One of my favourite things about Montreal is its cultural diversity. The Montrealer's identity is the admiration for and often the harmony of a myriad of cultures' food, languages, and arts. Montreal synergizes the many nationalities which call it home because it is a place where the citizens can relate to what is beautiful and poignant yet totally different about other traditions. Walking the streets tonight, the "foule" that was small children dressed up as batmans, witches, dinosaurs and basketball players was one of those customs: it was totally familiar yet totally exotic.
While eating dinner at a friend's house, I got the opportunity to engage in a Halloween rite; answering the doorbell and giving precious candy to eager trick-or-treaters. What struck me was how each child pronounced those magic words with excitement, indifference, or courage but no matter how many times I heard them, I wasn't able to grasp their meaning. It was only later, when a neighbour I had never spoken to offered me the remnants of her candy bowl, that I understood. It's not the words that matter but the action of giving and receiving a gift to and from a stranger.
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