Canada

I came to Canada about six years ago. Now I am used to living in Canada but when I was new, I could not help noticing some interesting differences between my native country, South Korea, and Canada. I would like to share some of them.

In my country, most people don't have small talk or casual conversation with strangers; however, in Canada most people talk casually on the street or in stores with everyone, which is very nice.

Another difference I noticed was that in Canada we go to the hospital only when we're really sick or need surgery, while in my native country, Korea, we can go to the hospital for even minor illnesses too. In Korea, it is very convenient to visit a hospital even when you have a mild cold or stomach problem. Even processing speed is very fast.

In Canada, nine out of ten people do not use umbrellas even in the rain. Even in the pouring rain, I see very few people with umbrellas. They don’t mind getting wet, perhaps the air is clean, so they don’t mind it. And, yes, the air in Canada is much cleaner compared to the air in my native country.

In Canada, there are strict rules about drinking. There are dedicated stores to buy alcohol. We can't buy and drink alcoholic drinks just anywhere. While in my country, we can buy it anywhere, in any mart or convenience store, and consume it in the park or on the street. Alcohol is harmful to the body, so we shouldn’t drink it too much and I like the drinking restrictions in Canada.

A drive-through bank machine is really a good idea in Canada. We can deposit and withdraw money without having to get off the car. I don’t think my native country has this facility yet. Perhaps, they too have it now.

So, yes, there are differences, but I don’t mind these differences and have adapted very well in Canada. I am very happy to live in a considerate and kind country, Canada!

Thank you so much for reading my thoughts.