One of the best things about Toronto is the multi-culturalism. Where else can you hear three or four languages being spoken at the same time. We talk about Canada being a cultural mosaic all the time, but the reality is it isn’t. You won’t find to many Filipinos in Maple Creek, or Ethiopians in Fort Nelson. I am not bashing these towns, I have been to both and found them quite delightful, the point is that not everywhere in Canada is multi-cultural.
This morning I was getting on the subway and as always seats were at a premium. I was walking quickly towards the open door of the subway car and at the same time this Chinese couple was coming from the other direction. I could tell that they were going for the available seats as well so I picked up my pace. At the same time so did they. As it turned out the woman got in the door before me and the man behind me. I didn’t stop to let them in, I just slid in between them. I got a seat and he didn’t.
A few minutes later I notice a similar race between an older Chinese woman and this middle-aged Caucasian business woman. The Chinese woman sort of cut off the other woman and took the seat. While the Caucasian woman just glared at her and I thought that was interesting. The Chinese couple I had cut off bore me no ill will, despite stepping between them, it was simply the way things worked out. While here this white woman was glaring daggers at someone faster than her. In China I remember racing for the seat on the train as just a fact of life.
While this particular cultural difference doesn’t both me. There are some that do. Spitting. I can handle it if you cough and then need to spit the phlem out. I can’t handle those smoking Korean kids who spit by letting it dribble out. Perhaps they don’t know how to spit properly.
It made me wonder if there are cultural things we do in North America that offend the rest of the world. (Besides invading them I mean.) What cultural traits bother you?