The Hardest Thing

Last night I watched Canada dismantle Russia in Men's Hockey at Mike Place, the graduate student pub here on campus. It was a fun atmosphere. At one point, near the end of the second period, I was in line for a beer. There was a gentleman standing near the line wearing a Team Canada Hockey jersey. He looked visibly uncomfortable and was pacing back and forth as if he were trying to work up the nerve for something. I couldn't tell if he was trying to talk himself into or out of another beer.

With just a few minutes left to play in the second, I heard him mutter to himself (and perhaps the hockey gods), "This is the hardest thing I ever had to do." He quickly averted his eyes from the television. He might have even held his breath. Then he ducked his head and hurried quickly out the door.

I'll never know what it was that ripped this poor, tortured soul from his beloved team, but here's hoping it will always be the hardest thing he ever has to do.

It's a sad day in Canada

For the second time since I've been here, in a major tournament a Canadian hockey team has lost to an American hockey team on Canadian ice. A professor suggested today that the sluggish response of the class was a result of everyone mourning the loss. A classmate pointed out that at least one of us wasn't sad. All eyes shifted to the American in the room. I'd love to gloat, but it feels a little hollow considering how little I know about hockey compared to how much the Canadians know.

The first week I was here I was in the commons room watching a little TV. There were a couple of nice Canadians there watching the final of the World Junior Hockey Championships. This is an international tournament of under 19 hockey players...the Future of the NHL. The tournament takes place from December 26 to January 5 each year and it is a Canadian holiday tradition to watch. While I was watching the final almost everyone passing by in the hallway stopped in to see what the score was. Everyone knew about this game...except for me.

This year Canada was the heavy favorite and had already beaten the US team in earlier preliminary rounds. Other than that game, they blew everyone else out of the water. AND they were playing in Canada. The game was close, but I left early, before it had finished. The next day I stopped into a pub for some lunch. At some point the network on all of the televisions began a replay of the WJHC final game from the night before. There was an audible groan from almost every person in the bar and the bartender quickly changed the station on all the televisions. I knew from their reactions the US had pulled an upset...winning 6-5 in a dramatic shootout.

So last night, when the US defeated Canada in the Olympics on Canadian home ice I imagine there was a collective groan across the country. I wasn't watching.

I do appear to be good luck for American hockey, however. My presence in Canada must have created some cosmic hockey magic for the US. We'll see. This was only the preliminary rounds. The US and Canada may meet again before I leave.

Missing American Commercialism

So I watched the Super Bowl here in Canada. Great game! The Saints rock. If the Cowboys couldn't win it all, I'm glad they did. Drew Brees is probably my favorite quarterback in the NFL.

It didn't occur to me until two commercial breaks in that we don't get the same commercials here in Canada. I usually think the commercial hype is lame and most commercials are disappointing at best. But tonight I found myself missing them. Even the lame ones. We got a few, but no very many. I couldn't help but feel like I was missing out on some sort of pop culture experience.

Here we had commercials for Canadian Tire, Scotiabank and Rogers Cable. Oh, and just in case you were not aware, the Olympics are about to start...and they are in CANADA! No really, the Olympics are in Canada this year. REALLY!

I also learned the secret for adapting American products to the Canadian market. Just add hockey and stir. If I were Walmart, what would I do? Make a commercial centered around Walmart products that involves getting up early to take my little girl to hockey practice. Masterful! If I were Gatorade or Nike or some other sporting good company, what would I do? Well, if there is football in the American version, replace it with hockey. Want to show runners, put them in tights and a toque (Canadian for hat) and make them look cold. If you can show their breath, all the better. People playing soccer? Go out of your way to show that it is happening indoors. No one plays soccer outside here, in the cold. Is there any way to integrate ice skating other than hockey? If so, add it.

So I missed all of the ridiculous American commercials. If there were any you really liked, please share them in the comments. I need your help.

Oh, and did you know the Olympics are coming to Canada very soon?

Canadian restroom graffiti:

Imagine a square sticker with a cute fluffy sheep on it. The stickers says "Don't be a Woolly Bully. Never wear wool. PETA." In marker an arrow above the sticker points to: "So I should wear cotton grown with pesticides?" Below that it says, "Organic cotton takes 3x the land space."

I love Canadians!

PS It still doesn't beat "Never buy drugs from a dealer who drives a Kia!" Now that's practical advice anyone can use.

A Revelation: Canadian Politics Are Interesting!

