Things I've Learned About Life Since Living in Scotland
1- Canadians really resent Americans. For a country that watches American shows, listens to American music,etc and is (in most ways) entirely culturaly indistinguishable from its southernly neighbor, they really don't like us. They are so determined to show they are not American they cover themselves from head to toe in Maple Leaves in the form of stickers, patches, luggage tags. I don't think they let you leave Canada with out about 20 different forms of the Canadian flag in tow.
Now, I would be sympathetic to the fact that they probably get mistaken for Americans alot and they shouldnt as they are their own country, but , and maybe this is immature of me, but they are sooooo mean to me. The minute I say Im American they turn snooty. This has been going on since I first got here and tried to make friends with fellow BUNACers who were Canadian. Sounds wierd, but its true. They have got a definite chip on their shoulder.
2- Having the drinking age be 21 may actually be a smart idea. If you'd asked met his when I was 20 I probably wouldn't have agreed, but SOMETHING needs to be done here. There is a huge drinking problem and although many factors contribute to this other than legal drinking age, teenagers over here have VERY easy access to alchohol and they drink ALOT. Girls looking no older than 13 "tart themselves up" in knee high boots and miniskirts and wander the streets at night. I dont know if they are getting into pubs (as the drinking age is 18) but they arent as strict with IDing as the US. For instance, on a work night out a few months back we all got into a pub and though most of us were of age their was a 16 year old with us and no one even looked twice.
Today, on the cover of a newspaper, was a story about 7 year olds being treated for alcohol poisoning. Holy crap. This is rare, but....it shouldnt happen. America may be TOO strict but if the UK was a little bit more strict and IDed 100% of the time I bet the problem would lessen a bit. (Let me clarify the 7 year olds didnt buy the alcohol themselves)
3- Having a national health care system is vital. Every 1st world country other than America has one, and I've seen first hand how useful it is. I have been able to get all the medical care I have needed and its more or less to American standards so I dont see the arguement for privitization. I just don't. My parents dont have health insurance I often think about how much better they could be if they lived here where its regarded as a basic human right.
4-I've learned to extoll the virtues of television as a source of learning. Before we got cable, and only had the 5 British channels, there weren't too many sitcoms and typical cheesy fodder (is that the right word for this) to choose from, and we watched ALOT of cool and interesting factual programming--from stuff on history and politcs to the housing market and "You Are What You Eat" , I feel I've learned alot from TV here. Now that we have cable,though, its been a lot of comedy and music...oh well.
5- I've learned that self-discovery is on-going and a constant step-backward/step-forward sort of process. I've changed alot since I've moved here and I struggle knowing what change is inevetiable, what change is positive, and what I have changed that I shouldn't have and wish I hadn't,etc.Life is full of inner struggles,a quest for meaning, and the thing is, the answers to these things change as circumstances do...things can't stay the same forever. But then again, I wish they could sometimes. If that makes sense. Perhaps its all too contradictory but thats how life is. Ahhh!!!
Now, I would be sympathetic to the fact that they probably get mistaken for Americans alot and they shouldnt as they are their own country, but , and maybe this is immature of me, but they are sooooo mean to me. The minute I say Im American they turn snooty. This has been going on since I first got here and tried to make friends with fellow BUNACers who were Canadian. Sounds wierd, but its true. They have got a definite chip on their shoulder.
2- Having the drinking age be 21 may actually be a smart idea. If you'd asked met his when I was 20 I probably wouldn't have agreed, but SOMETHING needs to be done here. There is a huge drinking problem and although many factors contribute to this other than legal drinking age, teenagers over here have VERY easy access to alchohol and they drink ALOT. Girls looking no older than 13 "tart themselves up" in knee high boots and miniskirts and wander the streets at night. I dont know if they are getting into pubs (as the drinking age is 18) but they arent as strict with IDing as the US. For instance, on a work night out a few months back we all got into a pub and though most of us were of age their was a 16 year old with us and no one even looked twice.
Today, on the cover of a newspaper, was a story about 7 year olds being treated for alcohol poisoning. Holy crap. This is rare, but....it shouldnt happen. America may be TOO strict but if the UK was a little bit more strict and IDed 100% of the time I bet the problem would lessen a bit. (Let me clarify the 7 year olds didnt buy the alcohol themselves)
3- Having a national health care system is vital. Every 1st world country other than America has one, and I've seen first hand how useful it is. I have been able to get all the medical care I have needed and its more or less to American standards so I dont see the arguement for privitization. I just don't. My parents dont have health insurance I often think about how much better they could be if they lived here where its regarded as a basic human right.
4-I've learned to extoll the virtues of television as a source of learning. Before we got cable, and only had the 5 British channels, there weren't too many sitcoms and typical cheesy fodder (is that the right word for this) to choose from, and we watched ALOT of cool and interesting factual programming--from stuff on history and politcs to the housing market and "You Are What You Eat" , I feel I've learned alot from TV here. Now that we have cable,though, its been a lot of comedy and music...oh well.
5- I've learned that self-discovery is on-going and a constant step-backward/step-forward sort of process. I've changed alot since I've moved here and I struggle knowing what change is inevetiable, what change is positive, and what I have changed that I shouldn't have and wish I hadn't,etc.Life is full of inner struggles,a quest for meaning, and the thing is, the answers to these things change as circumstances do...things can't stay the same forever. But then again, I wish they could sometimes. If that makes sense. Perhaps its all too contradictory but thats how life is. Ahhh!!!