South Park wisdom rules, again
I wanted to include Canada in the subtitle of my blog, but the truth is I feel that I've lived in Vancouver for three years, not in Canada. I don't know Canada, but I know (something of) Vancouver. Of the people, phenomena and views I have come to know about here, I have no idea whether they represent something specifically Canadian or Vancouverite. Canada is continually questioning its own identity and existence. While other nations hardly address these “Canada, to be or not to be” issues, one of the best cases has probably been developed in The South Park film, where South Park mothers get hot and bothered with Canadians being a threat to their children, establish an association called MAC – Mothers Against Canada – and the infamous song gets sung: “Blame Canada, blame Canada, cause it's not a real country anyway”.
Why oh why did I include South Park in my blog note again? I guess that South Park provides one of the best references available for anything cultural, medical, political or regarding how to get Xmas presents in the first place (by eating enough fibre). In South Park, everyone gets their fare share of mockery. Reverse equality?
A week ago, I was in a room full of Europeans, and, listening to their bubbling away loud and clear it suddenly dawned on me that aaah, yeah, this is what they do in Europe: express their religious and political and sexual and other politically very incorrect views openly and fiercely. I had somehow forgotten about that. Engaging into passionate discussions is probably another feature that I now associate with Europe or being a European. Argumentation as a pastime. - Waiting for the dinner start with Frenchies around 11pm, when the invitation was originally for 8 pm, and participants are happily shouting their opinions out before any food can be seen. Who says dinner is about food?
When living abroad, you tend to pick up whatever accents you are surrounded with, and with the accent come not only the pronunciation and the rhythm, but also idioms and local sayings including attitudes and manners. If there is such a thing as a Canadian accent, I wonder how much it has to do with not clearly leaning onto one view or another. Then again, I could be entirely wrong about this, but I just remembered a joke I heard before I came to Canada: it went something like “What did a Canadian do when crossing a road? - He stayed in the middle of it.” Or, better yet, what is the Canadian Fear Factor: when waiter comes to inquire whether you are enjoying your meal, you gather all your courage and make a complaint.
In Hel, the waiter does not come around to ask about your dining experience. In fact, you're lucky if the waiter comes around for anything at all.
Why oh why did I include South Park in my blog note again? I guess that South Park provides one of the best references available for anything cultural, medical, political or regarding how to get Xmas presents in the first place (by eating enough fibre). In South Park, everyone gets their fare share of mockery. Reverse equality?
A week ago, I was in a room full of Europeans, and, listening to their bubbling away loud and clear it suddenly dawned on me that aaah, yeah, this is what they do in Europe: express their religious and political and sexual and other politically very incorrect views openly and fiercely. I had somehow forgotten about that. Engaging into passionate discussions is probably another feature that I now associate with Europe or being a European. Argumentation as a pastime. - Waiting for the dinner start with Frenchies around 11pm, when the invitation was originally for 8 pm, and participants are happily shouting their opinions out before any food can be seen. Who says dinner is about food?
When living abroad, you tend to pick up whatever accents you are surrounded with, and with the accent come not only the pronunciation and the rhythm, but also idioms and local sayings including attitudes and manners. If there is such a thing as a Canadian accent, I wonder how much it has to do with not clearly leaning onto one view or another. Then again, I could be entirely wrong about this, but I just remembered a joke I heard before I came to Canada: it went something like “What did a Canadian do when crossing a road? - He stayed in the middle of it.” Or, better yet, what is the Canadian Fear Factor: when waiter comes to inquire whether you are enjoying your meal, you gather all your courage and make a complaint.
In Hel, the waiter does not come around to ask about your dining experience. In fact, you're lucky if the waiter comes around for anything at all.
posted by Back to HEL @ 8:35 PM
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