{EXPATRIATED} Ashley from Ashley Abroad

Sometimes I get the impression that people think we are crazy for leaving all that we are familiar with behind for a life overseas but we aren't the only ones that have chosen this lifestyle.  In fact, there are a lot of us and many of us blog about it.  Expatriated is a series to introduce you to other expat bloggers.

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It's been quite awhile since I've had an Expatriated interview but it's high time to get back on track.  Today, I'm happy to share Ashley's story - she's been living in one of Europe's most coveted cities and while I've featured another expat in this same location, it's always so interesting to hear different perspectives.  After all, our experiences abroad are personal and dependent on so many different factors.

With that being said, welcome Ashley!

-How did you end up in Paris and what inspired you to make the move?  Where are you from and where do you live now?

I’m from the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A. and now reside in the suburbs of Paris, France. Moving to France was never part of my long-term plans but I landed a job as an au pair through friends and took it on a whim after graduating. I came because I had a lifelong dream to learn French and wanted to learn more about the culture, history and cuisine of France. Especially the cuisine.

-What is the best part of living overseas?

I love living abroad because of the other expats you meet- I find we have really similar attitudes on how life is an adventure and should be lived to the fullest.

I also love being surrounded by a foreign language and culture- it makes every day an experience, and even the most commonplace activities feel exotic and fun.

-What do you miss most about home (besides friends & family?)

Hm… I certainly miss cheaper prices- anyone has ever sent out their dry-cleaning in France knows what I mean. I also miss Mexican food with all my heart.

-What was the most difficult thing to adjust to in the France?

The most difficult thing for me was adjusting to living with a family after four years of living on my own in college. Especially at the beginning it was hard to get used to sharing my space and living where I work.

-Any funny ‘whoopsies’ while adjusting to your new life?

Definitely, and mostly with language. Even though I would say my French has improved a lot I still make really silly blunders to this day- like when my friend was telling me about his fishing trip and I responded,”Oh that’s great, how many peaches did you catch?” Oy.

-Saving graces?  

I’m so grateful that I have a supportive family back home- to this day I don’t think I have ever heard a discouraging word from either of my parents. And a few months back my mom and little sister came all the way to France to visit me and we took a road trip down the French Atlantic coast all the way to Spain- it was incredible!

-What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from your time in Paris?

That I can live my life abroad if I choose to do so. I had always pictured myself in the states but now know that there’s a whole world out there to be explored and lived in.

-If you had the chance to move elsewhere in the world, where would you go and why?

This question is on my mind all the time… but for now I’d love to live in a city with great weather. I’ve spent too much time in cities like Chicago and Paris- year-round sunshine would be nice!

-Any advice for the newly expatriated?

Be patient- the first several months are the hardest, and it can be difficult to create a circle of friends. And buy Skype minutes for those days when you're really homesick and just need to talk to someone back home.

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Thank you Ashley.

If you happen to be heading to Paris, definitely check out Ashley's blog.  She shares all sorts of tips to help you experience the best of France's capital city.

Previous Editions of Expatriated

Bethany in Kuwait

Jess in Brussels

Britta in Costa Rica

Edna in Paris

Chelsea in South Korea

Nicole in Madrid

Mike & Jess in Malta

Amanda in Okinawa

Rachael in Amsterdam

Kristina in Melbourne

Melissa in London

Jenna in South Africa

Jeanie in Singapore

Kisha in India

Part IX: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

Time abroad and travel often help us see our home country in a different light but it also makes us aware how little the rest of the world knows about our vast and beautiful nation.  Despite our humble nature, we Canadians are fiercely proud of our country and we'll gladly sing its praises.

PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE  |  PART FOUR  

|  PART FIVE  | PART SIX  |  PART SEVEN  |  PART EIGHT

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From Lauren...

Poutine:

I have an unhealthy obsession with this classic Canadian dish that has ironically grown since I moved to California. It’s considered a fast food dish that I think originated in Quebec but - lucky for the rest of us in different parts of the country - has made its way elsewhere.

Let me walk you through it: take a heaping pile of french fries, throw a fairly generous handful of cheese curds* on top of said pile and then pour brown gravy all over it all. Watch the steam rise, watch the cheese melt, and before your friends around you get the chance, grab a fork and dig in. You won’t regret it - I promise. This is the traditional way to order it, but there are places like Smoke’s Poutinerie that offer add-ons like chicken, steak and veggies.

