A Canadian in America

// September 11th, 2009 // Academic, Work/Volunteer

I’ve been at Cornell for about three weeks now - it’s exhilarating! Okay yes, the honeymoon period is slowly draining out of my system but I still find something new to love in Ithaca every day.

Now as a Canadian I expected very few differences north and and south of the border. But I’ve been noticing a lot of small amusing things!

  • Y’all say “bathroom” instead of “washroom”! I’ve gotten so many weird looks when I say I have to go to the washroom. I mean, you wash your hands in the washroom, but you don’t bath there!!
  • People are highly amused when I say “eh”. I’ve been saying it a lot more now that I’m here just to emphasize my Canadiana
  • Labor! Color! Neighbor! Favor! Note to self: take out u’s
  • Fahrenheit still makes no sense, but I think I’m slowly getting it
  • I still have no idea where Long Island is, even though 50% of my faculty seems to be from there (okay now I do because I just Googled it)
  • People laugh at me for my US geographical-challenged-ness
  • No one knows what IB is

Some classes are fascinating, some are good but not too relevant. I found a job already - as an administrative assistant in a VP office. Joined a bizallion student organizations as well, need to whittle that down. My suite in my dorm is really chill. Life is good.

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18 Responses to “A Canadian in America”

  1. Amanda says:
    September 12, 2009 at 4:16 am

    If there was a Facebook “like” option for this post, I would use it. I’m glad things are working out so well for you!

  2. Deltay says:
    September 14, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    Hehe, I totally get the whole bathroom/washroom distinction too - makes perfect sense - it’s just handwashing (+ a toilet, I suppose), but without the bathtub, right? LOL

    Sounds like you’re having a great time there though! :grin:

  3. TWD says:
    September 17, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    Haha, Long Island. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really know where it was until we started looking to move there a year and change ago.

    I didn’t think about the Celsius/Fahrenheit difference! :o Just know that 70+ is nice weather and 30- is stay at home or freeze weather. :P

    How is Ithaca, by the way? I lived in upstate NY before I moved to LI, but I never did visit the town (city?).

    Oh, and IB: I have a couple of friends at school who had done IB in high school… they were surprised that I knew what it was; the only reason I knew is because of this blog! :D

  4. Jenn says:
    September 18, 2009 at 5:49 pm

    Your super cute! Wash room. Your silly. lol I’m just playing with you but I agree with Amanda if there was a “like” option I would totally hit that. :D

  5. Clem says:
    September 19, 2009 at 8:04 am

    I’m Canadian and I never say “washroom”. :P Most people here (Ontario) say “bathroom”.

    Glad you’re having a good time. :D

  6. Vasili says:
    September 19, 2009 at 12:48 pm

    Having u’s in those words is just weird for us Americans; along with us being the only (I think…) country that uses Fahrenheit! :P

    Well, if you came to where I live, New York, you would see that most of my school knows that IB stands for, or at least what it means if you’re in it. I shall be taking it next year when I’m a Junior. :D

  7. Kristine says:
    September 19, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    I’m American and I know what IB is.

  8. Regina says:
    September 19, 2009 at 3:21 pm

    I say washroom too, and I find it weird when people say bathroom because like you said, you don’t bathe in there!

    …I have no idea where Long Island is *googles*

  9. Al says:
    September 19, 2009 at 6:21 pm

    I say washroom, and I’m American. Must be a regional thing. Lol.

    “Labor! Color! Neighbor! Favor! Note to self: take out u’s” and don’t forget to substitute z’s for s’s!

  10. Yos says:
    September 19, 2009 at 11:13 pm

    I get weird looks for saying “bathroom” in Canada :\ I just don’t like the sound of “washroom” lol! I still spell without U’s and none of my teachers seem to mind :D (not yet perhaps)

  11. Kaylee says:
    September 20, 2009 at 3:28 pm

    It’s interesting that even though B.C. is a lot farther to me than most of the U.S., I would find all those small things amusing as well!

    I never really thought about bathroom/washroom until now, but I do say washroom.

  12. Erin says:
    September 21, 2009 at 7:34 am

    Yay! I like this, too, hehe. I’m so happy to hear that Cornell is treating you well, and you’re having a good experience so far. It’s very pretty there. Now I barely remember it since it’s been two years, but I remember it being a nice campus when I visited. One of my friends from high school goes there; I wonder if you’ll ever meet him, hehe. (I have no idea what he’s studying… but I imagine the chances would only be good if you were in similar programs!)

    We Americans make no sense when it comes to our measuring systems. Yesterday I learned that we didn’t convert to the metric system because of gasoline companies! They said they’d have to get all new pumps and it would cost too much… so apparently that’s why we’ve stuck with our nonsensical gallons and feet. I don’t know why we don’t use Celsius though. I wonder who moaned about switching to that.

    That’s interesting that no one’s ever heard of IB. I know it exists in America, but it’s clearly not very common. I suppose that I wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for you and a few other bloggers, though.

    I hope you continue to have a wonderful time at Cornell!

  13. Holly says:
    October 1, 2009 at 7:15 pm

    Sounds like you’re getting on really well! :)

  14. Rose says:
    October 3, 2009 at 10:51 pm

    I’m canadian and I say bathroom… but most people I know say washroom.

    I also don’t know what IB is :P

    And Fahrenheit confuses the hell out of me :D

  15. Deanna says:
    October 8, 2009 at 9:40 am

    That’s funny that no one calles it a washroom. I didn’t realize that was a Canadian thing.

    I say eh sometimes just for fun too. It makes me feel extra Canadian haha.

    I always spelled color that way. I thought it was the American’s that spelled it with an “u”. Interesting.

    I have no idea how Fahrenheit works. I tried to figure it out once but didn’t care enough to actually understand it.

    I know that Long Island is in NY but other than that, I have no idea.

    I’m from Canada, and I don’t know what IB is. Can you enlighten me?

  16. liz says:
    October 18, 2009 at 10:30 am

    My school does IB. And saying eh and washroom is adorable.

    LIZ

  17. fruityoaty says:
    October 18, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    Congratulations on getting in Cornell. Wishing you much luck and success in your endeavours. :)

  18. Donna says:
    October 25, 2009 at 9:47 am

    Severely delayed, but this is what I do for converting temperatures:

    Fahrenheit = double Celsius plus 30.
    Celsius = Fahrenheit minus 30, then divided in two.

    Just a rough estimate, but it’s so much easier to do in your head, I swear.

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