February 15, 2025 • 24 mins
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Discover the power of cultural identity, resilience, and adaptation in this insightful episode of Beneath The Accent, featuring Peta-Gaye’s inspiring journey from Jamaica to Canada. We explore how food, language, and traditions shape our sense of belonging in a new country. From the comforting nostalgia of Ackee and Codfish to the surprising delight of Pierogies, Peta-Gaye shares how flavors connect her to home while embracing a new culture.
We dive into the nuances of accents and how they influence perceptions—especially through the lens of Peta-Gaye’s daughters navigating Canadian society with their Jamaican heritage. This episode also unpacks the cultural differences in how people are addressed across Canada, Jamaica, and India, highlighting the role of communication in fostering inclusion.
Beyond food and language, we explore whimsical musings like spirit animals and imagined superpowers, all while keeping the core conversation rooted in perseverance, kindness, and finding safety in a new home. Whether you're an immigrant, a food lover, or someone navigating cultural shifts, this episode offers a heartfelt look at identity, community, and personal expression.
Tune in to celebrate the power of resilience and the beauty of embracing multiple cultures!
Follow the host and the podcast on Social Media channels below:
- My Thick Accent on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mythickaccent/
- My Thick Accent on Threads - https://www.threads.net/@mythickaccent?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- MyThickAccent.com - https://www.mythickaccent.com/
- Gurasis's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iamgurasis/
- Gurasis's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamgurasis/
__________________________________________
To contact Peta-Gaye:
- Peta-Gaye's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peta-gaye-nash-374a284b
- Peta-Gaye's Website - http://www.petagayenash.com/
- Bushy Head Book - https://www.amazon.ca/Bushyhead-Peta-Gaye-Nash/dp/198940328X
- Don't Take Raja To School - https://www.amazon.ca/Dont-Take-Raja-School-Inspired/dp/1926926129/
- Told Ya! Stories - https://www.amazon.ca/Told-Ya-Stories-Peta-Gaye-Nash/dp/1989242154/
Want to share your story? Or know someone I should invite next on the show? DM us or write to us at Hello@mythickaccent.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Gurasis (00:00):
I am going into the final segment of the podcast.
I call it Beneath the Accentbecause we are knowing each
other beneath the accent.
I'm going to ask a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or howsoever you
feel like the idea is just toknow more about Peter Gay.
Okay, so ready, okay, ready.
What advice would you give toyour younger self and at what
(00:22):
age.
Peta-Gaye (00:23):
I replay this all the time.
I don't know where I wouldintervene.
Sometimes I think I wouldintervene in my teenage years.
But no, I would.
I really do want a time machinebecause I would go back to that
moment when I am four years oldand I'm first learning the word
(00:48):
divorce, or I'm learning, I'mstarting to pick up on negative
cues around me and I would sayto that four-year-old I love you
, you're going to have a greatlife, don't worry so much,
(01:08):
you're going to be okay.
I would hug my four-year-oldself and I would say promise me
that you believe in yourself andall that you can do, no matter
what anyone tells you.
Anyone tells you, no matterwhat you're called, just believe
in yourself and follow yourdreams.
That's what I would say.
(01:30):
My intervention would comeearly.
Gurasis (01:40):
Wow, very, very powerful.
I love that, okay.
Second, describe a moment whenyou experienced a significant
cultural difference.
Peta-Gaye (01:43):
That surprised you.
There have been so many, butthe one that I remember that's
at the forefront of my mindright now is the whole thing of
using Mr and Mrs and a last name.
When I came to Canada in 2002,even though I had lived here
(02:04):
before, I went into my workplaceand first official job and I
called my boss Mr and his lastname, and everyone just sort of
you know tittered and I thoughtto myself, well, I'm being
respectful.
Yeah, you know but I realized itwasn't done.
Well, I'm being respectful, youknow, but I realized it wasn't
(02:29):
done and that was a really oddcultural difference for me.
But you know, the same thinghappened when I went back to
Jamaica this past summer 2024,with my daughter.
She was confused about what tocall people, because in canada
she calls my friends by theirfirst names.
Yeah, in jamaica they said ohhello, I am auntie, may not be
(02:55):
related by blood exactly, yeahand she would look at me, all
confused.
Do I?
Do I call her auntie so and soand I would?
I just, yes, you know,different place, different
culture do I call?
Gurasis (03:05):
her auntie so-and-so.
Peta-Gaye (03:05):
And I would.
I just said yes, you know,different place, different
culture.
Gurasis (03:08):
Yeah, very small, small advances.
Like also we call sir or madamback in India to our professors,
but here they call by the firstname, you know, and it was a
little awkward for me initially,but okay, now I've got a hang
of it.
Yeah.
Peta-Gaye (03:22):
I remember walking Sherway Gardens with my dad who
had come from canada and I dobelieve it was a young man who
was punjabi or maybe somewhereelse in india, and he called my
father, uncle, and my dad wouldnot understand that and I said I
grabbed him and I said, dad, hejust showed you a sign of
(03:43):
respect yeah, oh, my god, thisreminds me another story.
