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Toronto has become a hot topic in recent years. This city is not like others. I can only go by what I think; in my opinion, this metropolis’s socio-economic dynamics, laws, cultural mentality, and geopolitical spectrum are far from symbolic to a visitor. We all made the mistake of thinking that since Toronto looks like a city in the United States, that means what worked in the States will instantly work here. Incorrect!
Toronto is a beast of its species. In my experience, Toronto does not fit the one size fits all cookie-cutter approach that works for most immigrants or travelers. You must develop a specific strategy for Toronto that only works in Toronto. You have to be willing to learn new things when you come here. And you will need to know how to switch off your Toronto approach when you travel elsewhere. That’s very important.
As I got to know her, my eyes opened to situations I hadn’t considered before. You eat, drink, behave, love, and do everything differently than in another city, or you won’t get along with too many people here. Trust me, as someone who moved here from the States and learned. I grew to love this city.
Toronto’s Chinatown has to be the best for eating healthy. Most tourists immediately notice the squeaky clean subways here. The food in Chinatown New York is oilier, although you will find better clothing, electronics, and furniture choices there. Stringent moral, health, and sanitation codes are leveraged with heavy fines in this city.
There is no respect for pick-up artists, hackers, or self-taught enthusiasts. Usually, it’s not only the strict judicial system but the citizens themselves who blow the whistle. This is what makes this city different from others. For example, strippers are not allowed to booty clap, twerk, or slide down the stripper pole when the smallest tip you can give is a 5-dollar bill.
Street cred might not be a big deal here, but your quality of life could be higher than in most cities. However, an average call girl can look like J. Lo, K. Michelle, to Meagan Fox. The weed might render you helpless, and the liquor store clerk could look like a Djimon Hounsou who lives in a similar neighborhood as Wildwood, New Jersey. My point is that Toronto makes up for what it lacks in one area by being abundant in another.
Before Toronto, I only knew people who removed their shoes to enter holy places like mosques or temples. Here, everyone takes off their shoes when entering a home. Yes, when you arrive at someone’s home, your Gucci, Jordan, or Jimmy Choos come off and stay by the entrance.
I feel weird when I wear my Timbs indoors in the States. But, just because you were forced to rock your socks or bare feet indoors does not mean you avoided the traffic by taking a “hideous bike path.” Visitors may cry about the weather, but I’ve also seen beautiful winters here. When you get used to it, you begin to appreciate it.
This is what makes this city unique. It’s different. People do not care who you are or what you know or have, yet, you may have more than you need. Toronto is so different. Its significant overpopulation of females has made it so women do odd jobs you’d expect men to do, like piloting a train, farming, snow plowing, or driving cabs.
This blog is my response to the article “14 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Visit Toronto” by Michelle Persad of The HuffPost Travel. There’s a vast difference between the norms in Toronto compared to those of other cities worldwide. From my experience, this city gets its recognition from being different…
“No talent in the city”: Michelle Prescod should have pointed out that when it comes to talent, the officials in this city have mainly concentrated on negative stereotypes. There are all kinds of talent in Toronto. The norm is to appreciate politicians and people who work for corporations rather than celebrities. However, talent is not highly respected here.
It may seem like there’s no talent because the best talents loom in the shadows. So, you don’t see Hip Hop kids honing their skills on the streets or aspiring comedians telling jokes by the subway. These talents may be accused of trespass or disturbance when the police are called to drive them away.
Toronto’s media rarely promotes talent. It NEVER highlights the accomplishment of an up-and-comer. It primarily reports on rappers who were gunned down generally to insinuate riff-raff. Take me for example; I’m a Grammy-nominated rapper who was commemorated on postage stamps in Africa. How many rappers do you know in other countries who have authored their books?
Toronto’s media has never glorified this story since I posted this blog ten years. Does that mean I’m not here? There are thousands of talented actors, comedians, writers, producers, designers, singers, dancers, DJs, rappers, directors, promoters, etc., in this city. Still, you will never know it if you were a tourist. This city has some of the most complex working talents!
“Their Sports Teams Never Does Anything Exciting”: The NHL, NBA, and MLB are American leagues. Most officials, players, GMs, or coaches are Americans, even if the team is in Canada. Like celebrities, athletes are not idolized in Toronto. The team might do something unique, but it’s up to the fans to react.
It seems the authorities caused an environment where only a few athletes get their influence. The city is heavily guarded, not only by local police and the board of directors but also by the RCMP, OPP, and CSIS, which have highly revered policies. No Canadian wants to attract negative attention from these officials.
I think it’s because there is no other source of income except for the supply that runs under the authorities’ control. The law ensures strict control over the people. There is a head count on everyone. If your team won or lost questionably, this could not be shown with a demonstration without getting into serious trouble.
A local Torontonian may be too tired at the thought of a demonstration. Here, people are more accustomed to avoiding unnecessary attention. You can show emotion during the game, but you go home and demonstrate there when it’s over. You can’t do it outside. I’ve found wild celebrations behind closed doors.
“The Festivals Are A Total Snooze”: Normally, festivals are exceptionally gross with tomfoolery. Michelle’s reference was probably toward the tame nature of Toronto’s festivals. Festive nights include euphoric chanting to popular songs, lewd dancing, promiscuity, and antics. Even the Gay Pride Parade, known for its stunts, is not as outrageous as those abroad.
Consider that local musicians lack the artistic freedom to incite mischief. If they did, that song might never become the rave of this city. Athletes are limited to charities. The wildest musicians come from other countries. As bad as some might want debauchery, the heavy hand of the law is too close for comfort. It’ll have to go on behind closed doors.
The Caribbean Festival is the largest of African heritage in this city. In addition to the shows offered, it speaks of the cultural inheritance and public perception of the Caribbean community in Toronto. In a highly regulated and well-governed city, buffoonery could spark an adverse reaction from the authorities and organizers. This parade is reduced to a cultural rave with mildly drunk revelers who remain on good behavior to maintain a positive perception.
It would be nice to see a greater variety of South African, Nigerian, Somalian, African American, and other ethnic groups playing music and waving their flags there. So far, an overly naughty celebration is a far cry from the rather clear-headed festivals this city promotes. This does not make them a total snooze. To me, what it shows is that Toronto is a different place altogether. *
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