City Mouse and Country Mouse

"You don't seem like someone from Toronto," a few of my coworkers said to me.

I actually travel outside of the city and around Ontario, they pointed out. I'm more open-minded and I didn't show up with a pair of high heels tucked in my suitcase. They were shocked when I told them I knew of people - not friends of mine - who wouldn't wander north of Bloor Street. It's laughable, but when you give it a bit more thought, it is actually pretty horrifying to know that there are individuals that choose to be ignorant about the very people that live in the surrounding communities, despite claiming to be a cultured citizen of a multi-cultural city.

If you're a friend of mine and reading this blog, you probably enjoying traveling. It's actually the best way to learn about yourself. You don't realize that habits, mindsets, perspectives are specific to you and the environment that you grow up in until you leave it. And being in Quebec has given me more perspective on why other Canadians aren't necessarily the biggest fans of us Ontarians.

There's definitely a difference between how people approach life in Quebec. They embrace the winter by snowshoeing or cross-country skiing; tourists come from all over the world to experience the amazing winter festivals. Ski-doos are more common than cars. When you drive pass through these areas, you can often spot little ice-fishing huts on the lakes. While I'm not saying that these activities don't happen in Ontario, I'd be hardpressed to say that lots of people embrace the winter to the same degree.

And reflecting on how Torontonians approach the winter?

Well, there's definitely a lot of complaining. People in the city whine about the weather. Constantly. When it starts to warm up, everyone starts going bonkers and celebrating. Even I would admit I've been an active participant and having realized that, I hate myself for it. People up here, on the contrary, don't base their observations on the temperature - it's about the flow of the seasons and the natural cycle of things. I'm up next to the Hudson's Bay now and while it was 6 Celsius yesterday, you don't see people rejoicing. The average mean daytime temperature in March is suppose to be -17 Celsius. They weren't complaining about the temperature to begin with and suddenly happy that it's warm. Something is unusual and it makes people weary.

I have to go back to the point about complaining. I think about the conversations I have with people daily when I live in Toronto. It seems that no one is satisfied with anything. The weather sucks. Driving to work sucks. Commuting on the subway sucks. Going to work sucks. Being unemployed sucks. Having a part-time job sucks. Living at home sucks. House-hunting and not being able to find my perfect home sucks. Paying maintenance fees for my condo sucks. Being single and looking sucks. Being stuck with clingy boyfriend/girlfriend sucks.

Everything simply sucks.

Think about what you might have said today when you were at work, or had a beer with a friend. Did you complain?

If you did, then I'm going to give you a sad shake of the head.

What is it that makes the urban environment conducive to excessive griping? Is it the paradox of choice, as Barry Schwartz claims? Is it the pollution that's gone to our head? Or is it the high population density that just drives us batty? Why can't we be satisfied with what we've got? Cause we've got a lot of choice!

Up here life is simple. I'm not claiming it's perfect but you learn to live with what you've got. You stay in tune with your senses, the seasons and the people around you. You make the best of what you have. It's a different environment up here. People are more realistic in their approach to life and simply live it, instead of complaining about it.

At the same time, most of the highly motivated students I've seen are also those who have lived in the city and moved around a lot. They are more outspoken, carry themselves differently and are often more insightful. It's the fact that they experience a lot - and experience what may be different and new - that makes them more open-minded. I feel that living both worlds keep our expectations of ourselves and those around us healthy*.

So shut up and stop complaining.

*Maybe this is why camping is so refreshing to us city folk.