Culture shock in Vancouver

Culture shock in Vancouver I migrated to Vancouver, Canada last May 12, 2007. So, it’s been over a month now since I have been here. Over a month now...and I’m still reeling from what can only be due to culture shock. It seem not long ago when I was lecturing about the very same thing in my Sociology class back in Davao. It seems not long ago when I was discussing theories of migration in Population Studies. It seems not so long ago when all the pre-departure seminars were preparing us for it. But alas! No amount of reading, lecturing, and warnings could ever prepare you for it. It is a shocking experience indeed. Don't get me wrong. I have experienced this before -- going to the big city for college, working in a foreign country, visiting new locales, but I guess, it really feels different when it starts to sink in that I went here not to study, or work or visit, but this place actually is my new home. So what makes the culture here different from ours? Here are a few: •The weather. Yep, I know, I should not be shocked. Everybody knows it is cold here. But knowing about it and really feeling the cold is a whole different ball game. I came here in spring but I still had to wear two or three layers of clothing when I go out! The sun may be shining but the wind is cold! Yep, it’s true. Do not go out with wet hair because it’s going to give you a splitting headache. •Weather forecasts. Back in the Philippines, I hardly pay attention to the weather news unless a typhoon is coming. Now, I have to watch it every morning with my morning cereal to know how I should dress up, if I should bring an extra coat or carry an umbrella. •Sun is up in the evenings. It’s the end of spring and the beginning of summer, so the sun is up even at 8 or 9 pm. On my first few days, I don’t even feel hungry for dinner because I feel that it’s still 4 pm even if it’s 8 pm. I had to close the curtains so it would seem dark and I could finally eat dinner. •Milk. People here are milk drinkers. I now usually have it in the mornings. That’s a shock considering that I don’t drink milk in the Philippines unless it’s in halo-halo. •Jeeps and buses. Public transit here consists of the buses, taxis, trains, seabus and skytrain. All (except the taxi) are on schedule. So, when I want to go somewhere, I have to wait for the bus. I miss the time when I can just go to the street and immediately hail a jeepney or an FX taxi. •Pedestrian rules. Yipee! Here pedestrians really rule. When people want to cross the street, the cars must give way. In the Philippines (especially in Manila) when you want to cross the street, “bahala ka na sa buhay mo" •Picket fences. Most houses don’t have fences unlike houses in the Philippines where houses are separated by high concrete walls. Fences here, if there is one, are made of wood or plants and are usually as high as the knee or waist. •Big servings. Even Filipino restaurants here have really big servings of food. One serving can actually serve 2 or 3 people...Remember the one piece chicken or pork they usually serve in carinderias? Not anymore. •Resumes. No pictures in resumes!!! One does not also indicate one’s age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, religion, civil status, and race in one’s resume to avoid discrimination. Remember, bio-data forms we fill up back in the Philippines. •Liquour stores. Some friends and I went to the grocery last weekend hoping to buy some beer and pulutan. To our disappointment, there are no liquors sold in grocery stores! It seems that there is a store that specifically sells this kind of drink. I Miss the days when I can just go to the nearby sari-sari store and enjoy a bottle of beer. •Handicap-friendly. Having a disability here does not equate with losing independence. People who are blind, deaf or in wheelchairs can go around the city by themselves! Thanks to handicap friendly public transportation and infrastructure. That handicap sign posted in restrooms, buses and parking lots? It really does have meaning and purpose here. The above are just few examples of the differences in our culture. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s paradise here. I’m just saying that it’s different...and the difference can be shocking. Ooopps...and yes folks...people expect you to be on time...