Multiculturalism

Toronto really is a multicultural city. I haven't yet been able to play "spot the Caucasian" on a bus, but I don't really need to. Of the four courses that I'm taking at York, one lecturer is Indian, one is Irish and two are Chinese; in a straw poll today in my "Postcolonial Geographies" course (ie. "Have a pop at the British and Americans") the Indian lecturer asked us how many people had at least one parent whose first language is not English and over half the class put their hand up! Crazy.

Nevertheless people are generally excited and pleased when they learn I'm from the UK. Do they have the same reaction to someone from Ukraine...? The first question they will ask is "how do you like Canada?" What am I supposed to say? It's too big? Too cold? Too flat? Too Americanised? (Actually, I don't think any of those things. Mostly.) I just have to reply "it's nice" in a diplomatic voice...