Greetings from Canada. I'm back for a few weeks, in Orleans, asuburb of Ottawa, to visit family.
Ottawa is beautifu, greener and cleaner than any Chinese city I've seen thus far; then again, the same goeas for every canadian city I've seen when compared to any Chinese city I've seen (I've seen at least 17 Canadian cities in four provinces I can think of off the top of my head, and 8 Chinese ones in 5 provinces). But then, I suppose that's to be expected, considering the comparative level of development in the two countries.
What I'd forgotten about, though, is the suburban sprawl my parents love to live in (God knows why :? ).
In China, even when I find myself in a new city, I can usually find my way around within a few days, because there are distinguishing features everywhere, even in the 'suburbs' (for lack of a better word). It might be that there's a bicycle shop, or a restaurant, or a supermarket, a police station, school, park, or at least something on nearly every street there is which can be used as a reference point when finding ones way. And even if I do get lost, I only need to ask where the reference point is, and certainly someone will know!
Here in Orleans, it's a whole other ball game. I got lost trying to find my parents home the first day, and wasn't even sure if I was in the right neighbourhood, 'cause every house and street and car and... person, really,.. just all looked the same! Well, as it turned out, I was lucky; I was in the right neighbourhood as I'd found out once I'd found the house. But anyway, I'd ask the locals where my parent's street is, and people living just a block away had never heard of it.
I tried looking for some distinguishing feature. Hmm... That house has a Canadian flag... oh, but so does that one and that one and that one... hmm... That house is a duplex... Oh, but so is that one and that one and that one.... Hmmm... this house is brown... and so is... you get the picture...
I even tried to look for movable reference points. Seems there are only so many colour patterns for cars around these parts, and even the design looks the same for most cars. Every time I saw a red car go by, it looked like my parents'. It was driving me insane!
I'd walked at least twenty minutes, maybe even thirty, in a straight line trying to find my street, just to see nothing but houses... oh, sorry, there was a school!... but to no avail. If I should do the same in China, I'd certainly come across at least on of each of the following: apartment buildings, school, myriad kinds of shops, restaurants, office buildings, and that would be in the more homogenously residential neighbourhoods!
Well, to go along with the story, I finally fond the fire station (certainly they'd know!). Lisbon Street? Never heard of it. So he looks on the map, staring at a maze of look alike streets swirling around with not one distinguishing feature going for well over a kilometre, and finally finds it, gives the instructions, and I finally find my way home.
I've lost my way in this maze twice already in the last few days in Canada, and still don't know the neighbourhood yet. One wrong turn, and I'm lost!
Man, can't we try, just try, to be a little more original sometimes!
Do you live in a cookie cutter neighbourhood?
Ottawa is beautifu, greener and cleaner than any Chinese city I've seen thus far; then again, the same goeas for every canadian city I've seen when compared to any Chinese city I've seen (I've seen at least 17 Canadian cities in four provinces I can think of off the top of my head, and 8 Chinese ones in 5 provinces). But then, I suppose that's to be expected, considering the comparative level of development in the two countries.
What I'd forgotten about, though, is the suburban sprawl my parents love to live in (God knows why :? ).
In China, even when I find myself in a new city, I can usually find my way around within a few days, because there are distinguishing features everywhere, even in the 'suburbs' (for lack of a better word). It might be that there's a bicycle shop, or a restaurant, or a supermarket, a police station, school, park, or at least something on nearly every street there is which can be used as a reference point when finding ones way. And even if I do get lost, I only need to ask where the reference point is, and certainly someone will know!
Here in Orleans, it's a whole other ball game. I got lost trying to find my parents home the first day, and wasn't even sure if I was in the right neighbourhood, 'cause every house and street and car and... person, really,.. just all looked the same! Well, as it turned out, I was lucky; I was in the right neighbourhood as I'd found out once I'd found the house. But anyway, I'd ask the locals where my parent's street is, and people living just a block away had never heard of it.
I tried looking for some distinguishing feature. Hmm... That house has a Canadian flag... oh, but so does that one and that one and that one... hmm... That house is a duplex... Oh, but so is that one and that one and that one.... Hmmm... this house is brown... and so is... you get the picture...
I even tried to look for movable reference points. Seems there are only so many colour patterns for cars around these parts, and even the design looks the same for most cars. Every time I saw a red car go by, it looked like my parents'. It was driving me insane!
I'd walked at least twenty minutes, maybe even thirty, in a straight line trying to find my street, just to see nothing but houses... oh, sorry, there was a school!... but to no avail. If I should do the same in China, I'd certainly come across at least on of each of the following: apartment buildings, school, myriad kinds of shops, restaurants, office buildings, and that would be in the more homogenously residential neighbourhoods!
Well, to go along with the story, I finally fond the fire station (certainly they'd know!). Lisbon Street? Never heard of it. So he looks on the map, staring at a maze of look alike streets swirling around with not one distinguishing feature going for well over a kilometre, and finally finds it, gives the instructions, and I finally find my way home.
I've lost my way in this maze twice already in the last few days in Canada, and still don't know the neighbourhood yet. One wrong turn, and I'm lost!
Man, can't we try, just try, to be a little more original sometimes!
Do you live in a cookie cutter neighbourhood?
I have been wondering where you were?? Welcome home, I missed reading your stories about china. :wink:
