CANADA - (SLIGHT) DISLIKES

The good things about living in Canada far outweigh the bad and in my last blog I detailed what I liked about living here. These are some of the things that I don’t like.


Tipping: I really, really don’t like tipping for every meal, cab ride or sundry other services I receive in Canada. In Australia tipping is the exception rather than the rule and you only tip for excellent service. In Canada you may just as well add 10-20% straight off to any restaurant bill regardless of the service. Tipping here is universal and widespread and it constantly throws me into a state of confusion as to whether I should tip or not. I do but I don’t like it.


The People: In my list of likes, Canadian people were number one and they are a great bunch of people. If anything though they are too nice. Things don’t get said or done because of the Canadian fear of being considered not very nice. An example of this is when you come to a four way intersection and nobody wants to go as they are all giving way. “You first,” no you go,” “oh I couldn’t possibly go before you. You go please.” Would someone just hurry up and move!


Driving: Many Canadian motorists don’t like to indicate to turn or change lanes. It is both dangerous and annoying and I don’t know why they do it.


Beaches: Where I come from beaches have golden sand, large frothy waves and saltwater. In the Okanagan a beach is the edge of any water. No people, that is the lakeshore and not a beach.


Pennies: I hate the little copper things. Just today I bought something and it came to $20.01. Unbelievable! Do what Australia did 20 years ago Canada and get rid of the pennies. In Australia you just round up or down to the zero or five. Simple! Whilst on money since I have been here I have only ever had a $50 bill a few times. I draw $500 from an ATM and every time it spits out $20 bills. Some shops state that they won’t accept $50 bills. Why have $50 notes at all?


Food: Some foods just don’t taste the same. That’s to be expected. Meat is super expensive here and I thought Canada was a major meat producer? It also appears that most fruit and vegetables are imported from just about everywhere.


Footy: They don’t play “proper” footy in Canada. I miss my Australian rules, rugby league, and rugby. I spend many long nights over a computer screen waiting for the screen to refresh.


Mail: The postman doesn’t deliver to your house you have to go to a central point to collect your mail.


Taxes: A common dislike. Whereas in Australia the tax is incorporated in the price here in Canada it isn’t. Time after time I get caught out by the “hidden” tax. The price on the ticket says $24.00 but when you get to the register to pay you get slugged for $27 odd dollars.


Eh!: Just how many sentences can you finish off with the exclamation “eh.” Canadians just love this little “word” and use it whenever they can.

Take all of the above with a grain of salt as I said before the good points of Canada far outweigh these few little nigglers.