{"id":38950,"date":"2025-09-18T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/?p=38950"},"modified":"2025-09-16T12:02:32","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T16:02:32","slug":"surprises-of-an-american-living-in-canada","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/surprises-of-an-american-living-in-canada\/","title":{"rendered":"12 of the Biggest Surprises of an American Living in Canada"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the most part, living in Canada feels the same as the U.S., just with a slightly different flavor. For instance, spelling flavor as \u201cflavour\u201d. But if you\u2019re only visiting for a short time, you probably won\u2019t feel much of a difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of the same chain restaurants exist, tipping culture is just as prevalent, and small talk is everywhere. Of course, there are some obvious differences. Grocery packaging includes English and French logos, healthcare is universal, the \u201cwashroom\u201d means bathroom, and there\u2019s a friendly \u201ceh\u201d tacked onto the end of sentences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the time I moved to Canada, I\u2019d already lived in France, Thailand, and South Korea, so I didn\u2019t think much could surprise me. And being from Upstate New York\u2014where I probably differ more from a Texan than an Ontarian\u2014Canada felt like a familiar cousin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still, a few things about life here surprised me when I moved four years ago. Here are a few of the quirks I\u2019ve picked up on while living in Ontario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rideau-Canal-750x394.jpg\" alt=\"An overhead view of the Rideau Canal skateway at sunset. \" class=\"wp-image-38953\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rideau-Canal-750x394.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rideau-Canal-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rideau-Canal-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Rideau-Canal.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Outdoor ice rinks are a lot more prevalent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My hometown of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/syracuse-ny-real-estate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Syracuse<\/a> is one of the snowiest cities in the country, so I\u2019m used to winter living and everything that comes with it: snow tires, school closures, and skiing. But one aspect of winter in Canada surprised me.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Canadians like to ice skate outdoors. Before living in Ontario, I\u2019d never seen so many outdoor ice rinks. My small city in Ontario has at least twenty. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/toronto-on-real-estate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Toronto<\/a> has more than fifty. (For comparison, Syracuse, a city of 140,000 people, only has one outdoor rink that I\u2019m aware of.)&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019m not the only one noticing the craze for outdoor skating, either. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/282353\/countries-by-number-of-ice-hockey-rinks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">International Ice Hockey Federation<\/a> estimates that Canada has 5,000 outdoor rinks, compared to just 500 in the United States. I guess Canadians can embrace the winter chill better than we Americans can.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A lot of Canadians have their own pair of ice skates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking of skating, I was shocked the first time I went to a local rink and couldn\u2019t rent a pair of ice skates. How was this possible? Where did everyone get theirs from? It turns out that skating is so common a sport that a lot of Canadians have their own pair of ice skates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Read: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/toronto-condo-living\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>I Lived in Toronto Condos for 13 Years, Here\u2019s What I Learned<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In fact, this winter pastime is such a big part of Canadian life that an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbc.com\/newsroom\/news\/article.html?article=124402\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RBC survey<\/a> found that 92% of parents think every child should learn to skate. As a result, I\u2019ve now invested in my own pair..&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You go tobogganing, not sledding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an American, I knew what the word toboggan meant. I could picture it clearly in my head: it\u2019s a long, wooden holiday sled used for sledding down a snowy hill.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But in Canada, a toboggan isn\u2019t just a noun; it\u2019s a verb. Where I\u2019d say \u201cgoing sledding,\u201d Canadians say \u201cgoing tobogganing.\u201d And to their ears, <em>my<\/em> version sounds strange.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ontario-cottage-750x394.jpg\" alt=\"An exterior view of a Canadian cottage on a lake\" class=\"wp-image-38954\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ontario-cottage-750x394.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ontario-cottage-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ontario-cottage-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ontario-cottage.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cottages are not only in fairytales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American mind cannot comprehend a Canadian cottage. I originally pictured a storybook cabin in \u201cHansel and Gretel\u201d or an old, quaint home in the English countryside. Could everyone here afford a second home straight out of a fairytale?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was a while before I figured out that when Canadians talk about their cottages, they\u2019re actually referring to their camp, cabin, or lakehouse. This could be something as simple as a one-bedroom log cabin or as fancy as a mansion that just so happens to be overlooking a lake.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Northern Ontario, there\u2019s even a region referred to as \u201ccottage country\u201d.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">I told everyone I went to college. Was I wrong?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The word \u201cuniversity\u201d can sound quite posh and elite in America. Instead, we refer to higher education colloquially as college. Even if you attend Harvard University, you probably won\u2019t say you went to university. You went to college.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I didn\u2019t realize there was a real difference between a university and a college until I moved to Canada. Here, college usually means shorter diploma or certificate programs that focus on hands-on training for specific careers. University refers to degree-granting institutions with four-year programs that lead to a bachelor\u2019s degree, as well as graduate studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I try to use the appropriate word now in conversation, but sometimes I still slip up and refer back to my college days.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It\u2019s grade 9, not 9th grade<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Canadians talk about school, they refer to grades by grade 9, grade 10, etc. They don\u2019t use 9th grade the way Americans do. This took time for my ears to adapt to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Similarly, Americans often refer to the first, second, third, or fourth year of high school or college as their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year.&nbsp; I\u2019ve had to adjust my vocabulary because those words don\u2019t resonate with Canadians (or frankly, anyone who is not American).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Postal codes have letters in them!