Funny Things we Canadians hear!

[NicoleMD]

I work in a Call Center in Nova Scotia and all my customers are Americans. Once they get past the whole "oursourcing" issue (a totally different topic....) some of the comments make me laugh. One customer asked me if I spoke Canadian? I replyed "Yes, and so do you" They didn't quite know what to say to that becasue they said they only spoke English.

During the 2000 elections, I was having an online discussion about the voting system in the Staes and comments on how difficult it was. The response I received was that we had it hard too when counting votes becasue we had to count them in tweo official languages!!!!! My responce was that "an X is an X is an X.....in English or in French"


Nicole

 

[Limmer]

My uncle did have an experience like this. They were in a time share in florida in the late 80's, he was a teenager and started to hang out with some teens around the pool. They started asking him if he enjoyed having electricity while on vacation and was he scared the first time he got in a car, did he find restaurants exciting etc. He could not believe it. I did not actually believe him when he told me this, I thought he was teasing me. It was not until my grandfather verified the story and it just stunned me. Do they really think we live like that? Or do they put it on to tease us?

 

[Seaera]

Okay, here's mine...
My boyfriend (at the time) and I were on vacation in Hawaii and were relaxing on the beach. We were chatting with these two girls there for awhile and they asked us where we were from. We told them that we were from Vancouver, BC, Canada. One of the girls responds excitedly, "oh I met a guy from Canada! His name was Steve...do you know him?"
Seriously...she wasn't kidding!

 

[Amberle3]

I haven't come across too many Americans like that lately, but I do remember some interesting comments in the 70's when we (gasp) DROVE to WDW. I mean my gosh, we have CARS up in Canada?!

I also remember quite a few questions about the cord at the front - was it an electric car? Did we have to plug it in every night? What happened if it ran out of power?

Most of the comments I get these days are about the cold weather and the snow. Of course living in Winnipeg all I can do really is say "yep"

ETA: I think one of the reasons we learn about the US in school is, well let's face it, they're a major super-power and they're located right next door. It would be a little silly if we didn't learn about them.

 

[totalia]

Oh I forgot the one where an american asked if I had to wear snow shoes to get to work in the summer.

Sometimes it seems that Americans know more about Mexico than they know about Canada. I don't know why that is. They may be a super power but we are right next door to them and Canadians can't be all that odd to meet.

 

[jewellmmc]

Haha...These stories are funny. I'm glad I started this thread.

 

[PanamaMike]

Some years ago an American tourist I was dealing with complained that it was "so hard to tell your money apart because it's all different colours".

I wondered if she had the same problem with traffic lights.

 

[jewellmmc]

Some years ago an American tourist I was dealing with complained that it was "so hard to tell your money apart because it's all different colours".

I wondered if she had the same problem with traffic lights.

OMG! I'm ROTFL!

 

[Limmer]

I remember one. When we were staying at a Marriott in Buffalo my Dad tipped the concierge lady $2 CDN the first night. She thought it was the funniest thing that she had ever seen. At first she thought my Dad was joking and the 2 $ bill was fake. When he assured her it was real money she said she was going to give it to her little brother to play with because "it was so cute".

 

[chasbos]

I really wonder if any of these people making these brilliant comments has ever looked at a map of North America? If they have they could easily see that a lot of Ontario (which is in Canada) is further south than some of there states! Even parts of California are further north than southern Ontario!

My kids learn a lot of Canadian History in school - more than I ever did and they know very little about the US (despite going there numerous times).

All this being said - you are all giving me a good chuckle today!

 

[tigercat]

I have a friend who is a police officer. He was patrolling along the 401 near London when he came across a car along side the road. When he asked the people in the car what was the trouble they told him that they were having a hard time finding the ski hills could he direct them. He told them to keep going north and eventually they would find it. It was in July. Also, when I was in Orlando I had gone into a store that specialized in clothes for short women. I really liked something and wanted to get some more later. I asked her where the nearest one was and I told her I lived in Ontario Canada. She couldn't find it in her directory of the U.S. I couldn't convince her that Ontario was in another Country not part of the U.S. To be fair though I finally told her to look up New York and particularly Buffalo and she told me that now I was being funny that there was no such place. I have no idea where another one of those stores is as I left. She was the manager.
tigercat

 

[chasbos]

You really have to wonder how some people get by in life don't you! I guess they are so wrapped up in their own lives they do not like to broaden their horizons!

