Leaving Canada, even for just three years, feels surreal. It is everything I know and in a lot of ways, defines who I am. At the same time, my mama is an immigrant from Scotland so I grew up with a pretty good understanding of what it means to live in the diaspora. We don’t intend to stay there forever but we also never really intended to go to California to begin with, so I cannot say where we will end up. I can’t control the future so I won’t bother trying but I can moan about some of the things I love most about Canada and will miss dearly during our adventures as Canadians living abroad.
This list is short. I think I could ramble on and on, but let’s keep it to the seriously miss worthy stuff.
- Tim Horton’s.
I said it. And boy do I mean it. On my 22nd birthday when I was pregnant with Lennon I had a 6 pack of donuts instead of a 6 pack of beer. It was wonderful. I know Tim’s is in some states but it just won’t be the same as every street corner. Plus, a whole franchise named after a hockey player pretty much epitomizes Canada.
- Snow.
Most people will think I’m kidding but I’m not. I grew up across the Canadian prairies and snow is a part of my identity. It will be weird taking winter vacations and retreating to the mountains instead of escaping them for sunny beaches.
- Multi-Coloured Money and the Loonie and Toonie
I love our purple, blue, red, and green money. Even the brown hundred dollar bill is better than solid green across the board. And who else can get away with calling coins loonies and toonies than the charming northerners known as Canadians?
- Eh, Toques, and Aboot
Canadian accents are priceless. Never will a Canadian travel and have a hard time being understood. We speak so slowly, we don’t want you to miss a thing! Every question ends in eh? and the fact that toques are not only necessary but revered is what Canadians are all aboot, eh?
- Family and Friends
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| My new family |
Most importantly, more than the beaver and the moose, the lakes and the mountains, Timmy Ho’s and toonies, I will miss my family and friends. The people who have helped me get to where I am today, the family I don’t get to see enough, the ones that I do, the friends I miss already and those that I will soon have to say farewell to, they are what constitutes Canada for me. And I will miss all of you more than you will know. So please don’t forget us as we bask in the California sunshine. Although something tells me I will see many of you starting in November running all the way to June, even July depending on Canada’s elusive summer.
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| My Mama |
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| My Bestie |
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| My closest friends |
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| My crazy bro's |
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| My dad |
Oh Canada, we will miss you and plan to return home soon.
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