Why americans need to know more aboot Canada

[thetreble 19]

I will agree that Spirit's post, although I'm sure not intended, was pretty blunt and questionable. I think she may have gotten the image of people just screaming "Get back to your own country" in her head. I don't think that is what any one, including Nevada, really meant by what they were saying.

I think there is some middle ground that can be reached by which both sides try to stay away from being ignorant, rude or repetitive.

We all go through adjustments and I had a lot of bad things to say about moving to the US at first, now I don't think about it really as much as I have too much to do.

However, some ppl do choose to constantly complain and I think that is wrong, hurtful and unnecessary.

On the other hand, "go back to your country" may be okay if said in a joking manner, especially if you are friends with someone, but it could probably be better said another way.

Eh. I don't know. In Jersey we would just say, "Hey, I live off exit 155 and go #### yourself" haha

[trailmix 77]

I disagree spirit. The world can't be daisies and sunshine and naked hippies all the time.

I had a friend move to Canada from Australia and every time something bad happened to her she'd blame Canada. It would rain and she'd say it smelled funny and talk about how the rain in Australia smelled better. She complained about Canadian television, Canadian politics, and pretty much everything in Canada.

So finally, one day while standing in a plaza waiting for a cab... she was going on about how Canada was like a little America and we had nothing to be proud of... well I looked at her and took a deep breath and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"WELL GO BACK TO F*CKING AUSTRALIA THEN!!!!!!!!!!"

And then I walked away, and never talked to her again.

I could care less if someone finds me uncompassionate and rude for doing that. I can only put with so much ####### before I give it back to that person.

I don't know, I think it can be daisies and sunshine and naked hippies all the time, for some people (I don't read Spirit that way - but that's not the point).

Yes and for some its not, so people don't need to act like they're better than the people who live in reality.

Oops did I say that with my outside voice? I think I did.

Yes, for some it is not, for some it is - we are all different. Everyone's reality is not yours and vice versa - which is nice really.

It seems a bit hypocrital to, on the one hand, criticize someone for 'acting like they're better' than other people, for putting forth their ideas, then on the other hand insult them by saying they are not living in reality - because they don't conform to your idea of what 'reality' is. It implies that your ideas/reality are superior?

I'm not talking about disagreeing with someones point of view.

Oh really? Did you not read her post that basically told people to "run" from people like me?

Whatever Tmixy, I am not going to debate this with you, because the post had nothing to do with you.

Simple.

Besides Spirit is a big girl and can speak for herself.

Yes, I did see what Spirit wrote Nevada and I can see how you would be insulted by that. I was just more interested in the whole - different peoples 'reality' thing.

Ah, ok, I guess this is you telling me to stop 'sticking my nose' in this.

When you post in a public forum, it is public - I did not realize that you didn't wish for anyone else to comment, for that reason. Normally if I have something to say to a person - and I don't want a public discussion, I send them a pm - BUT - that's just me.

I thought we could have a discussion about the whole different peoples reality thing..apparently not.

Edited February 4, 2009 by trailmix

[Sprailenes 47]

No trailmix, I realize its public, but the post was towards spirit.

You seem to be sticking your nose in and not really understanding how what she originally said could hurt. Instead you jumped on me. In regards to her original post, I found it to be smug and I am sorry I find a lot of Spirits posts smug, and I have told her this I believe.

Reality to me is understanding that people say things for different reasons and that its not always going to be sugar coated with daisies. Sure her reality could be different, but I find spirit has a way of acting as if her reality would work for EVERYONE. When it doesn't.

Do you get me now?

Edited February 4, 2009 by Sprailenes

[Sprailenes 47]

gah.

I wonder if sexy Anderson Cooper realizes his article has created such a stir?

[warlord 73]

My funniest memory of Windsor was the cop in the bowling alley. I don't know if he was there in official capacity or not, but he was going around informing adults that they were not to use the childrens bowling balls. Canada's a riot, in a good way.

I totally did not know there was such a thing as childrens' bowling balls, let alone there were bowling ball police!

They had small, light balls for the kids, in one area. Adults were forbidden, by the awesome power of the OPP, from touching them.

Oh yeah I forgot Canada made Bowling into two games, regular bowling and a special 5 pin bowling game. Hence the tiny multi swirled balls...

[SomberCat 0]

My funniest memory of Windsor was the cop in the bowling alley. I don't know if he was there in official capacity or not, but he was going around informing adults that they were not to use the childrens bowling balls. Canada's a riot, in a good way.

