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Living between two cultures

I live between two cultures. Sometimes it is easy as crossing the international border. Sometimes it is like a marriage between two people who are never wrong. There is something very wrong about a person never wrong. There is something very wrong about a marriage where the two are both never wrong. Living between two cultures is not that hard, provided you can live with change.

In human cultures, there are some very basic things and needs. All people need and like food. All people like to associate with, or social with people. People have their own beliefs, even those who think they don't.

I was born in Province of Quebec in Canada. Yet I'm not the French speaking immigrant. I don't even speak much of English. My parents can't or couldn't even remember which forefather immigrated to Canada. They can't even say which century they immigrated in.

I live in a big cosmopolitan city. I am legally co-joined in a cross cultural marriage. I live and work in another culture actually. I do this out of choice. I have chosen to live in another culture. Most of the time, it is no problem. Sometimes it can be even amusing. My wife left me one time, when we bought our first house. She was so excited when we signed the papers and got the keys from the notary. She was driving and took off before I had a chance to get in the car. I had to case her down.

In my culture, to haste at departure is something as old as day. When we go fishing or camping, I will usually be the one in haste and extremely impatient. It is a cultural thing. Sometimes the great hunters deliberate for hours their next move. Then when they come to a consensus, packing and departure are treated like a timed competition. Even lunch on the road can be done so quickly that I for instance will be the last person to arrive and depart. The rhythms of hunting are set at a practiced speed and if you've been away a while, you'll struggle to keep pace.

One of the big difference is the concept of time. Time up north is a lot like time in paradise. It doesn't matter that much. Approach to work is also like that. Work can be very relaxed up north. Or it can be work day and night. The dictator is the weather and the environment.

One of most absurd concepts of the city folk was their concept of snow storm. A snow storm is anything more than 20 centimeters. A gentle falling of 20 centimeters. My concept was howling winds with the snow whipping your face. A storm is what keeps you inside until you suffer from cabin fever.


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