Nova Scotia

For those of you that do not recognize this pic, this is one i took of the Toney River Beach at a great family party this past august just before i left. I´ve been in Mexico for 3 weeks today, so i guess this pic was taken 4 weeks ago! So hard to believe!
people always ask where i´m from when i´m in a cab or whatnot, especially since my Canadian pin broke off my bag and got lost. I´ve gotten into the habit of being as general as possible by just saying, "soy de Canadá". then they´ll ask about vancouver, and expect me to have been there. Its fun to shock people and say that nova scotia is closer to Europe than it is to Vancouver. Our Country is huge! But our province is very small.
Explaining the concept of winter and snow and storms all the time is a bit of a challenge at times even with my american or english friends. They all know the stereotypes cant be true but when they think of canada, they picture, mounties vs. eskimos in an intense hockey game while all are speaking french. You can´t help but laugh along with them at the absurity of their imagination. Its fun, and the people i´ve met are far from ignorant or arrogant, in fact most are either knowledgable or embarassed at their lack of knowledge.
Either way, Its forced me to examine my country from a more simple perespective. I find myself missing french lately. Sure i still mix in french in with my spanish, which im sure makes no sense to the people listening to me, but of course in my head its perfectly logical that comme is the same as como! Withe every new spanish word i learn, i feel like i´m forgetting my french. It makes me a bit nostalgic, and has resulted in some interesting conversations explaining why my new cell phone is not in English or spanish, but in, as my phone calls it, "canadian french".
Its very hard to explain canada as a whole, and i always end up saying "on the east Coast". My friend from Washington state noticed this, but i´m sure all the east coasters understand the distinction. I think Mexicans have a better chance of understanding it as well because they have a strong regional identity. Every region is very different politically and culturally from the rest of México on the whole. Its very interesting! I find myself becoming more and more proud of Canada despite all the regional distinctions. We´re like 8 countries in one!
I dont miss nova scotia per say, but i´m always thinking about home and appreciating where i am and where i come from in the same instant. Thinking of the music, and the friendly "stop to let you cross the street 3 meters from a crosswalk" atmosphere, friends and family. the Culture of our supposed bilingualism, vast geographic differences, and good water everywhere for either drinking, fishing or swimming. I even had a funny conversation with my spanish teacher about Scottish culture in Nova Scotia, as a light hearted gay man he was especially interested in Kilts!haha Clearly Nova Scotia is phenomenal, but so is Oaxaca! I think they will both be very near to my heart forever.