Gurasis (03:48):
I was uh, sharing, uh, this apartment with somebody and
this I told him my landlordused to live on the basement and
we were on this first floor andwe were there and I told him oh
, uncle is calling you regardingsomething.
He said uncle, which uncle?
And I said the landlord.
He said why are you calling himuncle?
He's not an uncle.
(04:09):
I said, oh, okay, because itcomes naturally to me.
We call older people uncle oraunt, you know?
Peta-Gaye (04:16):
yes, yeah, oh, that's funny.
Why are you calling him uncle?
Gurasis (04:23):
tell me about this one dish from your home country,
Peter Gay, that always bringsyou comfort and nostalgia.
Peta-Gaye (04:30):
Oh, apart from a nice big juicy mango, okay, I do
love.
I do love ackee and codfish.
And the reason why?
Well, first of all's, jamaica'snational dish.
Okay, but I love it because aki, which originally came from
west africa, as far as Iremember, grows on a tree, but
(04:52):
the pod has to open.
If you force it open it'spoisonous, I see and could make
you very sick.
So, you know, the pod opens, youpick out the yellow fleshy
thing and you cook it.
You have to cook it and it'scooked with codfish.
And it's so funny because thiswas introduced to feed the
(05:14):
slaves.
Really, yes, they wanted acheap meal to feed the slaves,
so they would cook ackee withcod from Canada.
So the countries, we are alllinked in this world.
When we think that we have, youknow, one country has nothing
to do with another.
It's so untrue.
We're just all linked in someway.
(05:35):
Anyway, the cod came fromCanada, from, I guess, the
Atlantic provinces, nova Scotia,newfoundland and it has gone on
to become the national dish ofJamaica and, you know, seasoned
very well, of course, with onionand other things.
I'm not a great cook, buteating ackee and codfish makes
(05:56):
me, it reminds me of mygrandmother.
Of course it reminds me of whenI lived in the States, going
home to visit her and her makingackee and me saying I don't
want to eat that Because itwasn't American food, and then
(06:17):
slowly getting used to it andrealizing my grandmother is an
amazing cook.
And yeah, ackee and codfish isjust everything Home.
It means home.
It means family.
Gurasis (06:30):
Yeah, that brings nostalgia and comfort, right, of
course.
I'm just curious, like whatkind of food do you guys make at
home right now, you know, sinceit's a mixture of multiple
cultures in the house, so how isthat like?
Peta-Gaye (06:42):
Well, first let me start by saying that we are not
very traditional with our roles.
My husband is a much bettercook than I am.
He's from Jamaica and he doesmost of the meal planning.
So, him loving cooking, I'mvery spoiled, very.
(07:02):
My kids and I were just veryspoiled, and it ranges from
Jamaican to Italian to basicallyeverything.
Very lucky to have someone elsedo this for me because, to be
honest, not my thing, If I could, I would eat out every single
day, just to not have to cook.
(07:23):
All right, but, we haveeverything.
You know, we do mexican, we dojamaican, we do indian, we do
indian, yes, we do next time youknow you are here in montreal,
I'll cook for you, for sure oh,thank you.
Gurasis (07:38):
Okay, I'll be there next weekend, awesome um, tell
me about a favorite culturalfestival or a celebration in
canada, and how do you celebrateit?
Peta-Gaye (07:49):
my favorite okay, here's the thing.
I love crowds, sometimes notall the time.
My husband doesn't, so we donot partake in so many as before
, but I do love Carabana.
I love Carabana for the music,for the food, for the costumes.
(08:11):
Actually, I don't think it'scalled Carabana anymore.
I am definitely dating myself.
That's what it was called whenI first came to Canada.
It's now called something elsethe Caribbean Cultural Festival.
I've heard.
Gurasis (08:26):
Caribbean yeah.
Peta-Gaye (08:28):
Yes.
Gurasis (08:29):
Yeah.
Peta-Gaye (08:29):
That is one of my favorites, but I also love other
cultural festivals thatsometimes I just happen to come
across.
There's a Latin festival wherethere's a lot of salsa dancing
in toronto.
I think I'm drawn to color,dance, music and food, so
(08:50):
wherever those are all combined,I love that, and it doesn't
really matter which festival Ijust think.
I think it's just a greatopportunity to experience
something different.
Gurasis (09:05):
Color dance food.
That sounds like an Indianwedding to me.
Peta-Gaye (09:11):
Love Indian weddings.
I went to one last year.
It was fantastic.
Gurasis (09:15):
Oh, that's awesome.
Okay, tell me about the firstfriend that you made in Canada,
and are you still in touch withthem?
Peta-Gaye (09:23):
Yes, okay, I am going way back, way back to 13th
grade when this Canadian she wasblack, is black came up to me
and she was excited that someonelike me different because I
lived in Burlington At the time.
