Maritimes

Over the past little while I have come to appreciate the maritimes more and more.  One of the biggest things that has stuck out to me in the past few weeks, first travelling to Glace Bay/New Waterford in Cape Breton, and spending this week in Charlottetown is the interconnectedness you feel with everyone. Even if you aren’t from the same place chances are they know someone who is from close to where you live, or have driven through on their way to visit somewhere or you have a mutual friend or something crazy like that. There is also a very distinct close knit community feel no matter where you go in the Maritimes. It’s weird, even now I’m in what would be classed as a city, but all of the people I have met so far are so welcoming and so open that it does not feel like that at all. I mean so far in the city I have talked to about 100 complete strangers at the Friendship room at the church we are working at, some random people at a concert tonight and was even stopped tonight at a restaurant by a customer wondering where the camp I work for is located ( I was still wearing my staff shirt). It’s just such a weird concept to grasp- but it really shouldn’t be. I hear horror stories of people moving away from home to a city and having a horrible experience. Or stories of newcomers coming and being put off a little by how open and friendly people are. It’s so weird to think this culture doesn’t necessarily exist everywhere.  It really is a reminder we need t stay humble and love our neighbours. I am only now starting to truly appreciate this concept.  I don’t know what I would ever do if I was to leave this area. I might be a little lost at first.