- Canadians drink milk out of bags. We were having coffee after dinner and I asked for milk in my coffee, so Emily handed me a pitcher with a bag in it. At first I couldn't really tell what it was. I thought they'd put a baggie over a pitcher of milk to keep it fresh. It took me a minute to figure out how to pour it...I'm slow. Emily says it's cheaper than jugs. That makes sense. She said kids will have little bags that you stick straws through, how we have little milk cartons...But that would remind me a bit too much of an udder.
- Canadians spend their free time watching rotisserie chickens rotate. Perhaps this is a bit of an overstatement, but they do have a local channel that, much like the fireplace channel (which I found out tonight also exists), is solely made up of footage of chickens roasting. I don't get it. In what situation would you want and/or need this? If you're hungry, wouldn't this just be cruel? And if you're not hungry, then why watch? However, considering the crud contained on American shows, I would have to say that a nice turning bit of poultry is a better option.
- They call elementary school "public" school. That's just confusing.
- They have pizza days in "public" school. Every so often the kids get to have a pizza day (or hamburger day or corndog day) on which the kids bring a little form stating what kind they want and a couple of bucks, and the teacher orders pizza. How fun! Our solution to this is just to feed kids that kind of crap every day in the lunch line. ;)
- After kids go through "public" school and whatever they call middle school, they go to "collegiate institute." That there's just a fancy way of saying high school. I picture a bunch of snooty boys in knee socks playing cricket when I hear "collegiate institute." Maybe it's their way of sounding British.
- Which brings me to my next point: Did you know Canada isn't really independent from Great Britian? I had no idea, and I like to think I'm a well-informed gal. They're a protectorate or something like that. Emily repeatedly referred to "the Crown," when talking about government. Apparently every Canadian pays $1.70 in taxes a year to Great Britian. Rise up and foist off your British oppressors, Canadians!
- They say pasta like...the "a" sound in my name. Not like "Pah-sta" like we say it...which is kind of funny, because usually we're the ones to butcher other languages, but this one we got right (by Italian standards, anyway).
That's all for today, folks!
5 comments:
It's fun to hear about the differences in our countries. I thought the only difference was that we say abowt and they say aboot. :)
aubergine
Oh, funny. Pasta is a funny one they say....and bag, and ...oh man! I love Canadians, even more, I love being related to one. You'll have to watch the recent 30 Rock :) haha. Glad you are having fun and being so observant!
I just learned myself last week about Canada not being independent of Great Britian. And I remember this same Canadian who taught me that fun fact used to always say "eh" at the end of his sentences. I realized it is like a period at the end of their sentence. Right before he and his family left he said, "We have to go. I have to write my exam at 9." I think he meant he was going to take his test.
Don't feel bad about not knowing that Canada is a commonwealth (although I liked your fake word). Most Canadians don't know it either. And because I know you really DO want to see it:
http://swisschalet.com/rotisserie_channel.php
You're welcome.
Amber I really enjoyed reading your post about our great white neighbor. They really are fun and kind people. I didn't know about the souffle that are really cheetos... Kyle didn't know what it was till we read the rest of the paragraph. You have such a way of capturing moments and areas of the world. I really like to read your work! (P.S. once I told Kyle I really liked this tea I was drinking all week when we were there that was "vert tea". He laughed and told me to turn the bottle around and see that is was actualy "green tea". Hee hee silly french on everything !)
sarah
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