THINGS ABOUT MY NEW COUNTRY

THAT SURPRISE ME

I came to Canada four years ago from Slovakia, a small country located in the heart of Europe, where I taught high school students.

I decided to live in Canada and to learn more about this country which is known for its democratic political system and tolerance for immigrants. I was interested in the real life of Canadians, their problems, whether there is tension between Canadians and native people or between Canadians and immigrants. Last, but not least, I wanted to improve my English.

A big surprise for me has been certain difference in life styles between Canada and Slovakia. I approve that girls get married at a later age here than in my country. I also approve that parents are very patient with little children, do not raise their voices, or punish them physically when they misbehave.

I do question the long-term results of leniency on the part of some parents who do not impose responsibility on their children such as requiring them to keep their belongings in order and to tidy their rooms. Further, if children do not learn the discipline of priorities at a young age, the TV shows prevail over homework. I have also been surprised by the casualness with which some parents treat bedtime routines and family meals together.

I am truly surprised at the dropout rate in Canadian high schools and the low percentage of students going on to university and college education, compared with that in Slovakia namely 70-75 per cent.

Also surprising to me is the seeming lack of interest shown by some Canadians in their own ancestry and their country’s history. Locally, there are many Vancouverites who do not seem to know first hand what a very interesting city Vancouver itself is.

As I like to explore sights and attractions of Greater Vancouver, I appreciate very much the very good system of public transportation. You can reach any destination and use various modes of transportation with a transfer ticket that is valid for 90 minutes. If you want to see several attractions within a day, you can use a day pass and save a lot of money. In conclusion, I can certainly say that there are more positive than negative impressions about Canada and I continue to observe my new country with great interest and enjoyment.

You may wonder why I am interested so much in the questions of upbringing of children in Canadian families. It is because my background has been a high school teacher of English and Russian languages where I taught in a period of 28 years. In 1994 1 came to Canada. My hobbies are traveling and exploring countries. My goal is to learn as much as possible about American continent and the countries located in North America. I like hiking, skiing, and walking. I am a keen theatre and cinemagoer as well. I got divorced 26 years ago and I didn't remarry again. However I still believe in good friendship between a male and a female. Yours Zuzana.

Editor's note: BTW Ms. Dovalovska used to teach English at the high school in Zvolen where our Slovakia correspondent Dana Hodulova, graduated. Small world in deed.

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 7, No. 1, Spring 1999
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1999 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.