Ten Things That Canada Taught Me

Canada Flag

It’s the final issue of the Interrobang for this school year, and honestly, it’s gone by so fast. It seems like yesterday was the first day of class and it’s already the end of a fruitful year. While I’ve been writing about all these different Canadian things that catch my eye, I've often been asked "what has Canada has taught you?"
She’s taught me a lot, all in such a short time, and I list just a few below in no particular order:

10. Hockey is life: I’d be livid with myself if hockey wasn’t on this list. I grew up watching the very limited hockey that ESPN would broadcast back in India. I fell in love with the Anaheim Ducks and NHL 2002 back in the day, but to actually live in the country where it’s considered a pastime in the winter has been unreal, in a word. Cue the celly...

9. Poutine is heavenly: French fries with cheese and gravy: Poutine. Poo-teen for those still wondering how it's pronounced. I still remember the first one I had, back at Oasis, the school cafeteria if I may, back in October 2011. I’ve been hooked on the stuff ever since. Now, it’s been brought to my attention that too much poutine isn’t the best thing ever, mainly because it’s so fattening and unhealthy, but let’s be frank here, it’s delicious. And because it is delicious, I’m going to make the exception every so often. Mmm, gravy...

8. 12°C is warm weather: Back in Calcutta, India, our winters would touch 12°C. Sometimes, if we got lucky, it would drop to 9°C or so. It used to be freezing cold back then. The other day when my dad called and I told him 12°C was warm, he gasped. Now that I've lived here for seven months, I now know that is 12°C warm weather. Why even the other day when it was 3°C, I told myself it's warm, so I guess old man winter has yet to show me what he can do. Perhaps a trip to Winnipeg or Alberta might change all that, but until then, "To the beach..."

7. The Toronto Maple Leafs are really awful: Sorry, Leafs fans, but you know I had to. I knew you guys never made the playoffs since the lockout; I never knew it’s been such a long, unfruitful run. It’s tough on you guys, I can empathize, but this is something that I came across only after coming to the Great White North. And I love it. The odds of laughing at James Reimer, or the Phil Kessel trade, or the fact that the team is just god awful. Buck up, lads, you’ll be playoff-bound soon. Or not.

6. The Arkells are brilliant: The Arkells are an amazing band. And they’re Canadian. I’d never heard about them, and now they fill up my iPod. I’d say coming to Canada has really opened my eyes to a lot of great music that you would never ever hear of if you stayed in India. I’m disappointed with myself for not going to the Arkells show in London a few months back, but I plan to see them if and when they return to London. Until then, my iPod has to work overtime.

5. Without Tim Hortons, this country would be static: You really didn't think I’d forget Tim Hortons, did you? Without Tim Hortons, there is no Canada (if you permit me to exaggerate just a little bit). It’s true, though; Timmies are in every part of the country I’ve seen. After all, who doesn't like to grab a hot coffee and a donut, and oh need I mention 'Rrroll up the Rim'? 1 in 6 odds? I laugh at that Tim Hortons. Still, I'm hooked. And now, to grab myself a large double-double and roll up the rim...

4. Nickelback is not everyone’s cup of tea: Honestly, this one surprised me to a degree. I grew up listening to Nickelback, and when I came to Canada, I discover that they are despised in some parts of the country. I haven’t been able to decipher the reason so far, but rest assured I will try to put this mystery behind me. I set Rockstar as my alarm tone because it is so annoying. Everyone knows that, "Coz we all just wanna be big rock stars..."

3. Shovelling snow is a better workout than you’d get at GoodLife: For starters, I’ve never ever hit a gym in my life, so don’t count on me being an expert. What I can tell you is that shovelling snow is not fun. Every morning, in those sub-zero conditions, you go out and burn those calories. I did it for the first time ever this winter and it wasn’t pleasant. And you know what the best part is? You get to do it all over again the next day.

2. Bilingualism is in: This is one thing that’s impressed me so far. I’ve never been to Quebec, but I hear it’s a lot more French biased. Ignoring that fact, everything I’ve seen is bilingual. I see it as promoting cultural diversity, which I believe is a great thing. French-Canadian or English- Canadian is still Canadian, and that is the main thing. Merci.