(09:46):
There was not a lot ofdiversity in Burlington, so she
was, I think, my first friendand we lost touch for many, many
years Now.
She organizes a lot of culturalfestivals in Burlington.
She organizes a lot of culturalfestivals in Burlington.
And she said that she, I saidsomething to her so long ago
(10:11):
that had always upset her.
I didn't even know that I saidit, but she told me.
We were all young at the time.
She told me that she waspregnant and my first response
was why?
And she said I always thoughtabout that and wondered why you
said that.
(10:31):
And I said again if I couldjust make that time machine and
go back in time, I would be sovery different.
I would have hugged you, Iwould have told you
(10:52):
congratulations and thateverything is going to work out.
I would not have responded thatway.
But I think I said why?
Because I just could notimagine being so young, having
children and not having lookedafter myself or pursuing my
dreams.
She had gotten pregnant and shewasn't married yet, and it
would prove to be a very longjourney.
(11:14):
But she has proved to beamazing, resilient, an
incredible mother and, althoughwe don't see each other very
much, at least we have instagramand whatsapp to keep in touch.
But that was.
That was my first friend andalso a good lesson in not just
saying whatever comes out ofyour mouth absolutely.
Gurasis (11:38):
Wow, I love that story.
Do you haveichagi any funnystories related to your accent
or English?
Or maybe like a certain wordthat you mispronounced or some
mishap, anything around it?
Peta-Gaye (11:52):
You know what?
I have issues with the wordcomfortable versus comfortable.
Okay, I would love someone totell me why is it that everyone
else says comfortable and inNorth America it's comfortable?
I think this word has changedover time, but the reason why
I'm bringing it up is because Ialso do some English examining
(12:17):
and I've been told thatcomfortable is incorrect.
But I cannot feel that thisword is incorrect Because so
many people Indian, jamaican,caribbean say comfortable.
Now, to say comfortable,comfortable, I have to practice
(12:49):
it.
But what's a funny story?
It's not so funny in that whenmy daughters came here they were
little girls and they had thesestrong Jamaican accents they
said they quickly learned thatpeople would just hear the
accent and not try to understand.
That was their first lesson atage six and three.
So they purposely tried tospeak like a Canadian and it
(13:14):
worked, except for some wordsthat were just so stubborn.
And they say Mom, to this daywe still get, you know, laughed
at, not laughed at, but friendsjust making fun with them.
You know they're like.
I just got laughed at again forsaying mascara and I said
(13:35):
what's wrong with mascara?
That's?
You know that's the word.
No, it's mascara.
And I'm like okay, yeah, socertain words have been stubborn
, still in their vocabulary.
You know, you learn what youlearn absolutely.
Gurasis (13:53):
There are so many words that you know, I think I still
kind of like say the same way,for some reason, the word you
know, shower, like it's shower,or I always say shower, I'm
going to go take a shower, and Idon't think that comes from the
word power and par, you know,and that's kind of like stays in
my mind and I always say when Isay like okay, I'm going to
(14:14):
take a shower, and my friendswill be like why, what is shower
?
I'm like okay, shower you?
That always happens, yeah.
Peta-Gaye (14:30):
Yeah, and you know, if you went to the deep South in
America, they would speakcompletely differently than we
do, and it's really just amatter of getting your ear tuned
to that new sound, but it's noteasy.
Gurasis (14:38):
Yeah, absolutely yeah.
So I have another question,that is this?
Something that you ate for thefirst time in Canada Would be
pierogies.
Peta-Gaye (14:49):
I don't even know what it is.
Pierogies, I believe, is.
I think it's from Ukraine orPoland.
Okay, and when I had pierogiesfor the first time.
You know, for me this is notCaribbean food, but there's just
something about a dumpling kindof food that is just so hard to
(15:12):
resist.
So I tried to make pierogies,not from scratch, just the
frozen.
Didn't work out as well.
My children can do it a lotbetter, and it's actually so
delicious.
It's something so differentfrom my culture.
But yeah, I'm making myselfhungry right now just thinking
(15:33):
about it.
But that was something that I'dnever heard of before I left
Jamaica to come here.
Gurasis (15:38):
Okay, Okay Interesting.
I might try it sometime.
Tell me if you could describeyourself as any creature, animal
, bird, anything.
What would it be and why?
Peta-Gaye (15:53):
A dolphin?
Okay, Definitely a dolphin,Because I love the water so much
.
I always want to be in thewater.
I don't want to be far fromwater.
I wish my life was just spenton a boat or in a house by the
sea, frolicking.
(16:13):
I know that is totallyridiculous.
We need to work.
We need to be productive.
Yes, I am ambitious, but I dolove my fun time.
And a dolphin, you know, yousee it just jumping up out of
the water and down frolicking.
It's with friends.
They're traveling in groups.
