Integration - Out of Many, One

Occasionally, I get "criticized" for lack of posting... I happen to believe that blogging should be an organic experience - I don't want to just post of the sake of posting... and sometimes, frankly, I just don't have anything to say... But to be honest, my lack of posting of late is due to a bit of an internal shift... Strangely, I am starting to get used to living in DC. I have come to realize that my initial "contempt" for the local (i.e. how is it possible that you don’t have free health care kind of contempt) is a classic symptom of culture shock... and is now starting to dissipate. This is something that blows my mind - Canada is so similar to the States that I didn't expect to feel any shock - I have lived in 4 countries other than Canada... and have come to get used to the initial waves of integration and learning that come with moving to a new country... but I hadn't adequately braced myself for this one...

That aside, I am in a weird place: I am starting to like DC. I recognize the failing and issues with the US - but rather than feeling contempt and superiority, I feel endeared. I am starting to recognize or develop a more sophisticated understanding of US (or at least DC) society. I am starting to appreciate the vastness and diversity of 300 million Americans...

... As a result of my new found integration, however, or perhaps not related, but I am feeling increasing out of the loop with Canadian politics... no amount of reading the Globe, CBC, the Hill Times, the post, trolling blogs, watching Mercer's clips, is giving me the insider take and opinions that I used to have... I am getting impatient with waiting for the election (even though my money is on no election this spring)... I am getting tired of seeing all these phony Conserv green announcements (I could deconstruct them in a second - they still don't seem to get that climate change is a GLOBAL issue - and where you reduce emissions actually doesn't matter - cause emission rise into the GLOBAL atmosphere - and that they are sneakily trying to get involved in this stupid coal heavy countries not doing anything initiative set up by the non Kyoto Annex I countries US, Australia, and India and China) but I digress... all that to say - that my lack of posting... is due to an internal transition.. hopefully nothing that a week in Alberta (where I am heading in two weeks) won't be able to cure... despite my “integration”, I need a good dose of my home and native land.