I'll be the first to admit, as an American we have a very Amerocentric view of the world. I've always known this, but it is so much easier to see now that I'm living across the border to the north. There is so much similar between the US and Canada that it's difficult sometimes to remember that I'm in a different country, especially when I see streets dotted with Wal-Marts, Home Depots and McDonalds among others. When it comes to politics, however, it's a completely different world. I don't know anything about Canadian politics. I hardly knew that Stephen Harper was the Prime Minister and I didn't really know much about the structure of the government. I'm still in the process of learning, but the learning is interesting.

I will say that the Canadians know so much more about American politics than I'd guess many Americans know. One of my classmates already proposed the idea that John Edwards may have had more ability to create a stronger shift left in the US Democratic party than Obama or Clinton because they both had to make concessions to reassure people as a result of their respective minority statuses. The first thing I thought was, "You know who John Edwards is?!" Canadians not only know who are elected leaders are, they know who was the third place finisher in the US Democratic Primary! Crazy! This is just one example of a series of conversations I've had since I've been here.

Today I went to an anti-prorogation rally on Parliament Hill. "Just what the 'bleep' is prorogation and why would anyone be against it?", you might ask. Well, besides being somewhat difficult to pronounce, it is a very controversial political move. In this case, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has decided to suspend Parliament from now until March, meaning they get a couple months off work. As a result all bills pending in Parliament, 37 if I recall correctly, are expunged and will have to start over from the beginning when work resumes in March. This is the second time Harper has suspended Parliament, the last time being December 2008. At that time he was facing the possibility of a no-confidence vote from Parliament. This time he was facing questions about Canada's role in the ultimate torture of Afghan detainees. The stated reason for the suspension is that the government needs time to come up with the next phase of the economic action plan.

One reason this is so controversial is that the Prime Minister is not directly elected by the people. He is chosen by the party with the majority members in the House of Commons, which is one of two branches of Parliament. The House of Commons is popularly elected. By suspending Parliament, the not-popularly-elected Prime Minister gets to stop all work being done by the popularly elected portion of the federal government. Tricky, huh? Can you see why there was a rally against it now?

I probably got some of that wrong. I'm still learning, but it's pretty interesting. If you are still with me at this point, you probably think so, too. That, or there is nothing better to do.

Well, that's my Canadian civics lesson for the evening. I don't yet have an entire grasp on their health care, but I'll let you know.

Cold is a relative term.

People in my classes like to ask me how I'm adjusting to the weather. When I respond that I've discovered I kind of like walking around campus outside instead of the tunnels, they are all quick to interject, "It's not that cold yet." It always seems like there is a hint of joy in striking fear into the heart of unsuspecting visitors. I imaging it's a little like asking visitors to Austin how they like the weather in the middle of the summer. I can't say I haven't felt a twinge of satisfaction in saying, "Oh, this isn't hot," when someone complains of a 95 F degree day (practice with me, that's 35 C).

That being said, with the right layers and accessories the cold is not so bad. I took an hour long walk outside today in the park across from campus and I never really felt cold. The temperature was about -10 c (15 F). Thanks to the neck warmer I found at the used clothing store, I can even keep my nose warm. I kind of like breathing the air outside. It's invigorating. I've posted some of the pictures I have taken over on Facebook if you want to see more.

Classes are good so far. I had to reassure a classmate that it was okay to criticize the US in front of me, because it's possible I might agree with what she has to say. I've got lots of reading that I can find plenty of ways to avoid. I have also rediscovered the regular nap. How is the world did I work 5 days a week for all those years without a regular nap?

Ice Skating for the first time.

So I don't have any pictures, primarily because I'm pretty sure I would have busted my camera if I tried to take it and ice skate at the same time. I did, however, ice skate. There is an outdoor rink across from campus here in Ottawa. I rented some skates and met with a group of students from the Graduate Student Association. I can report that I made it around the rink at least 4 times with only one fall. The only fall came when I was trying to practice the proper stopping method. I guess falling down is one way to stop. I had a good time and met some really nice people.

Classes have started and I'm swamped with reading already. If I total all the writing assignments in all of my classes, I probably have about 100 pages worth of writing to do. Yikes! The good news is all of my classes are very interesting, so it shouldn't be hard to pay attention.

Don't worry, though. I am planning on taking advantage of all the activities I can while I'm here. There are several meet & greets this week along with a tour of Parliament and later this month there will be a snow shoeing trip. The best advice I've gotten since I've arrived is "embrace the winter!" I find that I spend much more time walking outside now that I'm here than I ever did in Austin. I just walked back from ice skating tonight and it was refreshing, even though it's -6 C (21 F) outside.

On the walk to the skating rink, I witnessed a debate between people from 3 different areas of Canada about what type of cold was the worst, a dry cold or a wet cold. I had to laugh because what I was thinking must be what others think when Texans argue about a dry heat versus a wet heat. I was thinking it's pretty freakin' cold!