Highways and Restrooms

Yesterday, my family was driving on the highway. To be frank, my parents aren’t–and haven’t ever been–considered “fast” drivers. We’re actually fairly slow, generally sticking to the side lanes. The car has a tendency to be quiet, the occasional hum of some music on KISS 108, or maybe a news report. Most of the time, I look out the window. It’s become an inveterate way I bring equanimity to my mind. It’s quiet. It’s soothing. And I release tension.

Yet somehow, the car ride yesterday didn’t seem so. I saw cars rushing by ours, each one faster than the last. Reds, navy blues, whites, silvers, golds, and greys all rushing past our car in a blur; a rainbow. It felt very rushed and tense, though it reminds me of how

hypocritical we can be. In the Canadian Rockies, on the highways, it was blatant who was native to the land and who was a foreigner from a major city in the States.

This isn’t meant to be a stereotype, however I could evidently spot who thought the speed limit of 60 kmph. (37 mph.) was too slow for the highway. My family, included, were probably one of the faster cars on the highway, considering that in Boston, the highway speed is generally around 60 mph to 70 mph. These differences are what makes the world so amazing. When you travel, I believe you become more aware of these different cultures, and lifestyles. In the States, the rush is definitely more conspicuous, with more frequent honks and beeps.

In addition, I wanted to note the way people refer to the “restrooms.” In many parts of Canada, “bathrooms” are referred to as “washrooms,” and even in the U.S. many call them “restrooms.” My good friend Sophie is native to Canada, and though she refers to restrooms

as “bathrooms,” I notice how her mother refers to them as “washrooms.” I was oblivious to where this saying came from, thinking it was just a more proper term than the typical used in the U.S. Now I know that it may actually be picked up from a different part of the world. I guess this all boils down to culture, tradition, dialect and lifestyle. My goal is to be more perceptive of those beyond the one I am faced with on a daily basis.