Patriotisms

It's odd how when you travel away from home you immediately feel more attached to it. Despite the separation of thousand of my miles and exploring new places with new people you intrinsically identify with your home more than ever. I call this phenomenon, and its subsequent outbursts of nationalistic pride, Patriotisms.

This phenomenon was most prominently displayed during Superbowl Sunday last weekend. The game, which began at 10pm my time and ran until 4am (at which time I was fast asleep) had the uncanny ability to draw together a collection of cultures. About half the spectators that crowded around the satellite streamed game from New Orleans had no knowledge of American football, yet nonetheless cheered as each pass was completed and each touchdown scored. The amalgamation of foreign nationalities resulted in a comparison of each person's native country. The results of which were threefold:

1) The Australian national anthem is by far the happiest and funnest to sing. With lyrics such as "let us rejoice", it was an immediate crowd pleaser. The Canadian national anthem was best known by the Aussies but mostly unrecognizable to the Brits and the majority of our neighbourly Americans...for shame. Finally, the American national anthem was well known by all but also lovingly teased by all for the patriotic emotions and tears it conjured in full grown 300 pound men on the sidelines.

2) Lemonade is a heated debate topic. To North Americans, lemonade is a tart juice drink that one has on a hot summer's day or one sells for 25 cents on the corner of their street in the prospect of entrepreneurial success. However, in Britain, lemonade is a commercially made and carbonated beverage, similar to 7up or Sprite but sweeter. Sacrilege if you ask me. In our dining hall there is usually pitchers full of this "Lemonade" on the tables that have been referred to during dinner as "squash" or "cordial". Needless to say, amidst this quandary of nouns one question decidedly stands out, what's the difference? Essentially, the words squash and cordial are interchangeable and are used to describe a drink made from water, sugar and juice. The closest equivalent in North America would be Kool-Aid (OHHH YEAH) and its closest taste would be to sweet diluted juice. Aren't you glad I cleared that up? You can now sleep at night knowing that the great juice debate of 2013 has been solved.

3) Patriotisms exist regardless of what country you call home. You may recite the Canadian anthem or debate the "rightness" of juices, but when it comes down to it these patriotisms are more pro than con. They tell us where we're from and where we are and ironically have the ability to connect us in our differences.