An American in a Maple Leaf

I am American. I was born in the state of Florida and lived in the state of Maryland for most of my life. When you live in the same place all the time, you can only learn about other areas of the world but never experience them firsthand or meet the people who live there.

Luckily for me, I recently moved to Canada, and it’s been one of the greatest things to happen to me. Not only do I get to meet new people, but I get to grow as a person, learning new things and expanding my understanding of the world.

As you would expect, there are a great many differences between the United States and Canada, and I hope to highlight some of them here.

For starters, each country has different views regarding education and schooling. In the United States, there are a lot of standardized tests that everyone is required to take. The subjects range from math to English and each one has a strange acronym for its name. Two I specifically remember are the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) and National Strength and Conditioning Associations (NSCA) tests. The MAP tests are mostly used to measure the achievement and growth of a student by comparing the scores. During actual class times, I often felt like the teachers were just trying to get you to perform well on the test instead of understanding the material. It was a lot more challenging and stressful, but you had a very good idea of where you stood among your peers and other students across the country. 

In Canada, however, the tests are less for the purpose of measuring you against everyone else. There are still exams and unit tests for each class along with standardized tests, but the focus is on making sure the students understand what’s being taught. I find this less stressful and more student friendly. One disadvantage I have faced in my school is learning a new grading system. Not every school in Canada uses the same grading system. Some schools use percentages and others use a rubric system with different levels for grades. It takes me a while to understand what my real grade is because the two systems don’t line up!

Another major difference between where I was from in the United States and where I live now in Canada is the weather. I used to get a maximum of five inches of snow a year over the course of the whole season. That is pitiful compared to the blizzards I have experienced in Canada.

My family and I needed to purchase whole new outfits in order not to freeze to death in the cold. We also took up snowshoeing and ice-skating, which we had previously not done before. This just goes to show that different places provide different opportunities and adventures!

Like all places, Canada, and the United States both have their own unique cultures and “normal” behaviours that are reflected in the residents. In the United States, I have realized that people are a lot more willing to share their opinions and thoughts on subjects without censoring themselves for the benefit of others. They tend to express their personal opinions and preferences very adamantly to the people around them. This can cause both minor or major conflicts between opposing parties, but it also gives people room to build their own identity and feel like they can voice their own thoughts to the world. 

In Canada, however, it’s more common to take other people’s feelings into consideration before speaking or starting a controversial discussion. On one hand, I find that this reduces negative interactions and makes the environment feel more accepting and less judgmental. On the other hand though, this not only reduces the number of harmful opinions expressed but also the number of any kind of opinion that would perhaps be beneficial or entertaining. I sometimes wish there was a healthy balance between the two: both helpful and kind alongside individualistic expression.

After living in both countries for an extended period, I can now say that I truly enjoy both of them. Each place has its own quirks and benefits along with areas I wish were slightly different, like most other things. I would recommend visiting each one and forming your own opinion. But for those of you in Canada… make sure to have some snow pants!