“Vancouver not B.C. Washington not D.C Clark County not Nevada Near Portland, Or. not Maine” This article, “Vancouver, Wash is talking tough to itself” in the New York Times last week is amazing and you know why? Because for the past few years I’ve portrayed myself as a girl from Seattle to escape being cast as the Canadian in the room.* I did spend some time in Seattle before moving to New York, but the majority of my Pacific Northwest life occurred in Vancouver, WA, the one in the United States not British Columbia. Every-single-time I meet someone new I have to make such clarification. I can’t just say Vancouver, WA because most of the time people don’t listen. They only hear Vancouver or they only hear Washington - two very different places far from my hometown. I often find myself bullshitting about Whistler or hockey with strangers because A. I’ve been to Vancouver, B.C. enough times to make it believable and B. the clarification is on deaf ears. Lately, I’ve been identifying myself with Portland, OR, because Vancouver is right across the river from the city, but even so, I can’t just say Portland, like you would say Baltimore or L.A. or New Haven. Oregon always has to follow and if it doesn’t? I’m from Maine. And yet, the fact remains I grew up in Vancouver not Portland anyway. Gotta say, it feels great to have this article validate a daily, small, but significant battle for me. “My mother always thought I lived in Canada,” said Gene Wigglesworth, who moved here (Vancouver, WA) in 1977 to open a muffler repair shop. “For years, I’ve put up with that.” Apparently, now business leaders in town are trying to sort through the identity crisis that seems to be getting worse now that Vancouver, B.C. is in the spotlight with the Olympics. They’re trying to “unite” behind a clear message.” There’s even talk of renaming the city to Fort Vancouver, which now I’m sure would make life a little easier for a lot of people, but I don’t know. I suppose there’s a bit of mystery that comes with being that girl from Vancouver not B.C., Washington not D.C. Clark County not Nevada, Near Portland, Or. not Maine. Am I right? * Don’t be fooled. I love Canada, but I’m not from there.
Pop-upView Separately

“Vancouver not B.C.

Washington not D.C

Clark County not Nevada

Near Portland, Or.

not Maine”

This article, “Vancouver, Wash is talking tough to itself” in the New York Times last week is amazing and you know why? Because for the past few years I’ve portrayed myself as a girl from Seattle to escape being cast as the Canadian in the room.*

I did spend some time in Seattle before moving to New York, but the majority of my Pacific Northwest life occurred in Vancouver, WA, the one in the United States not British Columbia.

Every-single-time I meet someone new I have to make such clarification. I can’t just say Vancouver, WA because most of the time people don’t listen. They only hear Vancouver or they only hear Washington - two very different places far from my hometown. I often find myself bullshitting about Whistler or hockey with strangers because A. I’ve been to Vancouver, B.C. enough times to make it believable and B. the clarification is on deaf ears.

Lately, I’ve been identifying myself with Portland, OR, because Vancouver is right across the river from the city, but even so, I can’t just say Portland, like you would say Baltimore or L.A. or New Haven. Oregon always has to follow and if it doesn’t? I’m from Maine. And yet, the fact remains I grew up in Vancouver not Portland anyway.

Gotta say, it feels great to have this article validate a daily, small, but significant battle for me.

“My mother always thought I lived in Canada,” said Gene Wigglesworth, who moved here (Vancouver, WA) in 1977 to open a muffler repair shop. “For years, I’ve put up with that.”

Apparently, now business leaders in town are trying to sort through the identity crisis that seems to be getting worse now that Vancouver, B.C. is in the spotlight with the Olympics. They’re trying to “unite” behind a clear message.” There’s even talk of renaming the city to Fort Vancouver, which now I’m sure would make life a little easier for a lot of people, but I don’t know.

I suppose there’s a bit of mystery that comes with being that girl from Vancouver not B.C., Washington not D.C. Clark County not Nevada, Near Portland, Or. not Maine. Am I right?

* Don’t be fooled. I love Canada, but I’m not from there.