I totally did not know there was such a thing as childrens' bowling balls, let alone there were bowling ball police!

They had small, light balls for the kids, in one area. Adults were forbidden, by the awesome power of the OPP, from touching them.

Oh yeah I forgot Canada made Bowling into two games, regular bowling and a special 5 pin bowling game. Hence the tiny multi swirled balls...

Bowling with a little ball? WTH is that? My ball weighs 16 pounds. So you're telling me if I bowl in Canada I have to use something small and light? Wow would that ever be an adventure!

As far as some of the earlier conversation about different countries, we all do it to other countries and we all do it to different regions within our own countries. Much earlier I wrote that I sometimes get tired of people from other countries thinking we're arrogant, pushy, aggressive, etc. Whatever you want to call it. I do understand it, but I still get tired of it. However, I find myself thinking the same things about different regions of my country, i.e. the east coast is rude, the south is slow and sounds dimwitted, the west coast is too far left and a little nutty, and that leaves my beloved midwest where we are all corn fed hicks that live in the fields of flyover country. Wayne also says the same things about Canada - he makes jokes about Newfies that remind me of Polish jokes I heard in the 70s, he makes fun of the French and the elitist attitude in Quebec, he makes fun of BC in the same way that we would refer to our west coast and I won't even get started on the Dutch jokes I've heard (large Dutch population in his area).

So we're all guilty. Most of us are also guilty for thinking someone should move to another country if they're unhappy, even if we never actually said it out loud. I know I think it about Americans every freakin' day of my life. It's b1tch, whine and complain all of the time. I swear if the sun was shining, it was 75 degrees, famine had been wiped out, homelessness was a distant memory and there was peace on the entire Earth, there are Americans (and I'm sure folks from other countries too) that would still find something to complain about. There are simply far too many people out there who never seem to be happy with what they have.

[Galateia 1]

Wow.

Not to be a pollyanna, (okay maybe I will be one), we don't really need to be snapping at one another like a pack of ... of ... er, Americans.

This is the Canadian forum, we're supposed to be overflowing with self-deprecating humour.

I'd just like to say that I really miss our health care. My insurance company is trying to get out of covering a $500 lab test bill by saying that I have to get my health care provider (aka the GOVERNMENT) to provide a Certificate of Coverage form. We all know that there is no such thing for Canadians (DUH, we are covered since birth until we become Permanent Residents of another country) and the company/insurance division has Canadian call centres so they know dang well how it works.

They are just trying to get out of paying. Amazing. Things are truly messed up down here in terms of a basic necessity. People should not have to decide between being well and being able to pay rent. Ridiculous.

[Krikit 1,165]

Bowling with a little ball? WTH is that? My ball weighs 16 pounds. So you're telling me if I bowl in Canada I have to use something small and light? Wow would that ever be an adventure!

Smaller balls makes it more challenging than knocking down pins with huge fricking boulders.

As far as some of the earlier conversation about different countries, we all do it to other countries and we all do it to different regions within our own countries. Much earlier I wrote that I sometimes get tired of people from other countries thinking we're arrogant, pushy, aggressive, etc. Whatever you want to call it. I do understand it, but I still get tired of it. However, I find myself thinking the same things about different regions of my country, i.e. the east coast is rude, the south is slow and sounds dimwitted, the west coast is too far left and a little nutty, and that leaves my beloved midwest where we are all corn fed hicks that live in the fields of flyover country. Wayne also says the same things about Canada - he makes jokes about Newfies that remind me of Polish jokes I heard in the 70s, he makes fun of the French and the elitist attitude in Quebec, he makes fun of BC in the same way that we would refer to our west coast and I won't even get started on the Dutch jokes I've heard (large Dutch population in his area).

Wow.

Not to be a pollyanna, (okay maybe I will be one), we don't really need to be snapping at one another like a pack of ... of ... er, Americans.

(With apologies to the Americans. LOL)

I'd just like to say that I really miss our health care. My insurance company is trying to get out of covering a $500 lab test bill by saying that I have to get my health care provider (aka the GOVERNMENT) to provide a Certificate of Coverage™ form. We all know that there is no such thing for Canadians (DUH, we are covered since birth until we become Permanent Residents of another country) and the company/insurance division has Canadian call centres so they know dang well how it works.

They are just trying to get out of paying. Amazing. Things are truly messed up down here in terms of a basic necessity. People should not have to decide between being well and being able to pay rent. Ridiculous.

