Get to know Canadian Culture!
Canada is a country that is rich in diversity, with many international students from around the world. In addition, Canada is incredibly unique amongst other countries, as it was the first to adopt multiculturalism as a policy.
As an international student studying in Canada, there are many things to discover as a Canadian international student’s cultural life. While the experience of moving to Canada can be both exciting and daunting, we are confident there is a unique culture Canada has to offer and what we believe are things to look forward to when studying in Canada.
Food
Like all countries, cultural foods are a great reason to get excited. While many might not know this, Canada has quite a few traditional dishes to discover. Out of all our traditional foods, Canada is commonly associated with maple syrup. We love maple syrup so much that we will pour it on almost everything from pancakes, waffles, coffee, maple syrup on snow, so it turns into a popsicle and waffles with deep-fried chicken on top. Yes, we like to get a bit crazy with our maple syrup, but perhaps it is simply an act of patriotism? We will let you decide what you think while studying in Canada. There is a lot more to discover about Canada’s food culture!
Be Yourself
As an international student studying abroad in Canada, never feel that you should compromise your beliefs, values, and identity to fit in with a crowd. Canadian culture means being proud of who you are and living your true self. Canada has high importance on protecting the rights of people; therefore, as an international student studying in Canada, we can reassure you that you will not be judged by your ethnicity, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
Everyday Lifestyle Tips
Canada is one of the safest countries to live or study. As one of the safest countries, this is a significant reason why so many international students decide to study in Canada. However, it’s essential to learn and adapt to everyday cultural norms to make the most of your studies. For example, Canadian culture always has high respect for other people’s personal space. By this, we mean it’s probably best to avoid asking someone you don’t know well how much they weigh or how old they are. Another excellent example of Canadian cultural norms is always being on time. It’s very common in Canadian culture to be 15 minutes early; therefore, don’t be late!
Everyday Interactions
Canadians are known for being friendly people. It’s common always to say “please” and “thank you” to everything and everyone. But, on top of that, you will likely hear the word “sorry” more times in a day than you ever have.
Another essential rule to always remember while studying abroad in Canada is to hold the door open for people in any public place. It might seem tricky at first to know how far someone is from the entrance to consider keeping the door open for them. Even as Canadians, we’ve been guilty of holding a door open when someone is four meters away, only to look awkward as the person approaching feels compelled to jog to the door because you graciously kept the door open for them. Don’t worry if this happens! Practice makes perfect! It’s all part of good fun to learn about Canadian culture while studying in Canada.
Sports
Sports are a big part of everyday Canadian culture, especially during the winter months. As an international student studying in Canada, we highly suggest during the winter months to learn how to ice skate. Ice skating and ice hockey are a big part of Canadian culture and should be considered to learn. Want to impress your Canadian friends? Be sure to practice ice skating before you depart to Canada to really impress your social circle. If ice skating doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, there are also many other adventurous sports during the winter months, such as snowshoeing, skiing, and tobogganing. Studying abroad in Canada means learning and embracing the Canadian winter sports culture! We are sure you will love it.
