E is for "Eh!?"

You'll notice "eh" is larger font than "freedom"

Ahhhhh, Canadian slang. This phrase is both surprisingly popular and not. All at once. Confused? I was too, until I realised it's the Australian version of "but", so it's popular in some areas but not others. Where we are in southern BC it's not all that common, but you'll still hear it enough. The problem is, it's kinda catchy and really easy to slip into saying it. I think I probably did a bit before moving here, so now I have to consciously avoid it or hear the dreaded "ohhh do I detect a bit of Canadian" when I talk to people from home.

I don't really understand the spelling to be honest, I see it it more of a "meh" sound, but we all know how they pronounce "out" so I'll leave it ;)

I do like it how Canadians embrace the phrase. Around Canada Day (and really all through the year) there is a lot of merchandise you can buy with that phrase on it. I love that they own it!

The scary part comes when you have an Australian living in Canada and you get classics such as "it's good but, eh?". Lost!

Twelve Months in Canada - What I don't Miss from Aus

This weekend marks 12 months since we first EVER arrived in Canada. It was our first time being in the Country and we had no idea what to expect. We were told we would be cold 24/7 (lies), that Canadians are just like Australians (lies) and that we would love it here (fact).

I'd like to think our first year has been a resounding success. Everybody loves us, the move was completely smooth and work has been just perfect. HA! I kid! However looking back nothing has been so difficult we've looked at jobs back home, there's been no (out of the normal) tears, and we've most definitely had a positive experience.  We've met some incredible people, made friends that we will have for the rest of our lives, had new experiences with friends from home and managed to catch up with some of our friends in North America. A resounding success I think, though maybe not from the first reasons listed.

In honour of the country that's hosted us for the last 12 months, here's a list of 6 things I do NOT miss about Australia.

1. Bogans
Now Canada has rednecks, there is no denying this. However I am yet to see a "Fuck Off We're Full!" sticker on the back of anyone's car. The worst racist/ignorant comment I've heard was from a British cab driver who said he moved to Kamloops from the UK because there were too many coloured people in England. Lovely!

2. Always buying last seasons fruit
You would think since we have such a huge agricultural business that you'd be able to buy true fresh fruit and veg at the supermarket. I lived in Tasmania for 18 years, and could never work out why it's so hard to get a good apple.

3. The evil rich people and radio shock jocks
These people make me sad, and embarrassed to be Australian. Gina Rinehart in particular, who thinks poor people are all lazy drunks. I'm pretty sure you worked SUPER hard getting that inheritance. Eating most likely..... It's like their only focus in life is to become richer, no matter the cost to their families, friends or reputation.

The radio shock jocks have no place in an intelligent society. Laws, Sandilands and Jones I'm looking at you. You pander to stupid people and give them justification for their ridiculous views. GO AWAY!

4. Unexplainable high prices
This same thing happens in Canada, there was a Government inquiry and they found out one of the main reasons is that suppliers aren't negotiating better deals because "Canadians are used to paying more". I'm pretty sure the same thing happens in Australia. Why on earth is a jar of moisturiser in Canada $50 and in Australia $85? No legitimate reason I guarantee.

5. Politics
Our current government is a joke, the opposition is a joke. Every so often things that I'm actually proud of happens (carbon tax, NBN etc.), but I'm sure none of it will last.

6. The flies
This is a country thing. It's a bad country thing. It's almost like those bastards enjoy drinking insect repellent. If/when the drought kicks back in, the first things that will come back strong will be the flies.

Expat Australia Day

Ahhh Australia Day. The one day of the year we can behave obnoxiously patriotic in another country! That and ANZAC Day, AFL Grand Final, NFL Grand Final, State of Origin, any sports event when Australia plays.....

The good thing about celebrating Australia Day (or 'Straya Day as it now seems to be called) in Canada, is that it's almost a full day behind so we got to celebrate it twice! Friday (technically the 26th in Australia) we had an Australian themed morning tea and Saturday we went to Vancouver for a party at an Australian bar.

So it turns out 'morning tea' and 'smoko' do not translate into Canadian. It took a while to explain it's just a mid-morning break, and we wouldn't actually be drinking any tea. Instead we had Milo, Cherry Ripes, Jaffas, BBQ Shapes, Vegemite and cheese crackers and Killer Pythons. Not really traditional Australia Day fare, but stuff that can't be bought in Canada and I didn't have time to bake the night before. I really need to make lamingtons at some stage, I've made more pavlovas here than ever before I think!

Snacks!

Before everyone was allowed to eat, we made them tell us why they loved Australia. In true lovely Canadian fashion, they told us no hesitation. Mostly they said the people, which I think is possibly the worst part of Australia. Ha! Friday night I flew to Vancouver, trying to listen to as much of the Hottest 100 as I could where we met up with some old colleagues from Peak.

