Mon, 05 Sep 2005

Yesterday, me and my sweet wife went to the Pacific National Exhibition here in Vancouver, and it struck me that I should probably talk a bit more about the cultural differences between Vancouver, Canada and Antwerp, Belgium. I have started of with some of the more basic ones. Forward!

People are nice here, they also talk to each other
When me and/or Carolien step into the elevator of our building, people say hi and will ask how we are doing. When stepping on/of the bus people thank the driver. When we were riding the bus yesterday we saw 3 ladies, strangers to each other, discuss the best brand of canned diced tomatoes. After a couple of weeks here I felt uncomfortable not to join them and add my opinion.

North-American TV is archetypical on a biblical level
When I turn on the TV and flip through the 60 channels, I can fit almost every program into one of a very small number of program templates. Some of these have a special meaning in my heart. I like Bollywood movies and Indian music videos a lot, although I probably never watch it longer than half an hour in a row. Huge dance scenes, Delhi style hip hop, slightly homo-erotic all-male duets and melodies that just do not get out of your head: what is there not to love? Other shows that we do like a lot: Family Guy, Seinfeld, Japanese Iron Chef, The World Championship Of Running Into Closed Doors and wood-work or car-engine DIY shows that alway seem to be recorded inside a parallel universe where the seventies never really went away.

Mountains rock
When I walk through the city and look up to the end of the street and see across the blue sea the peaks of distant mountains hug the sky, I realize this is one heck of a special place to be.

People are fly and sweet, dog
Every Vancouverite younger than 20 years old here thinks he/she is black and living in some ghetto. Nuff said.

Something is missing
Every part of me feels complete and satisfied here and the quality of my life jumped through the roof. Even then: sometimes there is a gap where family and friends should be. Come on guys, move over here, it would be really convenient for us, and you'd probably like it as well!