A Canadian’s perspective on studying in the UK

Adjusting to life in a completely different country is a challenge for anyone, even if they speak the same language. Being Canadian, I’ve noticed some key differences to life in the UK. A number of times I’ve almost been killed by a bus or car because I looked the wrong way while crossing the street and the slang used by the British is often confusing. These are just some of the subtle but key differences between our two countries.

I still feel like a tourist

After arriving at Heathrow Airport, it didn’t take long for me to face my first major change: the side of the road England drives on. Even walking to the taxi stand was a difficult challenge. It has taken me till now to learn to look both ways before crossing the street, even if the street is one way.

If I manage to cross the street and make it to the pub, I’m faced with another challenge: the slang. Now every part of the world has their own unique slang, Canada, and England are no exceptions to that. But as a Canadian in the United Kingdom, I found it quite a challenge to understand what some words meant. To this date, I have no clue what a cockney rhyme is or how they work.

On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve been made to say “aboot” and “eh” on almost every occasion when someone finds out I’m Canadian.

Everyone thinks Canada is tiny (or that I’m American)

Most people seem to be extra-friendly and polite to me because I’m a foreigner. It’s got to a point where my British friends will make me go up and ask for help instead of them as they know I’ll be more successful (it must be the accent).

Every time I meet someone new they always start off by asking me, “What part of America are you from?”. After I explain I’m from Canada, more specifically from Toronto, and that they are too separate countries I get the loud-pitched scream of, “OMG I love Canadians, I’ve been to Vancouver!” or “Do you know my cousin, he lives in Toronto?”.

I love these moments as people are so eager to be your friend. On several occasions, people have bought me drinks and sat down and just chatted to me for an hour purely because I’m from Canada. For the most part, Canadians aren’t 100 per cent Canadian. It’s rare to find a person where both their parents, grandparents, and their great grandparents were born in Canada, unlike in the UK or Europe where pure ancestry is more common. Therefore, most Canadians can really relate to other Europeans as we share their ancestry. For example, I’m half Slovak. I’ve met quite a few Slovaks who were excited to hear about my background and who shared more of their culture with me.

Worst photo with the CN Tower ever

The grading system at uni is completely different (and really confusing)

In Canada we pick our classes by making our own schedule: we pick what class, on what date and at what time we’d like it to be. We also take five classes a semester. When I came here, the grading system was the hardest thing to learn and understand. I had to try and wrap my head around the concept that a passing grade is 40 per cent and that 70 per cent counts as a high grade. I would have thought that you’d need to get the majority of the course right (i.e. 50 per cent) to get a pass.

My time here studying in the United Kingdom has been quite an enjoyable experience. The weather is warm(er), the people are friendly and the opportunity for success is within my reach. I look forward to another two years here at the University of Sussex and in Brighton.