(16:33):
They're in the sea where Ireally just want to be all the
time.
Yeah, definitely.
What about you?
Gurasis (16:49):
yeah, definitely.
What about you me?
Um could be any creature, Ithink definitely a bird you know
, more of like an eagle.
I would say uh, because I justwant to fly high and be open and
and kind of be up in the air,and it'd be also.
It's also the, the board whichone of our uh gurus actually had
, and that kind of likesymbolizes that only the
(17:10):
strength, the power, thesharpness and and kind of the uh
, the go for it mentality thatit has.
So I think, definitely, I thinkI would be an eagle, yeah.
Peta-Gaye (17:22):
I love that Soaring above everything.
Gurasis (17:25):
Absolutely.
And if you could create thisone law that everybody has to
follow, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (17:32):
Everyone has to be respectful to each other.
Everyone has to be kind.
Kindness would become theculture, and I know that sounds
strange because it's not reallya law, but I think that's really
important to me.
If we're going with an actuallaw, I would have to go with a
traffic law.
You know what really bugs me?
(17:53):
Parasis.
What really bugs me is the factthat pedestrians are walking
while cars are turning.
I don't think this should everhappen.
I think that all cars shouldstop.
People can wait another minuteand all pedestrians go.
I saw this done in New Zealand.
(18:13):
It was the best thing I've everseen.
I still call it the New Zealandcrossing.
You can cross across the road.
You can cross, you know, to theother side.
You can go right through themiddle, which I love.
All cars stop.
This is the safest way.
They tried it in Toronto someyears back.
(18:34):
People didn't like it and myfirst thought was you didn't
like it because you weren'tbeing open to something new that
was safer and better foreveryone.
Again, just as the way peopleare, we don't like change.
We don't like to open our mindssometimes to things that are
new, and I thought that this wasa moment where we went so wrong
(18:58):
in downtown Toronto.
We went so wrong here.
I would have insisted we needto try this not just for a month
or a year.
We need to try this for a while, maybe five years.
By the end of that five years,everyone would be doing it New
Zealand style.
Nobody would get hit.
(19:19):
Pedestrians would not get hitby vehicles who are rushing
trying to turn right.
This would be the law, and Ithink it's so important.
Gurasis (19:30):
Yeah, I like that.
Yeah, and if you could have onesuperpower, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (19:35):
To fly or be invisible.
I just can't choose one, Ithink, because if I could fly, I
would fly to the Caribbean oranywhere tropical in the winter,
and if I were invisible I wouldjump on a plane.
Gurasis (19:53):
So the goal is just to go to Caribbean or just go to a
warmer place.
That's your goal.
Peta-Gaye (20:03):
I really like the sunshine.
I am so different in thesunshine, I'm so different in
the heat.
I love it so much.
But you know, I really think Ialready do have a superpower,
and it doesn't always work wellfor me, because my superpower is
being able to think big, bigpicture, big picture with the
(20:26):
world, with history.
Less of a superpower isfocusing on details, but being
able to focus on the big picturemakes me able to think.
Things like this is a cycle.
It may feel bad in the moment.
Let's say child-rearing.
This is a cycle.
(20:48):
Everyone has gone through this.
I did, my children will.
When they are parents, it'sthat superpower to say, well,
let me not be nitpicky now thatthis is happening, because this
(21:09):
is just part of a big picture.
Yeah, same thing if I'm at workand I'm having a rough day.
What is the big picture?
The big picture is to supportnewcomers, right?
yeah so I can focus and say,okay, I have to do this
uncomfortable thing, to to, toadd to the big picture.
And I think that is asuperpower, when you're able to
look beyond the littlefrustrations in life, not get
(21:32):
caught up in them and causearguments, but to see that there
is a bigger picture, absolutely.
Gurasis (21:38):
Yeah, we all have those good and bad days, but it's
just a bad day, not a bad life,you know Right right so finally,
Peter Gay, how would youdescribe Canada in one word or a
?
Peta-Gaye (21:49):
sentence.
Oh my gosh, you've asked me thehardest question and I think
the reason why is a lot ofpeople come to Canada and they
just easily accept it as home.
But with my personality, I'malways analyzing and searching
and looking in other pastures.
(22:11):
You know how they say the grassis greener.
I am forever looking in manyother pastures.
So it's very hard.
I almost feel attached tonowhere I see.
But if I could describe Canada,I would say safe, safe.
(22:33):
Canada represents safety to meand I hope it always stays that
way.
Yeah, hopefully yeah, you know,safe to express myself, safe
from political violence, safefrom crime, safe in terms of you
(22:57):
know you can be who you are,you can express your gender, you
can express yourself as aperson of color, absolutely, um,
yeah, I love that about canada.
Yeah, I feel so safe I love.
Gurasis (23:14):
That definitely defines canada.
Yeah, and if you could leave mepeter gave with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (23:21):
keep on inspiring the world with what you're doing.
