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I think you are just going through what lots of immigrants go through. From what it sounds like you werent in the US for very long so as far as we know you may have just been experiencing an extended "honeymoon phase". Have you considered trying a new area of Canada? Assuming you speak fluent French you have alot of options at your disposal.
Im not talking about American superiority but its interesting you took that away from what I said. Like I said, Canada isnt the worst place in the world. I prefer some things in Canada to France (cough economy) and even the US but I am pointing out the flaws. And so you understand Ill say it again it isnt that Canada is a bad place it is that its promoted to be something its not. If you dont want to discuss this then there is no reason to be so hostile and rude just dont comment thank you fusion2!
Rude - not really, just didn't want to be fake either.. Anyway, its pretty clear what your intention is here, you just posted in the Australia vs Canada thread in the world forum that Canada is uninhabitable.. Is this constructive criticism or being inflammatory and stirring the pot to get a reaction...
And so you understand Ill say it again it isnt that Canada is a bad place it is that its promoted to be something its not. :
It sounds to me like a lot of things you are saying that Canada is being promoted as are the views of a certain fringe of American progressives who view it as a better version of the U.S.
Many of the things you refer to aren't really put forward by the Canadian government, although obviously given the competition for skilled immigrants these days, every country does a bit of marketing.
Certainly the Canadian government would never say that Canada has all of the good stuff of the U.S. but without the problems.
a)Sorry you arent bilingual. I fell for this one. No it is an English speaking country with one area that is French speaking. At least half of Canadians have a problem with the French speakers and it doesnt help that I am sometimes mistaken for one (Quebecois). Canadians like to say things like *we speak English AND French*. Then they proceed to butcher the most basic French. In Canada *bilingual* means that the French speakers learn English and adapt to their culture. I have met very few non-Quebecois Canadians who can really speak French above the level of a toddler. For those who learn to do this I have great respect. To the rest I say STOP SAYING YOU ARE BILINGUAL!
I never have. Hardly anyone around here is. All I bothered to learn was to ask if I could leave class and go to the washroom.
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b)Polite and friendly? Nice? Who came up with this idea? Before ditching the USA (and potential citizenship) I was sure that I was going to a place where people were nicer and well mannered. It was hard to see much of a difference on my trips. But once I moved I realized what *friendly* means in Canada. When a Canadian person tells you they are friendly it really means that they say what is expected. No surprises. Not much in the way of humor or closeness. If you go to the US south people are truly friendly. They will talk your ears off. In Canada *friendly* means *hello how are you, goodbye* and thats all. People are a super serious bunch. As a culture the average person becomes mad very easily and is unable to take light criticisms. As a whole Canadians avoid talking about real problems because of this. They also like to talk about themselves. In the USA it is always *lets improve we can do better* and in Canada it is a self affirmation *we are popular* or something like that. Canadians believe that they are friendly when they are really a very cold and serious people. PLEASE STOP TELLING ME HOW NICE YOU ARE! YOU ARENT! But none of this is as annoying as the nonstop competition with Americans. Its funny because Americans dont care AT ALL about Canada. It is just Wisconsin to them. But in Canada there is a obsession with what the USA is doing and what Americans think of Canada. I would even say that the defining attribute of Canadian *culture* is an insecurity when it comes to Americans. Canadians talk to each about how the world loves them but Canada get no more attention than Slovenia. Canada is like the short guy in school who needs to tell everyone what a big man he is and tries to put down the start athlete (USA). WHY? Why not just be happy how you are? Why always trying to *one up* the USA? Who cares??
I never have. I'm an ass hole, and I'm happy that way.
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c)A peaceful version of the USA? Think again. No this isn't the USA. The culture might be almost an exact copy of the far northern USA but the economy isnt. I fell for this one too thinking it was like the American economy. How naive I was. This is something that is always spouted but it isnt true. You have to pay more money for the same things. There is less of everything available. Worse customer service. Higher shipping to pay. Fewer jobs. Higher taxes but for what? For fuel pay 3 times more. Oh and you even have to pay for the healthcare. WHY DO YOU SAY ITS FREE WHEN YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT? There arent always deals like in the USA. Technology is probably 5-6 years behind and you still have to pay more. Remember earlier where I said Canadians are serious? Well they are serious AND worse with economics where Americans are more friendly/cool AND better with economics. It is better than France but I dont think France is advertised as being as rich as the USA. My problem is that it is a much worse economy than the USA but it is promoted as being USA without the problems. Not even close to true. For Americans Canadian economy might be comparable to Alaska or Hawaii and there is something very wrong with that.
