A few weeks ago I was buying some books at Chapters, using my WaMu MasterCard card. My wallet was open, on the counter, and the bookseller could see my driver’s license. He noticed I was from the states. Usually, when retailers notice this, they ask me if I am visiting. When I tell them I live here now, they ask me how I like it, etc. This guy asked me something completely different, and it rendered me speechless for a moment.

“So, do you like it better up here?”

Uhh… how to answer that politely. Because, let’s face, I am Canada’s house guest, and I don’t want to offend. And the truth is, no, I don’t.

To be fair, this is not a US vs. Canada issue. Or a Seattle vs. Vancouver issues. This is a Seattle vs. everywhere else on the planet issue. And no one has got a chance of beating it. Of all the places in the world, I love none so much as I love Seattle. I have never found another place that makes me feel like I am “home,” like Seattle. It fits me.

It just so happens I found someone I love more than I love Seattle. And so here I am. And it’s great. I do like it up here.

First of all, Seattle and Vancouver? Not that different. Or at least similar enough to suit me.

And living in a country that truly does consider all men created equal, allowing anyone to get married, not just the heterosexuals? AWESOME. Even though I am not looking to marry a woman anytime soon, I can’t help but feel that Canada is the enlightened one on this continent. (Really, U.S., it’s embarrassing, we have to start taking those “self evident” truths more seriously. In all manners of speaking.)

Thirdly, wheat thins taste better here*. They do, I don’t know why. They are crispier. Taste more baked than fried. Bring me a box of US Wheat Thins and we’ll have a taste test at my house. I will make you some cream cheese and Pickapeppa sauce dip, but you have to bring the Pickapeppa sauce, because I can’t find it here.

One of my favorite things? Skytrain. I WISH Seattle had something like the Skytrain.

I hear the beer is better here, which really does not matter to me, but I have to give it props for that. However, don’t get me started on the price of gas. No, don’t. Because I was listing off things I like about Canada.

So like it better? No. But I like it just fine.

*things really do taste different. Conversely, Double Stuff Oreos do not taste good. I’m sorry, the “stuff” is weird up here.