From Jess...

{Jess shared more great, Canadian brands on another O Canada post found here.}

Club Monaco: Club Monaco was founded by Canadian designer Joe Mimran and Alfred Sung in Toronto, Canada in 1985.

Alfred Sung: Alfred Sung is a one-man fashion brand, but I bet you didn’t know he is actually Chinese-Canadian!

Jason Wu: Jason Wu is another one-man-brand (one of my favourites, and yes, people can be brands too), but did you know he is actually Taiwanese-Canadian? He is perhaps most famous for designing Michelle Obama’s inauguration dresses.

Cirque du Soleil: Born in Montreal, Quebec, Cirque du Soleil was founded by two street performers in 1984. Today, over 90 million people have seen a Cirque show!

La Senza: This lingerie and intimate apparel brand is based in Dorval, Quebec. First launched in 1990, it includes over 300 stores in 30 countries around the globe (plus another 300 in Canada!) We even have a La Senza here, on the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta.

IMAX: IMAX finds its roots at the Montreal Expo 67, where it was debuted by its four Canadian filmmaker founders.

Flickr: Flickr was launched in 2004 by a Vancouver company, Ludicorp, before being acquired by Yahoo in 2005.

And some honourable mentions of beloved Canadian brands, to throw into conversation the next time you talk to a Canuck:

·       Hudson’s Bay Company: Established in 1670 as a fur trading business, HBC lives on today as Canada’s oldest brand. I’m a huge fan of their HBC Collection, which is a throw back to their centuries-old four stripes design.

·       Tim Hortons: In Canada we have two religions: Hockey and Tim Hortons, the nation’s favourite coffee shop chain.

·       The Big Five Banks: The darlings of the global financial world, Canada’s Big Four banks (RBC, CIBC, TD, BMO, and Scotiabank) have remained pillars of stability during the global economic crisis, thanks in part to a good financial regulatory framework in my home and native land.

Thanks Jay, for letting me spread the word about these proud Canadian brands!

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Lauren is a Canadian export who has been studying towards a Masters in PR in Los Angeles, California.  If that wasn't cool enough, she packed up and crossed the Atlantic for a summer in London, England.  She has travelled fairly extensively, loves taking beautiful photos and trying new restaurants.

Jess, of Mike and Jess in Malta fame, moved from Halifax on the East coast of Canada to Malta in 2010.  She just completed a double Masters degree, already having finished a degree in Art History and can often be found revelling in clever branding.  If that didn't make her busy enough, she's planning an über-cool wedding to her counterpart, Mike, this year.  (She also designed that awesome graphic above!)

Part VIII: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

Time abroad and travel often help us see our home country in a different light but it also makes us aware how little the rest of the world knows about our vast and beautiful nation.  Despite our humble nature, we Canadians are fiercely proud of our country and we'll gladly sing its praises.

PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE  |  PART FOUR  

|  PART FIVE  | PART SIX  |  PART SEVEN

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From Oneika...

The tropics usually don't come to mind when most people think of (cold!) Canada, but one of the country's biggest events is Caribana, a colourful festival celebrating Caribbean culture held in Toronto every year.

Many people don't realize that Toronto has a large population from the many islands that dot the Caribbean Sea. Immigrants from places like Trinidad, Jamaica, Grenada, and Barbados are part of the city's vibrant, multicultural fabric, and have weaved their food, culture, and music into the Canadian way of life.

Caribana is a vivid and extremely fun manifestation of these aspects. Officially known as the Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Festival, this is a street party of epic proportions. It is comprised of a number of events (taking place over a two week period) that fete the heritage and traditions of the countries in the West Indies.  The culminating event is the Parade of Bands, which is a massive street parade that takes place at the every end of the festival.

As a proud Jamaican-Canadian who took part in the parade a few years ago, I have to tell you that it was deliciously fun!  Have you ever seen pictures of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival?  This is pretty similar.  Us parade participants don brightly coloured costumes (plumes, sparkles, and giant headpieces are standard!) and dance our way down the 2 mile or so parade route. We are kept moving by the loud blasts of steel pan, calypso, and soca music supplied by the many speakers and live bands that are also part of the parade. Spectators who are not part of the parade line the parade route to gawk and cheer us on. Between the vibe, camaraderie between participants, and eye-catching costumes, it is a stellar time. Check me out in the field in my feathery finery! (I'm the lady in the middle.)

