Canadians are Nice!

Canadians are very, very nice. The whole world thinks so. If you have a maple leaf attached it is a good sign and people treat you right. I’ve met a few Americans who realise this too and disguise themselves when travelling with sundry maple leaves with the hope of welcome invitations and decent treatment.

But it’s a two way street. Canadians are very nice in Canada. Very welcoming. Very polite.

Teaching in Nakusp all of the students that I’ve had to deal with have been very well mannered and obedient [at least so far.] A couple of students, who for very small transgressions I’ve had to correct, have immediately and sincerely offered apologies. I’ve even received unsolicited apologies from students for reasons that I remain unclear about. This rarely happens I’m afraid at home.

Yesterday Megan encountered some of Nakusp’s ‘bad element’. As she and Millie approached the lads were engaging in bad language. Before long however they realised that they had been overheard and yelled out an apology and an explanation.

A few weeks ago we met a lovely family in a Kamloops Hotel’s breakfast room. They were African; Nigerian to be precise and had been living in Edmonton in Alberta for some six years. The man of the family was quick to share his view of Canadians as the nicest people in the world. He shared a story which is told among African ex-pats that claims that if you stood on a Canadian’s head he would say sorry for having it there under your foot. He laughed to the point of tears and literally slapped his thigh as he re-told the tall story. I can vouch for the authenticity of the story as often I’ve received apologies when the minor transgression was mine.

No wonder Americans want to be identified as Canadians……………