Questionable tattoo locations

Saturday in Vancouver, we put on our Australian best and headed to Moose's Down Under for some shenanigans. Flags, tattoos, attempted lip tattoos, XXXX, Bundy Rum, New, snake bites, vodka lemon lime and bitters, Australian tunes, singing and meat trays made up our night.

Double dipped and Captain Australia

A meat tray raffle raising money for Red Cross Tasmania finally saw O'Hara and I get our meat tray mojo back. Though it took us being somewhere we couldn't get it home to finally win one! I think meat tray raffles need to become a thing in Canada. They are awesome.

Pretties

I loved that it doesn't matter if Australians are at home or abroad, they still dance in a circle and sing. Standard! I also didn't realise how much I missed standard Australian pub tunes. There are some classics.

6 month Canadian anniversary

I'm like, basically Canadian now.

6 months ago we arrived in Kamloops. They'd just had a late snowfall, so there was still snow on the ground and it was really cold. We got phone numbers, a bank account and had some lovely friends help us through the jet lag by taking us to a hockey game.

Just to mix things up, I've got 6 things I miss about Cobar. Australia would have been way too easy...

1. The fact that everyone knows everyone. This surprisingly makes it so much easier to completely relax and be as much of a dag as you like
2. The Camels. Who would have thought!? The Kamloops rugby team are boring and mean. Well at least some are mean
3. The amazing temperatures in Spring and Autumn
4. XXXX. The beer here (while delicious) makes me drunk and fat. I need to switch to light
5. The free gym and pool (thanks Peak). Mostly the pool. Ahhhh the pool
6. Wednesday Chip Day

So if the Cobar kids could just move here? That would be swell, thanks! I miss you!

Credit Cards in Canada *shudder*

In Australia I've had 4 difference credit cards, all except one I was kinda obsessed with. So overall, my credit card experience in Australia has been positive. I honestly have no idea how people in Canada keep track of their finances. So far I have failed pretty badly. Online banking here predates the dinosaurs which I think is my biggest issue. Without immediate information I'm hopeless. So Gen Y.

It took us around 3 months to get a Canadian credit card, and when we did it had to be 100% prepaid (but don't worry, we still pay interest if we don't meet our payments!!). My feelings towards my current credit card gives me rage. Elevated blood pressure, sweats, goosebumps, banging my head on the wall (literally) type of rage.

My anger reached it's maximum (I hope), after the Labour Day weekend. I went to fill up the car only to have the credit card declined. This happens often with our shitty $1500 prepaid limit so I wasn't too concerned. However, when I logged into our account it said I had $0 available limit, and I actually owed $2000? WTF, $500 over my limit. Fantastic. I obviously panicked a bit and paid the $2k cursing about how that had happened. Important note: when you pay off more than your credit card limit, with TD it still tells you your "available limit" is $1500*. The * doesn't help. So I have no idea how much is on my card until 3 business days later when it's itemised. Yay! The next day I log on again to make sure everything is ok.... low and behold my credit card went down to -$4000 over the weekend. Yep, $2500 more than our limit. I'm crazy by this stage, only to be greeted the next day with our card showing I had over paid by $1300. Joy.

Seriously it's 2012, TD you need to catch the F up! Who would have thought Australian banking would be superior. At anything.

In Canada EVERYTHING is based around your credit history... in Canada. They can't use the internet so history from anywhere else is redundant. Providers will also use this as blackmail when you have a dispute over a bill. Fantastic!

Canada, pretty sure you didn't go into full recession in 2008 because you have a resource based economy. Just like Australia. Not because you have these stupid rules. Also from what I've heard, the States is similar for credit. Everyone knows how good their economy is....

If anyone plans to move to Canada (and as much as I hate the credit scenario with a passion - I would recommend it):

• DON'T apply for a credit card right away. Get some money in your account and wait a few months. Then do it online, not at the bank!
• DON'T apply for more than one card if you get declined. That just damages your credit rating further (true story).
• DO ask a bunch of different places when trying to get a car loan. We went to 4 different Toyota dealers and only one said we wouldn't have to pay in full. You'd think they'd want your money, but some people are just lazy.
• DON'T rely on online banking to track finances (with TD anyway)
• Pay bills on time (this seems like it's obvious, but in Australia because we have a half decent interest rate earning interest>paying bills early - I think)

Update: Our credit card has now started blocking our credit card everytime it gets to zero - like having to call customer service and be on hold for 30 minutes to get it unblocked. Then we get charged for overdrawing it. Fantastic, I think I preferred it when they just let it run up to -$4000.

