Colleen Smith, OP Contributor

often wonder why people would
move from their native country
when it appears so idyllic. What
qualities do they perceive in another cul-
ture that are compelling enough to entice
them away? For Beate Gudmundson, it
was a desire for a life full of ideas and

openness that prompted her to leave her
placid life in Thun, Switzerland for
Canada.

Gudmundson now resides in the
urban environment of New Westminster.
She is a middle-aged, fit, and noticeably
tranquil person. She lives with her hus-
band and their two school-aged children.
New Westminster is a medium-sized city
neighbouring the Fraser River, with an
economically diverse and culturally dis-
tinct population. Gudmundson’s children
attend a community school where the stu-
dent population’s native tongue is
comprised of 47 languages.

When describing what she prefers
about Canada, Gudmundson explains,
“There is more tolerance here in how
people live. People just talk to each other
here and I like that—that easygoing part.”
This is in contrast to the Swiss customs
she left behind.

Gudmundson grew up as the second
youngest in a family of five children. Her
parents ran the family mechanical shop,

20 | www.theotherpress.ca

- Transcending Cultures

and so her grandparents lived in the
home, as well, helping raise Gudmundson
and her siblings. Their house was not
directly in Thune, but rather with “a small
bunch of houses about one kilometre
from the town.” Gudmundson recalls, “As
children we had a lot of freedom. We
lived close to the forest. We had chickens
and rabbits—it was like a dream life—we
lived so close to nature. We’d go out to the
woods and play there for days, climb trees,
and discover caves.”

Although there were rules to ensure
safety in the forest, an atmosphere of
control and protection from within their
culture reassured parents of their chil-
dren’s wellbeing. This was partially
because any person intending to live in a
town or city had to register and present
their citizen documents. This accountabil-
ity pervaded social customs as well,
including a protocol for addressing people
and needing their permission to respond
less formally. People also didn’t work on
Sundays, and the police might be called if
you left your garbage out on the wrong
day. “It is quite formal. There are these
different levels in the language—more
complex than French—and only if some-
one speaks to you with the less-formal
tense are you allowed to respond in kind.
It is also different for women speaking to

”

men.

Gudmundson’s resolve to leave the
contained world of her childhood related
to her desire for personal development.
“Although my family is tight knit and very
close,’ she says, “there were certain
dynamics that made me feel like I couldn’t
be quite who I would like to be. At times
we were so close we maybe inhibited each
other’s growth. I know this is always
something within my own power, but it is
hard when there are certain dynamics
around you.”

Gudmundson traveled to Canada
before moving here permanently. This is
where she met and fell in love with her
husband. Before making the decision to
stay, however, Gudmundson returned to
Switzerland alone to look at Canada from
a distance—from home. “I always felt
good in Canada; I felt freer. When I left
Switzerland, I would miss my family, but
when I left Canada, I missed something
else.”

When Gudmundson finally returned
to Canada, she came to a realization. “It
was clear to me that life was much
rougher here. The nature was wilder and
so were the circumstances people live
under. The feeling of being watched over
and taken care of was gone.” Along with

. this shift, however, came liberation and

 

 

the lack of pressure to conform. “I could
work on what was in my own mind—my
ego.”

Gudmundson studied naturopathic
medicine at a community college to aug-
ment her nursing skills and to achieve her
goal to treat the whole patient. She now
works from her home, operating a mas-
sage practice and treating her clients with
Bach flower remedies and essential oils.
The atmosphere is unassuming; the art on
display depicts the natural world and an
aura reminiscent of her childhood in
Switzerland. Here, Gudmundson offers
her clients a sanctuary. Her clients, like
her, are mostly women struggling to bal-
ance motherhood and work. She is also
immersed in her children’s school in sev-
eral volunteer roles. She admits that these
responsibilities are sometimes too con-
suming, but acknowledges their
usefulness in revealing societal norms.

“The connections I get out in the
community have made such a difference
to me. I enjoy the different aspects my
involvement brings into my life—other
families, interactions, ideas, and different
ways of doing things. And it may sound
funny, but the sky is much more open
here—there is more space somehow.”

July 13/2005