So You're Canadian, Eh?

In Nanjing, I am often the token Canadian whenever I’m out with other people. When everyone hears that I am Canadian, the stereotypical jokes start firing at me. “Ohhh, so you’re from Baby America ...Did you just say, ‘Eh?’ ...Ew, baseball. Who likes baseball? ...I can’t believe you guys add that extra ‘u’ in some words. And what’s with the weird pronunciation? ABOOT time we mentioned that!”

I’d struggle to defend my country and describe how wonderful Canada is but for some reason, the message never really gets across and the conversation would always end with a rupture of laughter. These several experiences have made me reflect on my Canadian identity but as I searched more, I realized I may not be as Canadian as people expect me to be. Apart from the obvious fact that I don’t live in an igloo, I am not a hockey fan, nor do I watch lacrosse games – two sports that are very much Canadian. I don’t drink Canadian beer and I’ve grown fond of American football, which is a big no-no for Canadians apparently.

However, I am a huge Blue Jays fan and I still like to watch their games, even though they tend to go downhill later in the season. Tim Hortons is a Canadian favourite that I like to gush about and it is the only thing I wish for in China. (Convenient, good and cheap coffee is so hard to find here.) And I actually tend to say, ‘eh’, at the end of my sentences. (I have no idea what the origin of that word is but I can’t recall any of my friends saying it so I think it’s just a part of my personality.)

When I hear other people talk about why they’re proud of their country, there’s a lot of history references and mentions of big name corporations that have marketed famous products internationally. Another hot topic is the country’s sports teams and how one’s team is the best in the world.

I believe the true question of pride is: what has your country done for you? I find it irrelevant for people to say that their country saved so-and-so’s country and how they should take credit for winning numerous wars. There is no pride in war. If there was anything to be proud of, it'd be the peace treaties their country has accomplished or how post-war developments have benefited the citizens of the country and the world. More importantly, one must be proud of the brave souls who were under the unfortunate circumstances to endure such atrocities. Lest we forget.

As a Canadian, I think the reason why we don’t seem to be as patriotic as others is because we are humble of our pride. We already know we belong to a country of greatness and we don’t feel the need to rub it in. We have practical achievements for the majority of Canadians – free health care, freedom of speech, multicultural cities, peace...

It’s like the smart quiet kid in class. Everyone makes fun of him because he’s a nerd and doesn’t say much. In reality, everyone is jealous of this individual because of his intelligence and mindset, which makes him ahead of the game. Everyone else pokes fun at him to make themselves better. It’s purely an ego boost and as a conscious Canadian, I do not take those jokes personally.

I believe it is the experiential aspect of being a Canadian that makes me proud to be a Canadian. Without Canada, I wouldn’t have had the chance to obtain a university degree, to be able to express my thoughts, to meet people from various backgrounds (ethnicity, education, sexual orientation), to have lived through various seasons and weather, to travel internationally, to enjoy foods from different cultures (which makes eating incredibly fun in Toronto). I wouldn’t be living in peace. Most importantly, without Canada, I wouldn’t have met some of the greatest people in the world – my friends. Thanks, Canada.

A good friend showed me photos of her recent trip across Canada and I almost forgot how magnificent Canada was and how much beauty there was in such a grand country. I am embarrassed to not have fully appreciated my own country so it has now become one of my top places to travel. I strongly encourage everyone – Canadians and non-Canadians - to experience all areas of Canada.

November 11th. Remembrance Day. Let’s all remember the history that has shaped our country and also remind ourselves that we are proud to be Canadian.