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Those Wacky Foreigners

Estragon's shoes

I’m in America.

It can often be strange to be in a foreign nation. I have the lovely fortune of living within driving distance of some wonderful cities, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, and in the United States, there’s New York City. Not only that, I have some wonderful family who are nice enough to let me stay with them. It’s beyond lovely.

I am confused by my American friends and family. Sure, you don’t know the word “toque” and you may never have tried poutine1, you might say “restroom” as if you go there to have a rest, you might pronounce sorry as “sari” which I thought is a piece of clothing. What gets me most is your shoes.

When I get home from a long day at the office, the first thing I do is take off my shoes. Often I’ll crack my toes and enjoy to wonderful feeling of being in socked or bare feet. Is there anything better that not wearing shoes? If I’m at the office and my feet are hurting, I’ll take my shoes off at my desk. I’ll enjoy wandering around my apartment with my feet on the couch, my feet on the bed, not worrying that I’m going to track snow, mud, slush, rain, or just the grime of Toronto into my apartment.

My New York counterparts seem to think differently. I don’t get it. I think this is a cultural difference between Americans and Canadians that we will forever feel, but let’s not let it overshadow the international friendship known by no two other sovereign nations.

Long live the Queen.

Photo taken by me (Adam M. Anklewicz) between acts of Waiting For Godot at the Cort Theatre in New York City on 28 December 2013 and yes, whenever I think of America, I think of that scene in The Muppet Movie.

  1. Can you get kosher cheese curds? []

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