Some things that are different in Canadia...

Despite moving 5000miles away, a lot of things are pretty similar, but here are some that aren't:


- When a child goes missing, every bus in the city displays an 'amber alert - check your radio' message alternating with the route number. Very clever once you realise that a nuclear attack is not imminent and you're the only one that doesn't know.


- Cheese is an unaffordable luxury. Something to do with milk regulation. People go to the US to buy it. If you ever visit, please bring brie.


- You can't buy alcohol at the supermarket. Or a newsagent. Or a petrol station. Or anywhere which isn't a BC licensed liquor store. And if you do buy it, you can't drink it outside anywhere.  Which has reduced our alcohol consumption and is probably a direct cause of the next one...


- Everyone seems to smoke marijuana instead. Climbing a mountain, on the beach, next to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police station, the inviting unmistakable whiff is everywhere. Apparently its a West Coast thing. And it keeps the riots down.


- If you work more than 8 hours per day, you get paid 'time and a half' and over 12 hours is double time. And you can't be made to "opt out". Although with my new life, overtime seems a distant concept...


- With the best climate and the worst weather in Canada, Vancouverites love discussing the weather. Okay, so that one's not really a difference unless you're reading this from Toronto.
That's it for now, will post others as we think of them.