Articles in Canadian Life
Canadians Behind The Camera
My story with Canadian cinema didn’t start very well. When I first came here, Feng dragged me to see Men with Brooms. Keeping in mind I barely spoke English and didn’t know much about Canada, I automatically assumed it was a comedy about… guys doing housekeeping, a bit like Mrs. Doubtfire. Well, turned out it was a movie about curling. I didn’t even know curling was a sport.
French-Spotting and Relationships in North America
Dating is so heavily codified you’d need The Da Vinci Code’s symbologist to understand all the subtleties. It starts in high school, where guys are supposed to take women to the prom—a relatively formal event for which women shop for princess dresses and guys really hope to take that dress out in the car at the end of the night. And dating apparently only ends when, as Beyoncé put it, you “put a ring on it”.
How I Gained (and Lost) Weight in Canada
Alright, I was never 500 pounds neither I am 100 pounds today. I’m average. I’ve never been described as “skinny” or “thin” but again, at 5’7, I’m not a tiny little thing so I’m not aiming for that. My weight hasn’t changed in the past three years and I’m about the same as when I came to Canada in 2004.
But moving to Canada played havoc with my body, especially in the first few years.
The United Nations At Home
Sometimes, when I look at my reflection in the mirror, I’m almost surprised to see that, indeed, I have a big nose and dark eyes that are much too wide to be mistaken for most Asians’ almond-shaped eyes. I’m almost about twenty inches too tall and forty pounds too heavy to be your average Asian woman. I guess I’m not Chinese.
5 Things You Wouldn’t Believe Are Banned or Illegal in Canada
I learned about local customs and laws little by little, in context. For instance, my journey to Canada started with understanding the basic of immigration law. I learned to respect local traffic laws when I took my driver license.
But there are some laws or bans that you really, really can’t guess. Here are 5 things you wouldn’t believe are banned or illegal in Canada!
5 More Things My Mum Observed in Canada
I never get tired of noticing the little cultural differences that exist between counties and culture—I even have a blog tag dedicated to them! My mother and my brother came to visit us in July and I eagerly wrote down what surprised them, and what probably surprised me as well a few years ago.
5 Things My Mum Observed in Canada
In July, part of my family (my brother, who is 19, and my mother) came to visit us for three weeks. I loved walking around with them because they noticed a lot of little Canadian quirks I don’t even see anymore. I changed over the years—I became more Canadian. Two pairs of fresh eyes was all I needed to rediscover the city and some aspect of our culture.
Mysterious Signs
Ottawa doesn’t have a lot of graffiti, except on Prince of Wales Bridge. Most opinions are expressed on posters scattered across the city, stapled on wooden poles or taped to utilities poles, despite the “No Postering” signs in effect. Whenever I wait at the red light, my eyes wander and I read them.