The parade, a "closing ceremony" of sorts, brings over 1 million tourists to Toronto every summer and is a great way to discover the city beyond usual sights like the CN Tower or Hockey Hall of Fame.

So if you ever have a hankering for a good party in the Great White North, I beseech you to add the Caribana festival to your list. I'm willing to bet five loonies* that you'll have the time of your life!

*loonie = the Canadian one dollar coin.

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Oneika  is a fellow Canadian, teacher and expat who just moved back to Hong Kong after a stint in London but has also called France and Mexico home.  She's an avid traveller, visiting 60+ countries on 6 continents and continues to spend her time exploring this vast and beautiful world.  When she's not on the road, she's taking advantage of all that her adopted home has to offer and thankfully, she documents it all on her blog, Oneika The Traveller.

Part VII: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

After a short break, we're jumping back into my series 'O Canada' where I feature some of my favourite Canadian bloggers speaking about our homeland.

Time abroad and travel often help us see our home country in a different light but it also makes us aware how little the rest of the world knows about our vast and beautiful nation.  Despite our humble nature, we Canadians are fiercely proud of our country and we'll gladly sing its praises.

PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE  |  PART FOUR  |  PART FIVE  | PART SIX

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From JoAnna...

Stranger/acquaintance: “Where are you from?”

Me: “Canada.”

Stranger/acquaintance: “No, no…where are you really from?”

Me: “Um, Toronto? British Columbia? Still Canada”

Stranger/acquaintance: *sigh and eye roll* “No, I want to know where you are really from!”

The above is an exchange that I’ve had time and time again. It’s one I’m sure countless other Canadians – those born and bred in our home and native land I might add – have endured; citizens, who, for one reason or another, seemingly do not look, speak or act the part of a “real” Canadian.

Whatever that means.

If I had a dollar for every time I was asked this question, I’d be so rich that I wouldn’t be typing this entry right now. Someone else would be doing it, because I’d be busy sipping vintage Krug, eating bonbons and burning a paper trail all the way up 5^th Avenue. Though I can understand where the stereotyping/ignorance/misunderstanding behind the question comes from, I still can’t help but get a bit miffed when it’s posed. It makes me bristle. It sometimes makes me cringe. It has – on occasion – lead me to despair.

Just a bit.

This YouTube video by Ken Tanaka (about stereotyping in the US) says it all.

I mean, I could understand the confusion if I divulged I was from an über homogenous country, a place like Norway, Japan or Lithuania that doesn’t have the same colonial history Canada does, and that doesn’t naturalize as many citizens as we do on a yearly basis. Canada is one of the most culturally/racially diverse countries on the planet. It was the first country in the world to politically adopt a multiculturalism platform (1971) that ultimately served to uphold the “value and dignity of all Canadian citizens regardless of their racial or ethnic origins, their language, or their religious affiliation.” It’s a country where six million Canadians have a language other than English or French as their mother tongue (with Chinese, Italian and German topping the list), and where the ethnic breakdown of Canada’s 35 million citizens include 10% Germans, 4% South Asians, 4% of Chinese origin and 2.5% Black/Africans. Just to name a few.

A love of Tim Hortons and Lululemon is a better barometer for how “real” Canadians should be distinguished perhaps?

In spite of these numbers though, there are people who are utterly fixated on trying to figure others out and put them into neatly defined boxes. I get it, I get it, what people ultimately want to know is one’s heritage and when people ask the feared “where are you from?” question 98% of the time it’s done out of genuine curiosity. The thing is, while it’s not offensive to ask where I’m from, it is kind of rude to keep pushing the envelope and make assumptions about my citizenship/person that are often wildly off base. I was born in Canada (I’m a steel town girl). I speak English rather well (and French too for that matter). My parents did not emigrate from Africa. Yes, I’m quite certain they didn’t emigrate from Africa.

This is where I’m REALLY from: small town Canada.