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My grandpa called me the other day to double-check my address. \u201cThis can\u2019t be right\u2014there\u2019s a P in your zip code. P as in Peter,\u201d he emphasized to me over the phone. I had to assure him that yes, Canadian zip codes include letters, unlike in America, where zip codes only contain numbers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">No Venmo, but the superior e-transfer exists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You practically cannot exist as a modern American without Venmo, the payment service that transfers money from one bank account to another.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Canada, there is no Venmo because there is something better: e-Transfer. Interact e-transfer lets you send money directly from your bank account to someone else\u2019s using only their email. And you don\u2019t need a special app to do it, it&#8217;s built right into your banking app.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the farmer\u2019s market and forgot your wallet? No problem. Just e-Transfer the money. The deposit is instant, unlike Venmo, which can take a few days or charge extra to arrive faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/contactless-payment-reader-750x394.jpg\" alt=\"A waiter holds a contactless payment reader as a woman taps her credit card. \" class=\"wp-image-38955\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/contactless-payment-reader-750x394.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/contactless-payment-reader-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/contactless-payment-reader-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/contactless-payment-reader.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contactless payment readers are the norm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whenever I visit the U.S., I slip back into the rhythm of things right away, except for one detail: the waiter running off with my credit card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Canada, and in much of the rest of the world, the server brings a contactless payment reader right to your table. It still feels strange when I go home and have to hand over my card to a stranger to pay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Work-life balance feels better here<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Canada offers some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moorepay.co.uk\/the-ultimate-guide-to-countries-with-the-most-paid-time-off\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fewest days of paid vacation in the world at just 10<\/a>\u2014on par with Japan. Mexico guarantees a minimum of 12 days, Brazilians get 22, and the U.K. offers at least 28.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Compared to the U.S., though, Canada feels generous. American workers are entitled to 0 federally mandated paid vacation days. Companies do offer time off, but it isn\u2019t required by law, and many Americans don\u2019t even take all the days they\u2019re given. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/newsroom\/expedia-report-finds-americans-win-the-gold-medal-for-taking-fewest-vacation-days-globally\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Expedia report<\/a> found that as many as 53% of Americans leave vacation time unused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Canadian-coins-750x394.jpg\" alt=\"A pile of Canadian coins\" class=\"wp-image-38956\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Canadian-coins-750x394.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Canadian-coins-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Canadian-coins-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Canadian-coins.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">King Charles is the head of state<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was surprised to see Queen Elizabeth on so many coins and bills. She even has a freeway named after her. But what did she have to do with Canada? Then I learned that Canada is part of the British Commonwealth, and it all clicked. It also explained why so many Canadian words follow British spelling, like neighbourhood, centre, and labour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And now, with King Charles on the throne, he\u2019s Canada\u2019s Head of State and will appear on newly printed currency. Who knew Canada was so connected to royalty?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Your favorite movie or TV show was probably filmed in Toronto<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you think about movies, you probably think of Hollywood. And if not there, then maybe New York. But would you ever think of Toronto as a filming hub?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Read: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/blog\/here-are-some-of-the-recent-filming-hotspots-in-the-gta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Canada\u2019s Hollywood: Here are Some of the Recent Filming Hotspots in and around Toronto<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I was surprised to learn just how many movies and TV shows were filmed in Toronto. So many shows and movies set in New York are actually filmed there, like <em>Suits<\/em>, <em>The Boys<\/em>, and <em>American Psycho<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019d think a movie called <em>Chicago <\/em>would at least be safe from Toronto\u2019s influence, but no, the movie musical was actually filmed there, too. So was <em>Hairspray,<\/em> despite famously taking place in Baltimore. The long list of movies shot in Toronto includes <em>Good Will Hunting<\/em>, <em>X-Men<\/em>, <em>My Big Fat Greek Wedding,<\/em> and even Guillermo Del Toro\u2019s newest <em>Frankenstein<\/em> movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Biggest Surprise of All?&nbsp;<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The longer you live somewhere, the more you start to blend in with your surroundings. You adapt to the new culture until eventually, you are part of it. There are probably dozens of more differences I could\u2019ve mentioned in this roundup. But after four years of living in Canada, the differences have started to blur.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I haven\u2019t exactly become Canadian myself, but I\u2019ve definitely picked up some Canadian mannerisms. For one, I can\u2019t convert Celsius to Fahrenheit anymore. Celsius is all I know. I also know how to pronounce Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, and Mississauga correctly. I can even point them all out on a map!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes I can\u2019t even remember exactly how things are done in the States or if it&#8217;s really all that different. Oh, that\u2019s right. Americans don\u2019t refer to their country as the States, do they? I guess that\u2019s another Canadian habit I\u2019ve picked up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Considering a move soon? Whether you\u2019re in the United States or Canada, Zoocasa has thousands of up-to-date listings near you. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zoocasa.com\/search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start your search today<\/a>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the most part, living in Canada feels the same as the U.S., just with a slightly different flavor. For instance, spelling flavor as \u201cflavour\u201d. But if you\u2019re only visiting for a short time, you probably won\u2019t feel much of a difference.&nbsp; Most of the same chain restaurants exist, tipping culture is just as prevalent, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":38951,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1111,1167,1190],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada","category-just-for-fun","category-united-states"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Surprises of an American Living in Canada: 12 Unique Differences<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From tobagganing to cottages and outdoor ice 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