Culture Shock! Canada: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

312 Pages·2009·9.49 MB·English

by  Guek-Cheng Pang

ABOUT THE SERIES
Culture shock is a state of disorientation that can come over anyone who has
been thrust into unknown surroundings, away from one’s comfort zone.
CultureShock! is a series of trusted and reputed guides which has, for decades,
been helping expatriates and long-term visitors to cushion the impact of culture
shock whenever they move to a new country.
Written by people who have lived in the country and experienced culture
shock themselves, the authors share all the information necessary for anyone to
cope with these feelings of disorientation more effectively. The guides are
written in a style that is easy to read and covers a range of topics that will arm
readers with enough advice, hints and tips to make their lives as normal as
possible again.
Each book is structured in the same manner. It begins with the first
impressions that visitors will have of that city or country. To understand a
culture, one must first understand the people—where they came from, who they
are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette.
This is covered in the first half of the book.
Then on with the practical aspects—how to settle in with the greatest of ease.
Authors walk readers through topics such as how to find accommodation, get the
utilities and telecommunications up and running, enrol the children in school and
keep in the pink of health. But that’s not all. Once the essentials are out of the
way, venture out and try the food, enjoy more of the culture and travel to other
areas. Then be immersed in the language of the country before discovering more
about the business side of things.
To round off, snippets of basic information are offered before readers are
‘tested’ on customs and etiquette of the country. Useful words and phrases, a
comprehensive resource guide and list of books for further research are also
included for easy reference.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Dedication
Map of Canada
Chapter 1
First Impressions
Arrival
Size, Climate, People
Chapter 2
Overview of Canada
Geography
History
The Political Spectrum
Chapter 3
The Canadian Vision
What is a Canadian?
Canadian Stereotypes
Multiculturalism in Canada
Canada’s Young and Young at Heart
Senior Citizens
The Canadian Mosaic
The Gender Issue
Chapter 4
Living in the Canadian Mosaic
A Question of Size
The Honour System
Rights of the Consumer
The Luck of the Draw
Garage Sales
Door-to-Door
Addressing a Postal Problem
A Manner of Greeting
Perceptions
Becoming Part of the Mosaic
Social Customs and Etiquette
Chapter 5
Settling In
Documentation and Formalities
What to Bring
Where to Live
From Log Cabin to Trailer Home
Shopping
Coping with the Seasons
Living in the North
Financial Matters
Health and Hospitals
Keeping in Touch
Getting Around in Canada
Chapter 6
Food and Entertaining
Canadian Smorgasbord
A Typical Canadian Menu
Shopping for Food
Canadian Cheer
Dining Out
Pot Luck
The Perfect Guest
Chapter 7
Canada at Play
Celebrations
The Long Weekend
Cultural Pursuits
Canadian Music
Our Sporting Selves
Chapter 8
Canadian Language
The English Canadian Language
English Canadianisms
Language and ‘The Two Solitudes’
French and English
Canadian French
Heritage Languages
Body Language
Chapter 9
Doing Business in Canada
Entrepreneurship in Canada
Starting a Business in Canada
Finding a Job
Working for a Living
Job Security
Types of Work In Canada
Common Management Strategies
Canadian Business Etiquette
Chapter 10
Made In Canada
Famous Inventions
Acronyms
A–Z Fast Facts
Culture Quiz
Do's and Don'ts
Glossary
Resource Guide
Further Reading
About the Authors
Index
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
When we first met each other, we remarked upon the happy chance that we were
indeed ‘opposites’—Caucasian and male, long-term resident of eastern Canada
complementing Asian and female, a newcomer to western Canada—and could
bring different viewpoints to CultureShock! Canada. Since then, many hours of
cross-Canada telephone time have gone into the creation of this book, and a
friendship has been formed. What we lacked ourselves, we supplemented with
information solicited from many sources and with suggestions from our own
friends.
Writing this book has therefore placed us in debt to a large number of people.
To all of you who made contributions in one way or another—thank you for
your support. Special thanks must go, however, to those who so ably helped us
research the facts which we needed to make this book accurate:
From Bob: to Robert Amesse, Elizabeth Mitchell and Norm Tompsett—first-
class librarians all—to Denise Maxfield, Mike Filip, and Jim and Joanne Rich,
whose contributions to various parts of the text were invaluable, and to Vern
Shute and Charles Clarke, who proofread my text with great accuracy and
precision. Finally, especial gratitude to my good friends Bill Murtha and John
Mortimer, whose artistic suggestions and contributions helped immensely in
visualising the text as it was being written.
From Guek-Cheng: thanks especially to Shirley Hew and Shova Loh who
made me an author; to John Bartle, Mark Looi and Diane Quinn, for their
invaluable help; to Bob and Clare Looi, who introduced me to this beautiful
country; and to my Canadian friends who have welcomed me into their midst.
Last, but by no means least, our gratitude and love to our families whose
constructive criticism and moral support have been invaluable during the weeks
and months it took to put this book together.
DEDICATION
From Guek-Cheng:
To Pius, Christopher and Kimmy, my fellow-adventurers in
exploring a new country.
From Robert:
With love to my wife, Nancy, my children, Richard and
Sharine, and my mother, Ann.