What you're doing is so amazing.
I'm so glad that I wasintroduced to your podcast.
I am.
You know I'm now your fan.
Don't give up on those harddays.
Gurasis (23:38):
Thank you.
Thank you for our kind words.
Peta-Gaye (23:41):
Because there will always be people listening who
might be going through a reallyhard day, and what you have to
share will help them to knowthat they are not alone.
A hundred percent.
Gurasis (23:53):
Yeah, thank you for saying that, and how would you
describe your experience beingon this podcast today?
Peta-Gaye (24:08):
Awesome, absolutely awesome.
I was nervous.
I'm not usually nervous aboutspeaking out, but I was a little
nervous to share things aboutmy life and you made me feel so
comfortable.
I love that you meancomfortable?
Gurasis (24:17):
yeah, I got it I meant comfortable I love that thank
you.
Thank you so much, peter.
I really enjoyed this and thankyou for being on the podcast
and adding value to my listenersand really, really had a good
conversation.
Thank you, thank you.
I am going into the final segment of the podcast.
I call it Beneath the Accentbecause we are knowing each
other beneath the accent.
I'm going to ask a couple ofquestions.
You can answer them in one wordor a sentence or howsoever you
feel like the idea is just toknow more about Peter Gay.
Okay, so ready, okay, ready.
What advice would you give toyour younger self and at what
(00:22):
age.
Peta-Gaye (00:23):
I replay this all the time.
I don't know where I wouldintervene.
Sometimes I think I wouldintervene in my teenage years.
But no, I would.
I really do want a time machinebecause I would go back to that
moment when I am four years oldand I'm first learning the word
(00:48):
divorce, or I'm learning, I'mstarting to pick up on negative
cues around me and I would sayto that four-year-old I love you
, you're going to have a greatlife, don't worry so much,
(01:08):
you're going to be okay.
I would hug my four-year-oldself and I would say promise me
that you believe in yourself andall that you can do, no matter
what anyone tells you.
Anyone tells you, no matterwhat you're called, just believe
in yourself and follow yourdreams.
That's what I would say.
(01:30):
My intervention would comeearly.
Gurasis (01:40):
Wow, very, very powerful.
I love that, okay.
Second, describe a moment whenyou experienced a significant
cultural difference.
Peta-Gaye (01:43):
That surprised you.
There have been so many, butthe one that I remember that's
at the forefront of my mindright now is the whole thing of
using Mr and Mrs and a last name.
When I came to Canada in 2002,even though I had lived here
(02:04):
before, I went into my workplaceand first official job and I
called my boss Mr and his lastname, and everyone just sort of
you know tittered and I thoughtto myself, well, I'm being
respectful.
Yeah, you know but I realized itwasn't done.
Well, I'm being respectful, youknow, but I realized it wasn't
(02:29):
done and that was a really oddcultural difference for me.
But you know, the same thinghappened when I went back to
Jamaica this past summer 2024,with my daughter.
She was confused about what tocall people, because in canada
she calls my friends by theirfirst names.
Yeah, in jamaica they said ohhello, I am auntie, may not be
(02:55):
related by blood exactly, yeahand she would look at me, all
confused.
Do I?
Do I call her auntie so and soand I would?
I just, yes, you know,different place, different
culture do I call?
Gurasis (03:05):
her auntie so-and-so.
Peta-Gaye (03:05):
And I would.
I just said yes, you know,different place, different
culture.
Gurasis (03:08):
Yeah, very small, small advances.
Like also we call sir or madamback in India to our professors,
but here they call by the firstname, you know, and it was a
little awkward for me initially,but okay, now I've got a hang
of it.
Yeah.
Peta-Gaye (03:22):
I remember walking Sherway Gardens with my dad who
had come from canada and I dobelieve it was a young man who
was punjabi or maybe somewhereelse in india, and he called my
father, uncle, and my dad wouldnot understand that and I said I
grabbed him and I said, dad, hejust showed you a sign of
(03:43):
respect yeah, oh, my god, thisreminds me another story.
Gurasis (03:48):
I was uh, sharing, uh, this apartment with somebody and
this I told him my landlordused to live on the basement and
we were on this first floor andwe were there and I told him oh
, uncle is calling you regardingsomething.
He said uncle, which uncle?
And I said the landlord.
He said why are you calling himuncle?
He's not an uncle.
(04:09):
I said, oh, okay, because itcomes naturally to me.
We call older people uncle oraunt, you know?
Peta-Gaye (04:16):
yes, yeah, oh, that's funny.
Why are you calling him uncle?
Gurasis (04:23):
tell me about this one dish from your home country,
Peter Gay, that always bringsyou comfort and nostalgia.
Peta-Gaye (04:30):
Oh, apart from a nice big juicy mango, okay, I do
love.
I do love ackee and codfish.
And the reason why?
Well, first of all's, jamaica'snational dish.
