How to Act Like a Canadian

Creative Commons picture by mark.woodbury.Let’s face it; when traveling, your actual nationality can get you into fights. Once you accept this, you have three options:

1. Get really good at fighting
2. Lose fights
3. Pretend to be Canadian

The fist option is hard and the second just sucks. So here are three ways to pretend to be Canadian:

Be Polite

Yep, it is a stereotype. Just what others will be using to judge if you are actually Canadian. So fill those well-insulated boots my friend. Remember your please and thank yous. You can even bow if you get the urge. People will recognize the intent even in cultures that don’t normally do that.

Say “eh” a lot

I bet you already know how to use this all-purpose-word. It is easier than you think. The most important and distinctly Canadian way to use “eh” is in the place of “you get it?”. Like “I’m Canadian, eh, so I have no reason to fight any of you.”

Wear maple leaf stuff

Like a trucker hat with the maple leaf symbol on it. Having a maple leaf on your bag makes your eh’s more convincing. Having it on your shirt makes you look innocent. Standing in a sand outline of the maple leaf protects you from the evil-eye.