do you like Swedish?

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  9. Right now it's so hot and dry, it feels like the South, no kidding. But yes, it's a great place to live! We both love it here.
    Happy early Independence Day! 󾓦

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  10. I would love to! As soon as I'm hit with a creative idea, I will do so!
    Thanks for the invite and your kind words :-)
    Have a fabulous weekend!

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  11. Makes me want to move to Canada :)
    I moved to England from Australia about 10 years ago and have discovered that immigrants often appreciate their adopted country more than those who were born to it. That's not to say that natives can't love & appreciate their own places but consciously making a choice about where to live can really make a difference. I'm glad that your adopted home fills you with such joy. Happy belated Canada Day!

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  12. I completely agree! Do you feel similarly about England? I've visited several times, and always really enjoyed it. The pubs are so cozy and homey, I love them!

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  13. Definitely. There are things where I occasionally wish that England was more like Australia with (like it's summer weather) but I love them both as Australia was where I grew up and England is my home now. Whenever I hear someone complaining about this or that about their country, I just think that if you can't love more than you don't then you are in the wrong country! Oh and you're right - the pubs are wonderfully homey.

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