This is an archive from the previous blog.
“Canadian Identity”
Now that it's the 150th anniversary of Canada, I expected this would be more and more important. Asking and looking at the people, however, this expectation seems totally miss the point. When I ask the people what Canadian identity is, a person told me it's not having identical one, but accepting as they are different. I knew that Canada is a country of immigrant and culturally diverse, but knowing it is quite another from experiencing it. Although I've been here for 2 weeks, I'm amazed every time 10 minute walk takes me from the mid of China to the campus of university with medieval European buildings. This is only an example and there are other tons of places like this.
Individual Identity
Here comes another thinking; this identity of accepting diversity as it is can affect individual's identity. As your ethnicity is taken for granted here, it doesn't shape who you are. Arguably what defines you as you is yourself: your personality, your ability, your will. I'm surprised with what a plausible idea I result in, but this realization made me sure that this 2 months will be totally different from one year in Germany, where I was one of the international students and being a Japanese helped me who I was. Here, on the other hand, I'll be one of them, and I'll find a way not to be “just” one of them.
Nevertheless, I'd say watching baseball with a piece of pizza is quite north American culture.