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| Train ride along the Rhein River with lots of castles and vineyards |
Blog 5
As an instructor, I love sharing my experiences while learning about my students' stories. By comparing certain aspects of life in Germany and Canada, I will tell you more about my background and transformation.
When I arrived in Canada, everything was new, exciting and scary at the same time. For most of my life, I had lived close to my family and friends. The furthest distance was during my six-month internship at a yarn company in southern Germany. It was less than a 3-hour drive from there to my parents' home.
Moving 6,000 km away to a metropolis like Toronto was inconceivable. I hardly knew anything about Canada. Until then, the only time I left Europe was for a summer vacation to the Asian part of Turkey. I was used to a small town of about 10,00 people. In comparison, Frankfurt, where I worked, seemed enormous, even with a population of only about 600,000 in the early 1990s.
Aside from the big cities, much of Canada is rural or wilderness, so travel between inhabited areas is often long. It's not surprising that Germans and Canadians have different perceptions of distances. While many Canadians view a 2-hour drive as a short trip, many Germans may even question such a trip for a weekend.
Arriving in Toronto, I experienced a culture shock. Everything was super-sized: giant homes, huge cars, wide roads, massive parking lots and shopping centres. Getting to the next bus stop required a long walk. Anywhere outside of the centre of town, you still need a car.
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| from my sketchbook |
I love the space Canada offers. In Germany, the small streets with on-street parking annoy me. The traffic volume is so bad that I prefer public transportation during my visits. It makes traveling less stressful, and I get endless opportunities to sketch.
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| from my sketchbook |
When I visit Germany these days, I still enjoy that everything is close. You can usually walk to a couple of grocery stores, bakeries and a multitude of boutique stores.
Many Germans frequently complain about the reliability of public transportation, but it takes you almost everywhere. As Germany is less than half the size of Ontario, it becomes clear why public transit is more available in Germany. With over five times the population of Ontario, the density in cities makes public transportation more manageable.
The densely populated German country also means that most people don't own a house. Roughly half the population rents their living space, especially in the cities. Many people move to the suburbs because they cannot afford the rental fees in the large cities. It is a struggle to afford a house in Germany without a second full-time income. Plus, most people stay in their homes until they are too old to live independently or die. Therefore, many children take over their parental home. This situation is slowly changing as employment decisions have forced more people to move.
In Canada, people aim to buy a house or apartment. For many, renting is a transitional phase. When I came to Canada, I could hardly believe that people moved, on average, every seven years. However, these days, the dream of owning a house is almost unattainable for many young people due to housing shortages and the high cost of living.
I feel happy in our neighbourhood. Our family could not have afforded a house with a large yard in Germany. It was the perfect place for our children to grow up. Plus, I love my spacious art studio.
I like that we live close to the Ottawa River and many green spaces. However, I miss the many paths through residential neighbourhoods, through fields and woods that link towns and make Germany very bike-friendly.
During the next five months, I will reflect on my decision to stay in Canada relating to my five core values:
- Creativity
- Community
- Connection
- Collaboration
- Curiosity
