Living the Prague Life

I am Canadian

One of the inevitable first ice breaking questions you encounter in most conversations here is "where are you from?" My accent betrays me, and many I have met assume I am "American." Do I correct them? True I am from North America and therefore I am technically an "American" but I would never call myself an American. I am finding out more and more how Canadian I am and yet how even my European roots have affected my cultural identity. Cultural identity is interesting and I find myself having to adjust not only to Czech culture but American culture as well. 


I think what I struggle with most is the egocentric thought that my way must be the right way.
 "What? You don't do it that way?" 
"You don't say it that way?" 
"You don't know what that word means?"
"Well that is just weird!"
 How wrong I am... it is NOT weird... it is just different! 

Why do I cling so much to the identity of the country from where I was raised? Why is where you are from so important? The question "Where are you from? "is a spring board in conversation and gives the listener context as to who you might be and what you can learn about the person.
 I am from Canada; I will occasionally say Eh at the end of a sentence when I am seeking a response or agreement to a statement. I may say words differently and use unfamiliar terms. Yes that is a toque, and a chesterfield and sometimes I am a Keener. I enjoy wearing the maple leaf on my jacket and on my back pack. But who I am does not rest solely on where I was born. I am a follower of Christ. I choose to act differently. Talk differently. Live differently! I am a stranger in this world no matter where I live because ultimately this is not my home. The life I live I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me! 

Perhaps the question should not be "Where are you from?" but rather  "Where are you going?" Eh?