the longer i live here in the states, the more i realize how different canada is from its neighbour. first of all, i’ve noticed that americans say AMERICA, while we tend to use THE STATES. last winter i learned that a “toque” is a canadian thing after realizing my friend had no idea what i was referring to. here they would call it a winter hat or something, which to me doesn’t capture it quite that well. i mean, a toque is a TOQUE. and today i was surprised to learn that ketchup and all-dressed flavoured potato chips are also a canadian thing! life without ketchup flavoured potato chips?? it’s so odd. i’ll have to bring some the next time i cross the border and share with my american friends.
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oh yes, sherwin! oh canada indeed…i’ve now sent a few gift packages that are purely canadian. they always consist of: malteasers, ketchup chips, & clodhoppers. by the way – the american equivalent of a toque is sometimes referred to a ski-mask like hat. and have you noticed when you ask for a bathroom you often get a look of confusion? yes, make sure you ask where the restrooms are instead to avoid any delays.
p.s. be warned about getting your american friends addicted to ketchup chips. we have friends in sacramento that have a high addiction to the stuff. one of them even tried dipping his chips in actual ketchup b/c he was having a difficult time explaining how good it was to his other american friends. we couldn’t keep up with the supply and demand needs of a cross-border ketchup chip dealer. i once sent them 11 boxes and 6 of them were consumed in the first day of arrival.
and smarties – a canadian thing! i’ve convinced my kids that smarties are smart pills and eating them makes you a little smarter (why else would they be called smarties??). so they all get a handful of imported smarties before every big exam.
even though toque is a purely canadian word, i actually found it in a new york times crossword puzzle last week (clue was: brimless hat). i knew the answer. i felt like a star!
They don’t sell smarties here in America? That’s just crazy!
what?! smarties aren’t smart pills? what the pho, someone’s been lying to me all along. and so that means… it was the coles notes that helped me pass after all. wow. i never knew. i miss high school so bad. grade 8 was the best 4 years of my life, man.
ok anyway, yeah, i say “america” just cuz it sounds further away than “the states.”
i also get looks of confusion when i spell things out and say ZED instead of ZEE. i always have to repeat myself a couple times before i remember. ZED is just so much easier to roll off the tongue.
also! don’t forget the hickory sticks. yummm….salty yesh shahlty…(said like goldmember)
they DON’T have HICKORY STICKS?!