It’s so nice to be back in Canada

It’s very nice to go travelling – to Paris, London and Rome – but it’s so much nicer to come home. 

So sang Frank Sinatra. And it’s true. When you live in Canada, it’s very nice to come home after travelling around the world.

Here in Vancouver, in particular, we live in a bubble of good fortune and privilege with clean air, great water (straight from the tap) and safe streets.

Having just returned from India, I’m even more impressed by the lifestyle the majority of us enjoy here. It is astonishingly good.

My travels over the last few years to South Africa, China, Japan, South America and throughout Europe have left me with some sobering insights.

Much of the world is struggling with big problems, especially population explosions, urbanization and associated issues.

Africa, in particular, is looking at massive population growth to more than 400 million over the next few years and India is already well over a billion and expected to surpass the population of China in the next decade.

Water availability is a major issue in many places. South Africa is already seeing severe droughts. India has had water supply that came via China dramatically reduced.

China is wrestling with pollution and rapid growth problems. New Delhi was recently described as “unliveable” and verging on “catastrophic breakdown”.

All over the world, you see the stress that fundamental infrastructures are under, such as roads as well and the challenges many countries are under to maintain the constant supply of clean water, abundant energy, unpolluted air and healthy food, not to mention adequate housing and security.

You don’t need to be a scientist to see what will happen very quickly if crops fail or water runs out or energy gets cut off or there is a major financial collapse.

Maybe this is why we are seeing more moves by elites all around the world to isolate themselves from the poor and disadvantaged. It can only be a matter of time before things start to fall apart.

The moment you step back into Canada, you realize how calm and quiet and pleasant this country is and how lucky we are to have clean water, clean air, open, green spaces, an abundance of quality food and safe and secure communities.

When I got back from India yesterday, I almost fell to my knees to kiss the ground.

Awareness of our privilege and good fortune is probably not a bad place to start in wanting similar blessings and benefits for others in the world.

swhysall@hotmail.com