While many Americans feel like Canada is simply a northern extension of our own borders, once you approach those borders for a trip or potential move you’ll discover quickly that this is simply not the case. While traveling inside a country as broad as the United States may prepare you for different slang terms and food preferences, Canada is an entirely different country complete with its own political system, culture and way of life that can be very different from the United States.

Entering Canada

Your first step when moving to Canada will be to get the correct documentation. A Canadian Visa is the preferred method of entry, but these can be challenging to obtain – especially if you have any criminal convictions in your background. What may be considered a misdemeanor in the United States can be a much more serious offense in Canada, often keeping even casual day visitors from stepping foot in the country.

The easiest application process is simplest for those who are looking to visit or stay for fewer than six months at a time or if you already have family in the country. All applicants for visas must meet certain requirements. You must be in good health and hold valid passports and travel documents.

If you don’t have a criminal conviction, you aren’t in serious financial hardship and if you have managed to avoid lying to the immigration officials, you may be eligible for entry. The good news is that once you’ve cleared the rather lengthy list of requirements, the Canadian visas usually only cost between $100 and $155 Canadian dollars – a regular bargain!

Moving to Canada permanently requires quite a bit more in terms of fees, documentation and paperwork. Fortunately, Canada is a country very welcoming to immigrants, so once all of your paperwork is in order, moving to Canada is possible for those who meet the necessary qualifications.

Traveling Within Canada

Once you enter Canada, it is quickly evident that Canada is a huge country with a great deal of space between cities and established areas. The country is 400 times larger than the United Kingdom, but it has only one half of the population. Naturally most of the Canadian people are clustered around urban centers, but almost every Canadian owns a vehicle.

Additionally due to the longer winters in Canadian, vehicles will need to be adapted for the extreme cold. This means investing in snow tires, lower viscosity oil, rust proofing and the necessary equipment and know-how to clear snow off your vehicle and then drive in winter conditions.

There are impressive public transportation systems in the larger cities in Canada, which can make travel in the winter simpler if you don’t plan to leave the border of the city. Traveling from the center of Ontario or Quebec to the suburbs or into one of the smaller cities will definitely require a vehicle up to the challenges of long distance driving and, at times, extreme cold.

As you are driving, you are likely to see much more impressive animals along the way, especially if you venture into our National Parks and wildlife areas. As impressive as the bears and moose may be, they are best viewed from inside a closed vehicle. Wildlife is wild, and Canada is home to many predators who may fail to distinguish between curious humans and dinner.

Eating in Canada

While you may spot your fast food favorites in Canada, expect new chains and restaurants in the country as well. You can always learn more about local restaurants through travel apps and websites where residents and visitors alike leave reviews about their meals.

Two things you should look for on the menu while visiting are beaver tails and poutine. Beaver tails are not from the woodland creature, rest assured. They are a deep friend pastry dusted with cinnamon and sugar – very delicious indeed! Poutine is hardier fare. It is a concoction of fries, cheese curds and gravy, and very much a Canadian delicacy.

When you eat out in a restaurant in Canada, you will be expected to tip. If you fail to tip the customary 15 percent, you will be considered an unfavorable customer. As in the United States, most who work in the service industry are paid low wages in anticipation of tips from customers.

Language in Canada

There are two official languages in Canada. English is spoken throughout the country and French is spoken heavily in the providence of Quebec. This means you’ll be able to use your English a great deal more than you would use French, but it is handy to have a firm grasp of both languages.

Casually, the “eh” that tends to follow sentences in Canada is a slang term that invites agreement or comment. In the United States or other countries you might end a sentence with “ok”. In Canada you would end it with “eh.” “Let’s eat, ok?” would be replaced with “Let’s eat, eh?”

Another bit of slang difference would be standard greetings. If you greet a Canadian with a “Hello” you will likely get a “Hello” in response. If you offer a “How are you?” you’ll get the noncommittal affirmative response you’d expect in the United States. If you, however, greet a Canadian with a “Alright?” you’ll likely get a length response as this will likely be taken as a literal question worthy of a real answer.

Smiling is part of communication in Canada as well. It is considered rude to not acknowledge and smile at others, even strangers. This is part of why Canada is considered such a friendly and polite country.

Canada also follows British spelling rules including the additional “u” and the use of “s” instead of the occasional “c”. Favorite becomes favourite. Offence becomes offense. Fortunately, common words are still recognizable regardless of spelling and the spelling differences will soon be all but invisible to you.