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YORKE: Place called home shaped like a maple leaf

Living south of the forty-ninth-parallel, I have to admit that on a regular basis, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be a Canadian. We have social systems in place that are the envy of many average Americans.

Living south of the forty-ninth-parallel, I have to admit that on a regular basis, I am reminded of how lucky I am to be a Canadian. We have social systems in place that are the envy of many average Americans. There is something so real and understated about Canadians, as a people. We are not brash or boastful, generally. We appreciate the environment and genuinely show respect for one another in our daily interactions. We don't have to sing the national anthem loud and proud on repeat. We know who we are and we are content with this, it seems.

Starting the new year off in the Lower Mainland, I am reminded of a slower-paced life than I am used to. Crisp, fresh air and open skies abound. I find myself so much more conscious of the majesty of nature when I am home in Canada. (In Chicago, for example, it is just too darn cold to enjoy the natural environment for much of the year.) The city has grown and the light rapid transit system (SkyTrain) has expanded but there is still a need for a car in most places here. Most people I know in the city commute by car on a day-to-day basis. Where as, in Chicago, Hong Kong and Shanghai, (the three other places that I call home,) I know far fewer people with cars. The need for wheels is just not there for most urban dwellers in these cities. I always feel insecure not having a driver's license in Coquitlam but when in Chicago or spending summers in Asia, I never even think about having a license. In my other home cities, driving is just not an option, so no worries.People talk about the independence and freedom driving brings.Yes, many Canadians seem to love the open road and this kind of independence. I guess this is an aspect of Canadiana that I do not understand quite yet.

My ancestors (on one side) and my dad (on the other), decided to settle in this land called Canada. This is not an uncommon story and most of us arrived in Canada from other places (or our ancestors did). I love that people from all corners of the globe have made this place their choice of home. Where people immigrate here from everywhere, my mom and I have made choices to live outside for the last several years.

It is interesting too to be a Canadian, living in another land. People's perceptions about Canadians are interesting.My mom gets frustrated how seldom Canadian stories (that are really important to us) make international news in Asia. As for me, in Chicago, I live in such close proximity to Canada and yet there is so little knowledge and understanding about Canada around me. And no, reruns of South Park and the Canadian dude in the Simpsons don't contribute to true understanding about Canadiana.

There are choices in front of me about what to do next year after I graduate from my first degree at university. Honestly, I don't know exactly where I will land and how long I will stay in any particular place. But I do know that wherever I roam on this planet, there is always this place in my heart called home in the shape of a little maple leaf.

Naomi Yorke is a Port Coquitlam student who lived in Shanghai, China for four years, writing about her experiences twice a month for The Tri-City News. She now lives in Chicago, where she's attending art school, and continues her column.