Facts about Canada that U.S. Defectors Need to Know
Excuse me, sorry to interrupt your political programming. But with Donald Trump, the former President of the United States still in the news, I thought you might like some facts about Canada.
A poll before Trump’s election showed that 1 in 4 Americans said they’d consider a move to Canada if Trump were to become President. Apparently, many of you feel there is not enough room in your country for you, The Donald and his Hair.
While you’re likely to feel at home in Canada pretty quickly (bring a sweater), there are some facts about Canada that you should know before visiting or making the move.
One of the facts about Canada is saying sorry
Photo by Scott Simpson from Flickr
That politeness thing – – it’s not just a stereotype. In most regions of Canada, if one person bumps into another, it’s customary for both people to say sorry. It may seem odd to apologize if you are the ‘bumpee’, but, barring grievous injury, that’s generally the practice.
It can take some time to get used to saying sorry for no particular reason. Think of it as a conversation starter, as in, “Sorry, is this seat taken?”
Funny Money
Photo by Anita Hart from Flickr
Canada’s colourful currency has been likened to monopoly money.
Bills in one and two dollar denominations have been phased out, as have pennies. Instead, we have a two dollar coin called a “toonie”, a one dollar coin called a “loonie”, and the price at the cash register gets rounded off to the nearest nickel. (A nickel for your thoughts?)
Sounds a little wacky? Just remember, Canadians aren’t laughing. That’s because of the low value of our currency as against the U.S. dollar. This works out well for Americans, of course, but you might be saying sorry if you seem a little too happy about it.
‘Aboot’ the Language, Eh
Photo by MPD01605 from Flickr
With the exception of regional dialects, Canadians don’t think they speak with an accent, eh.
The real difference, however, is that Canada has two official languages: English and French. This means that the information on all signs and in safety demonstrations has to be repeated in the other language. You may want to have a snack on hand when you get on a plane.
By the way, just in case you find yourself in a situation which does not call for politeness, you should know that swearing is different in Québécois French. Hurling epithets about sexual and bodily functions will have no impact. No, here the swearing is about the church or items in it, such as a chalice. When you think about it, it seems a little strange either way. If in doubt, just say sorry.
Fun Facts about Canada – Our National Animal
In America, the eagle is symbolic because of its majestic beauty and strength. In Canada, our symbol is a buck-toothed rodent.
The beaver played an important role in our nation-building because the lucrative trade in its pelt helped to fund expansion across the country. The beaver is so revered, its likeness is on one side of our nickel. There’s even a deep-fried pastry known as a ‘beaver tail’ (no beavers are harmed in the making of this pastry).
So, if you hear Canadians talking enthusiastically about the beaver, chances are they’re talking about our national symbol, and not a Sharon Stone movie. You don’t want to get the two mixed-up.
Sports in Canada
Everyone knows that Canadians are fanatics about hockey, our national winter sport.
It’s our version of football that you might find confusing.
In Canadian football, the field is bigger, as is our football. There are three downs instead of four, and teams get one point for missing a field goal if the ball goes through the end zone. Known as a “rouge”, it’s our way of saying, “Sorry you missed, but that’s some leg on you!”. It’s really quite entertaining.
Canada is Sexy
Image by FAQMP Ichannel from Flickr
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump have one thing in common – – there’s a lot of talk about their hair. But for Trudeau, it’s usually positive. His hair was so popular during his election campaign, it had its own (unofficial) Twitter account.
Canada is Bliss
Since this blog is about blissful travel experiences, I’d be remiss if I didn’t address whether you can find bliss in Canada.
Well, I may be biased, but just look at it.
And the key thing to remember: We’re really sorry for what you’re going through.
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