A glimpse into the Girn family
Traveling to places you haven't been to before can be an unbeatable feeling. The pleasures of discovery, the joy of meeting people from other backgrounds and the discovery of new cultures make for an exhilarating life.
Megha and Maya Girn are twin sisters who moved to the U.S. when they were 7 months. They are seniors at Aurora High School and have traveled to a wide range of places in the world.
So far, the Girn family has lived in 2 different countries and traveled overseas many times. Their father was born in the Philippines and their mother was born in Canada. Almost all of their family lives in Canada but they do have some distant family still in India.
The girls were born in Brampton, Ontario, Canada along with their little sister Manisha. Brampton is a suburb outside of Toronto. Megha and Maya lived in Canada for only about seven months and Manisha was born in Michigan.
Megha Girn states, “ We only lived in Canada for 7 months, however, we spent a lot of summers up there and still continue to go as often as we can. Growing up we would go back on weekends and holidays, but as we have gotten older it has been harder to go back more often due to school and sports.”
I asked the sisters if they would ever consider moving back, they both responded no but reside close so they have the option to go back to visit.
I learned from the Girn’s that living here in the United States is similar but also much different from Canada. Aurora is quiet and tranquil where Toronto has many more people and traffic to a greater extent.
Maya Girn states, “The lifestyle is similar, however, it is a lot busier in Toronto with more traffic, more people, and more stores. Everything else is pretty much the same except for some stores/restaurants and the houses are a lot more closely together and expensive. The town we are from is called Brampton and is about 20-30 minutes from downtown. The city is more developed with many plazas and businesses and is a lot larger than Aurora. The overall lifestyle here is more simple and relaxed.”
It was very fascinating to learn how other people live and comparing different places of residence.
The Girns currently hold citizenship in the United States and Canada. They feel this is a benefit because they are able to live in either country and attend a school where ever they would like on both sides of the border. Their citizenship also aids them in getting jobs. For example, if either of them would like to be lawyers they would have the option of practicing law in both countries.
Maya Girn responded, “We are both citizens of Canada and the United States. We are Canadian born citizens and applied for U.S. citizenship after meeting the various requirements the U.S. has. This benefits us because not only can be live in the U.S., but we have the option of living in Canada. Also, we can attend school in Canada, like University and having this citizenship helps us with travel. Our family travels a lot so having citizenship in both countries helps us with visas. This citizenship also can help us in any future jobs we may have.”
They have visited Rome, Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, UAE, London and India.
When asked what were some of their favorite parts and sights from traveling Megha responded with this, “I loved the Italian architecture, the mountains in Malaysia, the desert atmosphere and food of Dubai, and I like feeling culturally educated in India. There is so much to learn and absorb by being exposed to these countries, making us more aware of not only different cultures/how society is compared in different parts of the world but also how blessed we are to live and have the life we do.”
To have the ability to travel and see the world is a beautiful thing, the things people see and the different environments others get to tap into can be an experience like no other.
The girls both agreed that school in India is a lot different from school here. When they visited their family they had the ability to see how children went about the learning process. In the village, the students gather at the teacher's house and sit around their instructor using workbooks. However, both girls agreed that Canada has schools more similar to that of the United States.
Megha Girn states, “In Canada, the school system is similar to the United States. However, because the population is so large it is common to go to private school for high school for a better quality education. There are schools in neighborhoods in Canada and a lot of kids will walk to school.”
The words "travel" and "vacation" are often used interchangeably, but when really defined there is a huge difference between the two. Vacation implies an escape, while travel may offer the opportunity for total immersion in a different culture. The Girns have had the chance to travel and even live in an immense number of places, giving them an incredible life and unforgettable stories to share.