 

[wee-haggis]

I don't think Canadians are educated all that much in school about America and Americans.

I think we learn because we watch their TV.

LOL...I think it quite the opposite.
The American school kids only learn about USA....with a smidge of Europe,Asia ,Africa and S America thrown in.

 

[damo]

Here are two of many:

This summer, some teens from Kentucky asked my son if he really kills baby seals.

My mom, who winters in Florida, was amazed by another senior citizen lady, who told her that it was impossible for Canadians to have baby boomers since we didn't participate in WW2.

 

[ChisJo]

My mom, who winters in Florida, was amazed by another senior citizen lady, who told her that it was impossible for Canadians to have baby boomers since we didn't participate in WW2.

OMG!!

Maybe it's because I find War history interesting, but really, do they think they actually won the war on their own?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I once sold something on ebay to a lady that lived in Norway. She emailed me asking all kinds of questions about Canada because she once knew a 'John Anderson' (I think that was the name....if not, it was a similar very generic name) who lived in the 'city' of Nova Scotia. She wondered if I knew him. She asked if we had cars here and if we had lots of snow all year round. It seemed very innocent. I replied that I live in Western Canada, above WA state, and very far from Nova Scotia. I told her where to find a map of Canada. I also told her that were I live we rarely get snow, and it rarely goes below 10 degrees, and people golf all year round! She could barely believe that!

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Maybe it's because I find War history interesting, but really, do they think they actually won the war on their own?

I'm sure some of us Americans believe that, I on the other hand, know better.

(I also know that Canadians have both cars and electricity, there's more to do than just watch hockey, most people do not have pet beavers (nor moose), and that the 401 is the most boring highway I've ever driven on.) (That being said, after driving the 401, I now know that Speed, Tailgating, Drunk Driving, and Fatigue can kill me, and that I'll get "1 demerit point" if I get caught going 120 in a 100 zone)

I also find it pleasant that most places that I've stopped in Canada will accept American currency, and wish that more places in America would accept Canadian currency. (I believe I still have $3 or 4 CDN in my car's change box, leftover from the last time I was in Canada)

 

[tigercat]

I just remember something else My dd's friends cousin (I think it was a cousin) was coming over from England. The family was going to take her to some tourist area's so they wanted to know what she wanted to see. She was going to be here a short time but thought she would like to see Niagara Falls (doable), Ottawa, the east coast and Vancouver. Oh and Edmonton. No problem right. It seems that Europe doesn't understand how big Canada is.
tigercat

 

[Sandyincanada]

It seems that Europe doesn't understand how big Canada is.

I would say thats probably true but not as much from ignorance but more from not being able to picture it from a map. DH is from England and his relatives visit every few years. They are completely amazed at how big Canada is and how much empty space we have. His Aunt and Uncle arrive in different areas of Canada, rent a vehicle and eventually make their way to MB. Most of the Countries are so close there, they are used to grabbing a car/train or ferry and arriving in a different Country the same or next day, lol.

 

[jewellmmc]

I'm sure some of us Americans believe that, I on the other hand, know better.

(I also know that Canadians have both cars and electricity, there's more to do than just watch hockey, most people do not have pet beavers (nor moose), and that the 401 is the most boring highway I've ever driven on.) (That being said, after driving the 401, I now know that Speed, Tailgating, Drunk Driving, and Fatigue can kill me, and that I'll get "1 demerit point" if I get caught going 120 in a 100 zone)

I also find it pleasant that most places that I've stopped in Canada will accept American currency, and wish that more places in America would accept Canadian currency. (I believe I still have $3 or 4 CDN in my car's change box, leftover from the last time I was in Canada)

That's good. I was waiting for an American to come. LOL. BTW I'll take that CDN money off your hands! lol....just kidding.