March 12, 2005
A Wince And A Nod
As longtime readers know, I'm American born of Canadian parents who lived in Canada when I was a teenager. Not to mention I spent every single summer growing up with my grandparents in Victoria (when I wasn't at the grandparents in Smithers). So when I read articles like this one, I nod and wince all at the same time. Hey, I've been there -- a lot of the anti-American sentiments expressed I got directed at me by my father's family (the ones in Victoria) and by the kids in school, and not a few teachers. I guess I was an easy target. On the other hand, I have a great deal of love for my other country. I have wonderful Canadian friends, in RL and on-line, I'm proud of the role my forbears played in settling British Columbia. Yeah, I guess I'm a little conflicted :) What I'd like to see is something similar written from the perspective of Canadians who left Canada for the States. People who left for the very reasons many American ex-pats went to Canada for. People like my parents, and my uncle who is planning the big move, and the many others I've had dealings with over the years.
Not being a journalist, only a lowly blogger, I'd like to invite any Canadians who left to explain a bit about why in the comments. For balance, don't you know.
(via Jonah Goldberg on The Corner)
Posted by Ithildin at March 12, 2005 12:17 PM | PROCURE FINE OLD WORLD ABSINTHE
The O.C., huh? :)
Posted by: Ith at March 12, 2005 4:00 PMGreat piece -- except one thing really bothers me. I liken this "feeling" I have with the feeling school administrators gave me when I was still in school (somewhere around the horse-and-buggy days). There was, at the time, a great new movement to classify children as "bright and gifted," or "difficlt," "problem" or whateverinhell they called them. Slapping labels on kids in a school is bad and, to my way of thinking, slapping labels on inhabitants of a country is also bad. You know what I mean?
But a very interesting post and a good ponderable. I'll be watching these comments to learn something. Thanks, Ith.
Posted by: Margi at March 12, 2005 4:07 PMMargi, I do know what you mean. I think that pins down my discomfort quite well. And thanks :)
Posted by: Ith at March 12, 2005 4:09 PMHmm. My mother was born in Toronto, but her family moved to California when she was quite young (about 6, I think). If I think of it, I'll ask her if she knows why they moved. Of course, that was in the 1920's, so I'm sure their reasons were entirely different than they might be today. :)
Posted by: CrankyBeach at March 12, 2005 5:48 PMMy parents left Canada for the 'States right after they were married in 1958. I was born in Connecticut, and then grew up going to school in Montreal and spent my summers just outside of New Haven, CT. Having said that, you can pretty much guess I got a good dose of it, sometimes on both sides. Then there were the 'hangers-on' who were totally obsessed with America and wished my citizenship was communicable.
:)
Rue, boy I wish I'd had even a little of that last bit! I think school and teachers would have been easier to deal with if my grandmother and aunts wern't so nasty about me being American. I had a teacher in 3rd grade (we lived in Victoria for about three years when I was little, but it's confusing with the later living there, so I don't mention it much!) who used to make an example of me as a stupid American, product of a crappy country's education system. She insisted I be sent back to second grade. I was tested so she could prove how stupid I was and the tests came back saying I should be in 5th :)
Posted by: Ith at March 15, 2005 10:58 AM
I left Canada to England and for a few years had on intention of coming back. My return to Canada was to see if things could work out with an ex... they did not. Now all I can think about is Palm Trees and California! (Too much watching of The O.C. perhaps.)
Posted by: Flea at March 12, 2005 3:58 PM