The First Joy: Dining in Canada, a feast for the palate. As the saying goes, "Food is the first necessity of the people," so let us start with dining in Canada. Coming to this country, which is full of multicultural colors, is like walking into a grand garden filled with colorful delicacies. Even we Chinese, who find it hard to change our dietary habits, simply cannot resist the temptation of those northern and southern dishes, eastern and western delicacies, local snacks, and specialty pastries, and we have all abandoned our bottom line of sticking to "local food" to open our mouths and satisfy our cravings. In Toronto, Italian, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Indian, and Spanish restaurants are everywhere. There are also the more familiar Chinese regional flavors from Sichuan, Hunan, Guangdong, Shanghai, Beijing, and Shandong, which are everywhere and truly dazzling and mouth-watering. Every time I go out to eat with friends or family, I have different gains and feelings. In particular, Canada's aquatic products are extremely rich, with a wide variety of fish, turtles, shrimp, and crabs that are high quality and inexpensive. If you like, you can often have lobsters and large crabs, which are rare in mainland China, on your dining table. Just for this point, dining in Canada is truly a joy!
The Second Joy: Living in Canada, holding the golden key to independence. As ordinary people like us, having a suite in a "tube building" back home would be quite good. After working in Canada for a few years, saving enough for a down payment, and getting a loan from the bank, I bought this independent three-story house, which is called a villa in China, and became a true homeowner, thus owning a small world that truly belongs to me in a foreign land. The houses here are fully equipped, comfortable, and practical. You absolutely do not need to worry about trivial matters such as water, electricity, gas, telephone, television, and cable; a phone call can handle them one by one. There is air conditioning in summer, heating in winter, a garage for the car, and a place for trash. In summer, the front and back of the house are covered with green grass and blooming flowers. It is just that in winter, it is all pure white. Please do not underestimate this small house without walls; it is not only your warm and comfortable harbor that shields you from the scorching sun in summer and the wind and snow in winter, but legally speaking, it is also a sacred and inviolable kingdom. You absolutely do not need to worry about the government suddenly having a whim to expand a commercial street here and occupy your green lawn, nor do you need to worry about anyone interfering with your life in this courtyard. You are the true master of this house, and you truly enjoy the dignity and joy of a master!
The Third Joy: Traveling in Canada, driving yourself and galloping freely. Because Canada is vast and sparsely populated, and units are sparsely distributed, everyone who immigrates to Canada wants to own their own car and must own at least one car to adapt to the needs of life and work. New immigrants from mainland China generally consider economy and practicality when buying a car. My family has two cars, one large and one small. The small one is a BMW sedan, and the large one is a Honda SUV. I drive the small car to work to save fuel, and drive the large car for comfort and convenience when traveling. Canada's crisscrossing highway system is well-developed, well-facilitated, and efficiently managed, remaining unobstructed all year round. Although it is a country with a lot of snow in winter, no matter how heavy or frequent the snow is, the roads everywhere are still bustling and orderly because countless snowplows and salt trucks are working day and night. Therefore, at any time of the year, you can drive anywhere without worrying about whether the road is clear, and you don't have to worry about strange things like road bandits setting up checkpoints to collect fees. If there is a problem on the road, perhaps you don't even need to call; police cars, tow trucks, and ambulances will automatically arrive at the scene in a short time to help you solve the problem. Because highway monitors are everywhere, the highway management department can see the real-time traffic situation on all routes at any time. The summer before last, a friend of mine had a car accident near the Thousand Islands while traveling. He was unable to report the case, but the police arrived at the scene in time and even dispatched a helicopter to send him to the Ottawa hospital for emergency treatment, so that he was able to come back to life. A high-efficiency transportation network is a symbol of a highly modernized society. We have crossed a huge space and time and stepped into such a highly developed society in one step, and we can directly enjoy the fruits of the labor of our predecessors for generations. My heart is indeed full of passion and joy!
