Americans and Canadians culture Q&A Thread.

[SirDuff]

Well, I can respond to part of this...hopefully not too political, as you say, but I have no desire to "become American" or pledge allegiance to the American flag. I am Canadian through and through. In fact, I have gone so far as to tell my husband that if I happen to die here, he had better not bury me here. He needs to take me back to Canada or I will most definitely haunt him!!!

Some of the Americans we have talked to (I'm not saying ALL Americans) seem shocked that we wouldn't want to become citizens of this "most amazing country" and are doubly shocked that we have lived here as long as we have with no desire to become citizens. We started off on an H1B, I think it's called and have worked our way up to green cards, but citizenship is totally off the table. I can't stress this enough! We are here simply because my husband has skills that were/are very sought after in the US and nothing more. If/when that stops being the case, I will gladly be packing my bags and heading home.

So I guess that is my answer...applying for citizenship is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. There is serious reflection that needs to take place. You have to COMMIT to a country for citizenship. That is not a decision you make just so you can save yourself a few steps in some work visa paperwork. That would be ridiculous.

Especially for the US, due to how they do their taxes.

When I was in the US, I had "TN status", which was specifically and clearly a "non-immigrant" track. As is my status in Europe. If I were to move back to the US, I'd likely be on a diplomatic type visa. Again, a "non-immigrant" track.

 

[prairie_girl]

Well, I can respond to part of this...hopefully not too political, as you say, but I have no desire to "become American" or pledge allegiance to the American flag. I am Canadian through and through. In fact, I have gone so far as to tell my husband that if I happen to die here, he had better not bury me here. He needs to take me back to Canada or I will most definitely haunt him!!!

Some of the Americans we have talked to (I'm not saying ALL Americans) seem shocked that we wouldn't want to become citizens of this "most amazing country" and are doubly shocked that we have lived here as long as we have with no desire to become citizens. We started off on an H1B, I think it's called and have worked our way up to green cards, but citizenship is totally off the table. I can't stress this enough! We are here simply because my husband has skills that were/are very sought after in the US and nothing more. If/when that stops being the case, I will gladly be packing my bags and heading home.

So I guess that is my answer...applying for citizenship is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. There is serious reflection that needs to take place. You have to COMMIT to a country for citizenship. That is not a decision you make just so you can save yourself a few steps in some work visa paperwork. That would be ridiculous.

ETA: I don't know if you realize the intensive process you need to go through for citizenship. First, you have to qualify, then there are a LOT of steps. I know what we went through just for green cards. You have to prove your vaccinations are up to date, make sure you don't have any communicable diseases (despite living here for YEARS), fill out tons of paperwork, etc. It is much more for citizenship...being tested on American topics, the swearing in, likely all kinds of background checks, etc. I haven't been through it, but I don't think it is as simple as saying, "I would like to be an American now."

Not related to personally becoming an American citizen (sorry @Buzz Rules, never gonna happen), but my dad has lived in Canada for 40 years now, and has no desire to become a Canadian citizen. He is a landed immigrant (from Australia), and still travels on his Australian passport. One of my siblings was born there, but is a Canadian citizen, and another sibling has just become a duel citizen, with two passports. I’d do it too but it’s a very involved process and don’t have the funds for it either.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Canadians, is there something that you have learned about Americans from this thread that you wish more Canadians would know as well?

 

[Buzz Rules]

Canadians, which province is the most and least American friendly in your opinion?

 

[Buzz Rules]

Do Canadians have their own spin on hotdogs ?

 

[Buzz Rules]

With Flag Day (June 14th) coming up in a few weeks, I thought our next topic of discussion could be about our respective countries flags. I know about our country's flag etiquette but I'm curious if anything is different in the Canadian flag code compared to ours?

 

[Aladora]

With Flag Day (June 14th) coming up in a few weeks, I thought our next topic of discussion could be about our respective countries flags. I know about our country's flag etiquette but I'm curious if anything is different in the Canadian flag code compared to ours?

I don't know a lot about the Canadian Flag code but I know that it should not be like this!

Photo take by me at Roche Harbour, San Juan Island, WA. Back in 2017, we sailed from Vancouver Island to San Juan Island for a few days and this was flying on our second day there.

 

[Buzz Rules]

 

[Buzz Rules]

I don't know a lot about the Canadian Flag code but I know that it should not be like this!

Photo take by me at Roche Harbour, San Juan Island, WA. Back in 2017, we sailed from Vancouver Island to San Juan Island for a few days and this was flying on our second day there.

View attachment 764755

Interesting. I wondering if there was a reason or just an honest mistake.

 

[Aladora]

Interesting. I wondering if there was a reason or honest mistake.

It was an honest mistake. I went and spoke with them once I stopped laughing and they fixed it.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I don't know a lot about the Canadian Flag code but I know that it should not be like this!

Photo take by me at Roche Harbour, San Juan Island, WA. Back in 2017, we sailed from Vancouver Island to San Juan Island for a few days and this was flying on our second day there.

View attachment 764755

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/flying-rules.html

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title4/chapter1&edition=prelim

 

[Buzz Rules]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Flag_Code

 

[Buzz Rules]

It was an honest mistake. I went and spoke with them once I stopped laughing and they fixed it.

Do you know anything about US flag etiquette? Just curious.

 

[Aladora]

Do you know anything about US flag etiquette? Just curious.

Nothing other than some of the more obvious and/or universal ones. Like not flying it upside down unless in distress, burning the flag seems to be a big no-no, and I know there are rules about size and height as compared to other flags but tbh I barely pay attention to rules about Canadian flags, there is zero reason I would know about US ones.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Nothing other than some of the more obvious and/or universal ones. Like not flying it upside down unless in distress, burning the flag seems to be a big no-no, and I know there are rules about size and height as compared to other flags but tbh I barely pay attention to rules about Canadian flags, there is zero reason I would know about US ones.

Well, the links above explain the rules for both countries if you are ever curious. I found some of your country's differences interesting.

 

[Moliphino]

Nothing other than some of the more obvious and/or universal ones. Like not flying it upside down unless in distress, burning the flag seems to be a big no-no, and I know there are rules about size and height as compared to other flags but tbh I barely pay attention to rules about Canadian flags, there is zero reason I would know about US ones.

Burning the flag is actually protected under freedom of speech. Burning is also the preferred disposal method for tattered flags.
A bunch of other things that are commonplace are against our flag code (using it as apparel and carrying it horizontally for example).

 

[prairie_girl]

Do you know anything about US flag etiquette? Just curious.

All I know is that you ( country you, not specifically you) go on and on about loving the flag and respecting it but then see nothing wrong with someone wearing the flag as buttfloss for a bikini. That’s confusing to me.

 

[Moliphino]

All I know is that you ( country you, not specifically you) go on and on about loving the flag and respecting it but then see nothing wrong with someone wearing the flag as buttfloss for a bikini. That’s confusing to me.

And that actually IS against the flag code, unless the manufacturer is like Disney and makes the flags slightly wrong so they don't need to follow it.

 

[Aladora]

And that actually IS against the flag code, unless the manufacturer is like Disney and makes the flags slightly wrong so they don't need to follow it.

I think the point wasn't that it was not against the flag code but instead that many people who talk about respecting the flag don't seem to care when clothing is made out of one.