Where do you live in Canada? I feel like you haven't traveled around here enough. The fact that you are saying that tells me all I need to know really....
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I was in Vancouver, Whistler, Revelstoke and Kelowna so far.
Everything here looks like the U.S. to me, I can't even tell the difference by hearing the language, although the Canadians I met so far are way more friendly and polite I feel guilty about my answer which was very superficial 😟
Where do you live in Canada? I feel like you haven't traveled around here enough. The fact that you are saying that tells me all I need to know really....
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I was in Vancouver, Whistler, Revelstoke and Kelowna so far.
How bad was the answer? Not bad, it was just your opinion. No worries. :) I’m sure the longer you’re here for the more differences you’ll notice. Cheers
It just shows you haven’t gotten to know the myriad of deeper differences between our culture and theirs.
Just for clarification, did you live the US previously?
For half a year.
Where are you located, have you travelled around the country and how long have you been here? It’s not a bad answer, it just seems like you haven’t gotten to know Canada and Canadians enough yet
I was in Vancouver, Whistler, Revelstoke and Kelowna so far.
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I feel like it’s an easy answer, because you know more about Americans vs Canadians. We don’t scream our identity, it’s subtly understood overtime. I can tell the difference from a Canadian and American almost immediately, unless they are from Toronto 😁.
I think it’s a reasonable answer for a newcomer and for telling someone who has more familiarity with the US. It’s all relative. And that you recognize it was a “bad” answer gets you a pass :).
Thanks I really got a guilty conscience about that 😟
get to know our country & it's people more.
I'd love to, but I find it kind of difficult to start a conversation and get people to talk about life here.
Mall ninja shit from someone who needs to walk in a forest for a few days.... Yikes
Interesting question. It depends on the person, the timeframe, the location, and the situation. Is everything cool between the US and Canada? That makes a big difference. You might be considered glib, superficial, and perhaps only experiencing things in Canada that are similar to those you've had in the US. There IS a lot of things that are similar legitimately, and there are many things that are similar superficially. Example: fast food restaurants. Burger King? Pretty much identical (and their food is not satisfactory.) A&W Canada has barely any real similarity to A&W US, and comparing the two relies on not entering the building, but only seeing it from outside. Also, there are many non-US fast food restaurants. You experiencing things in Vancouver, but like in Seattle? Similarities. You live in New York, but went to Newfoundland? A distinct lack of similarities. We in Canada, generally speaking, don't normally mind having folks see the similarities, but we also want people to notice what about us is not. Now, with that said, we focus a LOT more on our differences when things to the south are 'difficult' in a way that shows how differently we tend to approach things. There's been a lot going on that seems intended to alienate us, and if someone were just tiredly commenting that 'stuff's the same, latitude's different,' well, that's gonna hit differently. Me, if you'd said that to me, I'd probably not try to correct anything, but I certainly would not think terribly well about you. We spend more than enough time explaining that no, we won't take your currency, no, your Constitution is not relevant here, no, you cannot bring your .44 Marlin rifle and .357 Magnum pistol here (don't ask me about this, just know that my grandfather lived in Colorado, and he did indeed bring both of those things, and got drunk enough on real beer instead of the bear whiz you're stuck with that he wanted to go shoot pelicans, whicn are a protected species in Canada - he did not manage to do so, thankfully.), and yes, things are not exactly how you're used to, since though there are similarities, this IS a different country. I've never wanted to be American, I'm not going to demean you for having pride in your country, but it is more than a bit dismissive to simply say that what's here is the same as what's there. Look for interesting differences, and mention those. Don't just go into McDonalds, see the Big Mac, and assume that you've seen all that's there to see. Also, being tired, maybe try to say nothing. No diplomacy needed. Or, if asked, answer like a farmer, "Ahh, you know." As a bit of snide, if everything is the same here as in the US, it would be worth asking you why you bothered to come here. All that said, and this might be the deepest cut of all, your comment might have been accepted as you being just another ignorant American, and dismissed. Have a nice day.
Well, define what you mean by "bad." Are you morally wrong for saying what you said? Of course not. Do I agree with your answer? No, not really, but as a Canadian, I totally get why you said it.
When you first arrive somewhere, your brain just processes the macro stuff. From a car window, the two countries look pretty uniform: same strip malls, same wide roads, similar retail chains, and the same/similar standard accents. When you're tired, it’s an easy conclusion to jump to.
The real differences are structural and cultural, which means you don't spot them until you actually live inside the country's systems for a bit.
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If you want examples:
Take our approach to diversity, for instance. The US leans heavily into the "melting pot" concept, integrating into a unified national identity. When you think of the "ideal American," it's much easier to visualize what that looks like. Canada officially operates as a "cultural mosaic," where you're encouraged to maintain your heritage. It's much harder for Canadians to visualize an "ideal Canadian." Look at Toronto: it's routinely cited as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with over 250 ethnicities, 200 languages spoken, and more than half the population identifying as a visible minority in the 2021 census. You don't just see diversity; you experience a city where distinct cultural pockets coexist rather than feeling pressured to blend away their roots.
Beyond culture, the day-to-day machinery of life operates under a completely different logic compared to the US:
Of course, there are plenty of other examples, but they're all something that takes a bit of time to notice and actually feel the difference.
Well, define what you mean by "bad." Are you morally wrong for saying what you said? Of course not. Do I agree with your answer? No, not really, but as a Canadian, I totally get why you said it.
When you first arrive somewhere, your brain just processes the macro stuff. From a car window, the two countries look pretty uniform: same strip malls, same wide roads, similar retail chains, and the same/similar standard accents. When you're tired, it’s an easy conclusion to jump to.
The real differences are structural and cultural, which means you don't spot them until you actually live inside the country's systems for a bit.
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If you want examples:
Take our approach to diversity, for instance. The US leans heavily into the "melting pot" concept, integrating into a unified national identity. When you think of the "ideal American," it's much easier to visualize what that looks like. Canada officially operates as a "cultural mosaic," where you're encouraged to maintain your heritage. It's much harder for Canadians to visualize an "ideal Canadian." Look at Toronto: it's routinely cited as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with over 250 ethnicities, 200 languages spoken, and more than half the population identifying as a visible minority in the 2021 census. You don't just see diversity; you experience a city where distinct cultural pockets coexist rather than feeling pressured to blend away their roots.
Beyond culture, the day-to-day machinery of life (imo) operates under a completely different logic compared to the US:
Foundational Philosophies:
High Floor vs. High Ceiling:
Healthcare as a Public Right:
Governmental Structure:
Workplace & Social Norms:
Of course, there are plenty of other examples, but they're all something that takes a bit of time to notice and actually feel the difference.
This is click bait.
Sounds like you need to spend some more time actually in the USA!
Personal anecdote as a Canadian: I was recently in the UK hiking Hadrian’s Wall in the north. There were many different nationalities hiking there and you often didn’t know where they were from until conversation started. Every time someone spoke to me they could tell right away that I was not American. Even Americans could tell. We are a lot quieter and reserved in the way we speak. Americans (in general) tend to be less aware or informed about the world outside of America.
Where are you from?