The Fourth Joy: Shopping in Canada, buying and returning are both convenient and satisfying. Canada's commercial integrity is indeed beyond doubt. The Christmas before last, I bought an electronic camera, which was small, exquisite, easy to operate, and had clear imaging, making it hard to put down. Who knew that after using it a few times, it suddenly stopped working, which made me very annoyed. I had no choice but to take it back to the store to negotiate. On the way, I was still muttering in my heart because this camera was a one-time discounted item, and in principle, it could not be returned. Who knew that when I got there and explained the reason, the shopkeeper returned it without saying a word, which made me feel quite sorry for them because I had used it several times, and I was personally responsible! Canada is indeed a shopper's paradise for consumers. It emphasizes reputation, and quality does not lose its principles. The goods here are numerous and everything is available; there is only what you can't think of, and nothing you can't buy. Most importantly, the shopping malls here are honest and fair. You feel very secure buying things here, and you don't have to worry about product quality or being deceived. Therefore, when you go to the store and see something you like, you can pay for it and take the box home without having to check whether the "prince" in the box has been replaced by a "civet cat," or whether it is short of weight, etc. Because if you are not satisfied later, you can still return or exchange it (of course, except for imported food, beverages, and medicine). Therefore, whenever you go shopping, you will find that the larger the supermarket, the more customers are queuing up in front of the customer service department to return or exchange goods. It is not that the store's goods have problems, but that the store's goods are popular with the public, business is booming, and more people go in to buy things, which is more reassuring. If you don't believe it, you can ask anyone who has lived in Canada; who hasn't had the experience of returning/exchanging goods? Who has encountered trouble? In Canada, you are truly a "God" in the true sense. How can such shopping not be a joy?
The Fifth Joy: Playing in Canada, a kaleidoscope of variety. Working and studying in Canada are indeed very stressful, but we must never extinguish our desire and hobby for entertainment and play. Every holiday or weekend is a good time for us to go out and play. Canada has a vast territory and a beautiful natural environment, and there are really many places to play. If I were to list them one by one, I am afraid I wouldn't be able to finish in a few days and nights. Taking Toronto as an example: to the south is the world-famous Niagara Falls, to the east is the beautiful Thousand Islands, and to the northeast is the vast Algonquin Provincial Park. Along the hundreds of kilometers of lakeshore of Lake Ontario in the east and the two large lakes in the northwest, there are countless parks, rivers, lakes, bays, and sea inlets for sightseeing, swimming, fishing, and boating. Returning to downtown Toronto, there is the world's tallest tower by the lake--the CN Tower, allowing you to climb high and look far, with a view of a thousand miles. The city center has the famous villa-style castle--Casa Loma for tourists to visit, allowing you to appreciate Victorian-style architecture and decoration art. In addition, there is a large group of museums, art galleries, and science centers that gather rare collections of cultural relics, archaeological discoveries, art treasures, and scientific and technological achievements, allowing you to feast your eyes. In summer, the Dragon Boat Festival hosted by the Chinese has become a major festival that attracts much attention. The annual Caribbean Day Parade and the Gay Pride Parade allow you to experience the charm of this country's multiculturalism. At the Maple Leaf Aviation Kite Festival in mid-September, you can appreciate kites of different styles and designs from all over the world competing for beauty. When autumn arrives, the forests around Toronto begin to turn golden or fiery red. A family driving to the suburbs for a walk can capture beautiful and pleasing scenery everywhere. Entering winter, those who like skiing have a good opportunity to show their skills. Blue Mountain in the north of the city is a good ski resort. A family going there for a weekend to enjoy the feeling of flying like a fairy when rushing down from the mountain is really wonderful. In Canada, you can enjoy different forms and flavors of play in three seasons of the year (Canada basically has no spring), which is really a great joy.
The Sixth Joy: Hospitalization in Canada, hotel-like treatment is happy. Canadian hospitals are indeed clean, comfortable, spacious, and bright, and they are spotless everywhere. Walking in, it doesn't feel like a hospital, but rather like a high-end hotel. Generally, two patients live in one ward, and in special cases, only one patient lives in one ward. The facilities in the ward are very advanced and practical. Just take the hospital bed; the bed surface can be adjusted to different angles to adapt to the patient's posture of lying or sitting. The bed rail is also equipped with buttons to control the brightness of the room light, TV channels, and radio volume. In addition, the hospital bed also has a weight-measuring function, and nurses can check the patient's weight at any time. Canadian hospitals have long achieved "communism." Patients do not need to pay a penny for hospitalization, and they do not need family members to accompany them. Nurses take care of everything for the patients, and even bathe, wipe, feed medicine, and feed water to critically ill and elderly patients. No matter how dirty or messy the patients make the hospital bed or ward, the nurses have no complaints and clean up meticulously. When I think of the time in China, one person is hospitalized and the whole family takes turns on duty to accompany them. If they need to leave the ward for an examination, four or five people have to carry the stretcher to the examination location. In short, one person is hospitalized and the whole family is exhausted. Last year, I was hospitalized in Canada due to illness. Once I went to other departments for examinations, I could have walked by myself, but the nurse insisted on pushing me in a wheelchair, saying it was the system, which made me feel quite embarrassed. Can you not be happy to enjoy such superior conditions and such excellent service when hospitalized in Canada?