I know I pay for my health care through taxes. It's mostly people who don't live here that think we say it's "free".
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d) WHY DO YOU TELL US THE WEATHER ISNT THAT BAD? The weather in the whole country is bad. It doesnt matter if you are in Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver or Calgary. The weather is very bad. Actually the weather is so bad that everyone lives within 1 or 2 hours of the American border. So imagine if all Americans lived only in Florida and south Texas and San Diego. But no, all I hear is how the weather isnt that bad. When you hardly see the sun for a few months it gets very depressing. When going outside hurts your body it gets depressing. There is no way around this. But in Canada you have no option. It is quite a spectacle to watch these poor people be born and raised here. They dont know what it is like to live in the sun of Gascogne or some other tolerable climate. They just dont know any different. If they had the smallest clue what it is to live in a hospitable climate they would be gone and never return. But they dont know any different.
The weather is actually pretty good where I live. Winter can be a little harsh, and summers a little muggy, but I'll take 4 seasons, thanks. Move somewhere that suits your wants and needs for Christ's sakes. Do you know how many Americans live NORTH of where I live? Why don't you get on all those States forums on here and tell them how much THEIR country sucks too.
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Yes Canada is super overrated. For you Canadians think about this. Have you ever noticed that Canada has a logo? The USA doesnt have a logo. France doesnt have a logo. Italy doesnt have a logo. What you dont know is that Canada is leading the world right now in what is called *nation branding*. It means selling a false image of your country to the world. The Canadian government spends billions promoting a false image around the world and because of this movements like *NOT CANADA* were started by disgruntled immigrants. Right now Canada is being promoted around the world as a land with an American economy, unbeatable friendliness, no racism, nice weather, and no violence. Utopia.glgl
Bye!
Last edited by Magnatomicflux; 12-01-2014 at 10:02 PM..
Yes I said it. Canada has to be the most overrated country out there. I have lived in Canada for over 6 years now and regret it more each year. I have read enough threads to know that I will be recieved with many posts saying things like *then leave*. But I can't. I fell into the Canada trap as some of my friends say. I am originally from France and moved to the US with my mother at a relatively young age. There I was working towards citizenship and had a good job. Generally speaking I loved it but became unhappy with the Bush Years and gave up my work to go to Canada. I was told constantly about Canada being freindly and a wonderful place by Canadians but I feel like I was misled. By the time I realized the extent of my mistake I had already given up my progress in the US and was stuck with Canada. It isnt that Canada is the worst place in the world. It is that it is routinely promoted as being something its not. Let me make some points:
This is confusing. What do you mean by "working towards citizenship"? As a green card holder you can apply for US citizenship after 5 years. Green cards are good for 10 years and can then be renewed for another 10. You arrived in the US at a relatively young age, and gave up a job in the US to move to Canada 6 years ago - so I can't reconcile that timeline with "working towards citizenship" and losing the opportunity.
It's American progressives who say the things you have mentioned about Canada. Canadians don't "overrate" our own country, we understand exactly what it is like because we live here. We know that things are more expensive here, that we are not as rich as the US, and that it is cold. We generally like our social norms and behave this way because that is our way. We say the weather isn't too bad because we've lived here all our lives and have adapted our lifestyles to it and so don't overly angst about what is very natural for us. So what if we sometimes boast about our country and cultures, that we are proud of? Many of us are happy with the civilization we've built here and the choices and trade offs we've made. We boast because we're most comfortable in the milieu our cultures have shaped, and many wouldn't prefer to live outside of it. It is home for us. It's not our fault if foreign progressives want to tell a rose coloured story about how Canada = Utopian America if There Were Only Democrats in it. Canadians do not think of ourselves like this, and I am sorry if you came to Canada only to find a foreign country.
I am someone was so dissatisfied with George Bush and the republicans that I gave up all my work towards citizenship and took an opportunity in Canada.
You realize a US President can only serve two terms, right? Elected officials come and go here.
Maybe you need to take a longer view of life when it comes to something as important as your citizenship and career.
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