Remembering Our Manners...

Usually Canadians are not flag wavers, or overly patriotic in any way, but occasionally something will get my goat, and out comes the flag. We have a "temp" working in our office and she has been with us since Christmas. She is from the U.K. and lived in the U.S. for a few years until her visa ran out and they told her she could no longer stay there. So, she ended up in Vancouver and ultimately in our office. She's a very nice person, and we have gone for lunch together a couple of times, and she's quite likeable, but over the past few months she has spent hours of time complaining about Canada. "In the U.K. ... blah, blah, blah. In the U.S. ... blah, blah, blah..." "Things are so much better in the U.K. Things are so much better in the U.S. ... blah, blah, blah."

Yesterday a group of us were chatting, and Miss Such-and-Such was complaining about something again, and comparing Canada unfavorably to the U.K. Everyone was agreeing with her -- things are so much better in Romania, things are so much better in India ... It made me feel really sad, like when someone is saying something nasty about someone we love.  I looked around at the group of people, and I said, "Do you realize, of the four of us, I am the only one here who was born in this country? Canada took you in, fed you, housed you, clothed you, gave you employment, educated your children, and gave you medical care." I said, "Both the World Health Organization and the United Nations have rated Canada ahead of the U.K. and the U.S., and I feel very uncomfortable when I hear people constantly bashing my country. So, if you're that unhappy here, I'll be glad give you taxi fare to the airport." Omigosh, was I actually saying that? Well, apparently I was. I said it with a smile, but I got my point across. Afterwards, each of them came to me privately and apologized. Miss Such-and-Such said she had not realized just how bad she must have sounded all these months, knocking the country that is keeping her from being destitute.

I feel rather bad that my patience ran out, because I'm sort of like the Incredible Hulk -- you don't want to make me angry; you wouldn't like me when I'm angry. But I do think if we are a guest in someone else's home, it's a good idea to remember our manners.