Interview chain

Zhu, a fellow blogger, sent me these interview questions. I could have written about these things for the rest of the year, but have tried to keep answers short.

1) You were born in the UK. When did you come to Canada, and why ?

Good. Easy one to start: December 2000. Why: Let’s call it a flexible pre-nup with my Canadian wife. After spending 7 years of married life in the UK, a career crossroads seemed the right time to honour the unofficial vow that we would spend part of our lives on both sides of the Atlantic.

Now, it’s 2007, which makes us all square. Recipe for marital longevity: we don’t get mad, we get even.

2) Have you ever experienced culture shock? In which situation?

Well, in terms of culture shock in Canada, I didn’t really experience culture shock because of a specific event. Culture deprivation maybe. Ha. Just kidding. I think I was gradually surprised by how different things were from Europe.

Just by way of example: At first, I really missed going to watch my soccer team (still do really). In an attempt to compensate, we went to a couple of baseball games.

Once, at the Skydome, there were a bunch of guys alone in one of the upper sections. They were shirtless and looked fairly menacing. OK – here comes trouble, I thought, expecting missiles to start raining down onto the field.

Instead, they proceeded to separate and stand at various points in the otherwise empty section. Next, they began to perform a synchronised dance routine as if it were a boy band audition.

Given my long history of football stadium experience, it was the complete antithesis of my expectations.

3) Do you feel more Canadian or more English?

More English without a doubt. I feel more or less at home in Canada these days, but I doubt I’ll ever feel that ingrained sense of belonging that I do in the UK.

I never really had a natural affinity for North America or sensed any motivation to “feel Canadian” so I can’t see that changing much.

4) What don’t you like in Canada ? I mean, outside the freezing cold winters?

Well, the winters have really grown on me. I’m going off summers if anything – the heat and air quality just sap energy. Apart from that, I try not to dwell on things I don’t like about Canada.

It’s better to look for the unique features of Canada that can be enjoyed while we’re living here (I’m sure I’ll find some soon).

5) Which part of your English heritage do you want to pass on to your kids?

Hmm, that’s difficult. Heritage is such a loaded word, especially with an imperial past to consider. English heritage as a term also conjures up images of superbly preserved stately homes, over-fed ravens, and heavyweight bling plundered from the outposts of the empire. Not sure I’ll be passing on much of that stuff to my kids.

On the other hand, I think our kids are getting an insight into aspects of English culture that I appreciate such as: political debate level, the arts, comedy, TV, radio, newspapers, access to the countryside, and the almost indefinable sense that humour is lurking just below the surface of every situation.

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If you want to be the next interview victim, here are the steps to take:

* Leave a comment at my blog saying, “Interview me”and include your blog URL.

* I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.

* You will update your weblog with the answers to the questions.

* You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

* When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

* Have fun!

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