Newbies to the US from Canada: Anyone else having trouble adjusting?

[NikLR 13,227]

Some dollar stores are nicer like Family Dollar, but some are not... Like dollar general. Big Lots is like a dollar store too.

[chiggins82 88]

Wait what?! There's no Corn Pops in the states?? I hadn't even realized that yet lol

Kix is close, but to me not close enough. I import (ie stock up when I go home) along with some Canadian coffee and various junk food and KD..

When I realized this I almost cried for real. I don't even eat Corn Pops often, but it was like a piece of my childhood was taken. I am so irrational about things since moving!! I blame being homesick

[Darnell 8,478]

Wait what?! There's no Corn Pops in the states?? I hadn't even realized that yet lol

Yes, Yes there is...

go to

http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/kellogg-s-corn-pops-cereal-product.html

and then click on the 'where to buy' icon.

[Darnell 8,478]

I am flying over on Thursday.

I am excited and nauseous at the same time.

did you load up yer bags with foodstuffs? poutine gravy mix, tim hortons coffee, 9 kilograms of timbits, etc... ? ?

[PriyaB 13]

did you load up yer bags with foodstuffs? poutine gravy mix, tim hortons coffee, 9 kilograms of timbits, etc... ? ?

I did buy my Canadian staples but the other stuff definitely won't be covered. I love restaurants where I live...I like a ten-minute drive away from Caribbean food, Asian food, South Asian and any middle eastern restaurant I want. I've researched Alabama and it definitely doesn't seem as diverse.

I've gained 5lbs by trying to eat my weight in my favourite foods before I leave.

Also, I will miss CP24. I love it. I dont know why I love it so much but it is just always there in the background of everything hahah

Edited February 22, 2016 by PriyaB

[bloopygirl 20]

Yes, Yes there is...

go to

http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/kellogg-s-corn-pops-cereal-product.html

and then click on the 'where to buy' icon.

The Canadian ones are different, though. Ours are little hard spheres and they have a different taste.

I'm flying home tomorrow and I can't wait to get tim hortons. I'm going to get it before I leave the airport lol my family can wait for me to grab a double double.

[NikLR 13,227]

I have found that i LOVE going to eat at places down here that I never went to in Canada. Thai, BBQ, Mexican..

There's no way we would have afforded to buy a house where I was living or where I was from either. The VA loan alone was so helpful.

I think they put crack in the Tim Hortons coffee.... I liked the donuts but could take or leave the coffee. I never got why people would line up for 30 mins out of a parking lot, on the street, to get a coffee. But my mom does it for starbucks too. LOL

[bloopygirl 20]

I've been digging starbucks lately because I have had cravings for chai lattes.

The sushi places here are much better than back in Canada but that's probably because we're on the coast I miss my favourite thai restaurant back in my hometown though.. and I kind of miss the little pho restaurants they have in ottawa's china town too. I bet there are some in philadelphia!

[PriyaB 13]

Where I live in Alabama only has American, Mexican and Viet (mostly Pho) restaurants.

I am okay with pho and can take or leave the others. I wish we lived closer to a big city with a large asian population so we could get actual asian food. My in-laws live in Honolulu and I love it there...perfect climate and food.

I have heard of PF Changs but never been to the restaurant. I am a bit of a Chinese food snob since I've had some legit Chinese food in Toronto. I am not good with the fake American kind.

Edited February 23, 2016 by PriyaB

[NikLR 13,227]

Then you won't like PF Changs. It's a chain restaurant all over the USA.

If you're in Alabama try some seafood. My husband used to work at a placed called Top of the River. http://www.topotheriverrestaurant.com/

Since you're there you should also see if you can pop over to Louisiana Jambalaya and gumbo.

Found this for you... I'm unsure where you're located in AL, hubs grew up by Gadsden.

http://www.movoto.com/guide/al/alabama-restaurants/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g28922-Alabama.html

http://www.ilovealabamafood.com/restaurants/

[PriyaB 13]

Then you won't like PF Changs. It's a chain restaurant all over the USA.

If you're in Alabama try some seafood. My husband used to work at a placed called Top of the River. http://www.topotheriverrestaurant.com/

Since you're there you should also see if you can pop over to Louisiana Jambalaya and gumbo.

