Canada!

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Hello, there!



In my last blog post, I spoke of how I came to North America and how I started life afresh in a new continent, a new country among new people. I must say, I met different kinds of people in the one year I spent at university in Kamloops. Different people from all over the globe with different ideas and perspectives. I happen to be someone with a vivid multi-cultural background. I enjoyed the vibrancy on campus. The different nationalities I came across fascinated me. I wondered what it must be like to come from a certain country, what life there must be like, what the culture must be like. Oh yes! I let my imagination work, and work hard too at that. I tried to imagine how the culture of different countries would differ from the culture of my country.

Now I think of it, one of the biggest cultural issues I faced in Canada as an international student, and I admit I continue to face it, is addressing my instructors by their name. I just can’t do it! In my country, India, you absolutely do not dare to address your instructor by name. It is sheer disrespect and in school (not university) it could be grounds for being suspended. Pretty drastic, right? But that’s how my culture works. And I had a hard time fathoming how students in Canada so coolly address their instructor by their name. I still have a hard time fathoming that, because this is one area, where I absolutely can’t seem to let go of my conservative ways.But I wouldn't say that this has stopped me getting involved in my courses. It is just one of those things in me that is so deeply ingrained because of my cultural background, that I can't get it out. But then, that is what makes a culturally diverse environment so interesting, doesn't it? It wouldn't be much fun if we were all exactly the same in our ways and mannerisms. It's not what I'd call my character quirck. It's a cultural thing and it's something I've held on to strongly. It is one of those little things that make me an international student.


Anyway, time to sign out of here! My next blog post is going to get more interesting, I promise! That's the blog post you must look forward to! Time for French adventures!

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