So the next time one of your wildly curious friends encounters a Canadian (or an American, Australian, Brit…or just anyone else for that matter) who may not look or sound the way they expect a Canadian (American, Australian or Brit) to sound, just tell them to roll with it. Accept it. If they’re extremely overburdened though by whatever niggling query burns at the back of their mind, tell them to satiate their curiosity by perhaps rephrasing the question so it reads: “Oh, what are your roots then? Are/were your parents/grandparents Canadian as well?”

Because it’s all about semantics, and that’s really the question they’re getting at anyways.

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Canadian, expat, yogini, serial shopper and traveller…JoAnna is an Intolerant, but the really nice kind. Always on the lookout for delicious intolerant-friendly food (sometimes vegetarian, often without gluten and always dairy-free) JoAnna also enjoys engaging in unconventional things on her travels and uncovering places to while away an afternoon, indulge in glass of wine and/or score a killer vintage handbag. JoAnna rants about all the goodness she comes across on Twitter, Instagram and her blog For the Intolerants.

Part VI: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

When I was planning this "O Canada" series, I had envisioned it to run over a couple of posts while I was home in June yet the entries keep pouring in from my fellow countrywomen and I love sharing them on this blog.  For the non-Canadians, I hope you're finding it interesting and for the Canadians, I hope it's reminding you what a great country we get to call home!

PART ONE  |  PART TWO  |  PART THREE  |  PART FOUR  |  PART FIVE

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From Brenna...

Winnipeg Cityscape

Photo by Jon R Peters via USA Today

"I mean, if friends were visiting Canada, you wouldn't tell them to go to Winnipeg." I had just finished telling someone how excited I was to be spending the next six weeks in my hometown, the capital of Manitoba, and this was her response. 

"But there's so much to do in Winnipeg!" I protested, and so went the all-too-familiar conversation with a fellow Canadian. And if most Canadians don't even consider visiting Winnipeg, how are we going to convince foreigners to come here? 

Winnipeg is one of the lesser-known cities of Canada; it doesn't have the international recognition like Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal, nor does it have the worldwide draw of the Calgary Stampede or PEI's Green Gables, for example. That doesn't mean Winnipeg isn't worth visiting, not at all. In fact, it means that when you do visit, you'll be appreciated even more for taking the time to get to know our friendly prairie city.

In the summer, the city is alive and green, with temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s and without any of that pesky humidity. There is an abundance of festivals to keep you entertained: the Jazz Festival, the Fringe Theatre Festival, Folklorama (a celebration of international cultures), and the Winnipeg Folk Festival, one of the top outdoor festivals in North America, to name a few. If you want to spend a day at the beach, Lake Winnipeg's Grand Beach is only an hour's drive away, and it's always a great time.

Winter, despite those -40 stretches, is not completely devoid of fun: there's Festival du Voyageur, and plenty of beautiful snowy days for ice-fishing, cross-country skiing, showshoeing, and snowmobiling. You haven't felt cold until you've felt a Winnipeg winter, but it's something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime (cue "Winterpeg" joke). There's a strange beauty in the ice and snow of a prairie winter. 

Festival du Voyageur

Photo by Terrance Klassen/Alamy via The Telegraph

Winnipeg is also known as Canada's "cultural cradle"; it gets this name because of its flourishing arts scene. There is always a show to go to, whether it be a performance by the world-renown Winnipeg Royal Ballet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, or a major band at the MTS Centre. A huge variety of musicians have called Winnipeg home, including The Weakerthans, The Guess Who, Propagandhi, Wailin' Jennys, Neil Young, and every Canadian child's favourite, Fred Penner. 

The city itself has a lot to offer, with areas like Osborne Village, the Exchange District, and St. Boniface filled with shops and restaurants. There is no shortage of places to eat and hang out; Winnipeg has over 1000 restaurants, with new bars and coffeeshops opening monthly. There's also the Forks, Winnipeg's most popular tourist destination. Busy all year, this market/meeting place has historical significance going back 6000 years. Personally, my favourite place to go in the city is the abandoned Trappist Monastery in St. Norbert; it's a relaxing spot on the river, and great for photo opportunities. 

At the end of the day, however, all of these things to do and places to eat and musicians to hear aren't the ultimate reasons to visit Winnipeg. Let's be honest: every city has those things (even though Winnipeg's are pretty darn awesome). The real reason to visit Winnipeg is because it will open up its arms to you, welcome you in, and make you its best friend. Of all the places I've been, it's still one of the friendliest cities in the world, and its people are some of the most fun-loving, creative, genuine, and accepting people I've ever met. It's a fairly big city, but you won't get lost in the shuffle, you'll fit right in.

