My class of new immigrants had been reading an article on farming in Africa, and comparing how farming was similar or different in their countries of origin.
As we were concluding, I turned to the class and asked: Is life harder here in Canada or in your country?
To my surprise, many of them said: Here in Canada.
What do you mean? I responded. We have so many modern conveniences.
Yes, one young Ethopian replied. But here in Canada everybody is in a hurry. In our country, people talk to each other more. In Canada everyone is more stressed.
Are you more stressed? I asked.
Of course, everyone is stressed. I'm always running too! That's the way life is here.
His comment made me think of a friend, a former bank teller.
I used to love my job at the bank, she told me, because I got to meet to so many nice people. But then they sent us for training on how to serve people faster. We even had to practice avoiding eye contact with customers - eye contact encourages people to talk to us, and that slows us down. I had to leave. Productivity has become more important than customer service!
Is that why so many of us are stressed these days?
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