Big differences between neighboring countries

I was just eating lunch by myself at the center-ville of downtown Montreal today, and I thought to myself, what a wonderful city Montreal is and peaceful country Canada is.

Nobody comes to bother you, or ask you for money, or try to steal your purse while you eat your lunch peacefully. I went to the gym yesterday and this guy tapped me on the shoulder and I stared at him alarmingly thinking he might be up to no good. He pointed on the ground and smiled, "you dropped this." I realized that a 20 dollar bill had fell out of my pocket to the floor. How embarrasing of me to even think he might be a criminal!

People here are so nice and seems very happy in general. Last time I went back to San Diego, I was walking out of Best Buy. I happened to be in the way of this lady getting out of her gigantic gas eating SUV and with her screeching voice she told me "Excu---se YOU." I mean, what is the purpose to be mean to someone? Does that make her feel better about herself?

Don't even get me started on my story of when we came back to SFO from a great snowboarding trip from Vancouver, to these whale sized ladies (and their puny sidekick man) who was shouting so much trash at us, it wouldn't be strange if she actually slapped me in the face. I don't want to generalize, but I just so happen to run into more people who like to be mean for no apparent reason in the States. I'm not saying all Americans are like that but there just seems to be more of them there.

I've been living in Canada for only about 3 weeks and already I can feel the difference of atmosphere between here and the neighboring country called United States. What makes these 2 neighboring countries with so many similarities so different from each other. I think theres a lot more than the fact that you can own guns. Canadians can also own hunting guns with a license. Maybe its the political focus of the country?

I truly feel upset and sad upon hearing the tragedy of the Virginia Tech killings. Can't even begin to imagine that things like this could have been me when I was in school or to my family and friends. I watched Bowling for Columbine years ago and agreed with many of the things talked about on the film, but it's sad that even with all the effort people make to prevent stuff like this from happening, it still happens over and over again. Its also scary because what if kids start to bring guns to school because they feel that there is a need to protect themselves? I can just see the bad cycle already going on there.

When I was living in the States, I never even had a thought about how nice this neighboring country may be. When I went to college my friends from the upper states like New York always talked trash about Canadians, how we are so much better then them, etc. They really shouldn't talk because they didn't know what they're talking about. When we knew we had to leave Japan we had the choice of going back to San Francisco or Montreal. Lucky me to be able to move here because of Sylvain's job transfer, because now that I have lived in both places I know that we made a good choice to be here.


今日は一人でモントリオールのダウンタウンで昼ごはんを食べながら、この町がキレイで平和だなぁっと思いました。

誰 も邪魔してこない、お金くださいとか言われない、かばんを盗もうとしたりのはしない。　一人で平和で昼ごはんが出来る。　昨日はジムに行って、肩がある 男の人にタップされてビックリして、もしかして悪い人！と思って。　彼は床に指差してにっこりして「これ、落ちたよ」と。　それで自分のポケットから２０ ドルが床に落ちたのを気づいた。　この優しい方が悪い人かと思った自分がはずかしい～！

ここの皆は普通に優しくて、機嫌がいいほうと思 う。　この間サンディエゴに帰った時、Best Buyという店から出て、あるデカイSUVを運転してる女の人の前にちょっと邪魔になってしまったら、彼女がすごいイヤな声で「Excuse You!」と言った。なんでそんなに他人にひどいこと言う必要があるのかよ。　それを言ったら彼女が自分のことがえらくなると思う？

また 何年前のハプニングを思い出した。話が長いので短くしたら、バンクーバーに素敵なスノボード旅行からサンフランシスコに帰ってきたら、鯨よりデカイ二 人の女の人（と超痩せて小さい男の人一人）はあたし達にめっちゃ悪い言葉で叫んでて、まさかクリッシーの顔は殴られても変じゃないかと思った。　アメリカ 人は全部そういうのが言いたいじゃないけど、アメリカに失礼な人と出会う比率が高めです。

カナダに３週間だけで、すでにアメリカとの雰囲気が違うのが感じる。　すぐ隣のこの二つの国がなんかあるところ似たような、他のところが違うような。　銃が持てるのせいかと思ったが、カナダ人もライセンスがあればハンティング銃が持てる。もしかして政治の方針が違うかな？

バー ジニア・テックの悲劇を聞いてすごく悲しいです。なんかこんなことが学校に居た時になる可能性があるのを考えたら怖いです。何年前にボーリング・ フォー・コロンバインを観てすごく色々その映画からよく説明された。でもどんなに努力しても、悲劇がまだ起こる。　もしかしたら、これから学生達が自分を 守るため銃を学校にもって行く可能性があると思ったら、本当に怖い。　悪循環は始まりそうだ。

アメリカに住んでた時、カナダのことがいい 国など思うもしなかった。大学の時北の州の友達はいつもカナダの悪口してた、アメリカの方が絶対いいだとか。で も知らない人は話してもしょうがない。　日本から出ることが分かった時、サンフランシスコやモントリオールどっちか行くのが選べれたけど、あたしたちがこ こを選んで本当にラッキーでよかった！両方住んだことがあるから、ここを選んだのが正解と思った。