Over this past year, I have had the opportunity to discover so many new places, learned so many different things, and I have met so many different people from all walks of life. Many of these people that I have met, shall I say, have an "interesting" view on Canadians. A surprising thing that I have learned is that the typical Canadian jokes from how we always say "sorry", how we are nicer than our neighbors from the south, or whether or not we live in igloos, has not been a topic of conversation with most people that I have met here. I have had some very strange conversations with different people while living and travelling abroad. Have a look at some of my most memorable conversations below!
While waiting on the overcrowded platform for the train to take me to the next town in Cinque Terre, I came across a group of Canadian travellers, who through our conversation, discovered that I was Canadian and living in Italy.
Traveler: So where are you from in Canada ?
Me: Quebec
Traveler: Wow! And you seriously teaching English here ?
Me: Yes
Traveller : Wow a Quebecer teaching English.....
He then proceeded to change the topic to possibly avoid any type of political debate. But yes Sir, that's right a Quebecer, teaching English! For anybody else who is reading this I can assure you, there are many people that I know who speak English. In fact not only do they speak English and French, there are many people that I know who speak a third language as well. So no sir, and to anyone else who has this strange belief, not all of us who live in Quebec have the tunnel vision of a Quebec seperatist and only believe in knowing one language!
If this small group of people from Newfoundland and Ontario has this point of view of Quebecers, I can only imagine how the rest of Canada feels about us!
This next one is a little bit on the lighter side. While travelling in Rome, I came across a few people from Belgium, who once I heard that I was French Canadian said to me:
Traveler: Eyyyy! You have strange ways of swearing in Quebec!
Me: Yes, I guess that we do...
Traveler: Colise, tabarnac, osti!! Does that sound familiar to you ?
At this point I can only burst out laughing. It did remind me of home. However, I can assure you that not all of us go around swearing random swear words, most of us are quite civilized :) I never would have thought that our unique ways of swearing are well known to other people around the world.
Etiquette 101: Last time I checked, I don't believe that it is polite to randomly swear when greeting someone from any culture! But if you insist, and if you ever want to demonstrate the use of our fancy ways of cursing in Quebec, feel free to curse away! Let me know how that goes! ;)
This next one occurred while I was giving an English conversation lesson with a local from Torino:
Local: So what's a famous dish from where you're from ?
Me: Poutine!
Local: Pou-what ?
The local stares at me in awe and confusion as I explain what poutine is. We both burst out laughing as she explains that poutine sounds like pouza, the Italian word for smelly.
So poutine = smelly dish
Me: Ok so there are other parts of Canada where people call it: "poo-teene"
We both burst out laughing again when she says that it sounds like the Italian word fo "wh*re"
I don't think that I can ever look at a poutine the same way again. For those of you who are wondering, have a look below at what I'm talking about! I assure you that it tastes alot better then it looks, and it's one of my favorite comfort foods!
Over this past year, I have had the opportunity to discover so many new places, learned so many different things, and I have met so many different people from all walks of life. Many of these people that I have met, shall I say, have an "interesting" view on Canadians. A surprising thing that I have learned is that the typical Canadian jokes from how we always say "sorry", how we are nicer than our neighbors from the south, or whether or not we live in igloos, has not been a topic of conversation with most people that I have met here. I have had some very strange conversations with different people while living and travelling abroad. Have a look at some of my most memorable conversations below!
While waiting on the overcrowded platform for the train to take me to the next town in Cinque Terre, I came across a group of Canadian travellers, who through our conversation, discovered that I was Canadian and living in Italy.
Traveler: So where are you from in Canada ?
Me: Quebec
Traveler: Wow! And you seriously teaching English here ?
Me: Yes
Traveller : Wow a Quebecer teaching English.....
He then proceeded to change the topic to possibly avoid any type of political debate. But yes Sir, that's right a Quebecer, teaching English! For anybody else who is reading this I can assure you, there are many people that I know who speak English. In fact not only do they speak English and French, there are many people that I know who speak a third language as well. So no sir, and to anyone else who has this strange belief, not all of us who live in Quebec have the tunnel vision of a Quebec seperatist and only believe in knowing one language!
If this small group of people from Newfoundland and Ontario has this point of view of Quebecers, I can only imagine how the rest of Canada feels about us!
This next one is a little bit on the lighter side. While travelling in Rome, I came across a few people from Belgium, who once I heard that I was French Canadian said to me:
Traveler: Eyyyy! You have strange ways of swearing in Quebec!
Me: Yes, I guess that we do...
Traveler: Colise, tabarnac, osti!! Does that sound familiar to you ?
At this point I can only burst out laughing. It did remind me of home. However, I can assure you that not all of us go around swearing random swear words, most of us are quite civilized :) I never would have thought that our unique ways of swearing are well known to other people around the world.
Etiquette 101: Last time I checked, I don't believe that it is polite to randomly swear when greeting someone from any culture! But if you insist, and if you ever want to demonstrate the use of our fancy ways of cursing in Quebec, feel free to curse away! Let me know how that goes! ;)
This next one occurred while I was giving an English conversation lesson with a local from Torino:
Local: So what's a famous dish from where you're from ?
Me: Poutine!
Local: Pou-what ?
The local stares at me in awe and confusion as I explain what poutine is. We both burst out laughing as she explains that poutine sounds like pouza, the Italian word for smelly.
So poutine = smelly dish
Me: Ok so there are other parts of Canada where people call it: "poo-teene"
We both burst out laughing again when she says that it sounds like the Italian word fo "wh*re"
I don't think that I can ever look at a poutine the same way again. For those of you who are wondering, have a look below at what I'm talking about! I assure you that it tastes alot better then it looks, and it's one of my favorite comfort foods!
And lastly, this next one is probably my favorite. It was a conversation while I was on a date that was so ridiculous, that I simply had to walk out!
Date: So you're from America right?
Me: No, I'm from Canada
Date: Whatever, same thing.
Me: Umm, no
Date: Yes, yes it's all the same
At this point I just give up because 90% of the Europeans that I have met have made the same comment.
As the night goes on:
Date: So do you want to come in my car? We can go to the hillside and have "fun"
Me: I would rather not....
Date: Why not ? I thought that American girls were easy ?
Okay buddy, let me show you how easy "American"girls can be
Me: Grabs purse, walks away
Alright buddy, the fact that your balls are still attached to your body means that your lucky. To the guy who's name that I have already forgotten, and any other guy in Italy and the rest of Europe who plans on taking a Canadian girl out to dinner, who gave you that fabulous idea ?
These are probably the most special conversations that I've had while living and traveling in Europe. What about you ? Do you have any odd stories of converstions with strangers ?
Date: So you're from America right?
Me: No, I'm from Canada
Date: Whatever, same thing.
Me: Umm, no
Date: Yes, yes it's all the same
At this point I just give up because 90% of the Europeans that I have met have made the same comment.
As the night goes on:
Date: So do you want to come in my car? We can go to the hillside and have "fun"
Me: I would rather not....
Date: Why not ? I thought that American girls were easy ?
Okay buddy, let me show you how easy "American"girls can be
Me: Grabs purse, walks away
Alright buddy, the fact that your balls are still attached to your body means that your lucky. To the guy who's name that I have already forgotten, and any other guy in Italy and the rest of Europe who plans on taking a Canadian girl out to dinner, who gave you that fabulous idea ?
These are probably the most special conversations that I've had while living and traveling in Europe. What about you ? Do you have any odd stories of converstions with strangers ?