Culture shock for Canadians in the US

[no one 0]

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

LOL, with my husband, I always say "zed" without a second thought. But yesterday, when I was reading the eye chart for my driver's licence test, I corrected myself after saying "zed" and added "zee", just in case

[Reba 2]

yeah, when I'm talking with my husband, I just talk like I always have, and the last letter of the alphabet is a zed. But when I'm at work or elsewhere with Americans, its a zee, because they have no clue what a zed is!

I had yet another one at work the other day give me this incredulous look when I said that it gets really hot in Ontario in summer time. I don't know why they just can't believe me when I say that!

I suppose they think Siberia is constantly under 6 feet of snow, and that everyone in Australia wrestles crockodiles as well!

[DeadPoolX 9]

yeah, when I'm talking with my husband, I just talk like I always have, and the last letter of the alphabet is a zed. But when I'm at work or elsewhere with Americans, its a zee, because they have no clue what a zed is!

I had yet another one at work the other day give me this incredulous look when I said that it gets really hot in Ontario in summer time. I don't know why they just can't believe me when I say that!

I suppose they think Siberia is constantly under 6 feet of snow, and that everyone in Australia wrestles crockodiles as well!

Stereotypes are strong things here in the United States, Reba. I live in Texas, right? I've known people from other states to ask me "where are your guns?" and "do you ride a horse to work?" among other nonsensical questions. And remember -- this is within the U.S., not from outside of it! People believe whatever they see on TV; in other words, what Hollywood has shown them to be "true." Since most people associate the "Old West" with Texas, they seem to believe that Texas is still like it was in the 1800's (despite the fact that the "Old West" was also in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, California, etc) and are completely shocked when they visit a city like Houston or Dallas and see it's just like any other large major city. This is especially true for Houston, since it's the fourth largest city in the country, and people are regularly surprised!

So this is probably why many Americans, with few cultural experiences outside of their home state, think Canada is a frozen wasteland and so forth. To be completely fair though, I've known people from other countries to believe a number of nonsensical things about the U.S., so stereotypes aren't confined to these borders. However, I think stereotypes might have a stronger influence here due to the U.S.'s geographic location, as it's certainly more isolated than countries in Europe and it has virtually no ties to those countries in Europe, like Canada does, being a Commonwealth country.

That's my take on the subject, anyway.

[Emancipation 2]

So tell me this???

We went to the grocery store the other night and couldn't find an "unwaxed" turnip?

WHY do they WAX turnips?? That's discusting.. What is the deal?? Turnips are one of the most "stable" cold crops.. What could possibly be the reason?? I'm making stew today, and am completely grossed out about this turnip

[misa 2]

What's the deal with not having "oven ready" noodles (e.g. lasagna noodles) in the U.S.? My husband looked at me like I was insane when we were in the grocery store and I was commenting about how they didn't have any.

And he still thinks I'm a freak about putting gravy on my fries.

[riblet 0]

That's funny, they have oven ready lasagna noodles in Kentucky. I always figure if we have it here they must have it everywhere else

What's the deal with not having "oven ready" noodles (e.g. lasagna noodles) in the U.S.? My husband looked at me like I was insane when we were in the grocery store and I was commenting about how they didn't have any.

And he still thinks I'm a freak about putting gravy on my fries.

[Marilyn. 340]

That's funny, they have oven ready lasagna noodles in Kentucky. I always figure if we have it here they must have it everywhere else

What's the deal with not having "oven ready" noodles (e.g. lasagna noodles) in the U.S.? My husband looked at me like I was insane when we were in the grocery store and I was commenting about how they didn't have any.

And he still thinks I'm a freak about putting gravy on my fries.

I am pretty sure i have seen some down here in Los Angeles too....

although here is a good tip if you can't find any and have to use the other ones....

make the lasagna like you normally would using the uncooked, non-oven ready noodles.... just make sure you have enough sauce and leave in fridge for a few hours or overnight..... and then cook it like you normally would....

my mom always does this...

Edited February 15, 2007 by MarilynP

[warlord 73]

Well you'd think they'd have it in Los Angeles, after all it's Canada's third largest city by population ha ha.

Now with the letter Z, I guess I never grew up ever saying it as Zed. I learned from Seaseme Street and it was always Zee, so I always said it that way. It wasn't until I was getting out of highschool that people were saying it a lot more and trying to change how they said it. It was around then that the CRTC started putting their version of kids shows over the US shows to have more Canadian Content. I stuided this in my communications degree in college, so even the kids shows would be edited to put Canaidan stuff over the US content which of course in things like Sesame Street, was the letter Zed rather then Z.

Now everytime I go to Canada to visit, everyone that used to say it Z now says it as Zed. Good thing I never need to adapt, that would be confusing as most people wouldn't know what a Zed is. I still think it sounds really weird...

[riblet 0]

When I first moved down here I had to have a medical (including an eye exam)... well, I said ZED and the nurse looked back and forth between me and the chart several times before I realized she didn't know what I was saying... she thought I was trying to read the chart like the letters made words! lol

Well you'd think they'd have it in Los Angeles, after all it's Canada's third largest city by population ha ha.