Okay, but I love it because aki, which originally came from
west africa, as far as Iremember, grows on a tree, but
(04:52):
the pod has to open.
If you force it open it'spoisonous, I see and could make
you very sick.
So, you know, the pod opens, youpick out the yellow fleshy
thing and you cook it.
You have to cook it and it'scooked with codfish.
And it's so funny because thiswas introduced to feed the
(05:14):
slaves.
Really, yes, they wanted acheap meal to feed the slaves,
so they would cook ackee withcod from Canada.
So the countries, we are alllinked in this world.
When we think that we have, youknow, one country has nothing
to do with another.
It's so untrue.
We're just all linked in someway.
(05:35):
Anyway, the cod came fromCanada, from, I guess, the
Atlantic provinces, nova Scotia,newfoundland and it has gone on
to become the national dish ofJamaica and, you know, seasoned
very well, of course, with onionand other things.
I'm not a great cook, buteating ackee and codfish makes
(05:56):
me, it reminds me of mygrandmother.
Of course it reminds me of whenI lived in the States, going
home to visit her and her makingackee and me saying I don't
want to eat that Because itwasn't American food, and then
(06:17):
slowly getting used to it andrealizing my grandmother is an
amazing cook.
And yeah, ackee and codfish isjust everything Home.
It means home.
It means family.
Gurasis (06:30):
Yeah, that brings nostalgia and comfort, right, of
course.
I'm just curious, like whatkind of food do you guys make at
home right now, you know, sinceit's a mixture of multiple
cultures in the house, so how isthat like?
Peta-Gaye (06:42):
Well, first let me start by saying that we are not
very traditional with our roles.
My husband is a much bettercook than I am.
He's from Jamaica and he doesmost of the meal planning.
So, him loving cooking, I'mvery spoiled, very.
(07:02):
My kids and I were just veryspoiled, and it ranges from
Jamaican to Italian to basicallyeverything.
Very lucky to have someone elsedo this for me because, to be
honest, not my thing, If I could, I would eat out every single
day, just to not have to cook.
(07:23):
All right, but, we haveeverything.
You know, we do mexican, we dojamaican, we do indian, we do
indian, yes, we do next time youknow you are here in montreal,
I'll cook for you, for sure oh,thank you.
Gurasis (07:38):
Okay, I'll be there next weekend, awesome um, tell
me about a favorite culturalfestival or a celebration in
canada, and how do you celebrateit?
Peta-Gaye (07:49):
my favorite okay, here's the thing.
I love crowds, sometimes notall the time.
My husband doesn't, so we donot partake in so many as before
, but I do love Carabana.
I love Carabana for the music,for the food, for the costumes.
(08:11):
Actually, I don't think it'scalled Carabana anymore.
I am definitely dating myself.
That's what it was called whenI first came to Canada.
It's now called something elsethe Caribbean Cultural Festival.
I've heard.
Gurasis (08:26):
Caribbean yeah.
Peta-Gaye (08:28):
Yes.
Gurasis (08:29):
Yeah.
Peta-Gaye (08:29):
That is one of my favorites, but I also love other
cultural festivals thatsometimes I just happen to come
across.
There's a Latin festival wherethere's a lot of salsa dancing
in toronto.
I think I'm drawn to color,dance, music and food, so
(08:50):
wherever those are all combined,I love that, and it doesn't
really matter which festival Ijust think.
I think it's just a greatopportunity to experience
something different.
Gurasis (09:05):
Color dance food.
That sounds like an Indianwedding to me.
Peta-Gaye (09:11):
Love Indian weddings.
I went to one last year.
It was fantastic.
Gurasis (09:15):
Oh, that's awesome.
Okay, tell me about the firstfriend that you made in Canada,
and are you still in touch withthem?
Peta-Gaye (09:23):
Yes, okay, I am going way back, way back to 13th
grade when this Canadian she wasblack, is black came up to me
and she was excited that someonelike me different because I
lived in Burlington At the time.
(09:46):
There was not a lot ofdiversity in Burlington, so she
was, I think, my first friendand we lost touch for many, many
years Now.
She organizes a lot of culturalfestivals in Burlington.
She organizes a lot of culturalfestivals in Burlington.
And she said that she, I saidsomething to her so long ago
(10:11):
that had always upset her.
I didn't even know that I saidit, but she told me.
We were all young at the time.
She told me that she waspregnant and my first response
was why?
And she said I always thoughtabout that and wondered why you
said that.
(10:31):
And I said again if I couldjust make that time machine and
go back in time, I would be sovery different.
I would have hugged you, Iwould have told you
(10:52):
congratulations and thateverything is going to work out.
I would not have responded thatway.
But I think I said why?
Because I just could notimagine being so young, having
children and not having lookedafter myself or pursuing my
dreams.
She had gotten pregnant and shewasn't married yet, and it
would prove to be a very longjourney.
