12 Unique Ways to Spot a Canadian Abroad

If you’re Canadian or know a Canadian, you probably already know that we have a knack for being one of the friendliest nations around. Besides being hella friendly and outgoing while travelling, there are a few other ways you can spot a Canadian abroad. 

1. Plaid is a staple

Plaid is our standard winter attire but we may also be spotted wearing a plaid shirt on a cool summer evening. Who needs a cardigan when you’ve got your fave over sized plaid shirt handy? Plaid is always a look and as a Canadian, I stand by that.

2. They say sorry … a LOT

An obvious one but still true nonetheless. A Canadian will apologize to you when YOU bump into THEM or for other dumb reasons but that’s just how we are. We can’t help that we’re polite! 

3. Jean on Jean

If there’s one thing a Canadian loves, it’s some jean on jean action – yes that’s right. Jean on Jean, not denim on denim because that’s how us Canadian’s do it. Blue jeans and blue denim jacket will forever be a look we hold close to our hearts!

4. “Eh” is a common phrase

Despite popular belief, we pronounce it “aye” not ‘ehhh” and we probably use it in just about every other sentence. If you hear someone use eh, you can basically guarantee that they’re from Canada. This is probably the easiest way to spot a Canadian abroad! 

5. They pronounce other words ‘weirdly’

It shouldn’t surprise you that Canadian’s apparently also say other words the wrong way, such as house, bag and about. American’s enjoy poking fun at our unusual pronounciation of these words but some find it charming! 

6. Using BOTH Fahrenheit & Celsius 

In most countries, people either go by Fahrenheit or Celsius. Canadian’s (at least one’s from Ontario) use both. For an unknown reason we like to mix the imperial and metric system to make our lives and others just that much more confusing.

Ask a Canadian the temperature outside, you’re getting Celsius. Ask them what the temperature is inside and you’re getting Fahrenheit (probably because our thermostats often come from the US). 

7. Patriotism  

A Canadian will almost certainly have a Canadian flag plastered on their backpack or suitcase while travelling. If not, they’re sure to be wearing some sort of sports attire that points to one of our teams.

What once was Blue Jay’s hats is surely now Raptors gear (which is fair considering we were the 2019 champions and all)!

8. Always on the hunt for maple syrup

Let’s face it … if there’s any food that’s truly Canadian, it’s maple syrup. If you come across a Canadian in your travels, they’re may have maple candies on them or they’ll be looking out for a place where they can get some of our tasty syrup.

As I’ve come to discover, maple syrup is few and far between in Asian countries. Instead they offer you honey and there’s just no comparison! Seeing someone get overly excited about maple syrup is a sure fire way to spot a Canadian abroad!

9. High cold tolerance 

Unless a Canadian’s been living in another country for a while and has become climatized to the warm weather, they have an unusually high tolerance to the cold.

It’s not difficult for us to do so, considering we experience winters as cold as -60 degrees Celsius (depending on where you live).

10. They probably smoke weed 

If you’re passing a joint around on the beach, it won’t be usual for a Canadian to join in. With weed being legalized in Canada just over a year ago, it’s safe to assume that most of us are cool with smoking weed every once in a while. 

11. Justin Bieber & Drake are prized possessions

We aren’t ashamed to let everyone know Justin Bieber and Drake are both in fact, Canadian. Despite the fact that they live in the US for most of the year, they both come from Toronto.

Whenever people ask where in Canada I’m from and I tell them Toronto, they often mention Drake. We don’t have many big celebs from Canada so you better believe we let it be known that they’re from the true north strong and free!

12. Undying love for the beach

If you meet a Canadian abroad (in a warm country especially), chances are that they love warm weather and despise the cold winters – or is that just me?

Sure, many Canadians partake in fun winter sports/activities but there is a large sum of us who try to escape each winter to lay on a warm beach! You also better believe that a bikini is the only thing you’ll find us wearing if we’re abroad during the winter months.

While some of these may not ring true for all Canadians, they definitely apply to most! Have you ran into any Canadian’s while travelling? If so let me know if you’ve discovered any other ways to spot a Canadian abroad!

Leave a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram!

Cheers,

Amy xx