I’ve done what I imagine most Americans are dreaming of (and a friend has told me she seriously plans to do) — moved to Canada! As I wait for my government health insurance to kick in next month and walk among the beautiful parks of Vancouver, I realize I’ve never been more thankful of my Canadian citizenship than now.
Identity, nationality, and where to call home have always been tricky subjects for me. I was raised by Canadians, have a Canadian passport, and the large majority of my extended family lives in Canada, who we visit frequently. Nevertheless, I’ve lived in the United States my whole life, up until now. So, am I American or Canadian? I certainly don’t feel any particular love for America right now, but I was raised there and met all of my closest friends there. Now that I’m actually living in Canada, I don’t feel quite as American and out-of-place as I thought I would. Sure, I still have to convert temperatures and speeds to Fahrenheit and miles per hour, and I worry that the American plates on my car might be the cause of some stinkeye, but I feel relatively prepared for the “Canadian lifestyle” thanks to my family. In many ways, the similarities outrank the differences. Other grad students at UBC were warning me about the rainy months to come in the winter, to which I replied “I’m from Seattle–I know how this works!”
I was lucky enough to find a very affordable, but still quite nice, apartment just north of the Vancouver airport. It’s within walking distance to Fraser River Park, so I always take a stroll in that direction when I get a break amidst my classwork and homework and need some exercise. With all my classes being online, that’s often the only time I leave the apartment!
I also lucked out with my roommate–she is clean, conscientious, and communicative, traits that make it easy for us to live together! She also loves to take care of plants, meaning the living room is always a pleasant place to be.
Now that the semester is in full swing, I’m more or less swamped in schoolwork every day, but I’ve still made time to meet up with other members of my cohort and talk linguistics, as well as visit a childhood friend who’s also living in Vancouver — all outside, with masks on, of course. Overall, it seems my life will mostly take place in front of a screen for the foreseeable future, as UBC recently confirmed that next semester will be all-online as well. Those walks in the park will come in handy!
I’m sure I will run into more cultural roadblocks as time goes on, but for now, it’s reassuring how similar everything feels to my hometown. Either way, I’m looking forward to exploring new things, both inside and outside my apartment.