Now with the letter Z, I guess I never grew up ever saying it as Zed. I learned from Seaseme Street and it was always Zee, so I always said it that way. It wasn't until I was getting out of highschool that people were saying it a lot more and trying to change how they said it. It was around then that the CRTC started putting their version of kids shows over the US shows to have more Canadian Content. I stuided this in my communications degree in college, so even the kids shows would be edited to put Canaidan stuff over the US content which of course in things like Sesame Street, was the letter Zed rather then Z.

Now everytime I go to Canada to visit, everyone that used to say it Z now says it as Zed. Good thing I never need to adapt, that would be confusing as most people wouldn't know what a Zed is. I still think it sounds really weird...

[Flames9_RN 358]

When I first moved down here I had to have a medical (including an eye exam)... well, I said ZED and the nurse looked back and forth between me and the chart several times before I realized she didn't know what I was saying... she thought I was trying to read the chart like the letters made words! lol

Well you'd think they'd have it in Los Angeles, after all it's Canada's third largest city by population ha ha.

Now with the letter Z, I guess I never grew up ever saying it as Zed. I learned from Seaseme Street and it was always Zee, so I always said it that way. It wasn't until I was getting out of highschool that people were saying it a lot more and trying to change how they said it. It was around then that the CRTC started putting their version of kids shows over the US shows to have more Canadian Content. I stuided this in my communications degree in college, so even the kids shows would be edited to put Canaidan stuff over the US content which of course in things like Sesame Street, was the letter Zed rather then Z.

Now everytime I go to Canada to visit, everyone that used to say it Z now says it as Zed. Good thing I never need to adapt, that would be confusing as most people wouldn't know what a Zed is. I still think it sounds really weird...

lol I did the same for the drivers test eye exam!! "zed" I meaan "zee"

[misa 2]

That's funny, they have oven ready lasagna noodles in Kentucky. I always figure if we have it here they must have it everywhere else

What's the deal with not having "oven ready" noodles (e.g. lasagna noodles) in the U.S.? My husband looked at me like I was insane when we were in the grocery store and I was commenting about how they didn't have any.

And he still thinks I'm a freak about putting gravy on my fries.

I am pretty sure i have seen some down here in Los Angeles too....

although here is a good tip if you can't find any and have to use the other ones....

make the lasagna like you normally would using the uncooked, non-oven ready noodles.... just make sure you have enough sauce and leave in fridge for a few hours or overnight..... and then cook it like you normally would....

my mom always does this...

Maybe they just don't have it in VA? Couldn't find it anywhere... I ended up just cooking the noodles 1/2 way and then using them.

[Reba 2]

Well you'd think they'd have it in Los Angeles, after all it's Canada's third largest city by population ha ha.

Now with the letter Z, I guess I never grew up ever saying it as Zed. I learned from Seaseme Street and it was always Zee, so I always said it that way. It wasn't until I was getting out of highschool that people were saying it a lot more and trying to change how they said it. It was around then that the CRTC started putting their version of kids shows over the US shows to have more Canadian Content. I stuided this in my communications degree in college, so even the kids shows would be edited to put Canaidan stuff over the US content which of course in things like Sesame Street, was the letter Zed rather then Z.

Now everytime I go to Canada to visit, everyone that used to say it Z now says it as Zed. Good thing I never need to adapt, that would be confusing as most people wouldn't know what a Zed is. I still think it sounds really weird...

in Canada, the zee vs. zed is mainly in the West I think. I remember when I was a kid (loooooooooong time ago) there was a Canadian version of Sesame Street, and they said zed. And they spoke french! check Wiki here

However, I've noticed more in the West of Canada they say zed, and US spellings in newspapers and whatnot, more often than in the Eastern half. Though I did notice some US spellings in newspapers when I visited Nova Scotia once or twice. Its a space issue, take out all the us and there's just sooooooooo much more room!

[KarenCee 3]

Joel says "zed" and "zee". Here at home it's zed though. We were messing around in the kitchen (literally) and decided to try and make our own poutine. OH YEAH! Now, granted it's not the same without the cheese curds, but it's a good substitute. We used brown gravy and shredded mozz. Joel puts ketchup on his poutine...I can't quite get myself to try that. However, I LOVE poutine! Rappie Pie, now that's something I really really miss! *sigh*

Gonna have to look for the coffee crisp bars...I don't think I've ever had one....

[misa 2]

I say zed and always use superfluous "u"s and generally use other British spelling like using "s" instead of "z" in words like utilise. My grade 6 teacher here in Toronto was from England so he hammered all of that into our heads.

What's funny is whenever I see "Checks cashed here" it always looks wrong to me and I always mentally think, "man, they don't know how to spell cheques".

[KarenCee 3]

I say zed and always use superfluous "u"s and generally use other British spelling like using "s" instead of "z" in words like utilise. My grade 6 teacher here in Toronto was from England so he hammered all of that into our heads.

What's funny is whenever I see "Checks cashed here" it always looks wrong to me and I always mentally think, "man, they don't know how to spell cheques".

Sometimes I have to catch myself when I write on the board at school, that I don't spell things with a "u". My kids think it's funny when I do 'cause they know my husband is from Canada. Incidentally, that usually leads to the infamous question: Mrs. Pothier, can you speak Canadian???"