1. ‘Eh’: Hilarious as this may seem, this is a word I’ve observed numerous people use, whether on the bus or in the halls of Fanshawe. The word seems to be a conjunction finding its way into many sentences, although I’ve seen it as a standalone word numerous times.Where did I first hear it eh? Only everywhere, and by everywhere I mean everywhere. And you know what the funniest bit is right now? I use it myself. Funny how that works, eh?

It’s been a great year in Canada and at Fanshawe. I’ve made so many friends and met new people. I love this country, to tell you frankly: the culture, the food, the people. It’s definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made in life. The country has grown on me and I can’t wait to be back next year.

Until then, Canaduh 1, 'Murica 0 

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8423&sectionID=2&issueID=203
Image Credit: http://mobi-wall.brothersoft.com/files/640480/c/12814388987247.jpg
Video Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOm-15621bs

This Is It...

Surprise MVP Candidate: Kevin Love

So here we are; the last issue of the Interrobang for this school year. While the NBA season will still go on, it won’t be possible to write more about the league. In that regard, this will be my playoff preview, if I may call it that.

At the time of writing, just two teams have clinched playoff spots: The Chicago Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hardly surprising there, I would say; these are the two teams I fancy to top their respective conferences. Miami sits second in their conference and they should qualify next, but one team that has caught my eye is the San Antonio Spurs. They sit second in the West and have played just 50 games (at the time of writing). Remarkable, considering many view them as an ‘aging team.’

On the other side of things, three teams are already out of playoff contention: the New Orleans Hornets, the Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Bobcats. The fourth worst win percentage (at a modest .340) is Toronto. At this moment, they look to be the next team headed out of playoff contention.

Jeremy Lin is out injured; he’s expected to be out for six weeks. That could be six long weeks for the New York Knicks as they sit in eighth place in the East and the Milwaukee Bucks are right on their tail. The NBA playoffs begin on April 28 and if the Knicks do squeeze into the playoffs, they will be up against the Bulls, and honestly, they would be massive underdogs in that matchup.

If the league were to end with the standings as they are, there is one matchup that will be interesting to watch: the L.A. Lakers against the Dallas Mavericks. Remember Dallas swept the Lakers aside last year in their conference semi-final matchup, so Kobe Bryant and company will be out for revenge. By no means has this Dallas team impressed me so far, so I won’t put it beyond the Lakers to take the series this time around should it occur.

All this discussion leads me towards another key question that basketball fans always seem to debate about: who will be this year’s MVP? I’ve come up with a few candidates who could take home top prize, but by no means is this list definitive:

• Kevin Durant: He missed out on this award last year. While Derrick Rose was a worthy winner, remember Durant didn’t get half as much coverage as Rose did. So for him to win the NBA MVP award will be a huge boost indeed.
• Derrick Rose: He’s arguably Chicago’s key player. Rose is one of the reasons why Chicago is running riot in the NBA this season. He scores when called upon and distributes the ball well. He’s another definite MVP candidate, but his injury layoff could hamper his chances.
• Chris Paul: He had his stellar seasons at New Orleans, and now that Paul is in L.A., he’s clicking well with the Clippers. Based on the Clippers’ season, he could end up with this award, and that is something that will drive the Lakers mad.
• LeBron James: James is always going to be on the MVP candidate list, he is that big a player. His offensive efficiency is excellent, while his rebounding and defence has been outstanding. He showed what he can do when Dwayne Wade was out, but the one thing James wants more than anything is the NBA ring that has eluded him all these years.
• Kevin Love: I’m going to take a huge gamble and place Love on this list. While most people expect the MVP to at least make the playoffs, this year Love has improved his game. I credit the Ricky Rubio effect as the key to this transition. While Minnesota’s failure to possibly make the playoffs could ruin Love’s chances for the award, his stats still show what he is capable of.
• Kobe Bryant: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. He’s played injured and he’s scored key points to help the Lakers win games, so it’s no surprise that he is on this list as well. He’s leading the shortened NBA season in scoring. He’s also broken a couple of records this season, which adds to his credentials. So, I guess, while I might not be his biggest fan, this list would be incomplete without Bryant.

The league is winding down to an end, and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis tipped to be a first overall pick in 2012, which isn’t surprising, given his potential. This shortened NBA season is surely putting up some surprises. It’ll be sad when the season is over, but then you just have to wait a few more months for it to happen all over again. Amazing!

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8433&sectionID=4&issueID=203
Image Credit: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/news_cut/content_images/love_buzzer.jpg
Video Credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHfUQMv6uW0