Non-Canadians Are Sharing Things About Canada That They Find Confusing And It’s Pretty Eye-Opening
“Why do you guys not have interstates…or interprovinces?”
There are a lot of things about Canada that I don’t give a second thought about, but that’s mostly because I grew up there. But for non-Canadians and/or new immigrants, there are some weirdly specific things that they find confusing.
And that’s why I found this Reddit discussion, started by u/jamaicancovfefe, so captivating. They asked: “Non-Canadians, what do you NOT understand about Canada?”
Here are some of the most insightful responses that shine a light on what non-Canadians are wondering about Canada:
1.
“Why do you guys not have interstates…or interprovinces?”
Getty / BuzzFeed
—u/skte1grt
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“We don’t have them because our provinces are pretty much in a straight line. We have the Trans-Canada Highway, which runs the length of the country and goes through basically every province.”
“I don’t think Americans realize that like 90% of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the border with the USA.”
2.
“My dad doesn’t believe that everyone in Canada gets free healthcare.”
Hulu
And here’s how Canadians reacted:
“Here’s a story to tell your dad. In 2007, I was in a car accident. I had four fractures to my pelvis and a laceration to my liver. I spent days and days in the hospital, had X-rays, ultrasounds, blood tests, and two CT scans. At this time, my hospital didn’t have their own CT machine, so they had to transport me to another hospital in another town to do them. The total bill we received for my stay (including pain meds) was $38 and it was for the ambulance dispatch fee, which eventually got covered by our car and home insurance plan.”
“Not everything is free, but ER visits and the like usually are. You broke your arm? Free. Choking? Free. Your baby stuck celery up her nose? Free. And yes, I’m the baby who stuck celery up her nose.”
—u/rainbowlack
4.
“Do people really do the maple syrup on a stick out of the snow? I know there is a name for it, but I can’t seem to find it.”
New Line Cinema / Getty
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Hell ya, we do. It’s predominantly an Eastern or Atlantic thing in Canada (and the US), wherever the syrup is made. It works better with ‘raw’ maple syrup and you don’t mess with ‘fake’ table syrups out here. Boil the syrup, pour the syrup on the snow, jam a stick in there, then let it all solidify. Boom! You’ve got yourself an instant maple lollipop.”
—u/EarthBounder
5.
“Does Canada have lots of bugs or not? Like mosquitoes and things.”
Getty
—u/AnomalyNexus
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Damn mosquitoes and blackflies are everywhere in the summer.”
6.
“Why is it that half the comedians in Hollywood are from Canada? Is there something in your diet that makes you funny?”
Getty / BuzzFeed
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Being freezing cold eight months out of the year builds a lot of character.”
—u/Beethead
7.
“Why do you guys love Tim Hortons so much? I drove through Canada recently and they are everywhere. I drove through one small town, with only a couple hundred people, and there were only three fast-food restaurants there. Two of them were Tim Hortons and they were about three blocks away from each other”
Getty / Tim Hortons
—u/Hubers57
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“It’s cheap coffee with a shit ton of caffeine that lets ya get ‘er done.”
—u/deleted
“F*ckin’ right, bud.”
—u/Sugarstache
8.
“Is the money really waterproof?”
Getty
—u/James26769
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Yep. And get this: Not only are the bills waterproof, but THE COINS ARE, TOO!”
9.
“What’s up with the Kraft Dinner thing? You guys talk about it like it’s the food of the Gods.”
Comedy Central
—u/Ohsoeasy
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“If you make it by the box instructions it’s alright. You gotta spice it up, really make it your own. Then it becomes a heavenly meal.”
—u/deleted
“Gotta chop up those hot dogs.”
“Whatever you do, don’t express an opinion on adding ketchup to it until you know how the other person feels. It might cause a civil war.
10.
“Are flannel shirts mandatory?”
The WB
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“I have 21 of them. I know, it’s shameful, but I’m working on it. I’ll get some more soon.”
11.
“Bags of milk?”
Netflix / YouTube / Via youtube.com
—u/couchjitsu
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“1. Less waste. The plastic in a milk bag is far, far less than the material in a milk carton.
2. It separates the milk into 1L bags, which keeps the other three unopened bags fresher, as they aren’t opened until you need them.
3. It’s easier to get the last drop of milk out of a bag than it is out of a carton.
4. Milk bags are easier to pour once you know how to do it. There’s nothing as satisfying as a perfect stream of milk coming out of a perfectly cut milk bag.”
—u/deleted
12.
“How do you have a reputation for being overly apologetic and extremely nice when your favorite game is one of the fastest, most violent, and dangerous games played around the world?
CanFilmDay
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Canadians have a very strong tradition of ‘leaving it all out on the ice’ (or field). Basically, there’s a strong divide between your personal and professional relationships. If you’re out on the ice, it’s perfectly okay to grab your buddy by the jersey and rearrange his face, all while calling him nasty names. But once you get off the ice, you guys are good.”
14.
“Is life really like the show Letterkenny?”
Crave
—u/Yerboogieman
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“Surprisingly so…in some places. The same can be said for Trailer Park Boys.”
“I grew up in northwestern Saskatchewan, I can tell you, life is exactly like Letterkenny. On my last day of high school, one student drove his tractor two hours to class, just to say he did, and another person in town used to bring his horse to baseball games.”
—u/Black_of_ear
15.
“Moose. Like…what the hell?”
Getty
—u/Prof_JL
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“They are HUGE. Do NOT mess around with a moose. Especially when they get into the fermented apples. Stay the f*ck away from drunk moose.”
—u/cplforlife
16.
“How are Canadians born? I mean, I’ve seen the GIF of a fully grown man coming out of a frozen lake with a hockey stick and skating away. I just don’t understand how it all works.”
Pop TV / CBC
—u/Maker1357
And here’s how Canadians answered:
“It’s really more alchemy than birth. You cut a hole in the ice, dump in coffee, moose blood, the head of a goose, and a full set of hockey gear. Then, stir and cover the hole with a tarp and leave for two months. Your Canadian will then emerge when it’s fully formed.”
What other aspects of Canadian culture do non-Canadians find strange or confusing? Let us know in the comments!
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