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Things I miss terribly about the Colonies
Jul. 4th, 2012 06:22 pmIt's strange feeling both at home, and a foreigner, in two countries, which is how I feel upon returning to my Thamesreach home.
Stuff what I miss from my first homeland:
1. Fresh local (mostly) fruit and vegetables: I ate absolutely as much local veg and fruit as I could cram into myself without doing myself an injury. The SE of England just doesn't have an equivalent of the Niagara region and the farms of Ontario, that seemingly effortlessly generate huge quantities of yummy fresh food.
Strawberries and raspberries are in season near my mum's house, and her region is very well served by local markets.
2. Real seasons: for all that I was on a trip for greatly stress-making reasons, I felt like a cat basking in the sun and heat of an Ontario summer. Running most days for 1/2 an hour generated a minor tan, the first I've had in years.
Britons spend a lot of money and time on holidays 'away', and don't feel like they've had a 'proper' holiday unless it involves flying to a beach location. It took me awhile to understand this fixation. I'd never flown somewhere *warmer* for a summer holiday; isn't 30 deg C and 95% humidity hot enough? Cdns retreat to the cottage instead.
3. Humidex estimates, that tell you how hot it *feels*. I think this would be a useful addition to the winter forecasts in the UK, because I'm convinced the dampness of this region makes 0 dec C way more miserable than I ever remember 0 deg C feeling in Ontario.
4. Stoop and scoop that people actually pay attention to: Canadians simply buy into this more than residents in our corner of Thamesreach. Makes recreational running into an urban obstacle course. 'Nuff said.
5. Cream routinely offered for coffee. It's milk or nuthin' here (except perhaps in hotels used to N. American guests) and it just doesn't taste the same.
6. Can-con: I hardly recognised any musicians featured on the CBC, and I think it's the continuing support of Canadian content rules that enable Canadian talent to compete and survive. I know it's protectionist, and I know it's not perfect, but I love it.
7. CBC Radio One, and As it Happens: I continue to enjoy the mild-mannered interview style featured on AIH, so different from the very aggressive confrontational style on British radio & TV. I always admired the way AIH interviewers gave liars and creeps enough rope to hang themselves - it assumes the listeners are smart enough to make their own judgements, and do not need leading statements to form their opinions. Long may it last.
Stuff what I miss from my first homeland:
1. Fresh local (mostly) fruit and vegetables: I ate absolutely as much local veg and fruit as I could cram into myself without doing myself an injury. The SE of England just doesn't have an equivalent of the Niagara region and the farms of Ontario, that seemingly effortlessly generate huge quantities of yummy fresh food.
Strawberries and raspberries are in season near my mum's house, and her region is very well served by local markets.
2. Real seasons: for all that I was on a trip for greatly stress-making reasons, I felt like a cat basking in the sun and heat of an Ontario summer. Running most days for 1/2 an hour generated a minor tan, the first I've had in years.
Britons spend a lot of money and time on holidays 'away', and don't feel like they've had a 'proper' holiday unless it involves flying to a beach location. It took me awhile to understand this fixation. I'd never flown somewhere *warmer* for a summer holiday; isn't 30 deg C and 95% humidity hot enough? Cdns retreat to the cottage instead.
3. Humidex estimates, that tell you how hot it *feels*. I think this would be a useful addition to the winter forecasts in the UK, because I'm convinced the dampness of this region makes 0 dec C way more miserable than I ever remember 0 deg C feeling in Ontario.
4. Stoop and scoop that people actually pay attention to: Canadians simply buy into this more than residents in our corner of Thamesreach. Makes recreational running into an urban obstacle course. 'Nuff said.
5. Cream routinely offered for coffee. It's milk or nuthin' here (except perhaps in hotels used to N. American guests) and it just doesn't taste the same.
6. Can-con: I hardly recognised any musicians featured on the CBC, and I think it's the continuing support of Canadian content rules that enable Canadian talent to compete and survive. I know it's protectionist, and I know it's not perfect, but I love it.
7. CBC Radio One, and As it Happens: I continue to enjoy the mild-mannered interview style featured on AIH, so different from the very aggressive confrontational style on British radio & TV. I always admired the way AIH interviewers gave liars and creeps enough rope to hang themselves - it assumes the listeners are smart enough to make their own judgements, and do not need leading statements to form their opinions. Long may it last.
