Valhalla Island

Randy Walker requested I write up my observations on the USA and Canada from an Australian perspective. Similar to the Swiss Stephanie Booth’s notes on American culture.

• A lot of cars in the US use their rear/brake lights flashing as their indicator lights. I guess this is more efficient than having separate indicator lights but it’s not very obvious.
• Utes (or trucks as they’re called here) are absolutely massive. Bonnets are as high as my shoulders.
• Pennies are a complete waste of time.
• While Australia does it’s best to be more like the United States, Canada does all it can to distance itself from the US.
• TV commercials are ridiculous. They’re never funny, they’re just awkward and stupid.
• Brands are multiplied. We have two major grocery stores — Woolworths and Coles. I can think of seven or eight differently branded big grocery stores just in this area.
• Peanuts or peanut butter are put in every kind of snack.
• Tartare sauce is difficult to find but ranch sauce is everywhere. Ranch tastes pretty good.
• Hockey and American Football are great, fun to watch games.
• Security officers wear bullet-proof vests at my school in Canada.
• Food in general seems to be far more bland than back home. I can’t find a cereal with a really strong fruit flavour, same goes for super-bland yoghurt and chips have little seasoning.
• College football is much better than the NFL, they want it more.
• Sport in general at college and university is a strong force. My university at home doesn’t have a sport team in anything let alone a grand statue of a cougar, my school’s sport mascot, standing proud at the gym entrance.
• Beer at a bar is served in pint glasses and it’s really expensive — $6.50 and up. A schooner back home is around $3 which is a little smaller than a pint. Here they call steins “schooners” which are a lot bigger than a pint. They also call basic spirits highballs, although they’re never served a highball glass. It’s complicated.
• Tipping is a stupid waste of time. Here’s an idea — charge 15% more for everything and just give that money to your staff — annoying awkwardness gone!
• Speaking of money, not including tax in list prices is also stupid. It’s a fixed number, why not just list the price you’re going to pay? Buying things here is complicated.
• Many people wear caps.
• VISA is a lot less popular than Master Card in Canada, sometimes it’s really difficult to find an ATM I can use.
• Toilets are like swimming pools. I always used to wonder how it was possible for a dog to drink out of a toilet bowl, now I know and it’s gross.
• Every single place I’ve been has used a unique approach to turning on the water in a shower. What happened to the plain old hot and cold knobs?
• People I’ve encountered generally have poor geographical knowledge outside of North America. One person thought New Zealand was in Europe.
• I’ve seen hundreds of caravans but not one box trailer.
• In some public toilets it’s possible to flush, wash and dry your hands without touching anything, I like that.

If I think of anything else, I’ll add it.