Today my last outward marker of being Canadian was removed. It wasn't due to my desire to culturally assimilate.* After all, I come from a society that professes multiculturalism (although I have found that theory and practice can vary greatly). To avoid trouble with law enforcement and government regulations, I was required to register my vehicle in Utah. I had to replace my beloved Alberta plates with "Ski Utah." I feel strangely sad about this event. My little silver bullet is the first car I have purchased. Five years later she is fully paid off and her first accessory (i.e. plates) is gone. Sure I get mocked for my car but she's been reliable and affordable. Now, I'm not planning to add a Canadian flag to my car window or sew a patch on to my backpack, as I still have my spelling and pronunciations! I also don't want to be a walking stereotype.
While there are certainly differences between American and Canadians, they are not extremely obvious. I remember vacationing in Mexico and feeling completely lost. The language barrier made it difficult to carry on a conversation with most people. Pseudo-sign language was the name of the game. I wonder what it is like for immigrants who deal with vastly different cultural ideals combined with language. Certain behaviours or beliefs likely made sense in their country of origin, but now those might be challenged. Does it impact their view of who they are?
Identity is an interesting thing. Growing up I didn't necessarily equate part of my identity as "Canadian" but now I do. However, if I live in the USA the rest of my life will I still hold as strong to my country of birth? I've thought about attempting to articulate "my identity" but it has been a trying task. I suppose my identity includes my profession, my family, my experiences, my appearance, and where I was raised. That seems such a sterile definition, as I see identity as more fluid. What do you consider your identity? How do we develop our identity? As Linda Richman would say "personal identity is neither personal nor identity... let's discuss."
*Wikipedia cannot guarantee the neutrality of this article so best of luck.
13 comments:
this is also the title of my favorite shins song, with the clever line "get used to the lonesome, girl you must atone some."
brilliant.
i think your notion of "self" is very much tied to your surroundings, so this makes sense. i didn't particularly identify myself as a coloradoan, until i moved to virginia. now, its a part of who i am. just like your diaspora...
i'm glad you caught the shins reference... well done mr. p.
so do you think with a long passage of time you'll still see yourself as a mountain man if you never return?
a family friend was a priest in North Dakota a few years back, where a few hundred Icelanders settled in the 1890´s he had to have mass in Icelandic at the retirement home because many of the old folks refused to speak english. Those people where second generation Icelanders who (whom?) many, indeed most of, had never been to Iceland. Born and raised in North Dakota and still Icelandic.
Identity is a strange thing I think I would always be Icelandic no matter how long I would live somewhere else.
i spent the majority of my formative years in colorado.
5th grade through college
ages 11-26. it's directly connected to my identity, i'll always claim it.
plus, it's just so damn beautiful and awesome/superior... i'd be a fool not to.
oh, and "wild rose country?"
bitchin... how could you ever leave?
ha ha ha. i guess as Poison would say "every rose has its thorn"
you'd find that denver and calgary are on par for their beauty and superiority. i do miss it. today i'm feeling homesick...
Don't feel homesick for long because your two sisters are comin' down to the U.S. of A. to give you some sisterly harrassment tomorrow!
whooo hooo. let the ass kicking begin. when are we going to hit target?
I've lived on the east coast for 4 years....and I sort of relate to this post. Although its still the same country, DC and rural Utah are different worlds. It was funny though, someone about a month ago told me I didn't know what I was talking about (we were talking about western issues) because I lived in Virginia. That made me think.
Having been raised in England, I'll always still feel British and it's hard to lose that accent. Still - having spent 2/3 of my life in Canada - almost 1/2 of that in Alberta (and now having to adapt to BC), I guess I relate more with that life now, and feel more 'Canadian' than 'British'. In fact, I often feel like a foreigner when I return to England, even if it is comfortable and familiar. So perhaps it can be a matter of how long you live in a place, but you'll always keep your roots in that warm, fuzzy place in your heart - it's the core of who you are.
i have a cousin from england, he came to canada when he was about 13. when he visits home everyone tells him he sounds like a yank, and of course to us he just sounds english.
that's exactly like my mum. her family teases her about sounding canadian and all my friend's say "she sounds so british."
mummy-it's nice to know that i'll never lose that warm, fuzzy... no matter what.
More lyrics at http://www.lyricshunt.com
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