The Nothingness of Being
Ronald Green, in his book Nothing Matters, makes a distinction between nothing and nothingness. Nothing, he claims, is the absence of everything, whereas nothingness is the absence of something. An important distinction. But how do we distinguish, then, between something and nothingness? How much room is there in the human consciousness? For everything added, must […]
How to write Canadian
Hello everybody. This is Tom Chambers, from Expats Anonymous. Today we are interviewing David Lloyd, a Canadian Expat, whose first novel – As I Died Laughing – has been published as an e-book. We thank David for allowing us to reprint this interview on his blog.Tom: From looking at your personal history, I see that […]
I’m sorry … I’m Canadian
It is said that Canadians apologize all of the time, even when there is no reason for apology. Why is it then that I don’t feel the urge to do the same? Could it be that I have lived so long in Israel that this essential part of my Canadian identity has been erased? Israelis […]
Walking among the ibex
“Where have all the flowers gone?” my wife asked. “Flowers?” I suddenly remembered the image of an ibex walking past me the day before on my way back home from work, white petals sticking out of the side of his mouth. “Yes the flowers in the garden. All of them. Suddenly gone.” What had struck […]
Pardon me while I check if I exist
I don’t know about you, but I enjoy my privacy … that is, if I really have a choice between being alone or being with others. Isn’t that what it is all about … choices? Last night there was a power blackout in our small community down here in the desert. Started in the evening […]
Why Guinness always tastes better in Tel Aviv
How far would you go for a good pint of Guinness? A 5 minute drive? 20 minutes? How about two and a half hours? There is a quaint little pub in the heart of Tel Aviv, neatly tucked away opposite the Dan Hotel, close to the American Embassy, and just a stone’s throw away from […]
Where tooth fairies fear to tread
Yesterday I sat in the dentist’s chair, with the sound of a drill boring into the bone in my mouth. I felt like I was in a road construction crew, with me as the road. The drilling finally stopped, and then for some reason the dentist had to start hammering. All in the process of raising […]
Barney the Beaver & Canada Day
So, Barney the Beaver and I are going to celebrate Canada Day together. It is not that we are enamoured with each other’s company, but there doesn’t seem to be anybody else around to celebrate with. That is, nobody with an intricate sense of Canadiability, as compared to those who simply try to politely empathize […]
Tearing down memories
They are tearing down my old alma mater. I guess I should shed a few tears. The thing is, I am trying hard to remember what the school looks like, both inside and out. David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, on the corner of Brimley and Lawrence, in Scarborough, Ontario. Well, at least I have […]
What is an Expat like you doing in a place like this?
One of the best things about growing older is that people tend to stop questioning your life choices. Maybe this is because they don’t see you as having much of a life left. The expiration date has passed, and they figure that you are here to stay. But old expat habits die hard. When do […]