[Patriotism: love for or devotion to one's country]
I admit it. I'm one of many in a generation of Canadians who are apathetic towards patriotism. In truth, strong patriotism weirds me out. I don't necessarily believe my country is the best and strongest one in the world and that everyone should follow our way and I'm wary of anyone with that attitude toward their own country.
The longer I live abroad however, the more I realize there are certain things that will inspire patriotism in me. The main one right now is the Olympics or more specifically: Hockey.
Okay, I know this one is a little (a lot) cliche. But hockey might be the thing that makes me the most patriotic; particularly with the gold medal game for the Olympics coming up. I'm rooting for the home team.
I really can't even define how this makes me patriotic. I could tell you that this is Canada's game and yes there are great players from every other country but there is something particular about why we're better. I could tell you that I love sitting in a room with all of my friends or family and cheering for the teams until we're hoarse.
I'm at least 6000 miles away from Vancouver and yet I'm trying hard to find a place to watch tomorrow's gold medal game. Do I want Canada to win? Yes. Do I believe they deserve it? Yes. Do I believe they are better then the US team? Yes. Will they win? Hopefully. Will I be rooting for them every step of the way, even if I'm at my computer watching the score change? Yes!!
I believe that hockey is one of the things that unites Canadians; East coast, West Coast, up North, it doesn't matter where tomorrow there will be millions of people watching 5 men on ice chase a little black circular thing around. I think that hockey makes us believe we can be more, we can believe in something and we have a common interest and goal that we can all support. As a country we have so many divisions on issues but this is something we can all get behind and believe in. We are Canadian, hockey is our game and no one plays it quite like we do.
So from one Canadian to another, where ever you are tomorrow: Go, Canada, Go!!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Fever...
I have discovered recently that a head cold and a fever feel the exact same in the tropics as they do in the non-tropical countries and that is: MISERABLE. And if you're hot with a fever there, you're even hotter here.
But luckily I'm armed with ginger ale, chicken noodle soup (thank you roommates!) and Advil. The evil cold will not defeat me! But seriously, I really don't ever want to be sick down here again and I don't have anything major. I also hate being sick and it makes me whiny. Okay, even more whiny.
But luckily I'm armed with ginger ale, chicken noodle soup (thank you roommates!) and Advil. The evil cold will not defeat me! But seriously, I really don't ever want to be sick down here again and I don't have anything major. I also hate being sick and it makes me whiny. Okay, even more whiny.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Do They Know?
Things I didn't know until I moved to Suriname (Or realize I needed to know):
-Spray sunscreen is the best and worst thing ever. Best because you just spray it on. Worst because if you miss a spot you get selective sunburn. I'm currently only burnt on my right shoulder.
-Jungle rot is a special thing that can be found in incredibly humid climates. Basically it eats everything. Everything. Elastic in your clothes, books, playing cards and the the little thing that makes Ipods change songs and volume. Where as I am used to being damp and sticky, my Ipod doesn't like it so much.
-Driving on the otherside of the road is hard because you have no idea where the side is; and you need to stay on the road because usually the road is several inches higher then the dirt beside it. The phrase "You're going to fall off" can be regularly heard when my roommates and I drive.
-Rain can soak you through in about 2 mins. Not kidding.
-Mosquitoes are tireless creatures who's only goal in life is to eat you alive. And they live in packs here. The only thing that can save you - the electric mosquito bat. Get one. It's fun!
-White people are fascinated by other white people. They tend to stare at each other when they come into contact and are basically thinking something along the lines of "white people? what are they doing here?".
-If you have light hair and light eyes everyone assumes you're Dutch and so they try to speak to you. Usually it's several mins of not understanding a word they say before I can break into the conversation and ask if they speak English.
-International pancake week? Why?
-Hanging your clothes on the line is nice but a clothes dryer would be wonderful to shrink them back every now and then. Plus something is eating little holes in my tank tops and I only have so many (thank you jungle rot).
-Cotton candy will actually melt off the stick before you have a chance to eat it all.
-Reese's Peanut Buttercups are hard to find however we managed to find the one store down here that stocks them.
-It doesn't matter where you're going, if you're female, the men here think they are entitled to hit on you. They're not. Makes me glad sometimes I don't speak Dutch. Or that my best Dutch word is no.
-Students like to repeat the following words when I say them: out, about, mouse and house. The high school girl (who comes to my class to help in the afternoon) and I spent a good 5 mins one day where she tried to make me say house like an American. I'm not capable. But we both laughed.
