Random maple leaf stuff

Now that I've settled in one spot for while, I've had a bit of time to think about Canadian culture and the funny things that tend to define a country. I'm going to generalise (a lot) so bear with me.

Firstly, Canadians, as a whole, love Aussies and Australia. They consider us the summer to their winter, not just literally (living opposing seasons) but in terms of being flipsides of each other in sports, food, lifestyle etc. I feel the same. They embrace their major season (winter) the way we embrace our summer. There are differences though. As a whole, their manners are more formal. Someone will always say "Bless you" when I sneeze and if I bump into someone, then they will apologise (as well as me). They are courteous to a fault and know that they are known for it. However, whilst we are not necessarily better sports, we don't have exactly the same view of sportsmanship as them. I haven't seen a live hockey match, but I have on tv, and without fail, there will be a fistfight between players during a game. It is expected and looked forward to by many in the crowds and to a certain extent condoned. Having said that, a few Canadians I've met disapprove of this. If our rugby players did that, it's straight before the sports tribunal and severe penalites and suspension. I don't understand the hockey thing and I'll write again on it when I have more info.

I'm deeply impressed by the Canadians. If a sport involves snow, ice, possible risk of life and limb, travelling on steel blades or planks of wood or even a scrap of carpet at high speeds down mountains, on slick ice, down tunnels or climbing up stuff covered in ice and hanging off it, they will do it. I have had some funny conversations with people who do all that stuff and are afraid of spiders and won't travel to Australia because of it. I'd take avoiding a redback over hurtling down a bobsled track anyday.

Back on courtesy, if you were to take them literally, then the entire nation hasn't used a toilet since it's invention, except for the Quebecquois, "Ou est les toilettes ?" English-speaking Canadians call them washrooms. It's custom not to refer to them as they actually are, which are loos, dunnies, lavatories, toliets, ladies' etc. In America they call them "restrooms" unless you are in someone's home in which case you ask for the bathroom. I can't adjust to saying "washroom" but don't want to be impolite and ask for the toilets, so have decided to split the difference to call them bathrooms. It's something I have to keep reminding myself of, like walking on the right (same way as car traffic) instead of the left. I am starting to look permanently duck-footed as I step left- correct- step- right to avoid going against pedestrian flow.

Compromise number 2 has been the name of my hometown, Canberra. It's a 3 step process which I've now repeated about a hundred times. No-one understands where I am talking about if I call it "Can-bra" and is been discouraging to see the blank look on people's faces as I then gently repeat it phonetically. "Can-ber-ra". Then about 1/ 3rd of people (so far) know that it's the capital of Australia. Most just ask me where it is and if it's a nice town. To be fair though, a lot of Aussies think the capital of Canada is Toronto.

I have to pick carefully which people to reveal that it is the capital of Australia and which not to. Some people have been acutely embarrassed to find that it's not Sydney and I've not wanted to hurt anyone's feelings. So now I call it Can-ber-ra and am thankful that people are interested enough to ask at all.

The maple leaf in one form or another is everywhere, hung from the national flag, on advertisements, national companies etc. I like it, it's a constant reminder from one end of the country to the other of where I am. However, I don't understand how the maple leaf, which is lovely became a symbol of the country above others, such as one of their animals etc. But people are fiercely proud of it and I'm not sure whether it captures the imagination in some indefineable way or just that it distiguishes them forcibly from the Americans (which seems really important here). Our green and gold kangaroo and the Aussie flag/ Aboriginal flags seem to share more equal time back home and I can better understand it. Maybe you have to be Canadian to understand the maple leaf. I'm going to watch and listen this year and give it a good try, though.