It's a common scene in Ottawa's parks during the warmer months. Groups large and small fill the greenspaces, picnics in tow, featuring foods and flavours from around the world.
"They have Indian people, Chinese people, Canadians of all the nations I can name. They will get together to enjoy the park together to enjoy the summer," says Xiaozhou Zhang.
The Chinese-Canadian says that while it isn't common to picnic in the park in China, it's become a regular part of his summer routine, in Ottawa — both with his kids, and his international book club. He often contributes a family recipe for short ribs to the potluck and discussion.
Watch to learn why so many families - and book clubs - pack delicious lunches and head to the park in summer (video by Fangliang Xu)
Blue Dong is also a member of the international book club made up of students from around the world. She likes taking their conversations into the park, to hang out with friends in nature and try new foods. She notes Mooney's Bay is especially diverse.
"All kinds of cultural groups hang out there and have picnics — from barbecues to hamburgers to spicy noodles, salad, poutines — all kinds of things that you eat. It's like a food market! And people are so welcome and friendly. You just say hi and everyone is happy. Some of them even invite us to try and we can switch. It's a lot of fun."
Onyiye Abu knows how busy it can get at Mooney's Bay.
When she plans a picnic for her large family and friends, she gets up at six in the morning — first to finish cooking the Nigerian delicacies she prepares (including goat meat pepper soup, jollof rice and tomato stew), but also to get a good spot for a day of fun.
"This is the only time we have to unwind, relax. So for me seeing people with different food — I may not eat it, I may not taste — I just like the fact that people are just out eating the food, and they're happy, chatting, laughing and all that. For me, that makes me happy."
For Bernadeth Betchi, park picnics are about showing her kids the diversity of people living in Ottawa. The Cameroonian-Canadian takes Zaynab and Khalil (ages 5 and 3) to neighbourhood green spaces most days in summer.
"I love when we come across different people, backgrounds, colours and smells. I like all of those things because if my kids have questions they can ask and they can learn. Then, they don't have a narrow way of thinking."
Betchi recalls a time when her five-year-old son began chatting with a nearby Russian family, and ended up hearing their story of coming to Canada. She also uses that technique to get to know her neighbours.
"I like to sit on like a picnic table and eventually start a conversation and figure out where they're from and what their story is."
Raouaa Al Saramanli and her friends nabbed the picnic table one over from Abu. The Syrian women met at a Syrian event for ladies, and on a recent morning, decided to bring their homemade breakfast dishes — and kids — to the park. Al Saramanli brought a bean, garlic and parsley dish known as 'foul.'
Hiba Haj Moussa came here less than two years ago, from Syria. For her, the park is a place to ease the isolation of being new.
"When you leave your country, you leave your family, you feel lonely. When you come to the park with some friends, or even just by yourself, you see new people, you can start to make relationships, friendships with a neighbour. You don't feel so alone."
