Happy Canada Day, Shades readers! 

Our amazing country celebrates its 152nd birthday today and there are celebrations all over to commemorate the occasion. 

My relationship with Canada began many years ago.  For most of the first two decades of my life, I travelled back and forth between here and Trinidad, spending most of my summer and Christmas vacations here.  I loved visiting Canada for a variety of reasons.  As a kid, getting on the plane meant I was really on vacation which was always exciting and fun.  As I entered my teens, I was always ahead of the pop culture curve when I spent time here since we did not have the internet then (yes, I am aging myself!) and most things travelled more slowly across the world.  When I got back to school in September, laden with knowledge about music or movies that had not hit Trinidad yet, it was awesome! 

I moved here at the end of high school and while I missed my friends and family very much, I soon settled into life quite well.  I started to work and then entered University and then shortly after, met my now husband.  Fast-forward some time further to today and I am still enjoying what Canada has to offer and am very grateful for what we have at our fingertips. 

One of the things I love most about this great country and in particular, this wonderful place called Toronto, is the presence of so many cultures and ethnicities on parade here.  Multiculturalism is a real thing and while there are issues that sometimes accompany this intense level of diversity, I feel like we are better off as a society.  I love that I live steps away from a beautiful Eastern Orthodox church in the heart of a predominantly East Asian city.  I love that when I visit my Greek in-laws, we spend ten minutes just kissing each other on the cheeks to say hello.  I love that we can jump in the car and decide whether to go for Korean or Afghani food or just get the great Canadian favourite, Swiss Chalet.  I love that I work with people from all over the world and that I work for a company that prides itself on inclusion and diversity.  Simply put, I love this country!  Happy Birthday, Canada!  152 never looked so good! 

On this Canada Day, Shades readers, why don’t you share what you like about this land of ours?