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On Friday, I received positive news from Memorial University that I was accepted into graduate school! I am a U.S. citizen living in Kansas City. For the past few years, I have had a growing interest in Canada. I cannot explain why, except to say something about the culture, hockey (though I am a Devils fan), and the climate. Sounds crazy, I know. But I grew up in Chicago, lived in Pennsylvania for a few years and went to high school in northern lower Michigan, I have always liked the winters and cold weather. I realize after doing some research on St. John's, their winters will probably be nothing like I have experienced before.
In addition to my growing interest in Canada over the years, it has turned into a hope of some day immigrating, and now that I have been accepted into grad school, still while extremely difficult, I would at least have the opportunity to experience Canada for school to get a good feel of if what I think the country is like, will in fact be like it, if not better.
I am working with the international student office at Memorial University as admittedly, this is a bit overwhelming-the prospect of spending some time in another country for the first time in my life at 36.
I am hoping to maybe find a couple people I can chat with who wouldn't mind my questions about St. John's. And don't worry, I did not vote for the idiot we have running our country right now.
I have been doing lots of research online about St. John's, but still wanted to ask some questions. Before I do, however, was curious if anyone wanted to share anything in general that you think I would find helpful/useful about Canada/Newfoundland/St. John's.
On Friday, I received positive news from Memorial University that I was accepted into graduate school! I am a U.S. citizen living in Kansas City. For the past few years, I have had a growing interest in Canada. I cannot explain why, except to say something about the culture, hockey (though I am a Devils fan), and the climate. Sounds crazy, I know. But I grew up in Chicago, lived in Pennsylvania for a few years and went to high school in northern lower Michigan, I have always liked the winters and cold weather. I realize after doing some research on St. John's, their winters will probably be nothing like I have experienced before.
In addition to my growing interest in Canada over the years, it has turned into a hope of some day immigrating, and now that I have been accepted into grad school, still while extremely difficult, I would at least have the opportunity to experience Canada for school to get a good feel of if what I think the country is like, will in fact be like it, if not better.
I am working with the international student office at Memorial University as admittedly, this is a bit overwhelming-the prospect of spending some time in another country for the first time in my life at 36.
I am hoping to maybe find a couple people I can chat with who wouldn't mind my questions about St. John's. And don't worry, I did not vote for the idiot we have running our country right now.
I have been doing lots of research online about St. John's, but still wanted to ask some questions. Before I do, however, was curious if anyone wanted to share anything in general that you think I would find helpful/useful about Canada/Newfoundland/St. John's.
Thanks in advance!
Congratulations! I'm replying only because I'm pretty sure none of the regular posters on this board is a Newfoundlander (if you're out there Newfies prove me wrong). Newfoundland will definitely feel like something new to someone from your part of the world, but may not be the "typical Canada" you seem so interested in, with the cultures people tend to think of as "default Canadian" largely existing West of the Ottawa river. We're a loose federation of often disparate regions, and amongst the English speaking places Newfoundland often stands out for its history as an independent dominion (it only joined Canada in 1949), its dialects, its cuisine, its architectural vernacular, and just its feeling of being a "distinct society". Perhaps somewhat like New Orleans or Hawaii in your own country - different from the rest of America but still an integral part and where some of the most distinctive and interesting indigenous cultural habits have emerged from.
Newfoundland has a history of economic hard times, and after a period of relative prosperity produced by the oil boom its once again in an economic crisis produced largely by the need to support services in a large number of very small, remote rural outports, oil falling in value, and some poor economic investments (Muskrat Falls hydro dam may have been a bad gamble). Just to give you a bit of perspective of what the mood of the society will be when you arrive - a bit frustrated.
St. John's is by all accounts a charming city. Very strong arts scene for a city of its small size, distinctive look, strong sense of place, fashionable people, decent nightlife. People have a reputation for being friendly, warm, and unpretentious. You mentioned your politics in your post - no need to do so. People aren't going to give you a hard time or ask you to defend your country (except maybe in some circles in Southern Ontario where you aren't going). You'll just be a come from away and thought of as that first.
Public transit is awful and the winters aren't the dry, snowy, continental ones you may have been dreaming of but a coastal foggy, wet, freezing rain type. Buy clothes locally that will be appropriate for these conditions!
