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At the moment, being more than 15,000 kilometres away from Two Hills, the town where I spent a significant part of my life in Canada, I cannot help but feel a little saddened to be away during one of the country's most cherished celebrations.

For the years I spent in Canada, July 1 meant that summer had finally arrived. It signalled two months of lake visits, backyard barbecues, community celebrations and soaking in the warmth of the nourishing sun while trying to enjoy every precious moment of it before winter inevitably returned.

My first visit was in the summer of 1992, when I was introduced to the land my Dad could never stop talking about. We spent six unforgettable weeks together as he showed me around Athabasca, where he lived and worked at the time. We visited relatives in Barrhead, explored West Edmonton Mall—one of my favourite places as a child—and I even got my first taste of McDonald's. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to live there.

A year or so later, I made the move and began attending school in Canada.

As someone who belongs to two nations, I often felt divided between them, and my time in Canada was punctuated by trips back to South Africa. Yet Canada became the place where I learned many of life's important lessons. It was where I learned to drive, enjoyed my first legal beer and experienced my first true winter.

I came to know frozen roads, snowbanks higher than my head and weather that seemed capable of stealing every ounce of warmth from your body the moment you stepped outside. I discovered the unique Canadian experience of driving on a frozen lake in February and swimming in that very same lake in July.

Although I have resided in South Africa for the past several years to be closer to Mum, a significant part of my heart will always remain in Canada. Whenever I think about the country, I am filled with an indescribable sense of warmth as I remember the friendships I forged, the communities that welcomed me and the breathtaking landscapes that make it one of the finest places in the world to call home.

Canada is not simply a place on a map for me. It is a collection of memories, milestones and moments that helped shape who I am today. It is a country of boundless natural beauty, welcoming communities and enduring opportunities.

So, wherever this Canada Day may find us—whether gathered beneath fireworks in our hometowns, relaxing beside a lake, or reflecting from thousands of kilometres away—we can still celebrate the nation that has touched our lives in so many meaningful ways.

Happy Birthday, Canada. From far and wide, we stand on guard for thee.