And so, to those who never considered or never wanted to visit Winnipeg, I urge you to give it a chance. You'll more than likely leave with a desire to come back.

Photo by Walter Bibikow/Corbis via Guardian.co.uk

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Brenna is a traveller and a writer and while she currently calls Winnipeg home, she's lived in Japan, Scotland, Denmark, Russia and will soon make the move to London, England.  She's travelled to over 80 countries and her love for travel is truly awe-inspiring.  She loves red wine, spending time in book shops, scuba diving and hot dogs.

Part V: O Canada!

Since moving abroad, it's become blatantly obvious how little people know about our vast and awesome country.  We're often mistaken for our Southern neighbours and while we have a lot in common, we most definitely have our own unique culture.

I've teamed up with some of my favourite Canadian bloggers, expats and travellers to share with you some things that are distinctly Canadian.

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From Me...

July 1 marks our great nation's birthday!  On July 1, 1867, four British provinces joined together to make the Dominion of Canada in what we call 'Confederation.'  Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec were first but it wasn't long before the provinces to the West and the territories to the North joined in creating the second largest country in the world.

Photo via Awesome Canada

Canada Day, as we call it, takes place every year on July 1 and it is a National Holiday for all Canadians.  It's celebrated in communities across our country with BBQs, concerts, cake and fireworks but the most famous celebration is located in our nation's capital, Ottawa.  Parliament Hill hosts thousands and thousands of people as we celebrate the great country we are lucky enough to call home.

This year, Joe and I will be crossing the Atlantic but you can bet that we'll toast a very Happy 146th Birthday Canada!
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From Sarah...

Ontario is known for it’s abundance of lakes and a gorgeous area in Southeast Ontario unofficially known as “cottage country”. I’m told this is something that most of the other provinces have but Ontario is especially known for it. From May to September, you can often count on family, friends and neighbours to at some point mention they’re “going to the cottage for the weekend”. Growing up in Ontario meant cottages on the weekend; whether it was a family owned cottage or a rented property, it was just something everyone did.

My step-father’s parents had a lovely cottage just outside Perth, Ontario on Mississippi Lake. As this was only about a 50 minute drive from our house, we spent almost every summer weekend up there, sometimes even just going for the day. There is nothing better than pulling up to the cottage, running inside to change and then dashing down the dock to fling yourself into the freezing cold water of the lake. Of course we always sent my little brother in first to clear the fishes! We spent hours swimming in the lake, waterskiing or tubing off the back of my grandpa’s boat or fighting over the giant hammock strewn between two massive trees. We would fish off the end of the dock or sometimes in the middle of the lake using the boat. The great days were the ones my grandpa would load us into the boat and drive over to the marina at the opposite end of the lake, where we would play on the beach and get ice cream cones.

The best part of the cottage, aside from getting away from the loud bustle of the city, was sitting around the outdoor fire pit at night, watching the flames jump, listening to the loons calling on the water and making s’mores. S’mores is a distinctly North American treat as I have yet to meet anyone outside of the continent that knows about it. Graham cracker biscuits, fluffy marshmallows and a square of delicious chocolate: the best cottage snack known to man. Marshmallows go on a stick with a pointy end, roasted in the fire (sometimes burnt to a crisp) and then smushed between two graham crackers with the chocolate square. Ooozy goodness.

When you grew up, cottages became the place for teenage and (young) adult parties. Many weekends were spent with a “two-four” (24 pack) of beer, several bottles of wine and lots of meat for the BBQ! S’mores were still, of course, eaten in abundance as no sane adult misses the opportunity to eat s’mores!

When you picture Canada, you don’t think of summer but, in Ontario especially, summer is a big part of our culture and cottage country is a major player in that culture. I haven’t lived in Ontario in 9 years but I still miss going to the cottage.

Muskoka Cottage Country, Ontario

Photo Credit: Randy Craig as seen on National Geograhic

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Sarah is a hockey loving, Tim Hortons fanatic Canadian who has called Australia home but this year, she'll be celebrating Canada Day in London, England.  She hails from Ottawa you'll find her cheering on the Senators throughout the NHL season from afar (I don't judge her for it.)

