I am Canadian and I can type that way too!
Adanac is an iconic font representing aspects of Canadian culture and history.
Created by Vancouver based 10four Design Group, Adanac combines the studio’s passion for
innovative design
with their love of all things Canadian.
Highway of Heros!
My fingers dug into the steering wheel and I felt my chest tighten. I drove along Highway 401, from Trenton, Ontario to Port Hope, Ontario. Canadian Flags dotted the green landscape. On a good day I’d only see the flags wave in the grass. Today was a day where two Canadian solders were coming home, to their final resting place, so each overpass I drove under was crowded with citizens wearing red and proudly holding Canadian flags. They stood silently staring down the highway.
At the Port Hope Tim Horton’s, Laurie quickly serves doughnuts and stirs up a double double. When asked, “if the people are standing on the bridge because they are bring home a solider?” She only briefly glances over the overpass. Nods and quietly whispers, ” Yes. They are usually there about once a week.”
On the overpass they wait for the convey of black cars to drive past. They wait for the families to look up and know that their son or daughter, their brother or sister gave to people who care enough to stand out in the wind and rain to say goodbye too. I wait for they day when they no longer need to stand on the overpass.
CFB TRENTON — The bodies of two fallen Canadian soldiers were repatriated Tuesday in a moving, but all-too familiar military ceremony. Sapper Matthieu Allard, 21, and his close friend, Cpl. Christian Bobbitt, 23, died when an improvised explosive device blew up Saturday as they investigated another IED in an area west of Kandahar City.
Their deaths bring the number of Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan to 127.
One diplomat and two aid worker also have been killed.-Canwest News Service: Wednesday, August 5, 2009-
Uniquely Canadian?
In his book and documentary “Souvenir of Canada“ Douglas Coupland attempts to explain to non-Canadians the things that are uniquely Canadian. Along the way he entertains Canadians with a trip down memory lane. He asks the questions, “What is it to be Canadian? What makes us who we are? Is it hockey? The wilderness? Or is it a series of things, of secret handshakes, that nobody really gets but us?”
Right now I live in Kuwait so returning Canada, my “home and native land” I was hit by a wave of nostalgia for all things uniquely Canada. From poutine to beaver tails, Terry Fox to Coaches Corner I was eager to soak in all the Canadian goodness before once again boarding an Air Canada plane out of the country.
Traveling brings you a sense of adventure coming home brings you a sense of peace. Enjoying the fresh air,green grass and Tim Horton’s has been good for my Canadian soul. All these simple pleasures now bring a sense of normalcy back to this world traveller. As my friends from around the world return to their respective home towns I can’t help but wonder what simple joys are they too enjoying?
In talking to other Canadians I have come to realize there are variations on the “secret Canadian handshake.” Sure all Canadians seem to naturally drop in the perfectly normal , “eh?” and understand that when you say tea, you mean hot tea and when you say you want an “Ex” it is a beer and not someone you used to date. However “the secret handshake” seems to vary a bit in each region of Canada. When you get two women from Eastern Canada in room together their beautiful accents come alive. Soon you’ll hear someone from Western Canada ask them to explain what on earth they are talking about. Most everyone my age, who grew up in Ontario, Canada, can sing you the theme song to the Poka-a-Dot Door and tell you about the time they first saw the Blue Jays play at the Sky Dome or went skating on the Rideau Canal.
The music of a country is also piece of the “secret handshake”. Put on Home for a Rest, by Spirit of the West or the Hockey Song, By Stompin Tom Connors and more then likely a Canadian’s toes will start to move. There are certain songs and artists that are known across the country. As a Kingstonian it thrills me to hear how the local Kingston band, the Tragically Hip, has gone from a regional secret to a national pride.
Whether it is the challenging job market, an increased love of travel or the growing use of technology more people are finding themselves residents of the world. It is interesting that in these new global villages secret handshakes between those of like cultures are still clearly apparent.
What makes you uniquely Canadian? What are the secret handshake items that exists in your culture?
“I come from downtown”
-Grace, too by the the Tragically Hip
Tea-riffic
Walking into the Tea Store in Kingston, Ontario is like walking into a fairy tale. An oasis from the outside adventure, a cosy cottage or a lost little garden. However this Tea Store is a most modern fairy tale, with free wi-fi and great tunes. The side wall opens with the a giant garage door and green plants cascade everywhere.
