10 things that make Canadians proud

I’m really excited about this post. I asked my friend Brent (who happens to be Canadian) to stop by and share 10 things about Canada… To be honest it seemed like a daunting challenge, mainly because I figured maple syrup and hockey would be the start and end of the list. But Brent came through on a full 10 and wrote a great post. So before I let him share I just want to say thank you to Brent for taking the time to write a post for us and I encourage you to check out his blog at http://blog.brentmanke.com/ and to follow him on Twitter @brentmanke. Brent you have the floor.



As a Canadian having lived the past six years in the USA and in the spirit of Matt's cross-cultural blog, I thought I would tell you a little bit about what makes our "neighbors to the North," the Canadians, proud to be Canadians.

1. Not being American. I know, I know, for all you American readers, and I'm not doing a great job building any bridges here. But if you want to understand Canadians, you must first understand that in this North American family, Canada feels like a younger sibling to the USA. We're family and there's no escaping our ties, but at times we feel picked on, and feel the need to make every opportunity to establish our unique identity. Nothing makes Canadian blood boil like the comment, "Oh, aren't Canadians pretty much the same as Americans?"

2. Hockey. From the Canada vs. Russia classic of 1972, to our frequent success in the Winter Olympics, to local teams and backyard pond hockey, Canadians are proud of their sport.

3. Tim Horton's. This coffee shop's warm red sign can be seen on as many street corners in Canada as Starbucks is in the US, and is just as popular. Known for its regular brew and also its donuts. Timmy's (as its affectionately) known, has even made significant contributions to Canadian language, with such phrases as, "Roll up the rim to win!"

4. Eh? While this has been a joke for some time, many Canadians have taken on this lingual reputation with pride, along with our unique words, such as "toque" and spelling it "neighbour" (along with others in the Commonwealth).

5. Cultural Diversity. Canada prides itself in being a "mosaic" of cultures, and claims the highest immigration rate per capita in the world!

6. International Reputation. Legend has it that even some Americans, looking to receive favor while traveling internationally, have sown a maple leaf onto their backpacks. And speaking of maple leaves...

7. The Canadian flag. I guess every country is proud of its flag, but is it just me, or have Canadians taken flag-patch and red-white-and-leaved clothing wearing to a whole new level? But I do like our flag. So simple, clean, unique.....

8. The scenery. Canadians are proud of their vast and diverse landscape. Stretching from "sea to sea to sea," Canada is home to beautiful mountains, lakes, prairies, and coasts.

9. Resilience to cold weather. When we were visiting Canada recently, many took pride in asking my (Dutch) wife what she thought of the cold, then said, with just a touch of smiling superiority, "You get used it." We also enjoy, when anyone else complains about the cold, to tell about how it gets down to -50 and how we plug in our cars so they start on cold winter mornings (really).

10. The snowmobile. Of course, who else could have invented a snow machine? But Canadians are proud of our many inventions that have blessed the world. If you get the chance, ask a Canadian about who invented basketball....

Well, I hope that helps you understand us a little better. Give a Canadian a hug today. And if you haven't seen it yet, this commercial helps capture the essence of Canadian pride. Watch it.

Peace.

Thanks again Brent for stopping by and sharing with us. If you enjoyed this you can get more of Brent on his blog at http://blog.brentmanke.com/ and on twitter @brentmanke.

Do you enjoy Canada? Why? Leave comments below.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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