The Great Canadian-American Oreo Battle

Though today was not the epitome of excitement, one thing was certainly settled once and for all...

Canadian Oreos are better than American Oreos.

It's true. I thought it was just a figment of my imagination, but after the taste test I conducted today, I found that 5 out of 6 tasters agreed that they do indeed taste different. This is not surprising, as Oreos in the United States are made by Nabisco, whereas in Canada they are made by Mr. Christie. Three people favored the Canadian over the American brand, because it has a sweeter cream. Two people favored the American version, giving the reasons that it was not too sweet and that the cookie part tasted better. The final score was four for the Canadian Oreo (that includes my vote!), two for the American Oreo and one person who said they couldn't tell the difference.

Cameron was a Canadian fan

Brendan preferred the American Oreo

I was thinking about Minda's recent blog comments as I was running tonight; she wondered about why I said I thought I knew more about the prevalent social problems in Cambridge Bay than of those in Salisbury. It's a complicated question, really, and since I have been in the North, I have observed much that has allowed me to come closer to the truth.

At home, I was sheltered, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, it is unfortunate when people live in their own comfortable bubble in their own neatly trimmed yard in the middle of a quiet suburb, because though they are vaguely aware that social problems exist, they don't know many people who deal with them. Though I did my fair share of service in the community as I grew up, I served in "comfortable" ways, like the Special Olympics or at nursing homes. Because of this, I developed a passion for service. However, now, whenever I encounter people who are struggling with serious social problems, like abuse or addiction, I am not sure how to handle the situation, or I try to escape from the awkwardness through humor.

Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that my parents sheltered me from the evils of the world; I really am! However, I am also grateful for opportunities like this Summer of Service, which allows me to experience these issues more in depth than I would get to in my hometown (where I already know which streets to avoid and people are less willing to share about their problems). I hope that in the future I will have the opportunity to engage in more "dangerous" service experiences, because I want to understand the difficult struggles that others go through, and to learn from firsthand experiences.

Part of the problem, too, is the Southern "that's just the way it is" attitude. If you have ever lived in a small town, chances are you've heard these words many times. If you are like this, you have seen it all. You have tried to help, and you know that nothing with ever change. You are a jerk. How would you feel if you were a victim of abuse, addiction, gang violence, etc. and someone told you that nothing would ever change? I mean, frankly, I can't help but become exasperated when encountering this attitude. Nothing is ever permanent! Since change is inevitable, why not change for the better?

I am really excited about returning to Duke in the fall. Thus far, i have not had the opportunity to do service within the Durham community. I have already begun to brainstorm next semester's activities, and I am excited about the possibility of assisting with a Girl Scout troop. Perhaps I can find other, more "dangerous" ways of serving as well. ; )