Update round 2: At least we aren't in the US. My old BOSS who lives in NYC only just got a credit card after 18months.... It totally explains why their economy is going so well......

Update round 3: OHH EMMMM GEEEE O'Hara finally got an unsecured credit card! Miracle! It's through Presidents Choice (which is like a home brand of one of the supermarkets). So excited! Byyyeeeee TD!

Do you like our sweet coin table? It's awesome!

I am a child

I manage to find humour in the most ridiculous and immature things. To me toilet humour is not old or childish, it's brilliant. I am the sort of person that has a meltdown when something is only mildly funny to everyone else. I'd like to think it's one of my most adorable *cough* qualities!

So, here are my 3 favourite "lost in translation" sayings/moments.

Fingering:

Thought you'd heard the last of that in High School? Move to Canada and you'll find you're sorely mistaken.

Friend 1: "If you ever see a guy fingering you from a seedy van, you'll know it's him"

Us: "?????"

Friend 2: "Yea he always fingers me from his van when he drives past"

Us: "Waaiiiittttt???? Do you mean gives you the finger?"

Friends: "Ummm yes. What did you think?"

Us" "Welllllll........"

Gross. Canadians are gross!

Canada: Flipping the bird
Australia: I think it's fairly obvious... but just in case: 3rd base

Roots:

Roots is a Canadian brand. They have lots of nice stuff. BUT IT'S CALLED ROOTS!!!

I don't know if this is a new thing, but a lot of the clothing has a beaver on it. This CANNOT be a coincidence!

Taking photos of my Roots Beaver

Canada: A Canadian brand, something that bears eat
Australia: F*#cks

Fanny:

This isn't as common in Canada as it is in the US, but if you really want to creep out an Australian, tell them "I can't have another serving of dessert, it'll go straight to my fanny!".

"If I have Poutine once more, my fanny won't fit into my jeans"

Canada: Bum

Australia: Lady bits

You just can't make this stuff up!

Also: Poutine is chips and gravy with cheese curd. OH. MY. GOODNESS. It's kinda like melted cheese on your chips and gravy. But better. So much better!

I'm here with all of my people (raarr rarrr raarr)

We've been on the road again so this is a delayed post about our amazing trip to Lake Louise.

We stayed in Lake Louise for 2 nights over the August long weekend, with Jemma and Ian, and Greg and Olivia (friends from Cobar who live in Vancouver).

Enjoying a cheeky pit stop at Revelstoke

The weather couldn't have been better. For all those people who said we'd freeze to death in Canada, I don't think I've had a better summer in about 5 years. No doubt during winter I'll wonder if I'll ever be warm again, but for now it's all very nice.

So it turns out that O'Hara and Jemma have some pretty impressive skills when it comes to planning a weekend away. They managed to prepare 2 amazing meals for 6 of us, steak and ribs, all ready to put on the BBQ once we wanted to eat. Bulk limes and rum was also included, and I was assigned official mixologist for the weekend (yay me!)

Mmmmmm mojitos!

O'Hara is still the only one not to have seen a bear. Jem and Ian managed to spot a Grizzly on the Gondola up Lake Louise! Lil and I did our best to call the bears out while walking to the top of the mountain, but didn't have any luck. We even used The Presets "My People" as our theme song, but nothing. Maybe in the Autumn you'll have more luck O'Hara?

We made it to the top! I make them jump!

Sweet view

We spent the rest of the day cooling off in the glacier lake of Lake Louise, kayaking and drinking copious amount of wine. So much so, it seemed like an awesome idea to serenade the cars in front and behind us during the traffic jam on the way home. Poor O'Hara was DD and didn't find me nearly as funny as I found myself. Standard!

Oh hello beautiful

The photos make it seem serene, but in reality there were hundreds and HUNDREDS of people there. For some reason I associate crazy crowds with European sights, not Canada. This was obviously very misguided. Still, we worked out our timing pretty well and managed to park close to the lake, some unlucky ones had around a 3km walk to get in. Bummer!

The happiest type of picnic

The Rocky Mountains is an incredible place. It was the first place that we've been to that really felt "Canadian". O'Hara and I will hopefully get back to the Banff area for the ski season. Jasper is supposed to be incredible and I'd like to visit the place Mum and Dad worked while in Canada. Plus there is Lake O'Hara. Sounds like it would be a pretty awesome lake!

Look mum, I can make stuff

Canada has an incredible fruit season over summer. All the stone fruit and berries. I'm in heaven.

I made an attempt to can peaches... It was a bit of a fail. The peaches weren't quite ripe enough and I didn't succeed at all at splitting them in half!

Still 3 jars of potentially delicious canned peaches!