Found this for you... I'm unsure where you're located in AL, hubs grew up by Gadsden.

http://www.movoto.com/guide/al/alabama-restaurants/

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g28922-Alabama.html

http://www.ilovealabamafood.com/restaurants/

Awww! thank you

I am heading to Mobile in three days. Eeek!

[warlord 73]

Canadian corn pops are more similar to Kix than Corn Pops. They just call them Corn Pops in Canada, but check out Kix instead here.

With the Chinese food. That's about one of the only things I like outside of the US. In the UK and colonies like Canada and the rest Europe they make the Chinese food completely different than here in the US. I don't like it much at all here and I have yet to ever find a proper place that can make the right style of Mix Meat Chow Mien with squid, cuttlefish, scallops, pork, etc. All I get here is chicken, beef, fake crab (which should never be used to cook period) and shrimp.

Anytime I fly over the ocean to visit London or up north to Canada, I always get my Chinese food since the Asians there know how to make it correctly. I think they dum down the flavors here in the US.

I've also noticed this dumming down of flavors when it comes to Chip flavors (very limited selection, as in no Cheese and Onion variety like Walkers has). But also with the condiments they put (or don't put) on their hotdogs and burgers. Everyone just puts on ketchup and that's it I've noticed. Up in Canada everyone I knew, including myself, puts ketchup, mayo, relish, onions, mustard and jalapenos. People look at me strange here when I do that to this day...

[oncefuturealien 45]

Oh, the Chinese food...being from Vancouver, which has some of the best Chinese food in the world, coming to the high desert has been sad. We've had Chinese twice. I have come to the conclusion that I can't order General Tso's chicken here at all, because it comes all glooped up on some bottled sauce, so even if the chicken is prepared nicely, there's this impossible coating of gloop! will have to figure out what is OK to eat. The Kung Pao was not too bad.

We will be visiting Vancouver this summer, and we are going to eat a LOT of Chinese and Japanese while we're there, I can see already.

[caliliving 606]

haha i have been in the states since 2008 and i just read this form and LOL about all the food.. SO TRUE!! i actually forget what alot of canadian food is:/ i started googling products in canada and i forgot how much i loved CRISPERS! the chips.. so good!! and even tho i went to michigan alot, i never noticed until i moved here the lack of chip flavors!! although with kettle chips ect blowing up i have noticed more companies are getting 'artisian' lol aka more gourmet flavors.

I wrote a letter to Fritos Lays asking them to bring dill pickle chips to california and they said it isnt in our demographic but to enjoy a similar taste of salt and vinegar (i got a free coupon in the mail too). However, i have found Dill Pickle at Whole Foods for a while and Sprouts... although they arent the same as Lays:(

i forgot how nice canadians were and my first time going home i remember i was like "wow, everyone in canada does say sorry alot!" i was in the grocery store and heard it SO MANY TIMES it wasnt even funny!

the biggest thing i actually miss in canada is KERNELS!! omg the popcorn flavorings are my faovirte and in america they arent into flavoring popcorn? so weird! they have seasonings everywhere.. in the theaters ect.

luckily i live in a big city i have all the good food i wanted and more.. i dont know how people could move from a big city in canada to small town USA:/ like toronto --> ohio.. how do you do that?? my friend moved from ottawa --> buffalo.. ahhh i wouldnt be able to do that!

in regards to the healthcare.. i didnt have healthcare for the first 7 years here! i guess i got lucky:/ i would just go places to get my annual checkup and it was a small fee. my mom always annoyed me that i should pay $100 for health insurance incase something happens where i couldnt go home to canada and get the required surgery:/ however, i was shocked to realize that 100 wouldnt cover anything you had to spend 600+! you do need a good job in this country to survive.

Halloween.. they do not give out chips!!! no small bags of chips!! that was always my favorite! you only give out chocolate bars or candy here.. haha i used to love getting chips and pop! (and they call pop soda here!) so no little bags of doritos ect:( and a chocolate bar is a candy bar here also:/

Oh and i dont have an accent anymore except BAG!! and when i would ask people "would you like a bag with that?" they would respond "a huh?? what" you know a BAG to put your bags in!!! SMH! they say "baaag' and i guess we say 'beg' lolllll just like flaaaaaag

you will not notice how much 'american' you are until your first visit home and then you will understand haha and come back slightly more canadian each time:)

[NikLR 13,227]

I love it when my husband says things like "your Canadian is showing."