(11:14):
But she has proved to beamazing, resilient, an
incredible mother and, althoughwe don't see each other very
much, at least we have instagramand whatsapp to keep in touch.
But that was.
That was my first friend andalso a good lesson in not just
saying whatever comes out ofyour mouth absolutely.
Gurasis (11:38):
Wow, I love that story.
Do you haveichagi any funnystories related to your accent
or English?
Or maybe like a certain wordthat you mispronounced or some
mishap, anything around it?
Peta-Gaye (11:52):
You know what?
I have issues with the wordcomfortable versus comfortable.
Okay, I would love someone totell me why is it that everyone
else says comfortable and inNorth America it's comfortable?
I think this word has changedover time, but the reason why
I'm bringing it up is because Ialso do some English examining
(12:17):
and I've been told thatcomfortable is incorrect.
But I cannot feel that thisword is incorrect Because so
many people Indian, jamaican,caribbean say comfortable.
Now, to say comfortable,comfortable, I have to practice
(12:49):
it.
But what's a funny story?
It's not so funny in that whenmy daughters came here they were
little girls and they had thesestrong Jamaican accents they
said they quickly learned thatpeople would just hear the
accent and not try to understand.
That was their first lesson atage six and three.
So they purposely tried tospeak like a Canadian and it
(13:14):
worked, except for some wordsthat were just so stubborn.
And they say Mom, to this daywe still get, you know, laughed
at, not laughed at, but friendsjust making fun with them.
You know they're like.
I just got laughed at again forsaying mascara and I said
(13:35):
what's wrong with mascara?
That's?
You know that's the word.
No, it's mascara.
And I'm like okay, yeah, socertain words have been stubborn
, still in their vocabulary.
You know, you learn what youlearn absolutely.
Gurasis (13:53):
There are so many words that you know, I think I still
kind of like say the same way,for some reason, the word you
know, shower, like it's shower,or I always say shower, I'm
going to go take a shower, and Idon't think that comes from the
word power and par, you know,and that's kind of like stays in
my mind and I always say when Isay like okay, I'm going to
(14:14):
take a shower, and my friendswill be like why, what is shower
?
I'm like okay, shower you?
That always happens, yeah.
Peta-Gaye (14:30):
Yeah, and you know, if you went to the deep South in
America, they would speakcompletely differently than we
do, and it's really just amatter of getting your ear tuned
to that new sound, but it's noteasy.
Gurasis (14:38):
Yeah, absolutely yeah.
So I have another question,that is this?
Something that you ate for thefirst time in Canada Would be
pierogies.
Peta-Gaye (14:49):
I don't even know what it is.
Pierogies, I believe, is.
I think it's from Ukraine orPoland.
Okay, and when I had pierogiesfor the first time.
You know, for me this is notCaribbean food, but there's just
something about a dumpling kindof food that is just so hard to
(15:12):
resist.
So I tried to make pierogies,not from scratch, just the
frozen.
Didn't work out as well.
My children can do it a lotbetter, and it's actually so
delicious.
It's something so differentfrom my culture.
But yeah, I'm making myselfhungry right now just thinking
(15:33):
about it.
But that was something that I'dnever heard of before I left
Jamaica to come here.
Gurasis (15:38):
Okay, Okay Interesting.
I might try it sometime.
Tell me if you could describeyourself as any creature, animal
, bird, anything.
What would it be and why?
Peta-Gaye (15:53):
A dolphin?
Okay, Definitely a dolphin,Because I love the water so much
.
I always want to be in thewater.
I don't want to be far fromwater.
I wish my life was just spenton a boat or in a house by the
sea, frolicking.
(16:13):
I know that is totallyridiculous.
We need to work.
We need to be productive.
Yes, I am ambitious, but I dolove my fun time.
And a dolphin, you know, yousee it just jumping up out of
the water and down frolicking.
It's with friends.
They're traveling in groups.
(16:33):
They're in the sea where Ireally just want to be all the
time.
Yeah, definitely.
What about you?
Gurasis (16:49):
yeah, definitely.
What about you me?
Um could be any creature, Ithink definitely a bird you know
, more of like an eagle.
I would say uh, because I justwant to fly high and be open and
and kind of be up in the air,and it'd be also.
It's also the, the board whichone of our uh gurus actually had
, and that kind of likesymbolizes that only the
(17:10):
strength, the power, thesharpness and and kind of the uh
, the go for it mentality thatit has.
So I think, definitely, I thinkI would be an eagle, yeah.
Peta-Gaye (17:22):
I love that Soaring above everything.
Gurasis (17:25):
Absolutely.
And if you could create thisone law that everybody has to
follow, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (17:32):
Everyone has to be respectful to each other.
Everyone has to be kind.
Kindness would become theculture, and I know that sounds
strange because it's not reallya law, but I think that's really
important to me.
If we're going with an actuallaw, I would have to go with a
traffic law.
You know what really bugs me?
(17:53):
Parasis.