These are just my understandings and things I've come to understand about The Rock over the years as a Mainlander. If I got anything wrong I hope a proper Newfoundlander will correct me and give you a locals perspective. Good luck to you, and make sure you get screeched in properly!
hopefully you aren't a fan of hot summer weather, St. John's probably has the coldest summers in all of Canada, outside of the north. St. John's looks like a cool city though.
Some impressions from someone who's visited St. John's as a tourist:
St. John's is a pretty city. The people are incredibly friendly. The food traditional reminds me a lot of what Midwesterners ate in the 70s - very heavy, not a lot of fresh vegetables - although it's very seafood-based. Perhaps because of what they eat, people in St. John's are also way fatter than I've seen anywhere else in Canada.
It's a pretty heavy-drinking culture, more similar to Ireland than the rest of Canada. George St. has a lot of bars and pubs, and it's not unusual for there to be random bar fights out there. But you'll also see people of all ages go out together, to listen to fiddle bands and whatnot.
Also, no gay bars in St. John's.
Public transit, as mentioned before, is not great, but the city is pretty small so most things in the center are easily walkable. It does suck that you can't get a bus to/from the airport, though.
OMFG the wind.
Winters will be damper and less cold than you're used to in the Midwest, but you could have lots of snow. And you're in the hurricane zone (seriously), so get ready for that!
NL is pretty isolated from the rest of Canada, both by distance and the fact that it's an island. So if you have a hankering for a big-city break, expect a long flight. London (UK) is closer than Toronto.
You will be in for a culture shock for sure. After spending quite a bit of time in St. John’s last year, I don’t find the people friendly at all. I was always trying to strike up conversations w people, with no luck at all. The food is horrible, and even worse in the winter when there is hardly any fresh fruit or vegetables. Large majority of the population is obese, they must have a huge problem w diabetes in St. John’s. One responder talked about the really bad economy. And a reminder, if you come to Canada on a student visa- you cannot legally work anywhere here. Winter is long, dark, freezing rain and just depressing. Lots of alcoholism in town. Good news is they do have a ton of bars and good beer. Cost of living is extremely high here. Your money will not go very far.
You will be in for a culture shock for sure. After spending quite a bit of time in St. John’s last year, I don’t find the people friendly at all. I was always trying to strike up conversations w people, with no luck at all. The food is horrible, and even worse in the winter when there is hardly any fresh fruit or vegetables. Large majority of the population is obese, they must have a huge problem w diabetes in St. John’s. One responder talked about the really bad economy. And a reminder, if you come to Canada on a student visa- you cannot legally work anywhere here. Winter is long, dark, freezing rain and just depressing. Lots of alcoholism in town. Good news is they do have a ton of bars and good beer. Cost of living is extremely high here. Your money will not go very far.
Yeah, Newfoundlanders are friendly *enough* but the reputation in my experience is a bit overdone.
They're fun people to be around for sure buy they can also be a bit clannish and have a wry, sly side to them as well.
I guess that comes with being on your own island in the ocean for a couple of hundred years.
Where to begin? Newfoundlanders in general are more friendly AFTER they glean you have no preconceptions about their supposed intelligence level. Canadians across the country have had much fun for generations of making jokes at their expense. Much in the same way "polish" jokes were popular in the fifties. They've endured far too much of that.
I've had the privilege to have once been in the military and also work with Newfoundlanders for over 50 years and have found them without exception to be of a "genuine" down to earth type, but once again; after they become comfortable with you.
Grad school could be assumed to offer you the opportunity to make friends of a variety of people from a variety of other societies; make the most of that. Controlling the urge to assimilate completely into the normal culture of partying etc., will be the same challenge in Newfoundland as it would be anywhere else in North America.
Newfoundland, like everywhere else in Canada, is becoming a competition area of grocers having demands placed upon them to provide a better selection. To the same extent my small town in S.W. Ontario is now offering a selection of fruits and fresh vegetables not seen before, except in restricted quantities and questionable quality. Newfoundland is not immune from that, but sadly, has to accept the additional costs of shipping from the mainland.
The norm has been to accept what has always been to the same extent it was that way on the Michigan Peninsula, Wisconsin and N. Minnestoa for decades but, the times they are a-changing all over now. Shipping bananas straight to Newfoundland from Costa Rica will increase along with the demand being made for other things from that region making it worth while to fill a cargo manifest. That is only going to improve with additional time and demand.
Good luck and enjoy the experience.
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