By: Lauren Elliott, Canadian International Ambassador

Let’s be honest, we look the same, we sound the same, we both follow the same sports and celebrities – so what is the difference between Canadians and Americans?  Despite a few stereotypes of igloos and cowboys, it’s really hard for an outsider to know.  And that is exactly why something needed to change.

A person’s nationality and cultural background is supposed to define them.  When I use the term define I don’t mean this in a limiting sense, just because one thing defines you, this doesn’t mean it has to hold you back.  Take Terry Fox for instance, a Canadian celebrity.  Terry is famous for starting a journey to run across Canada on one leg.  Yes, that’s one not two legs.  He lost a leg due to a bout with cancer, and this inspired him to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research.  Though Terry had to stop his journey short of his goal, his name lives on and inspires Canadians to partake in walks and runs every year to raise money for cancer research.

How many of you have actually heard the name Terry Fox before?  Were this blog written for a Canadian university, the answer would be most, if not all of you.  Since I’m writing at the University of Notre Dame, probably not very many of you.  Google him following this article, it’s a heart wrenching and inspiring story.  But this is exactly my point, our backgrounds define who we are – the culture and traditions that one grows up with is an ingrained part of who they become.  Yes, I live in the USA right now because I am a student there, but that doesn’t make me an American.

When various American holidays come and pass it is hard for me to muster up any real sort of enthusiasm.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m never complaining about a day off and am happy to see my friends excited about the event, but having no childhood memories of the holiday means that I have no fond memories of the date to look back on – it makes a huge difference.  Thanksgiving in November?  I love the time off, I love the food, but to me it doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving.  My (Canadian) Thanksgiving had already come and gone a month before, and nobody celebrated it with me.

This is why I created CANDY – the Canadian Association of Notre Dame Youths.  Like any good business major here at Notre Dame, when we see that there is a need for something, a market that is being overlooked, we rise to the opportunity.  Canadians make up the second largest undergraduate international population at Notre Dame – there are approximately 75 of us Canucks running around campus.  After spending last spring semester filling out paperwork and recruiting officers to form this club, it was finally approved by both SAO and the CCC.  Thus last week CANDY was allowed to participate in Notre Dame’s annual Activities Night.  That night we recruited 120 members, making us an instantly dominant club here on campus – there is no need to be Canadian to join CANDY, but it provides the opportunity for everyone to take part in Canadian cultures and traditions.

2010 is the birth of true Canadian recognition at the University of Notre Dame.  In addition to the founding of CANDY, Notre Dame’s Undergraduate Admissions Office is now adding Toronto as a site to actively recruit students.  If this wasn’t all enough, Notre Dame is also in the midst of reaching out to Canadian alumni to form the first Notre Dame Alumni Club in Canada.

So what is the difference between a Canadian and an American?  Come check out CANDY and see for yourself.