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Part III: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

Since moving abroad, it's become blatantly obvious how little people know about our vast and awesome country.

The international community often assumes that we must be just like the United States and while we gladly share more than just a border, nothing makes a Canadian angrier than being told we're practically American.  (After all, you wouldn't tell a Norwegian they're no different than a Swede or a Scot that they have no culture apart from England.)  We know that we don't do a great job of shouting our accomplishments out to the rest of the world but don't let our quietness fool you, we are fiercely proud of our country.

Over the next few weeks, I've teamed up with some of my favourite Canadian bloggers, expats and travellers to share with you some things that are distinctly Canadian.

In case you missed them... PART I and PART II.

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From Me...

My absolute favourite travel show, Departures, may have ended in 2010 but it's beautiful cinematography sticks with me years later.  The two hosts, Justin and Scott, along with their videographer friend, Andre, travel the globe, featuring authentic and interesting experiences from Canada, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Brazil, Russia, Ethiopia, Mongolia and many more.  For me, it's more than just another travel show, it's an art.  Originally airing in Canada on OLN, I've seen it all over the world thanks to National Geographic picking it up.

I'm looking forward to seeing Scott & Andre's new 13 part documentary, Descending, which premiered in 2012 on OLN.  For those of you not in Canada, you can check out their YouTube channel here.

From Jeanie...

Jeanie: Hello, my large rodent friend.
Beaver: Hi (wearing a red and black checked jacket, and a green John Deere hat.)

Jeanie: Thanks for agreeing to meet with me today, I really appreciate it. 

Beaver: No problem, this isn’t going to take long is it? I’m plenty busy (sucking on his teeth, pssssssft.)

Jeanie: No, no. Just a few quick questions.

Beaver: Okay, let’s get to it.

Jeanie: Well...how do you feel about being the reason that Canada became a nation?

Beaver: I don’t think about it in my day to day life, you know. I’m just a little beaver trying to raise a family and build a nice home. I don’t feel overly popular these days, although I guess in the 17th century people couldn’t get enough of me (pssssssssft.)

Jeanie: It’s true, European men were all sorts of nutso for the felted hat.

Beaver: My fur made the best felt! Take off my think coarse guard hairs and underneath is soft underfur just waiting to be pressed into a fashionable hat. (pulls out a toothpick and sticks it in his mouth)
Beaver: Next question! (toothpick goes flying)

Jeanie: How did this all transpire...your nearly two hundred years of fame?

Beaver: My cousins in Europe went extinct because of the need for beaver furs; over hunted, eh? A French merchant heard that beaver pelts were being found in North America. Samuel Champlain was sent from France and he realized the business opportunities quickly.

Jeanie: Ah, the French and their fashion.

Beaver: No doubt, eh? As always, the Brits were right on their tails, trying to get a piece of that there action.

Jeanie: As they are...

Beaver: Right so...

Jeanie: Errrrrrm...can I interrupt?

Beaver: (raised eyebrow)

Jeanie: Weren’t the First Nations People involved somehow? What was their take on it all?

Beaver: Oh, sorry about that! I totally forgot about them. 

Jeanie: Seems a common problem.

Beaver: Yeah well...of course the First Nations people were the ones who actually did the trapping of the animals. They knew the land and were very skilled at catching animals. They would trade the furs for European goods that made life easier; tin pots, knives, blankets, traps and guns. Of course, liquor was also a high commodity in the later years.

Jeanie: Let’s leave that one alone...seems a touchy subject.
Beaver: Sure, whatever you like. (leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest)

Jeanie: .....
Beaver: ......

Jeanie: So....that’s it?

Beaver: In a nutshell. I mean, the fur trade slowly spread across the country from east to west. There were complications along the way, other resources found, the French and the English continued to fight for control, more settlers came from around the world. (tipping his hat back by pushing up on the brim with one finger)

Jeanie: Thanks for talking to me today.
Beaver: No problem, mind if I get going? (standing up and pushing his chair back with a scrape) I’m getting a little long in the tooth.

Photo via Canadian Geographic

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Jeanie hails from Northern Alberta and after a couple of years teaching in Singapore, she has repatriated and reclaimed her spot amongst the oversized pick up trucks in the small oil city she previously called home.  An avid traveller, she's visited places from Bhutan to Cuba to China to Australia.  She's also a good friend of mine and hopped on over to Europe to galavant around Norway with me!

