PICKLES ON A STICK

Often when I talk to family or friends on the phone or when I am out and about in Canada people ask me what I find are the major differences between living in Australia and living in Canada.

That got me thinking and here is a list off the top of my head in no particular order.

Taxes: In British Columbia where I live purchasers pay two taxes on sales, a Provincial tax and a federal tax. That's okay I have no problems at all in paying taxes what I don't like though is here the tax is added after the sale. It still takes me by suprise. Here I am thinking that I have just got myself a sweet deal and then they add the taxes at the point of sale. Just yesterday I bout a TV and paid $100 in Province and Federal taxes and then paid another $35 in TV tax? I still have no idea what that is. So my sweet TV deal ended up costing and extra $135 which didn't make the deal so sweet after all. Another time I constantly get caught out with the taxes is for flights and accommodation. The airline sites here in Canada quote all of their fares without the taxes. They get added when you go to pay. I like the Australian way, when you see a price you know that is what you pay as all the taxes have been added in.

Mail boxes: Posties have it easy in this part of the world as they don't home deliver banks of post boxes are set up in strategic areas and residents are issued with a box and a key. Up until a short while ago our postbox was about 500 metres away, just a month ago the boxes moved and now they are only 30 metres away which is better. Two advantages of the mailbox banks are that amongst the banks are several over sized boxes where you can have your parcels delivered and there is a slot at the top of the bank where you can post letters. So no posties here on motorbikes or foot, they all ride around in mini vans.

Petrol Stations: Here in BC you must pay before you fill up.

Banks and Banking: I can't believe how antiquated the banking system is here. Internet banking is way behind Australia and B Pay is non-existant.

Your Welcome: Canadians are renowned for being the politest of people and Your Welcomes fly thick and fast between all and sundry. I have been thought rude because I don't respond and never will (lord, strike me down if I do) with a Your Welcome. I still use the "no worries" or "no problem" when someone does me a service. Canadians don't get it unfortunately.

Winter sports: The sports sections here are filled with ice hockey, skiing, curling etc. all ice sports really. Plus a smattering of NBA and gridiron (Canadian/American). For a while I was getting 3 AFL and 2 NRL matches live a weekend as well as all of the rugby tests live. The AFL and NRL dried up as soon as the English Premier League started, though I did get the AFL Grand Final live. I don't even get the rugby tests live now I have to go onto the net to get them.

Food: Really not all that much is different, the foods are basically the same but packaged and presented differently. Meat is expensive here and fish is cheap. Probably the strangest thing I can think of is that they sell pickles on a stick at the cinema and people actually buy them to eat whilst watching a movie. (I am not kidding). And people say Vegemite is a weird food!

There are probably plenty more little things that pop up from time to time but the longer one stays the more you become used to and accept the differences.

Canada is a great place to live, very similar to Australia, the people are nice and the scenery is spectacular. What are you waiting for?