I have now lived in the United States on and off for 18 months. Even though, according to the university, I am considered an “international” student, in no way do I feel like I’m living in a different country.
Culturally, Canada and America are virtually the same. A few differences here and there, but nothing gave me physical culture shock. It has definitely been a fun experience living down here because I have gotten to learn the Mid-West lingo and I’ve had 10 times the selection of food and candy.
Below is a list of some of the differences that I find amusing between Canada and the U.S.A.
1. In Canada, we wear “runners” for working out.
These can be any brand name, but in the United States they wear “tennis shoes." Now, my question has always been, "How do they identify actual tennis shows from the shoes they wear to workout in?" Workout shoes can be worn for multiple sports or activities, so they shouldn’t have a “specific sport” in their title.
2. In a grocery store, when you walk down the cookie aisle in Canada, you’ll get a variety of brands and types.
Oreos, in particular, have several types, such as original, golden, double stuffed, and just recently, birthday cake flavor. Now, compare that to the States where they have those three flavors plus peanut butter, mint, red velvet, brownie batter, cookie dough... you name it and they’ve probably made it into an Oreo. The U.S. has an over the top variety.
3. Canadians pronounce some words differently.
There are only about half a dozen words, but we always get made fun of. For example, I pronounce pasta like "past" with an "a" added on. I have also had the odd person ask me to say “eh” simply because they wanted to hear an actual Canadian say it.
4. In Canada, we are crazy about our hockey.
Everywhere you turn there are people playing hockey, but down here people are insane about football. The tailgating starts at 10 a.m. for football games, and to me that it just a crazy concept to wrap my brain around. In high school, we didn’t have cheerleaders or even a marching band, so hearing the stories from kids my age is pretty cool.
5. There is one area that I consider myself an outsider and that is American politics.
I will never understand how they work and, quite frankly, I don’t know if I ever want to. The media coverage of election campaign is absolutely mind-boggling. The election isn’t until November and I don’t know how much more Donald Trump I can take. Obviously, I would understand the election more if I had grown up in America, but even then it is still very challenging to follow.
I really do enjoy the fact that there are these differences because it adds to my experience of living down here. I love the school spirit that every student has and the atmosphere during a football game is exactly the things I was hoping I’d experience during my time in America. These silly little differences are just a reminder that I’m proud of where I come from.
