Getting away

There is an interesting contrast between the vacations people take here in Montreal and in the US. Back home, a good number of the people I know would go to another US city or Europe for vacations. Or go on a cruise or some island in the Caribean. There would also be get-aways to local vacations spots like Door County or Galena. Sometimes camping, but mainly in hotels. Here, the vacations tend to remain local. People generally stay put in Quebec during the summer staying in summer homes, cabins, or camping. In the winter, people generally fly south. They go to Cuba, the Caribean, on cruises, sometimes to Florida. There are some stay and go snowmobiling, skiing, or other winter activities.

It is more difference in the summer vacations I find interesting. I think one reason Quebecers stay put is the language barrier. Not that they cannot speak English, but more so they don't have to. Another reason may be because the weather is finally nice, so save your money, stay here, and sleep outdoors. It is also quite a nice countryside, a bit more scenic than the Midwest prairies.

I'm still not completely sure if some of these observations is due to a difference in the people surrounding me. In general, there were more young urban professionals around me in Chicago instead of more working class people here. But I still think the observed difference is correct. An interesting note is that the outdoors camping and local vacations here is another aspect that reminds me of my childhood in the 70's. Almost all of our vacations were by camping until I reached my mid teens.