Culture shock for Canadians in the US

[no one 0]

Thanks for the conversion tips, jg_am & warlord!

[Velvettt 0]

Yup, subract 30 and divide the remainder by two. You'll be correct within a couple of degrees. Maybe changing over to Fahrenheit is easier for those of us who are a little (ahem) more mature. I grew up with F. When I bought my first car, I filled it with gallons of gas. Celsius never felt natural to me and I don't mind changing back a bit!

[Flames9_RN 358]

I still use celsius and write "cheque" Of course when writing papers for school, I have to bow down to the authority! lol

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone!

Oh, another two items I forgot to add to the list:

a) The spelling of a bank check is "cheque", not "check"

B) The date is written 31/01/07 (day, month year), not 01/31/07 (month, day, year)

c) Thanksgiving is both in October and November (Yippee, two thanksgivings! Though I only get to celebrate one here in the USA ). And yes, there are a lot more other holidays here in the USA than in Canada!

As for the temperature conversion thing, here is my simple solution:

-Stick my head, arms, and feet, out the door/window and figure out if it is:

a) Really Cold (Winter, big winter coat)

B) Cold (Winter/Fall, small winter coat)

c) Warm (Fall/Spring, light jacket)

d) Hot (Spring/Summer, no coat or jackets)

e) Really Hot (Summer, short sleeved clothing)

-Lol...it worked in the old days before they started recording temperatures, so it should work now. Besides, I still can't figure out the conversions, as I am mathematically-challenged. Then again, I could just be lazy and ask my husband (the math whiz in the family) what the temperature is. Still, I prefer the simple solution way...

The temperature today where I am: Really Cold (and yes, I still have a foot (how many metres is that?)) of snow to shovel)....

Ant

[misa 2]

Job application forms in the U.S. ... do they actually have checkboxes for race?

I've *never* seen that here in Canada, though it's been awhile since I filled out a job application.

[Reba 2]

Yes, they really do have a box to check for your race on pretty much everything down here. In Canada it is illegal to ask that question.

The first thing I noticed it on was the form for our marriage license. I was sitting there filling it out and looked at James flabbergasted, he said "just fill in the damn form!" then the lady asked me to put my hand on the bible and he jabbed me in the ribs to say "just do it already!"

And btw, according to the Caldwell County registrar's office, being Canadian makes me a different "race" than my husband. I tried to explain the difference between nationality and race to the woman, and she would have nothing of it. eejit

[misa 2]

That is kind of scary that they'd ask for race on like everything! I figured it was probably illegal here (same with requiring an SSN on a job application or requiring your marital status).

On my marriage license there was something for race too, which I filled out, I just found it ODD... I didn't have to swear on a bible but I did have to take that oath swearing that we weren't incompetent or related to each other -- at which point I laughed since we are of different ethnic backgrounds.

[Emancipation 2]

Ha HA!! I was thinking I musta been crazy when I read the Race Block on the Marraige license!!! I had to call my fiance at work and ask him what the HECK I had to put there. Funny the difference between the two Countries. I guess that's the difference the Charter of Rights makes!! Wacky!

[warlord 72]

Yeah my dad sent me a money order and put on it Cheque and I was like what is that ha ha. It was a money order or check, just never seen it written that way.

Also had to look on the postage date, and it is done differently rather then the usual month/day/year, they have it in a different order so it's confusing for me understanding Canadian. Of course for those comming here to the US now, it'll be a bit confusing for them too writting down things.

Another thing is when at a restraunt, my dad always asks for "the bill" rather then "the check". Don't know if this is a local thing or not, but not sure if it would make any differnce, I'm sure they can figure out what's what.

[riblet 0]

When my husband and I went to get our license, they filled in the info for us... well when we we're going to sign it, I noticed that the woman had checked "Hispanic" for my husband. He's Portuguese and Brazilian... I really don't get those race boxes, especially when they have like 3 boxes.

She apologized and said she had made a mistake- but then she just looked at him and asked, "So, what are you then?" Why do they even care?

Ha HA!! I was thinking I musta been crazy when I read the Race Block on the Marraige license!!! I had to call my fiance at work and ask him what the HECK I had to put there. Funny the difference between the two Countries. I guess that's the difference the Charter of Rights makes!! Wacky!

[Amy and Brian 1]

Yeah my dad sent me a money order and put on it Cheque and I was like what is that ha ha. It was a money order or check, just never seen it written that way.

Also had to look on the postage date, and it is done differently rather then the usual month/day/year, they have it in a different order so it's confusing for me understanding Canadian. Of course for those comming here to the US now, it'll be a bit confusing for them too writting down things.

Another thing is when at a restraunt, my dad always asks for "the bill" rather then "the check". Don't know if this is a local thing or not, but not sure if it would make any differnce, I'm sure they can figure out what's what.

The whole month/day/year vs. day/month/year things is a bit of a pain. When I went to have my Ontario DL switched over to a Texas one years ago they just copied the info from the card rather than having me fill out anything. And, of course, they issued my Texas DL with a birthdate of August 11th when in reality I was born on November 8th.

I used to always tease my American friends/family about asking for the "check" at restaurants. It just didn't make any logical sense... a cheque is something you use to pay OUT money so if you owe the restaurant, why would THEY be giving the money to YOU?

[Autumnchik 6]

I just got an email from a Canadian friend and it made me think about this linguistic difference between Canada and US: She mentioned she went out to eat EAST Indian food. My fiance says that too ... EAST Indian. Here in the US, I have only heard : Indian food (not specifying the EAST).

BTW, I vary between saying "bill" and "check" in restaurants, just depends what comes out of my mouth in that moment.

[DeadPoolX 9]

The whole month/day/year vs. day/month/year things is a bit of a pain. When I went to have my Ontario DL switched over to a Texas one years ago they just copied the info from the card rather than having me fill out anything. And, of course, they issued my Texas DL with a birthdate of August 11th when in reality I was born on November 8th.

I used to always tease my American friends/family about asking for the "check" at restaurants. It just didn't make any logical sense... a cheque is something you use to pay OUT money so if you owe the restaurant, why would THEY be giving the money to YOU?

I had to go to a clinic during my first visit in Canada to see my fiancee (at the time, she was my girlfriend) and when they read my Texas DL, they completely got my birthdate wrong. I had to correct them. I found it somewhat amusing.

As far as asking for "the check" or "the bill" in restaurants, it depends on where I am at the moment. If I'm in the U.S., I'll ask for "the check," since that's what is expected; likewise, if I'm in Canada, I'll ask for "the bill," since that's what is expected. Although my fiancee had to inform of the difference the first time I was there, since when we went out to a restaurant and I asked for "the check," she politely told me that in Canada, it's customary to ask for "the bill." It didn't really matter though -- obviously that restaurant had served enough American to understand what I meant.

[Reba 2]

I've noticed lately that I've been thinking and saying "zee" more easily that when I first got here. I'm not quite sure I like that

There's another Canadian guy at my work, he's been down here a lot longer than I have, but has somehow managed to keep his accent mostly. I on the other hand, picked up the local accent not long after arriving. And he is a few years older than I am, and from a different part of Ontario, so he says a few things differently. Like "warsh". He said that one day and I almost said to him "your Orillia is showing"

He also says "shedule" rather than "skedule". Which is I believe, an age thing. I remember my parents and grandparents and such saying "shedule" but most people my age or younger are enough Americanised to say "skedule".

Its little things.

[Cassie 8]

I didn't really realize that I "sounded Canadian" until a bunch of people I called during my brief stint as a credit card collections agent asked me what part of Canada I was from. Freaked me out, actually!