catapult magazine

I’ve been gone for awhile, but I’m back. I know reside in Canada, so all you Canadian’s beware, there is yet another American amongst your midst. I am here to mooch of your free health care, steal you women, and not return your overall politeness. Bewah-ha! The Barbarians Invade!

Actually, no. I am enjoying Toronto quite a bit and have greatly appreicated good ole fashioned Canadian hospitality. I’m wondering who the Canadian *cino members are and if there are any in the Toronto area. Anyone?

Welcome to Canada!!

Honestly, I have no authority to welcome you to Canada since I am neither a Canadian citizen, nor do I live there. But I’m glad you’re there safely. I think Toronto is one heck of a city.

So where you at, Canadians?

Welcome Dave! I haven’t noticed any Torontonians posting regularly on cino. They’re probably too busy making money and hurrying around trying to be like Americans (oft repeated Montreal stereotype) to post on cino. I haven’t spent much time in Toronto but when I used to live other places I heard it was a cool city. What are you doing there Dave?

Oh yeah, remember that you don’t have to lock your doors in Canada. In fact, you can walk into anybody’s house and the residents will welcome you.

yeah, i’m not a canadian either, but . . . kirstin and i will be in toronto in the middle of october (17-19, or something). we should get together, dave!

dan, i am attending ICS. I’m not sure why I made that decision, but so far its been a good one. The rest of the semester depends on whether or not Hegel leaves me in tears. At best, I hope that he does not scream at me in Deutsche. Currently, i’m trying to remain studious by spending my friday evening (my first ever) in the U of T library reading my assingments.
And the thing about leaving your doors unlocked: apparently one of the new students at ICS (from the States) confused your joke for sound advice, because she failed to lock the back door for about an hour during the day when she was lying down in the bedroom, during which time, someone came in and cleaned them out. As much as you can clean out a student, but still….

rob, certainly we must meet. but are you actually going to be in Toronto or just in the Redeemer area?

I’m Canadian, but not in Toronto.
(I also have US citizenship).

Keep us informed about your classes at ICS and feel free to weep on this site if you need to.

Welcome to the North. I became a Canadian this spring after living here for 28 years! (Was US and still am too) I shouldn’t have waited so long. We live in Winnipeg is a great city despite what much of the rest of the country thinks. Hope you enjoy your time here and get to see some of the rest of this country.

I wish I was back in Canada . . .

I’ve only been to Canada a few times, so I didn’t get a chance to get real comfortable. Everyone seems to love Canada so much (and by everyone, I mean Michael Moore), but I just don’t get it. It seems too tame. Maybe “reserved” is a better word. The trains in Toronto are so clean and quiet. There seem to be lots of different cultures in Vancouver, but somehow the cultural differences aren’t as pronounced as they are in America. Montreal is like being in a different country in Europe, but it’s pretty separate from the rest of Canada.

I’m just speaking from personal experience now, but when I got back to the U.S. from Toronto two years ago, I was glad to see African-Americans again. I decided that if I moved to Canada, I’d miss getting on the Red Line here in Chicago where the cultural make-up of the riders change dramatically just South of Jackson. The conversations change. The noise level changes. The rules of social engagement are different. You don’t have anything like that in Canada. I don’t know how you people live without African-Americans!

Grant, I guess I don’t understand exactly where you’re coming from? My years growing up in Canada were anything but tame. (and I’ve never met a bawdier, coarser lot than my Canadian relatives….)
Now, moving to Iowa, on the other hand—I didn’t know so much blandness could exist in one area. Tupperware and macaroni salad with campbell’s mushroom soup and “nice” (mostly white) people….
I guess it is all in your perspective, EH?

Well I have to agree with Grant that Chicago is more ‘exciting’ than any Canadian city. African Americans do tend to shake things up a bit. And blacks in Chicago are still pretty ghettoized, which keeps their culture more distinct. Grant’s entertainment depends upon the intercultural animosities that keep cultures from mingling. And maybe some of the excitement comes from a sense of real danger. I know I felt it in south Chicago and in Cabrini Green.