A few weeks ago, on July 1st, I celebrated Canada’s birthday… in London. Yes, you read that right. I feted the Great White North’s 145th birthday right in London’s busy Trafalgar Square. Imagine that!
I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t been there and seen it with my own eyes. I had absolutely no idea that the city of London would deign us Canadians a party commemorating our nation’s birth. It was only after Melissa, fellow travel blogger and Canadian living in London, mentioned that she would be attending the festivities that I became aware.
A Canadian friend of mine just happened to be visiting me in London that same weekend, so I had the perfect excuse to go. My friend and I ended up meeting Melissa and Jen, another Canadian blogger living in London, at Trafalgar Square, the epicentre of all the activity. Four Canadians, all bloggers and expats (the friend I had visiting not only blogs, but works in Hong Kong), celebrating their Canadian-ness in London! Our Canuck group was also joined by my good friend Fned, who is actually Mexican-American but agreed to be an honourary Canadian for the day. Bless her.
We dressed in red and white (the colours of Canada’s flag) to get into the spirit. I was touched that Fned represented for Canada- how cute is she in her white pants and red shoes?! This is why I love this girl.
All in all, it was quite the stereotypically Canadian affair. There was hockey playing (of course). And many stands selling Canadian treats like pancakes doused in maple syrup, poutine (thick cut fries, topped with melted cheese curds and gravy) and beaver tails (fried dough in the shape of a beaver’s-Canada’s national animal- tail, sprinkled with cinnamon.
We didn’t stay long, but it was nice to feel connected to home even though I am an ocean away, surprising to even have the opportunity to do so.
Funnily enough, I’ve noticed that the longer I live abroad, the more “Canadian” I feel: this is strange because I never identified strongly with being Canadian when I was growing up in Toronto. In fact, when I lived back home I would sooner say I was Jamaican -my parents were born there and I had a decidedly Caribbean upbringing- than Canadian. Somehow, however, living in foreign lands brings out what I call my “innate Canadian-ness”; in particular I’m acutely aware of my Canadian accent (I don’t say oot and aboot, though nearly) that inexplicably becomes more prominent the longer I’m away from home.
Abroad, I represent my home country proudly, am a dutiful ambassador or all things Canadian, patiently explaining the difference (however small) between us and our American neighbours to the South. Back home, I’m the Toronto girl who has barely seen any of the country where she lived for 23 years- I’ve travelled more in places like France, Mexico, and *gasp* the U.S. than I have in my home and native land. (I blame exorbitant transport costs within Canada- no way am I spending $800 on a ticket to Edmonton when $600 can buy me a plane ticket to Edinburgh!)
How close a connection do you have to your country/region of birth? Have you travelled extensively within your home country? Do you find that you try to represent your home country well when you’re abroad?
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
So true! I’ve always been a big “Canadian” person but this has definitely increased as I’ve lived abroad! Even though I’m about to become an Australian citizen, I definitely will always identify as Canadian. I agree about travelling within Canada-I’ve seen a bit of it but mainly because my family is spread out across the country. It’s too bloody expensive to travel in Canada! I’ve lived here 6 years and have always tried to celebrate Canada Day with my Aussie friends (and any fellow Canucks around) and have incorporated Canadian traditions into the lives in my Aussies. They can’t live without Thanksgiving, Halloween and Canadian candies!
Every week I’m asked where I’m from and I always respond proudly-I’m ridiculously chuffed when someone guesses my accent correctly! I do try to be a good ambassador for the country and hope that I am.
There’s nothing like leaving home to make you appreciate it more!
Sarah Thériault recently posted..Olympic Fever!!
Agree that it s too expensive! One of these days I will see my home country in its entirety… But it wont be soon!
Oneika, you are SO right about how living outside your home country makes you SO much more aware of your nationality — even when it’s not something you think about or dwell on often. As an African-American — a member of a group that’s used to seeing everything colored (literally) in terms of race in my native United States — it’s always so fascinating to find that my American-ness is what’s noticed FIRST when I’m abroad. I now live in France, but have traveled around the world … and that’s usually the case. It’s liberating — and a bit hard to describe. Despite my critiques about many things American, I do surprise myself by appreciating aspects of life there much more now that I’m separated by an ocean.
But that’s part of the real value of international travel — helping you view not just the world, but yourself, through a new lens.
Maureen aka UrbanTravelGirl
“But that’s part of the real value of international travel — helping you view not just the world, but yourself, through a new lens” <—————–THIS!!
