Secrets of My Nomadic Heart

Life in Quebec is refreshingly different.

In a land of cold, I have met people with much warmth. The Quebecoises love to have fun. They love music. They love people. In the little town of Rimouski, almost everybody knows everybody. It is common to be constantly greeted by friends on the street by taking a walk around town.

People often ask me why am i named 'Denise'. The origins of my name, Denise, came from France. For a Chinese, it seems bizzare to the Quebecoises that I would have a French name. On the other hand, the common question seems bizzare to me. Most people in Singapore have western names like David, Julie, Mary, Tom, Dick and Harry. I suppose, being Chinese, the locals here expect me to have a more Chinese name, maybe like Tan Ah Lian. When I experimented and introduced myself as 'Lisan', I drew blanks on people's faces. It was too difficult for some, and they avoided trying completely.

I often have to explain that I'm not from China. And that Singapore is not in China. I often wonder if that message registers.

They also explain to me that they are not French, though their ancestors are. They are French Canadians, and have its own distinct culture, food, accent, colloquial expressions that puts them apart from French in France. I have to constantly remember that all the classes of French language I took has its limitations now, because the language Quebecoise is VERY different.

I learned to swear very quickly to fit into the culture. The popular words that put people at ease are swear words, like how we say "it's so fuckin' good!' or 'it's freakin' cold!'.

I tell my new Quebecoise friends that they are so contradictory. When one wants to say something tastes so good, in normal French, one would say "C'est si bon!". But in Quebec, we can say "C'est ecoeurant!" it means it is so good that "it makes me want to puke!" When life is good, a friend would say "Life is hard", mocking the opposite. In this once-very-Catholic country, the biggest swearwords would come from the Catholic religion, like 'tabernacle', mocking the sacred. They pride themselves on traditional food named "Sister's Fart" and "Ears of Christ". This juxtaposition of opposites is everywhere, in its culture.

The Quebecoises celebrate everything, with festivals ranging from music, dance, food, to floating woods, falling snow, and even laughter. Montreal hosts the world's largest international festival of humor. Singapore's favorite humor clips (that we see on our buses) "Just for Laughs" are made by the Quebecoises. There are probably more humorists in Quebec than any other parts of the world. There are competitions pitting one humorist against another, to see who can make better jokes.

it is no wonder the Quebecoises take life easy. They make fun of everything, and make everything they do fun.