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Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Old Feb 7th 2017, 12:43 pm
  #46  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by Souvy
They don't mean it and don't want any answer other than "fine" or "awesome".
Oh I realised that very quickly, I think some of them were just slightly offended when I didn't reciprocate the question in my response.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 12:46 pm
  #47  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by Souvy
They don't mean it and don't want any answer other than "fine" or "awesome".
its when you make the flippant response of 'I'm lousy' to 'feeling terrible', my day sucks', "they" respond with a 'oh, thats good', or with a 'Okay have a nice day'.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 12:54 pm
  #48  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by not2old
its when you make the flippant response of 'I'm lousy' to 'feeling terrible', my day sucks', "they" respond with a 'oh, thats good', or with a 'Okay have a nice day'.
The Japanese have two words to describe what people say; honne and tatamae. Honne describes what people say whereas tatamae describes what the person actually meant when they said it. Often in Japanese culture the recipient will understand the tatamae meaning without needing it spelled out for them.

I think North American culture incorporates those principles. A lot of things in North American culture, and especially the service sector, are just said for the point of saying them. They don't actually have any meaning. Someone may ask others how they are a hundred times in a day but the actual number of shits given was zero and the person responding is expected to read between the lines and see that.

On the face of it I think we were always slightly more honest in that regard but things are even changing in the UK these days and I am now frequently being told to "have a nice day" after I buy something in a British supermarket, a department store or even in Greggs at lunchtime.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 1:02 pm
  #49  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

maybe I just prefer fakeness but when I was last in Tescos (last year) I got glared at by the woman stocking the yogurts when I asked a question... I had been stood there waiting for like a minute before I asked anyway... I would have taken canadian politeness 100 hundred times over her customer service, fake or not.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 1:15 pm
  #50  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by Siouxie
I think you are generalising a little - Toronto isn't the whole of Ontario.
And the part of Toronto where kids don't play in the street isn't all of Toronto. As a driver, it seems I'm always pausing for grubby oiks to shuffle their nets over to the side of the road.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 1:42 pm
  #51  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by not2old
its when you make the flippant response of 'I'm lousy' to 'feeling terrible', my day sucks', "they" respond with a 'oh, thats good', or with a 'Okay have a nice day'.
I now have a standard reply to the question: "anything else I can help you with today?"

"Yes. Come and shovel my driveway".
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 2:05 pm
  #52  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by dbd33
And the part of Toronto where kids don't play in the street isn't all of Toronto. As a driver, it seems I'm always pausing for grubby oiks to shuffle their nets over to the side of the road.
You are certainly the King of Hyperbole!!!
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:09 pm
  #53  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Reading this is quite funny.
We've been in Alberta for a month now. I feel like I've settled in quite quickly to be honest.
I did notice a lot of differences at first- but having travelled a lot in Asia where I was expecting there to be huge cultural differences, I almost think that made me notice the little things here more- almost because I wasn't fully expecting them.

In terms of a lot of the words used- that's been easy enough. I feel like in the UK we're fairly Americanised now these days anyway so most of the language we know. Every day changes anyway.

I agree with the bank card thing. That is annoying. We are with scotiabank and have a joint account. We have a bank card each and I just assumed it was visa but it's not. It almost looks like a cheapy cash card thing. Husband is the one with the job here so he got a visa credit card.
After talking to people early on we realised that we had no choice but to use the credit card for everything. Which to be honest I totally disagree with. But hey ho- just have to roll with it I suppose. We just use the credit card as though it's our bank card then pay it all off each pay day. Lucky for getting paid fortnightly! Haha

I do notice a lot of things being 'behind the times' but I was expecting that as it's a bit of a known joke is it? But I like it! For the most part anyway. I do miss Sainsbury's delivering my food though! Haha but- my internet here is 10x faster than at home! So that's a bonus!

I think there's always going to be things you don't like or that annoys- but there was back in the UK for me. So it's 6 and 2 threes really. I just now have a whole new country to explore at my leisure instead! :-)
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:12 pm
  #54  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by suzeandmatt
We have a bank card each and I just assumed it was visa but it's not. It almost looks like a cheapy cash card thing.
Is it Interac? Those are essentially useless especially when you take them outside of Canada.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:24 pm
  #55  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by suzeandmatt
We are with scotiabank and have a joint account. We have a bank card each and I just assumed it was visa but it's not. It almost looks like a cheapy cash card thing.
We bank with Scotiabank and have Visa Debit cards for our joint account. I *think* we had to ask for them, they weren't the default card given out:
VISA Debit | Scotiabank We do quite well with the Scene points too, for free cinema tickets.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:28 pm
  #56  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
Is it Interac? Those are essentially useless especially when you take them outside of Canada.
Yeah possibly. OH was in Seattle at the weekend & he just used our UK visa debit card for that reason. I realise it's so they can just give you the cards straight away but it's so pointless! We use it on the rare occasion where we might need to take a bit of cash out & that's it.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:30 pm
  #57  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by suzeandmatt
Yeah possibly. OH was in Seattle at the weekend & he just used our UK visa debit card for that reason. I realise it's so they can just give you the cards straight away but it's so pointless! We use it on the rare occasion where we might need to take a bit of cash out & that's it.
There are a few stores that accept Interac online, The Source being one of them IIRC, but it is mostly useless. I tried to use it in Mexico once without thinking and the guy in the shop looked at me as though I just handed him a pineapple.
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:31 pm
  #58  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:32 pm
  #59  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by Bucks_Family
We bank with Scotiabank and have Visa Debit cards for our joint account. I *think* we had to ask for them, they weren't the default card given out:
VISA Debit | Scotiabank We do quite well with the Scene points too, for free cinema tickets.
Errgg but that means going into the bank and I hate doing that. Hahaha
Maybe having these pointless cards is a good way for me to spend less money! Haha
I think we'll end up with a fair bit of cash back on the credit card thanks to having to pay the rent on it and everything else! Haha
I don't agree with our checking account having a $1000 transaction limit on it unless you ring them to increase it for the day? What's the point in that? Another reason why we just pay the rent on the credit card. Haha
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Old Feb 7th 2017, 3:33 pm
  #60  
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Default Re: Finding Canadian differences very frustrating - How do I fix this?

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost
There are a few stores that accept Interac online, The Source being one of them IIRC, but it is mostly useless. I tried to use it in Mexico once without thinking and the guy in the shop looked at me as though I just handed him a pineapple.
Haha I didn't even realise it wasn't visa till OH pointed it out! I just assumed. 21st century & all that. Haha
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