The little quirky differences between here and home

side note : just to let you guys know, my exam went really well today!! Thank you for all your wishes and support! :)

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“What would you like on your sub?” the person working at the Subway counter was asking me the other day when I decided to get a sandwich for lunch.

“I’ll have lettuce, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and pickles, and with some mayonnaise please” I replied

“Is that for here or to go?”

“To go…oh and I’ll also have a pop”.

What the heck does a green pepper, “for here or to go” and “pop” actually mean?

Well my friends, WELCOME TO CANADA. You see over here, not only are most things different from home; even the terms used are different to some extent. For instance while the common foolscap paper back at home has 2 ring holes, over here it’s 3. And you wouldn’t be able to get a 2 ring binder because every binder or folder has 3 rings!!

Apart from that, the bus system here is also different. It actually has a time schedule!! I actually got a shock when I first heard about this, cuz how on earth can a bus have a schedule when it is subjected to traffic? But amazingly they do!!And this helps so much when you need to make plans to visit any place, and the best part is the buses are always punctual and on-time (despite regular traffic and stuff). It’s amazing! Now this is something that the Malaysian transport ministry should seriously look into. Having fixed schedules! The problem with back at home is that bus drivers love to take “frequent breaks” thus delaying everyone else on the bus.

The food system here too is different. Breakfast usually is a grand meal with bacon (strips of pork meat) and eggs, and along with bagels. Yes bagels are a huge breakfast item over here. For those of you who do not know what a bagel is, imagine a doughnut that is split by the side. It’s not as soft and sugary as a doughnut though. Bagels are usually used as a substitute for bread, but it is common. Lunch however is quick and fast, and lunch starts at 11.30 till about 1.00 pm. Supper (aka dinner) is at 6 however. This is because of the light lunch the person has had, so by the evening, it’s time for another large meal. Supper can also even be at 5.30 at times. I remember my Canadian friends at residence used to have supper at around 5.30ish!

Oh and for tomato sauce, it’s actually known as ketchup over here. Even in the labels although some might have a tomato picture, it’s still ketchup! Say tomato sauce in a restaurant and the waiter will give you a “hah?” look! Even in the best possible canadian accent, he still won't get you. And chili sauce won't work either. Learn to use this phrase "hot sauce" yeap that's the equivalent for your chili sauce here!

One of my classic stories whenever I talk to people my first experiences over here was the “for here or to go?” story. You see back at home, people usually say having here or takeaway, and all my life I have been used to that phrase. Little did I know that it meant the same thing with “for here or to go” When the cashier at a fast food restaurant at Niagara Falls asked me “is it for here or to go sir?” my reflex response was “Go where?” Then later I was told by my uncle that to go means “takeaway”.

Now open a separate window and go do an image search on capsicum. Now do another search on green peppers. Notice anything different? It’s the same thing, but Canadians don’t actually call them capsicum, rather green pepper is the “correct way” to identify the vegetable. Try asking someone here whether they’ve tried a capsicum and be prepared to get the “hah?” look.

Americans call it soda, Malaysians call it soft drink, and the Canadians call it pop. This is another interesting difference between home and here. While we are used to the notion of soft drink implying coke, Pepsi or a sprite, over here those drinks are known as pops. So, If you're in a store and you want to buy a pepsi, chances are you'll have to go to the "pop aisle" or the "pop area" to get it. It was hilarious when I heard it for the first time here. Who the heck says pop for a drink? But one think I have to admit though, the variety of pop available over here is waay more than back home....there are so many different brands,sizes, packs, etc...

Finally we look at the money system. While Malaysians are used to seeing 20 cent and 50 cent coins, believe it or not, Canada doesn’t have them. Instead the “nickel (5 cents), dime (10 cents) and quarter (25 cents)” system is used here. And to make a phone call, a dime wont be enough…the minimum amount is a quarter! And while we don’t have this, Canadians have a 2 dollar-value coin, also known as a toonie; ( refer to pic) and you don’t have to be a genius to know what a 1-dollar coin is called! – That’s right a loonie!

Well I guess it’s these little things and quirks that makes a country unique and different from the others… and that is why it actually takes time for people to learn and adapt to a new country. Do drop me a comment if you wanna asked me something from home that is of “equivalent” to over here. Hehe I’ll be happy to answer them as best as I can, and also to those living overseas, do you find anything quirky of that is different from back at home? Do share your stories and thoughts.

Well there you go, you can proudly say you've learnt something new today. Now go impress your friends with you new found knowledge...

oh and by the way...a sub is a type of a sandwich. Subs come in 2 sizes, 6 inch and a foot long. The one on the picture below is a 6 inch one I belive...