Summing up

What an experience! I am so fortunate to have been able to do this trip. There are memories that will last forever. But here, I want to share some final observations.

Being in Newfoundland, is being in a different culture. Although everyone speaks English (or a form thereof), the culture has some different values. They take the environment REALLY seriously. It is thought of as a treasure to be preserved and everyone does their part. There is not a speck of trash on the roads, recycling everything is the norm, and wind power is well developed (20% of all power). Because electricity is so expensive, lots of wooded area has been deforested for fuel, though. There is not a zoo in Newfoundland. Moose are accomodated in backyards and driveways.

Secondly, the value placed on young people is extraordinary. Many end up leaving the province due to lack of jobs. Those remaining are nurtured by entire communities. Music is one example. Whereever I went there were teens peforming...and adults trying to teach them the "old time music." The cuisine in Newfoundland is pretty bland. Fish and berries are the two sources of good nutrition. In places, vegetables cannot be grown due to bog iron.

Most everything is expensive. Think about it. There are only about 4 months of productive time each year. The rest is spent snowed in. Taxes for the province and local government alone total about 15%. Fishing and logging are almost dead and there is little mining. Tourism is the up and coming money maker.

I read an editorial in the St. John's paper during the almost-shutdown of the U.S. government. They pointed out that, in most countries, affluent people are expected to pay more taxes to help others. They published a chart of national income tax rates (Denmark the highest) that put the U.S. in the bottom quarter!

In Newfoundland, the gap between rich and poor is nothing like the U.S. Yes, there are fewer people. But there is no conspicuous consumption...no extravagant displays of wealth...and few housing projects...none like we see in U.S. metros. I didn't see any suits, even in St. John's, tho I am sure they are there. To the untrained eye, class divisions are pretty minimal. The family home of the Irvings (of Irving gas throughout Canada and Maine) looks like something you might find in South Tampa. It's in Charlottetown, PEI.

The concern for preserving history is everywhere. Most all little towns have some sort of "historical site." This may be an outgrowth of the emphasis on tourism, but may also reflect the provincialism in Newfoundland thought. When NL became a part of Canada in 1949, the federal government decided not to spend a lot of money providing services to small fishing villages. A program of resettlement encouraged folks to move to larger cities. People my age are the main residents left in those little towns. They will probably be the last generation living there.

Some efforts are being made to preserve small town life, but the economy cannot sustain them for long. Retirement homes and vacation cottages are even clustering together. Well-known tourist destinations (ex. Green Gables, seaside communities, etc.) are nothing like Orlando. They are quiet, clean and not particularly busy by comparison. Life is lived at a peaceful pace.

It's a dying way of life up there. Sad, but so. Newfoundland is probably one of the last places of its kind in the world. The huge panoramas, the endless miles of timber, the clean and clear lakes.... There is an innocence about it all. It's like the small town life of my childhood. If you want to experience it, best to go now.