Adele Meadow is an Assistant Community Librarian at the Summerland Branch of the ORL
When I was 8 years old I told my dad I was moving to Canada. B.C. to be precise.
That may sound like a strange dream for a child but we were watching footage of the Rocky Mountaineer cruising through the Rocky Mountains and that was it, I was hooked.
Fast forward, ahem, 25 years and I made it, not quite to the Rockies but close enough for this English girl.
The road to Summerland has not always been smooth, we have had our fair share of stresses and emotional upheavals but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am lucky to call this little slice of paradise my home, to be part of a strong community and to be able raise my kids in a safe environment. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been homesick at times, reminiscing and pining for the places and flavours of my youth. On our last return trip to England however I realised that I didn’t consider myself English any more, I barely recognised streets that I had grown up on. The rosy tinted memories of my childhood were replaced with stark images of a very different place than the one I remember. When I was there I longed for home, for Summerland. The final nail in the coffin of my “Englishness” came last fall when we made the ultimate plunge and became citizens.
Becoming a Canadian is not an easy process, we had to really want it and we had to write a test to prove it. During our revision stage, my poor husband, who is not a book nerd, was forced to endure hours of listening to me recite from book after book. I learned so much about Canada, which made me love it even more and it was fun grilling our Canadian friends to see how much they really knew about where they were born.
My favourite books ended up being aimed at children but they were fascinating. Our top picks included “Only in Canada” by Vivien Bowers, “The Big Book of Canada” by Christopher Moore and “Famous Dead Canadians” by Joanne Stanbridge.
I have to admit I haven’t embraced all things Canadian, I don’t drink coffee, I don’t care for doughnuts and the smell of peanut butter makes me nauseous! One of the first things I did when we arrived over 10 years ago was to get a library card. A dedicated book nerd, I couldn’t imagine not having access to thousands of books any time I wanted them. Almost at once I realised something else Canadian that was an acquired taste, Canadian authors. After sampling a few I realised that the quirkiness and individuality I relished in the people surrounding me very definitely translated onto the page, to be honest I found it all a bit weird! I may never be a dedicated Margaret Atwood fan or Douglas Coupland groupie but I now appreciate the uniqueness of these writers who encapsulate the wonderful diversity that makes Canada what it is.
