The Great White North

I used to think that Americans were ignorant about the Canadian climate. Too many times I have been in a conversation with someone from the U.S. and they make a comment about how it gets so darn cold up in Canada. And while I was always polite and just laughed off whatever they said, I often wondered to myself how our neighbors to the south could think that our weather was so drastically different than theirs - especially since I grew up in the GTA and there is a good portion of the States that is located further north than Toronto.

But I was wrong. Now that I have moved to Connecticut I understand why Americans think Canada is so cold. It's because it is.

It is the middle of November, in New England (not in the South or anything) and I see kids running around in T-shirts at recess. I find myself constantly overdressed - at work, coming home from the gym, walking the dog - all the time! It's starting to really aggravate me, especially when I don't have a layer on that I can just take off. And mostly I'm annoyed with my inability to dress appropriately for the weather. When I get dressed in the morning I put on what I would normally wear on a mid-November day in Canada - turtleneck/sweater, blouse & jacket, golf shirt & hoodie, and I am always too hot!

Tomorrow's high in West Hartford, CT is 66 degrees, but in Toronto it's only 53 (and yes I am trying to 'Americanize' myself by using Fahrenheit instead of Celsius - I can use the practice).

And it extends beyond attire. I find myself cooking dishes that are more suitable for a colder climate. Now that it's November I'm using the crockpot more, making more soups, and generally heartier meals, because that's what I would do in Canada! Perhaps eating this heavier food is what is making me feel too warm all the time...

While it is true that the similarities between the U.S. and Canada are vast, sometimes the subtle differences (like a few degrees in temperature) can make a world of difference.