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Canada: First Impressions

(The views represented in the following post are personal, subjective and fluid. No offence is intended.)

Note To Self: People can be very diverse. If anything, the observable extremes have been stretched wider in Canada.

I guess it's important to pen down thoughts when they come, given my memory. Best to showcase significant experiences, or risk losing them.

I've lived a long day today, and interacted with multiple diverse personalities. I am floored by how different people here in Toronto have been, both good and bad. On the one hand there are the extremely friendly, outgoing and helpful - typical of North America really as I'm finding (not just in the US). On the other hand, in a brief period I've come across people that have given me rather bitter experiences; people that have been closed minded, racist, condescending, rude, arrogant, and deliberately perverse. Not all the same person of course. I have also encountered not one but two elaborate scammers, and an organisation that's tried to be a cunning opportunist.

Overall though, I don't believe Canada is a real country. It's borrowed it's identity from Americans and immigrants. The only thing I find ingenious and impressive is the country's ability to cope with extreme cold. I do believe though that the country needs a few original, dynamic people to step forward and drive the country's economy and society forward. Likely immigrants. Perhaps I'd be one of them.

I don't mean to say it's a bad country though. A replica needn't necessarily be a cheap imitation. Canada is still a well developed country, hosting a diverse population. It is perhaps a placid, peaceful and socialist version of America, which is not a bad thing. Undoubtedly, the entire North American continent lacks the rich cultural heritage, of the UK and Europe.. or even India, each of which I inevitably use as reference. Again, this doesn't spell doom. In fact, as more and more countries become globalised, and people begin to identify as global citizens than rigid nationals, Toronto and Canada would be yet another hotpot of diverse cultures and individuals. It probably is one already. This begs the question, if all cities become international hubs, how do you separate one from another? As the world dissolves into one, on what basis do you choose one country of residence over the other? This may be entering the zone of the unknown unknown, a future that's hard to predict, let alone visualise. Hard not to be excited, or at least look forward to a new world paradigm.

Also, could this be a return of Cranberry Sauce.. or was this just a caffeine and novelty induced one off?

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