March 31st, 2012: The day I married my best friend.
I tell you, there’s no feeling like companionship in the world. If you are fortunate enough to be married, you will understand.
In the Summer of 2013, just over a year after we tied the knot, Asif and I began looking at our options to migrate to Toronto, Canada. Had somebody asked me then ‘Why?’, I’m not quite sure what I would have answered. We had everything Alhamdulillah; our families were nearby, good jobs, a nice apartment, and we were settled.
But now, after having sat with Asif many times and assessed our journey so far together, I say this move was definitely a good one. We did have everything, and now, between us, in terms of a healthy relationship with each other and a closeness to God, I think we have much more.
This world, in the eyes of the Lord, and in comparison to the larger galaxy, is only so small. But in our eyes, the oceans are vast with opportunity and the Creations of God have no bounds. Maybe rooted deep within us both, was a yearning to step out of our comfort zones and explore what this rather large bubble known as ‘Earth’, had to offer. This migration was not just one door of opportunity, but several opening before our eyes.
September 30th,2014: 315 days after we said goodbye to our parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends. That is ten months and ten days, and a trip back to UK in between: – enough time to draw some vague conclusions about the Canadian lifestyle that we are slowly becoming accustomed to.
Asif and I often ‘check-in’ with each other, more so after we migrated. We ask each other how we find new changes in our lives, and check our ’emotional balance’. The move wasn’t easy, especially since both of us left behind family, friends, colleagues, good jobs, and a lifestyle that was known to us.
One fine day last winter, which was apparently the worst Canada has seen in over 20 years, we were walking around our neighbourhood, treading carefully on thin ice (quite literally). Our surroundings were all covered in ice due to the heavy freezing rain the night before and we couldn’t really see anybody else as daring as us in this weather. But we were both awestruck, having never seen this kind of weather, and I was just feeling camera happy!
We stopped for a moment to admire the layer of ice that had formed over the tree branches. “What do you think?”, I asked Asif. “Is all this worth the move?”
For a few minutes, he didn’t say anything, carefully thinking through his response. He smiled and said, “This is all so beautiful! I miss home occasionally, but this is good – it’s good for us.”
I smiled back, relieved to hear that he was so positive despite our occasional struggles. But Asif wasn’t done.
With a grin he said, “I just don’t get some things about Canada, and these Canadians!”
“What do you mean? What things?” I replied.
I think my tone might have been slightly defensive. Having lived in Orlando for nine years, I loved the North American lifestyle and Canada was a lot like it.
“I challenge you…” He started. “…to add a positive spin to what I am about to say.”
With that, Asif stated five of his Canadian ‘peeves’. These were things he had noticed since we moved here. I didn’t think I could defend each of these even if I tried, but I promised I would try my best to add a positive perspective, helping him see the ‘brighter side’ of the Canadian way!
1. Canada’s Public Transport System is nothing like ‘Transport for London’.
Agreed. There is no way any Transport System in the world could compare to TFL – Transport For London. London is renowned for its transport system, but there are perks to Canadian roads and public transport. In Ontario, roads form a grid: all major roads are 2km apart going North to South, and East to West. The good thing about this; you could never get lost, and if there was traffic on one road, you could easily take the one parallel. Buses in Canada travel from one end of a major road, to the other. It’s very possible that, to get to your destination, you’d have to take two buses, and if you were going to somebody’s house in a residential area, there would be additional walking – not a plus point! But, you could transfer as many buses as you wanted within a 2 hour period on a ‘transfer’ – meaning you don’t get charged! So ultimately, the transport system is no comparison, but after living in Canada and understanding their roads and the ‘grid system’, traveling is reasonable and quite well laid out!
2. The cashiers are getting rich by ‘Penny-Rounding’
In Canada, there is an unofficial use of ‘Penny Rounding’ which we found out about the week we arrived. If you go into a store and buy bananas for 97 cents, you could give the cashier 95 cents and that would be okay (you saved 2 cents) or you could give one dollar, and not get any change (you would loose 3 cents). The first couple of times, the cashier was definitely on the ‘gaining end’. I told Asif to look at it positively; we were giving stores great business, because pennies make a pound….or cents make a dollar! And then we learnt that if spend smart, WE could actually save those cents, and those would be dollars saved. Two can play that game.
3. 13% tax isn’t included on the price tag.
I couldn’t really argue this point or put a positive spin on it. I guess we should just be thankful that tax in Ontario, Canada is only 13% whilst in UK it is 17.5% I believe. It ISquite annoying to not know what exactly you will be paying until you get to the checkout counter.
4. Bipolar Weather? One day it was 22º and the next it was 2º with light flurries.
So we had the rare experience after winter had ‘supposedly’ passed to experience extreme weather change. This, however, also happens in London: one day it is really nice and warm and you are planning your picnic for the weekend, assuming the sun will now stay forever, and then the next day is a bitter gloomy rainy day and you are stuck indoors. So this is a worldwide thing; our world is changing. However, every weather is God’s weather, and for that, I reminded Asif, we should be thankful. Let’s also keep our winter and summer coats side by side until we know for sure which we need to put away and which we need to keep out; but let’s also be thankful that we can feel and experiece all weathers.
5. People are way too friendly! The guy who said ‘Hi’ to me on the bus doesn’t even know me, and the store clerk telling me I made a ‘good choice’ with my selection…? What’s up with that?
LOL – this was definitely something Asif was not used to. Slowly though, he’s getting there. I told him that this was actually something I enjoyed about North America and Canada. In London, people are so uptight, with no real time to look over at the next person and give a charitable smile. And if that did happen, we would immediately jump to the conclusion that something was not right. However, here in Canada, this was just the good nature of people. For me, this was also a sense of belonging in society and community, because people took five seconds out of their day to be light-hearted and offer a genuine remark.
This was indeed a positive!
I’m not quite sure if any of the above seems a little more reasonable, but for those of you from Canada, you’ll get my drift. And for those of you from the land of the Queen – we all have our good qualities and I still have a British passport 🙂 Come visit sometime!