Rows, upon rows, of wonderful drink selections make this Tea Store a lovely stop in anyones day!
But for me, the experience is not quite complete until I have written about it.
I am here.
I am in Kingston, Ontario, Canada now. The little simple things are amazing me today. Could be the jet lag but the beauty of clean air, green grass and seeing my parents wave at the airport has left me with a sense of pure joy. Calling some of my friends before they went to work this morning was wonderful. It is so nice to be able to pick up the phone and just call them.
I am off to track down a Canadian SMS card so that I again have a phone number, now needing texting cabailities. Somethings have changed and somethings have stayed very much the same.
because part of your heart always will be elsewhere.
That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and
knowing people in more than one place.”
- Miriam Adeney-
I have reached the other side!
In the Toronto airport! I just got carded when I ordered a drink and I am looking at a Tim Horten’s restaurant! Now that I am here and home I realize that ten months is along time to be away! I feel the reverse culture shock will be an interesting process. When the Canadian customs officers wanted to check my lap top and open my bag I realized that “Dorothy, we aren’t in the Middle East anymore !”
I am Canadian and apparently I speak Canadian!
Being in an ex-pat community it is a hoot and a half to listen to people from around the world try and translate or understand the meaning of classic Canadian words. We Canadians do seem to have a dialect all our own.
Here are a few examples of questions about Canadian words that I have gotten.
Duotangs: When referring to the paper folders made of harder card stock paper with flat metal teeth someone said,”What are you talking about two bottles of tang juice?”
Tuque/toque/touque: After mentioning that I may never need any type of tuque here someone said, ” A tuque is a type of toboggan or sled?”
Nanaimo bar: When talking about this tasty chocolate treat someone asked,” Is that a place in British Columbia where you drink? ” Oddly enough the Nanaimo bar was originally named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia.
If you have any other uniquely Canadian words feel free to send them along!
Thanks
When I was about 8 years old I remember going to the grocery store with my Dad. He was buying a lot of items that we already had at our house. When he picked up a pancake flipper I said, “ We already have one of those at home.” He said he knew that but today we were buying things for another family who didn’t have some of the things we had. As he moved the pancake flipper up in the air he explained, “ Sometimes people just need some help to lift things up.”
We drove to a house near the school my Dad taught at he quickly put the groceries and pancake flipper on the front door step and then we left. As an eight year old I was confused. I asked, “ Why didn’t you ring the doorbell.” He looked at me and smiled as he said, “ Sometimes you have to find a way to help the people and the situation without hurting anyone’s pride.”
Over my three years teaching at an inner city school in Canada I have been blessed to work with people who on a daily basis find creative ways to help empower others, who each day make a difference and help lift people up. The first time I arrived at this school I really had no idea how much I was about to learn about resilience of the human spirit, Canadian poverty and compassion.
The end of school came today and I left that building, soon I will leave the country but the memories and the friends I have made at that school and in that community will last for a life time.
To those I met in those halls thank you all for the laughter and the learning.
One in six Ontario children – roughly 478, 480 lives in poverty and that pover is more severe than was the case in early 1990s. Most of thee children live in poverty for two to six years.
132, 000 Ontario children, who are 40 per cent of users, rely on a food bank each month.
The Dash
Last weekend I attended a celebration of an incredible leader. The retirement of Wendell White as the director of Camp Quin-Mo-Lac was an opportunity to rejoice in all that Wendell and Roseanne White have given to the camping industry and all the knowledge and wisdom they have shared with those who were fortunate enough to work with them. It was a beautiful event. A chance to reflect on many of the lessons of kindness, compassion and strength that I learned from Wendell and Roseanne.
In his speech at the end of the day Wendell continued to look for ways to inspire as he highlighted the poem known as the Dash, by Linda Ellis. I have read a lot of motivational poems and “Chicken Soup for the Soul” type books but the simplicity of the concept of this poem made me ask what is important to include in the dash in my life?
Thank you Wendell!
Kuwait City, KUWAIT
Christine Oastler is a freelance travel writer, teacher and artist, currently living in Mahboula, Kuwait. Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Christine obtained her Bachelor of Arts at Trent University and her Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University. Currently traveling around the Middle East she finds herself riding the odd camel and embracing a new culture!