My experience with culture shock as an international student

As an international student from Ghana, I thought I was prepared for all the potential culture shocks when I arrived in Canada. I had watched YouTube videos, listened to podcasts, and even followed Canadian influencers to get more insight. However, I was not fully prepared for what awaited me at Pearson Airport! 😅

Toronto Pearson Airport, Source: TripSavvy 

My first shock wasn't necessarily cultural; it was the weather! Coming from a tropical country with predominantly sunny weather, I dreaded the cold in Canada. I knew it was going to be cold, but I didn't expect it to be as extreme as it was. I could say it was three times worse than I had imagined, and I had people telling me that it was some of the best weather yet!

Source: blogTO

My second culture shock was calling my professors by their first names. In Ghana, we refer to older people or just people in authority as sir or madam and it would sound disrespectful if you addressed them by their first names. It did take me a while to adjust, it was just weird to me! 😆

Another shock for me was how Canadians hold the door for you. I was taken aback when someone held the door open for me from a distance of about 30 meters as I was entering a building on campus. I had to walk quickly to reach the door so the person wouldn't have to wait too long for me.

Here are some “should knows” from me to you about Canada:

1. Tim Hortons is very popular. I would say Canadians are obsessed with it.

2. Once you start calling Tim Hortons 'Timmies', you are becoming more Canadian.

3. Some people tend to say "eh" after almost every sentence. It's more like a way to seek confirmation or pose a question at the end of a statement.

My advice regarding culture shocks would be to embrace the culture, enjoy the surprises, and learn as you go. It can be a fun learning experience. Culture shocks can be a learning curve, but see it as an opportunity to embrace a new culture and learn something new that you might not have had the chance to learn if you had not moved to Canada.

And just so you know, you will find yourself holding doors for people meters away, trust me!