-Some holidays are really just North American concepts. Like Halloween and Valentine's Day. And on that note, happy Valentine's Day! Thank you for reading along. I love you for it.
-Spray sunscreen is the best and worst thing ever. Best because you just spray it on. Worst because if you miss a spot you get selective sunburn. I'm currently only burnt on my right shoulder.
-Jungle rot is a special thing that can be found in incredibly humid climates. Basically it eats everything. Everything. Elastic in your clothes, books, playing cards and the the little thing that makes Ipods change songs and volume. Where as I am used to being damp and sticky, my Ipod doesn't like it so much.
-Driving on the otherside of the road is hard because you have no idea where the side is; and you need to stay on the road because usually the road is several inches higher then the dirt beside it. The phrase "You're going to fall off" can be regularly heard when my roommates and I drive.
-Rain can soak you through in about 2 mins. Not kidding.
-Mosquitoes are tireless creatures who's only goal in life is to eat you alive. And they live in packs here. The only thing that can save you - the electric mosquito bat. Get one. It's fun!
-White people are fascinated by other white people. They tend to stare at each other when they come into contact and are basically thinking something along the lines of "white people? what are they doing here?".
-If you have light hair and light eyes everyone assumes you're Dutch and so they try to speak to you. Usually it's several mins of not understanding a word they say before I can break into the conversation and ask if they speak English.
-International pancake week? Why?
-Hanging your clothes on the line is nice but a clothes dryer would be wonderful to shrink them back every now and then. Plus something is eating little holes in my tank tops and I only have so many (thank you jungle rot).
-Cotton candy will actually melt off the stick before you have a chance to eat it all.
-Reese's Peanut Buttercups are hard to find however we managed to find the one store down here that stocks them.
-It doesn't matter where you're going, if you're female, the men here think they are entitled to hit on you. They're not. Makes me glad sometimes I don't speak Dutch. Or that my best Dutch word is no.
-Students like to repeat the following words when I say them: out, about, mouse and house. The high school girl (who comes to my class to help in the afternoon) and I spent a good 5 mins one day where she tried to make me say house like an American. I'm not capable. But we both laughed.
-Some holidays are really just North American concepts. Like Halloween and Valentine's Day. And on that note, happy Valentine's Day! Thank you for reading along. I love you for it.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Sound of Silence...
...Yeah right!
Phrases that can be heard in kindergarten:
Me: "Are you listening?"
Reply: "No, teacher."
"Teacher, teacher..." (That's what I'm called, but it just makes me laugh)
Me: "What did you do?"
Reply "Nothing! Well, he did it first..."
Student: "Is it time to play now?"
Me: "It is learning time"
Reply: "Why?"
Me: "Are you doing what I asked you not to?"
Reply: "Yes teacher"
Me: "It's time to read, what book would you like?"
Reply: "Mouse Cookies", "The Jesus book"
(This is all spoken at once. Translation: If you Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Bible.)
Me: "What's the weather like today?"
Reply: "Weather? What is weather?"
Me: "What is symmetry?"
Reply: " A long word?"
Student: "Are you white?"
Me: "What? What's white?"
Student: "Well, I'm brown, are you white?"
Me: "Yes I guess I am."
Other student: "With little brown dots." (freckles)
Student: "Teacher, I like you but what happened to your skin?" (referring to a sunburn)
Those are just some of the things that can be heard in my classroom. Needless to say I laugh daily.
Phrases that can be heard in kindergarten:
Me: "Are you listening?"
Reply: "No, teacher."
"Teacher, teacher..." (That's what I'm called, but it just makes me laugh)
Me: "What did you do?"
Reply "Nothing! Well, he did it first..."
Student: "Is it time to play now?"
Me: "It is learning time"
Reply: "Why?"
Me: "Are you doing what I asked you not to?"
Reply: "Yes teacher"
Me: "It's time to read, what book would you like?"
Reply: "Mouse Cookies", "The Jesus book"
(This is all spoken at once. Translation: If you Give a Mouse a Cookie and The Bible.)
Me: "What's the weather like today?"
Reply: "Weather? What is weather?"
Me: "What is symmetry?"
Reply: " A long word?"
Student: "Are you white?"
Me: "What? What's white?"
Student: "Well, I'm brown, are you white?"
Me: "Yes I guess I am."
Other student: "With little brown dots." (freckles)
Student: "Teacher, I like you but what happened to your skin?" (referring to a sunburn)
Those are just some of the things that can be heard in my classroom. Needless to say I laugh daily.
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