My family and I recently took a road from Texas to Canada, more specifically from Dallas to Toronto (that's about 2,300 miles, in case you were wondering). Heretofore, I had never been to any part of Canada and thus far, the experience has been enlightening. Without further ado, I present to you: 10 things I learned during my first week in Canada.
1. Hot doesn't actually mean hot (unless food is involved)
During my stay in a major Toronto suburb thus far, temperature has never risen above 85 degrees and yet, I spotted a heat advisory sign posted outside a local bank just the other day. Needless to say, I couldn't help but laugh as heat advisories in Texas are usually prompted by temperatures upward of 100 degrees.
2. Gas Prices are listed in cents, not dollars.
"106 dollars for a litre of gas?" I asked my father in shock. He laughed while explaining that gas prices are listed in cents instead of dollars in Canada. I'm still not sure why.
3. Despite the difference in currency exchange, everything is more expensive.
The current currency conversion rate between the US Dollar and the Canadian Dollar stands at $0.75 for every one Canadian Dollar. However, the most basic of necessities such as food, beverages and clothing are significantly more expensive compared to its American counterpart. The restaurant next to the hotel where I'm staying offers a small eight-inch pizza for 16.95 Canadian dollars which is about 13 USD. Not exactly a bang for your buck.
4. Walking is a far more prevalent form of transportation.
Driving a car is a basic necessity for most individuals who live in Texas. In Canada, however, I've seen as many people driving as I have walking to their destination.
5. Public transportation is much more convenient.
As a frequent user of DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit), I've come to appreciate efficient and effective public transportation systems. Where I'm currently staying, there are multiple buses running in the area, making it easy and cheap for those who don't own a car to get around.
6. There's a lot to do and see at a walkable distance.
If I were to walk for an hour in any direction from my home in Dallas, I wouldn't be able to reach any place where I'd want to go for an outing. In this Canadian suburb, however, the same cannot be said. If I walk an hour in any direction from my hotel, I can reach the next town, the local city square, an art museum, a park on the shores of Lake Ontario and much more.
7. In metropolitan and nearby suburban areas, the population is extremely ethnically diverse.
For the last 13 years, my family has lived in a very ethnically diverse area in the outskirts of Dallas...or at least that's what I thought until I got to Canada. Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Nigerian, Mexican, Jamaican, West Indian, Haitian: you name it, they have it.
8. Tim Horton's is everywhere.
The way McDonald's is present on every street corner in the United States, Tim Horton's functions the same way in Canada. In fact, there are not one, but two Tim Horton's franchises within a five-minute walking distance of the hotel where I'm staying.
9. Police exist to protect when needed, not monitor.
The place where I saw the most squad cars in Canada was at the Port Huron-Sarnia border. After that, I've seen maybe one or two. The fact that the police are not omnipresent in Canada (even in the not-so-upscale areas) the way they are in they are in the DFW metroplex really speaks to how safe the area is and how comfortable citizens feel in public.
10. Differences are not ridiculed, but rather celebrated.
In America, immigrants are expected to assimilate and abandon the traditions and customs of our homeland in favour of "Western" ways. In Canada however, those unique traditions are alive and well. Why? Because this country is a cultural salad. All the different flavours, textures and pieces are clearly visible and that's just how they like it.
