Growing up Canadian While Living Abroad by Geraldine Mac Donald-Moran

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Do You Speak Canadian?

Canadians, who travel, generally report that they are well received in most foreign countries. Certainly, there are places (of the old British Commonwealth, for example) where we may be more widely accepted or appreciated; developing nations, where we may be welcomed with nothing more than curiosity, at first.

There seems to be a common denominator in the fact that many host countries, or cultures around the world, accept Canadians with delight; yet, if we are doing something right, identifying it seems like catching fireflies or bottling Atlantic Ocean air.

Like the expressive Galloping Geezer once said in reference to being Canadian, "you never know when you'll need a boost", and so being nice has had its historical and geographical roots in a country as big, broad, cold and multi-cultural as ours. But there must be more: a depth to understanding how we can find and preserve an elusive cultural niceness about our daily attitudes; promoting it in the children we raise (or travel with) abroad and enhancing it for the benefit of our communities at home.

There are times, when as foreigners in foreign lands, we could recognize the grand, collective responsibility to act as Ambassadors of Goodwill for Canada but what about acting with equal responsibility at home? Where do we draw that line?

Friends or acquaintances have asked me several times if I speak Mexican (i.e. Spanish)? Forgiving their innocent errors, the quickest response that came to mind was " yes, do you speak Canadian?"

While thinking about it more profoundly, speaking Canadian is more about being who we are, characteristically and culturally, than about the languages that roll off our multi-cultural tongues.

It's about our social attitudes, our perspectives on life and the issues that move us. Perhaps, recognizing something positive in us seems boastful and no one wants to boast about such intimate particulars.

No secrets, nothing hidden: I would like to believe that Canadians are transparent and you get what you see but mostly, I would like to stand for the positive attributes of our Nation and carry them with me abroad: Only hoping to accomplish a portion of this vision and in so doing, provide my offspring with an optimistic outlook on what it means to be (half) Canadian, no matter where they live.

I'm asked frequently if Canada is as beautiful as "they" say? If there are as many lakes and trees as reports lead "them" to believe? Do Canadians have a wholesome, and family oriented life-style? There are inquiries about our beliefs, our notions, our values, and my life as a Canadian. There are glances and looks of surprise when we frequent specific places where tourism is low.

So much curiosity is normal I suppose, especially when a homogeneous society, such as that of central Mexico, is being opened and introduced to foreigners at an exponential rate.

Consequently, I always try to smile and say hello in "Mexican" and over the years, have evaluated my attitude (and at times necessarily accommodated it) to the place where we live so that I may proudly "speak and be Canadian," always.

But when responding to the inquiries, it's an affirmative "yes it is as beautiful as they say, it has more lakes than you can imagine; we are still a very family oriented culture, and I know this really nice place to catch fireflies but if you want a bottle of Atlantic air, I'll have to ask my father to send you some in the mail. I am sure he'll be glad to try.

© Geraldine Mac Donald-Moran


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