What really bugs me is the factthat pedestrians are walking
while cars are turning.
I don't think this should everhappen.
I think that all cars shouldstop.
People can wait another minuteand all pedestrians go.
I saw this done in New Zealand.
(18:13):
It was the best thing I've everseen.
I still call it the New Zealandcrossing.
You can cross across the road.
You can cross, you know, to theother side.
You can go right through themiddle, which I love.
All cars stop.
This is the safest way.
They tried it in Toronto someyears back.
(18:34):
People didn't like it and myfirst thought was you didn't
like it because you weren'tbeing open to something new that
was safer and better foreveryone.
Again, just as the way peopleare, we don't like change.
We don't like to open our mindssometimes to things that are
new, and I thought that this wasa moment where we went so wrong
(18:58):
in downtown Toronto.
We went so wrong here.
I would have insisted we needto try this not just for a month
or a year.
We need to try this for a while, maybe five years.
By the end of that five years,everyone would be doing it New
Zealand style.
Nobody would get hit.
(19:19):
Pedestrians would not get hitby vehicles who are rushing
trying to turn right.
This would be the law, and Ithink it's so important.
Gurasis (19:30):
Yeah, I like that.
Yeah, and if you could have onesuperpower, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (19:35):
To fly or be invisible.
I just can't choose one, Ithink, because if I could fly, I
would fly to the Caribbean oranywhere tropical in the winter,
and if I were invisible I wouldjump on a plane.
Gurasis (19:53):
So the goal is just to go to Caribbean or just go to a
warmer place.
That's your goal.
Peta-Gaye (20:03):
I really like the sunshine.
I am so different in thesunshine, I'm so different in
the heat.
I love it so much.
But you know, I really think Ialready do have a superpower,
and it doesn't always work wellfor me, because my superpower is
being able to think big, bigpicture, big picture with the
(20:26):
world, with history.
Less of a superpower isfocusing on details, but being
able to focus on the big picturemakes me able to think.
Things like this is a cycle.
It may feel bad in the moment.
Let's say child-rearing.
This is a cycle.
(20:48):
Everyone has gone through this.
I did, my children will.
When they are parents, it'sthat superpower to say, well,
let me not be nitpicky now thatthis is happening, because this
(21:09):
is just part of a big picture.
Yeah, same thing if I'm at workand I'm having a rough day.
What is the big picture?
The big picture is to supportnewcomers, right?
yeah so I can focus and say,okay, I have to do this
uncomfortable thing, to to, toadd to the big picture.
And I think that is asuperpower, when you're able to
look beyond the littlefrustrations in life, not get
(21:32):
caught up in them and causearguments, but to see that there
is a bigger picture, absolutely.
Gurasis (21:38):
Yeah, we all have those good and bad days, but it's
just a bad day, not a bad life,you know Right right so finally,
Peter Gay, how would youdescribe Canada in one word or a
?
Peta-Gaye (21:49):
sentence.
Oh my gosh, you've asked me thehardest question and I think
the reason why is a lot ofpeople come to Canada and they
just easily accept it as home.
But with my personality, I'malways analyzing and searching
and looking in other pastures.
(22:11):
You know how they say the grassis greener.
I am forever looking in manyother pastures.
So it's very hard.
I almost feel attached tonowhere I see.
But if I could describe Canada,I would say safe, safe.
(22:33):
Canada represents safety to meand I hope it always stays that
way.
Yeah, hopefully yeah, you know,safe to express myself, safe
from political violence, safefrom crime, safe in terms of you
(22:57):
know you can be who you are,you can express your gender, you
can express yourself as aperson of color, absolutely, um,
yeah, I love that about canada.
Yeah, I feel so safe I love.
Gurasis (23:14):
That definitely defines canada.
Yeah, and if you could leave mepeter gave with one piece of
advice, what would it be?
Peta-Gaye (23:21):
keep on inspiring the world with what you're doing.
What you're doing is so amazing.
I'm so glad that I wasintroduced to your podcast.
I am.
You know I'm now your fan.
Don't give up on those harddays.
Gurasis (23:38):
Thank you.
Thank you for our kind words.
Peta-Gaye (23:41):
Because there will always be people listening who
might be going through a reallyhard day, and what you have to
share will help them to knowthat they are not alone.
A hundred percent.
Gurasis (23:53):
Yeah, thank you for saying that, and how would you
describe your experience beingon this podcast today?
Peta-Gaye (24:08):
Awesome, absolutely awesome.
I was nervous.
I'm not usually nervous aboutspeaking out, but I was a little
nervous to share things aboutmy life and you made me feel so
comfortable.
I love that you meancomfortable?
Gurasis (24:17):
yeah, I got it I meant comfortable I love that thank
you.
Thank you so much, peter.
I really enjoyed this and thankyou for being on the podcast
and adding value to my listenersand really, really had a good
conversation.
Thank you, thank you.
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