When I was living in Europe people thought I was British (or on a couple occasions Danish) and although I have a reflex against being thought of as British I was always pleased I wasn’t a stereotypical American. In America a lot of people think I’m from the east coast but I’m from the west coast, and again it secretly pleases me because I escape the flaky imagine people have of Californians. The fact that I might be oozing both British and east coast stereotypes haven’t yet bothered me for whatever reason, and the impulse to represent where I’m actually from remains thankfully at bay.
But I never did celebrate any American holidays while abroad, so I can’t say whether I’d have become nostalgic and felt more connected to the land of my birth. Then again, I try to skip them in American as well.
Brendan recently posted..The Price of Convenience
You are an enigma, Brendan… loves it!! I m also secretly pleased when I manage to mix people up re: my identity/nationality when I speak French!
This is so awesome.
There seems to be a lot of stuff happening around London this year, especially wrt celebrating countries. Apparently stuff like this didn’t happen before and this may be due to the Olympics. It’s great that there was a Canada Day celebration in London. There’s also a Nigeria House, Africa Utopia at the Southbank, and I’m pretty sure I passed by a Czech House on the bus earlier this week.
cosmicyoruba recently posted..Only if you are old, rich and from a specific region
I know that this was at least the third year that they held the Canada Day celebration in Trafalgar Square. It’s put on by a subgroup from the embassy, I think, so it doesn’t actually have anything to do with the Olympics, although some ladies from the Cnd Olympic team spoke to the crowd. They were sweet.
jen recently posted..The Olympics have arrived
Yup celebrations are in full swing! You re right, it s probably because of the Olympics!
There certainly are a lot of Canadians in England, I’ve noticed (probably because the visa paperwork is not as difficult for other countries and because it’s awesome, haha, and Canadians are as well… Like attracts like!)… Anyway, I’ve always felt more American (USA) when I’ve been abroad as well. There’s just something about being away from your country that highlights the differences that would normally not be on your radar at all… and sort of unites you with others in the same position.
Erika recently posted..Because I Like It.
We are awesome!! But yes, it s pretty easy for us to get short term visas to work in England… And so here we are ! And I agree with your assessment about your nationality being highlighted when abroad.
What a fun day! I actually got called on saying something particularly English the other day – living abroad means a higher percentage of my English speaking happens with my British dad rather than my American friends, and I’ve definitely noticed the change in my vocabularly.
So cool! I am so jealous of your Spanish though, you are native!! It s really awesome!
I don’t think I represent my home country that well, just last week someone actually commented that I didn’t seem Finnish at all; I took it as a compliment, maybe that tells something about my attitude
But I agree, it’s still always great connecting with other expats from your home country!
Jarmo recently posted..Recipe for Thames Bacon Cruise
What s wrong with Finnish people, huh?? lol
This looks like great fun. I’m sad I missed it now!
Arianwen recently posted..Barichara to Guane: pueblos bonitos
Next year when you re back from your S. American tour
I feel the same way, that I need to be better behaved on the road because people expect it of Canadians.
Ayngelina recently posted..Torn between two worlds
You can just pretend you’re American
Looks like fun! My friend in London had told me about this event. My Canada Day in Korea was far from patriotic…I celebrated by eating cheesecake, haha!
Audrey | That Backpacker recently posted..WANTED for Illegal Dumping
Sounds tasty and fun!!!!
Wow! I’m totally on the same page with you in terms of your non-Canadian upbringing. For me, I wasn’t born in Canada though, but I immigrated at the age of 8; however, my upbringing was still very much Ghanaian rather than Canadian so I’ve never strongly identified as a Canadian. In Korea, any time someone hit me with “Where prom?” It really forced me to reassess my identity because I went there as a Canadian citizen, worked in an all-Canadian institute, and was constantly asked by my students about my life in Canada. Depending on who was asking me the question of where I’m from, sometimes I’d say Canadian, sometimes, Ghanaian but grew up in Canada, and SOMETIMES if they just hit me with “Aprika?” I would just nod my head and smile and say yes! I’M from Ghana—you know Ghana chocolate?! (No pun intended) Lol. They usually burst into laughter at that point. Oneika, I love your posts, they’re entertaining and I learn a lot. Thanks!
Thanks a lot, Elizabeth! I agree that depending on where I am at the current moment my identity shifts, conforms, completely changes. I think we’re lucky to have such a multi-faceted background…