Last year, I moved from Hong Kong to Vancouver for school, and, like many newcomers, I experienced my fair share of culture shocks.
One area I was thankfully prepared for — having been born and raised in the most expensive city in the world to buy a home — was housing costs. High cost of living? Nothing I haven’t seen before. But there were a few unexpected things that caught me off guard.
There’s a cultural difference in the use of emoji
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Language reflects and influences how we see the world. One of the most classic examples is that the Inuktitut language has 50 words for snow. Little did I expect there would be different interpretations of a language as universal as emoji.
“🙂” is not a genuine smiley face back home. It is a death threat to my boyfriend. Example: “The dirty dishes are still in the sink 🙂.”
I never ever used ❤️ except when my boyfriend bought me cheesecake, reminding me why it’s worth it to be in a relationship. Imagine the shock when I first discovered my Canadian friends used the red heart to vote for which day to hit the pub.
Researchers explain the difference may be because most Eastern cultures tend to interpret facial expressions from the eyes, as opposed to Westerners, who decode emotion by observing one’s mouth.
Luckily, I haven’t experienced any major misunderstandings due to the misuse of emoji since I moved to Vancouver (yet).
I can’t find a lunchbox with the right size and shape
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Thanks to globalization, it is not that difficult to find the right spices and food to recreate the taste of home. However, the feeling that I was an ocean away really sank in when I struggled to find the right lunchbox — rectangular and medium-sized.
Searches in IKEA, Dollarama, and Canadian Tire all ended in disappointment.
Either they are the right rectangular shape but gigantic, clearly intended to store leftovers and therefore are too big for my petite appetite. Or the containers are the ideal size but square, which would impregnate and deform my rectangular backpack.
Then it hit me — food storage containers here are squared because people bring sandwiches for lunch.
Technically, I could cut up the fish fillet or pork chop so they would fit in a square container, but that would easily dry up the meat during pan-frying. Plus, I am too lazy. Cooking’s tough enough.
The bus signage only shows the destination
Regina Ng/Daily Hive
I have been warned bus schedules are unreliable, especially on a snow day. I have also been alerted taking a transfer bus is very common because most buses travel in straight lines only.
I have not, however, been told the bus signage would not tell me where I’m headed — just the destinations, but not the in-betweens. Nor does the signage show the typical bus schedule.
How does one know when to give up waiting and try another route? Is that how Canadians taught themselves to be patient?
How do people check if the bus travels to a particular SkyTrain station or connects to another bus? Do locals know all the bus routes by heart? Or do they, like me, just ask Google Maps?
The sun loves to play hide and seek
Regina Ng/Daily Hive
I knew I’m becoming more of a Vancouverite when the instinct was to join the bright side when I took this picture. Back home, everyone would be seeking refuge in the shade rather than embracing the sun.
Patio dining was not a thing back home, too. Sweltering heat, tanning, and air pollution? Thanks, but no thanks.
As much as I grow to love the sun though, there are moments I question its existence. It’s 10°C outside, but sunny. Do I put on a sweater? Or should I wear shorts?
People are genuinely nice
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I was astounded when I learned that Vancouver has a reputation for being a rude city.
Transit troublemakers? Back home, I had never heard people thank the bus driver upon getting off at their destination. (But to be fair, it would take a day for the bus to unload if passengers said “thank you” one by one.)
Difficult to make friends? It’s an issue of urban life, not an issue of Vancouver.
Also, people always give compliments, no “but.” They are just genuinely nice.
All in all, some shocks are weird but bearable, and some I am still adjusting to. Will the frustration stage unfold as I stay longer? Only time will tell. What culture shocks did you experience when you moved to Vancouver? Let us know in the comments.
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