Part II: O Canada, Our Home and Native Land

Since moving abroad, it's become blatantly obvious how little people know about our vast and awesome country.

The international community often assumes that we must be just like the United States and while we gladly share more than just a border, nothing makes a Canadian angrier than being told we're practically American.  (After all, you wouldn't tell a Norwegian they're no different than a Swede or a Scot that they have no culture apart from England.)  We know that we don't do a great job of shouting our accomplishments out to the rest of the world but don't let our quietness fool you, we are fiercely proud of our country.

Over the next few weeks, I've teamed up with some of my favourite Canadian bloggers, expats and travellers to share with you some things that are distinctly Canadian.

You can check out Part One here!

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From me...
Performing at this year's Coachella, Canadian sisters Tegan & Sara have been respected Canadian artists for years.  Born in Calgary, Alberta, their first album was released in 1999 and their 7th album hit the waves this year.  They've toured with Jack Johnson, The Black Keys, Death Cab for Cutie, The Killers and fellow Canadians, Brian Adams, Rufus Wainwright and City and Colour.  In recent history, their music was featured on Glee and HBO's Girls and they performed on The Ellen Degeneres Show after having just earned their first Grammy nomination.  We are proud to have these twin sisters representing Canadian music.

From Melissa...

While most people know of Australia’s Aborigine people and Native Americans in the USA they are less so aware of Canada’s Aboriginal people also know as First Nations.

Canada is a young country by European standards but First Nations people settled across Canada by 40000 – 10000 BC.  Their history is long, complicated and often contentious but the richness of their culture gives a richness to the fabric of Canada.

First Nations’s art, music, food, and dress is quite distinctive and so quintessentially Canadian but not well known abroad.  If you are visiting Ontario, there is an annual Aboriginal festival in Toronto where one can go to learn more of the culture.  It is also a good opportunity to watch a pow wow and see all the different styles of dance.

Freda Diessing (1925-2002)

Eagle with Salmon 

via The Parliament of Canada Site

From Jess...

I’m delighted to be sharing a few fun facts about my home country with you today. I’m currently studying towards two (yes, I must be crazy) postgraduate degrees in marketing and I’m living, eating, and breathing cool brands. And I bet you didn’t know a lot of those cool brands hail from Canada! (Yes, we do export more than maple syrup and friendly expats.)

RIM (Blackberry): Although it seems to be dying a slow death (sorry, BB’ers!) Research in Motion (RIM) and Blackberry are proud Canadian brands.

McCain: You’re probably familiar with McCain French fries, but you may not know that McCain Foods was established in 1957 by four brothers in Florenceville, New Brunswick (that’s on Canada’s East Coast). Today McCain produces a mind-boggling one-third of the world’s frozen French fry products, consumed in more than 110 countries!

Bombardier (Ski-Doo!): You might have guessed that Ski Doo’s were born in Canada, country of eternal winter. But wait, there’s more! Joseph Bombardier, inventor of the Ski-Doo, and his namesake company also make many of the trains, planes and automobiles that many of you probably rode to work this morning.

Lululemon: When you think of Canadian sports and sport apparel you probably conjure up images of hockey players, snowsuits, and skis. But famous yoga brand Lululemon was born here too, in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1998.

Joe Fresh: Joe Fresh is a fashion brand created by designer Joe Mimran. Joe recently packed up and moved this brand to America, with pop-up shops in NYC and a flagship store on Fifth Avenue. Joe also recently opened over 680 stores within JC Penney outlets throughout America. Not bad for a brand that is still based in grocery stores across Canada! 

More brands to come from Jess later in the series!

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Melissa is a current Canadian expat in London.  Born in Jamaica, growing up in Toronto and travelling from a young age, she's constantly exploring the world and inspiring wanderlust amongst her readers as well as sharing some cool, lesser-known things to do in the UK.

Jess, of Mike and Jess in Malta fame, moved from Halifax on the East coast of Canada to Malta in 2010.  She just completed a double Masters degree, already having finished a degree in Art History and can often be found revelling in clever branding.  If that didn't make her busy enough, she's planning an über-cool wedding to her counterpart, Mike, this year.  (She also designed that awesome graphic above!)