Culture Shock

My name is Alli and I am Canadian - I live in the UK though. I've lived in the UK for some time and thus have adopted some of the traditional customs.

For instance:
When I'm walking on a London street, I'm going to think you're weird and foreign (despite sharing the same accent as me) if you come up and compliment me on my skirt and ask me where it is from only to then use this as a means of starting a conversation. The complimentary part of this conversation I must admit is quite flattering and as I love to shop I'm happy to share, but I've become really accustomed to avoiding eye contact for the most part and being ignored as I walk with purpose despite having nowhere in particular to go, so the conversation part of this interlude was both unexpected and uninvited. You're weird. Don't talk to me if I don't know you. This is the UK (London, in fact). I get the friendly Canadian thing, and thus I do get you and where you're coming from, but I don't get why you're doing it in London. 'Stop doing it!' I wanted to yell. I tried to be polite - distant, but polite - but I had every urge to yell 'Stranger! Stranger!' I opted instead for the more subtle, 'Where abouts are you from?' with the requisite accusing/haughty tone. I sort of hate myself for betraying my own nationality, but I kind of don't at the same time. How's that for assimilation? A dilemma, indeed...

You might be thinking now that I'm a total jerk, but on the other hand, my Canadianness sometimes holds steadfast and true.

For example:
The Canadian in me re-emerged within eight hours of this altercation on the London street with the overly-friendly girl when I was reading thelondonpaper (the newspaper deletes the spaces itself for its title- I'm just going with the flow) and saw my beloved Ottawa Senators mentioned in the sports section as well as Chris Pronger, who's a really cool Canadian as he's won three major hockey championships (a cup, and gold in the Olympics and World Championships). This was very unexpected as well. But in this case I was so proud! I was also pleased to see that the LA Kings and the Anaheim Ducks are playing their opening game at the O2 arena in a few days as a means of spreading the hockey love all around the world. I fully support this as I would love to have hockey back in my life - and I mean really in my life. But I am so disappointed that I didn't hear about this game earlier so that I could get tickets as they've managed to sell out the 02 arena. You should be impressed and must realise, as even I have, that hockey's not going to make a lot of headway in the UK - especially not when in direct competition with football ('soccer'). But I still love it and think it's the best sport. So in some situations my Canadian identity is very much intact. How's that for being contradictory?

Yeah, and I don't really have any conclusory statement. So, the end.