Ohmygosh, that is HORRIBLE, Galateia. Gosh, I get so darned irritated when I hear stories like this.

[SpiritAlight 1]

I disagree spirit. The world can't be daisies and sunshine and naked hippies all the time.

Why not?

Who is stopping that?

Why are labels necessary?

Hmmm?

Always naked is not necessary either. Hee, hee.

And yes we need rain.

This is not what I'm talking about.

[Krikit 1,165]

Oh. Did I mention I'm going to Canada next week to go bowling? And it's going to be the small-ball 5-pin bowling instead of the monster-ball 10-pin bowling. But that's because my Dad threw his back out last year with the big balls so we've scaled it down this year so us seniors can play too.

[SpiritAlight 1]

I had a friend move to Canada from Australia and every time something bad happened to her she'd blame Canada. It would rain and she'd say it smelled funny and talk about how the rain in Australia smelled better. She complained about Canadian television, Canadian politics, and pretty much everything in Canada.

So finally, one day while standing in a plaza waiting for a cab... she was going on about how Canada was like a little America and we had nothing to be proud of... well I looked at her and took a deep breath and yelled at the top of my lungs:

"WELL GO BACK TO F*CKING AUSTRALIA THEN!!!!!!!!!!"

And then I walked away, and never talked to her again.

I could care less if someone finds me uncompassionate and rude for doing that. I can only put with so much ####### before I give it back to that person.

I have a feeling I would do the same thing. Its how I feel when I hear people complaining most times. If you liked your old country soooo much and it was soooo much better and you dont want to do X (singing o'canada anyone?) Then why are you still here? I don't think I would stay in a place I hated with a passion.

I do not think you need to remain friends with a miserable person.

And imagine if you had asked what she was in pain about?

What if you dug below the surface?

What if...?

And even if she did not answer, you could leave this relationship clean.

Know what I mean, jelly bean?

[trailmix 77]

Oh. Did I mention I'm going to Canada next week to go bowling? And it's going to be the small-ball 5-pin bowling instead of the monster-ball 10-pin bowling. But that's because my Dad threw his back out last year with the big balls so we've scaled it down this year so us seniors can play too.

I used to be on a 5 pin bowling team

Does that make me an athlete?

Edited February 5, 2009 by trailmix

[Sprailenes 47]

I can't bowl with the big balls. I can only do 5 pin.

Dork moment: I was in a bowling league when I was a tween.

But thanks to that league I can kick butt in the "sport"

Edited February 5, 2009 by Sprailenes

[SpiritAlight 1]

Anyone who says to another "Go back to your country" not only does not get it, it speaks volumes about the one who would speak like that.

Step away from such folks...run do not walk.

Compassion is a dying art.

Okay, fair enough. But let me ask you this...if someone in your office came to you every single day and complained about how the food in the US sucks or people are disgusting around here, how do you approach this every day occurrence with compassion?

Maybe at first you try to understand and you are sympathetic..you offer a listening ear...

Then you just try to ignore it....

Spirit, there becomes a point where it is more annoyance and rudeness than anything. What does that person not get? Maybe the words "go back to your own country" can be used in a different way but great grief, it is also not right for the person to be complaining and bitching all day long.

I cannot stand people who complain.

I hate hearing myself complain, too.

And so....

again

you could start by asking how things are at home, and/or how she/he is feeling (below the superficial complaints about the world, like, love and everything, hee hee), and whatever else comes to heart....

and then

you could still vote with your feet.

Take the high road.

Always take the high road.

I've complained and compared how much better Canada is than the US many many times.. i think it was part of the adjustment, I don't do it as much anymore.. there are still things that just ARE better, but daily life is no longer being compared.. Is it part of transition to compare?

Resistance is because one is not feeling comfortable.

When one allows, things flow.

Love and more love...

Hee, hee.

Hey, I haven't had coffee yet, been on email and VJ and just rambling off these answers...all of them...

Still I am getting at some truth.

[warlord 73]

I can't bowl with the big balls. I can only do 5 pin.

Dork moment: I was in a bowling league when I was a tween.

But thanks to that league I can kick butt in the "sport"

I started out as a little kid with 5 pin like probably most then migrated up to regular bowling as I got older and could handle the balls better. All I remember in 5 pins they have a weird counting system where each pin is worth different points and such. I found it a lot easier game to play (hence why I think it pertains to children more)...