This time last year, I celebrated one year in this amazing country and blogged about my Adventure Anniversary. I wrote about all the funny things that I am now almost used to. Two years in a place actually feels like a life-time. I considered a mushy, sentimental post about the feeling of home and growing where you're planted, but my true, somewhat cynical self said "Pffft! No one likes it when you get all serious. Besides, no one even reads your blog. Actually, since when do you even blog anymore?". Some one suggested I write "10 Things I Love and 10 Things I Hate about Canada", but since I need to remain friends with its inhabitants, I'd rather not bash my home town. Instead, I will write my top 10 favourite things about Canada, to appreciate where I am now, and the 10 things I miss the most about South Africa, to remember with fondness and only slight longing where I've come from.
Thank you Canada for the past 2 years, you've really stolen my heart. Don't forget me South Africa, you will always be my first love.
10 Things I Love About Canada
1. High speed internet
Gone are the days of waiting half an hour to watch just one video. Or playing Solitaire in between loading pages on Facebook. I can play music off YouTube as if it's the radio. And...it is uncapped. Bask in the awesomeness.
2. It's safe
Even though, contrary to popular belief, South Africa is not a place where you get raped, murdered and mugged every time you step foot outside the house, I never realized how much safer other countries actually are. There are no high fences, security gates, or burglar bars. You can leave your car unlocked when you go into the shop and people leave expensive tools out in their yards at night. I can go anywhere by myself, sometimes even late at night. It is strange but glorious.
3. Daisies!
Daisies are my favourite flowers of all time, and they grow like weeds here. EVERYWHERE. I love them. Right now I have 4 glass Coke bottles, a Sprite bottle, a jug and a vase full of daisies in my room. They are amazing. And everywhere. And beautiful.
4. Billy Barker Days
Once a year, for one weekend, Quesnel's population seems to swell from 100 people to 100,000 for a fair type event. There are people everywhere. The kinds of people you didn't realize even existed at all come out of the woodwork and mingle with one another for three wonderful days. Everyone is social and friendly. We attend parades and go on rides at the fair and practically live downtown together till we are sick of each other's faces. On the last day, there is a huge fireworks display. It's like being in a movie.
5. Earning Dollars
I usually don't care about money at all, but the fact that I was able to save up to go to Australia on a part-time,minimum wage job in just 6 months, is a joyous thing indeed.
6. Everything Bagels With Cream Cheese From Tim Horton's
They are amazing. That is all.
7. It is so photogenic here
The trees and the buildings and the weird shop names and all the little junk stores and the bridges and the animals and everything else wonderfully Canadian make for really nice pictures.
8. Dollar Stores
As much as I eventually hated working at one, dollars stores are awesome. I had many amusing experiences working in one and everybody likes cheap junk.
9. Mozza Sticks
They're fish sticks. But with CHEESE instead of fish. Yes. Cheese. Like Heaven's food. This is what angels snack on.
10. The Seasons
Canada has the most beautiful autumns and the prettiest winters. It is so wonderful to have real colourful trees everywhere and snow is just amazing.
10 Things I Miss Most About South Africa
1. People
I have amazing friends here in Canada I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. But there is something to be said for friendships that are formed over many many years. I especially miss my beautiful sort of sister and her little family. No one will ever replace you Tumi, ek lief jou grensloos.
2. People of Colour
As much as I like the colour of my own skin, OH MY GOODNESS I MISS BLACK PEOPLE! And East Indian people and mixed race people. No offense to anyone, but everyone being white is just so boring. On the very rare occasion that I see a true black person, I have to refrain myself from going and hugging them and thanking them for bringing some colour into this pale world.
3. Sunsets
Because we are surrounded by mountains in Quesnel, there is no horizon so, obviously, no proper sunset. South Africa has the most amazing sunsets. Something in the combination of pollution, flat land,dust and African goodness makes for a regular display of heavenly beauty.
4. Visiting On A Whim
I love the freedom of being able to just arrive at some one's house unannounced without worrying about what the hosts will say. If you don't want people in your house, you just tell them to leave and no one cares. From the bachelors dropping by for visits conveniently close to dinner time to the tenants of our granny flat coming in and helping themselves to tea, it seems like our house was always full of people, wanted and unwanted.
5. Racist Jokes
I am so privileged to have grown up in a generation where the colour of your skin is about as important as your shoe size. Racism is a joke. Stereotypes are funny because they are true. It's ok to laugh at yourself. And at other people. Get over yourselves and smile.
6. Random Vendors
Every traffic light has a guy selling beaded lizards, pirated DVDs and oranges. Stop at a red light in a big city and a bunch of guys will jump out of nowhere and begin convincing you that having your window washed for just R10 is the best choice you will make on your drive, and possibly in your lifetime. To get into the grocery store you need to bypass the lady selling colourful socks and the guy with the genuine genuine watches that he obtained through very honest means. Need a charger? Drive to the nearest stop sign. Don't have vegetables for dinner? Stand outside at around 4 in the afternoon and a guy with a wheelbarrow full of corn will come walking by. If you need a broom, just listen for the man on his bicycle shouting "BESEEEEEMS" and treat yourself to a beautiful grass specimen.
7. Taxis
More like a van, South African taxis are mostly not road worthy and Canadian traffic cops would instantly die of a heart attack if they caught a glimpse of how many people are made to "fit" without seat belts. Duct tape and plastic wrap have been known to replace windows and bassy House music blares from the speakers. They're loud, they're annoying, they drive like idiots, but they perfectly symbolize the culture of my home town.
8. Real Thunderstorms
I'm pretty sure that the phrase "When it rains it pours" was coined in the middle of an African downpour. When the skies storm, they do so with passion and meaning. Thunderstorms are amazing displays of colourful static electricity and floods coming forth from the clouds. Thunder is deafening. Our front yard turned into a swimming pool and we unplugged all the electronics because the lightning probably would hit the house.
9. Multiple Languages
With 11 official languages, most South Africans are at least bilingual. Living in a country where everyone understands multiple languages makes conversation so much more interesting. If you can't properly express yourself in one language, you can try in another. It's pretty cool.
10. Braai Food
Samp. Pap. Boerewors. Chops. Potato salad. Simba chips. Stoney. Pink and white marshmallows. All with a slight charcoal smoke flavour. I can't even describe the goodness. Just go to SA and braai.
There you have it.
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| Billy Barker Days fair from the top of the ferris wheel. |
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| South African sunset. |
Nice.
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