The Seventh Joy: A home in Canada, fulfilling the wish of having children. China implements family planning, and a couple is only allowed to have one child, while Canada is vast and sparsely populated, so there is no restriction on childbirth, and the material conditions are superior, so having more children will not become an economic burden on the family. Therefore, it is reasonable for young new immigrant couples to want to have more children. A friend once humorously said: "It's really simple to have a baby in Canada. Ten months of pregnancy, send your wife to the hospital, and you don't have to worry about anything, just wait for the baby to be born." Indeed, the hospital conditions here are good, the treatment is high, unlike in mainland China where the husband is sweating and the whole family is busy when the wife gives birth. More interestingly, in Canadian hospitals, the husband can "assist" on the side when the wife gives birth, which can not only give the wife spiritual comfort and support, but also directly hear the baby's first cry when they come into the world. That scene is really surprising and exciting, and it is unforgettable for a lifetime. Canada is a paradise for children, and children receive care from all aspects as soon as they are born. Look at the children's outfits and equipment when they go out; that momentum is no less than an emperor's tour. Now walking on the street, in the mall, you can meet young Chinese couples holding or leading their new babies in Canada everywhere. Their happy expressions are overflowing, their eyebrows are dancing, and they are radiant. Isn't this another great joy?
The Eighth Joy: Canadian style, not picking up lost items is common. I have truly felt the social style of not picking up lost items that people have always longed for in Canada. Several times we took our children out to play. The children played very hard using various facilities in the park. Because they were hot from playing, they took off their clothes and put them on the park bench, and forgot to take them when they went home. They only remembered when they changed clothes for the children the next day. At that time, I tentatively went back to the park to look for them, and when I got there, I saw that they were still in the same place on the original bench. Once in the park near our residential area, I don't know whose bicycle, which was at least 80% new, was forgotten next to the park slide. It was left there for at least three or four days without anyone picking it up. Later, the owner found it and took it away. What's more: a friend of mine lost his mobile phone. When he tried to call this number, someone answered and replied that he picked up the mobile phone on the road and is now keeping it for him, waiting for the owner to come and collect it. My friend got the mobile phone back very quickly. Can life be anything but happy living in such an environment where things are not picked up?
The Ninth Joy: Residential areas in Canada, quiet and undisturbed. Canadian housing has four specifications: Apartment, Condominium, Townhouse, and Detached House. These four specifications are actually four grades. Ordinary apartments are the lowest grade, high-end apartments and townhouses are second, and detached houses are the best. We new immigrants usually go through steps when buying a house: Apartment--Condominium--Townhouse--Detached House, but my family only took two steps, first living in a high-end apartment and then living in a detached house. No matter what kind of housing, the environment is very quiet. Especially the front and back of the detached house are green grass and colorful flowers, and there are pine and cypress trees decorating the surroundings of the house very beautifully. Canadian residential areas are all built in a format with a passage on both sides. There is a row of houses on both sides of the road, and the interval between the houses is generally only 2-3 meters. Rows of houses are densely packed, but you can't hear any noise, and the residential area is quiet all day long. Although the neighbors are very close, there is no habit of visiting without notice. If you want to go to a neighbor's house, you must contact them by phone in advance and get permission before you can go to someone else's house. Therefore, although the residential area is full of houses and neighbors are close, every family is an independent, undisturbed, and very quiet small world, which makes people feel extra happy!
The Tenth Joy: Canadian society, all kinds of services are very comprehensive. Canada is a world-famous welfare state, and citizens enjoy many benefits and perfect social services: First, Canada implements free medical care. Canadian citizens do not pay a penny for medical treatment, and only those under 65 years old have to pay for medicine, while those over 65 years old are all free. People seek medical treatment by district, and family doctors will register everyone's health status in detail. If difficult diseases are found, the family doctor will make an appointment with a specialist for diagnosis and treatment; in addition, everyone can enjoy a free full-body physical examination once a year, and everyone can get 1-2 free vaccinations per year; second, Canada also implements free education. All students in public middle schools and primary schools in Canada are free to attend school, and only universities need to pay. Third, enjoy good postal services. Each residential area is equipped with a mailbox, and there is a mail truck every day to put the letters of each household into the respective mailboxes of each household, and important letters are also delivered directly to each household. Fourth, enjoy regular garbage collection services. Twice a week, according to the district division, there are special personnel responsible for collecting garbage along the street. Each household only needs to put their own garbage in a unified garbage bin and put it in front of their own door, and the garbage collection truck will collect the garbage cleanly one by one along the street. All public facilities in the residential area, such as street lights, road signs, parks, and various sports equipment and facilities in leisure places, if damaged, will be repaired by special personnel in time. Living in such a country, I really feel happy from the bottom of my heart! The above are my personal feelings after coming to Canada. Of course, Canada is not without shortcomings. Because I am only talking about the "Top Ten Joys" I feel here, I did not include those unhappy things.
