Culture Shock and How Not To Piss People Off

ubcthaiaiyara · 2021-05-30T09:23:15.004Z

• People here are extremely nice, if you are nice to them • Pre pandemic, there were lots of handshakes, hold door open for you, you will see more • Thanking people become so normal here • They treat you like you belong here, they also expect you to treat others with respect. • Check the weather • I’m writing it now because yesterday was sunny and hot, and I forgot to check the weather today. Turns out to be 17C and raining and I had my shorts and t shirt on and no umbrella • If it doesn’t look like it • You don’t raise your hand in a restaurant • It’s considered rude • Sometimes you have to stare at them and try to make eye contact with them • Maybe if it takes too long you can go to them or call them politely? • Tip! • Always tip, I usually do 10% on fast food, take out • 15% is normal in restaurant, I do 12% normally but if it was fancy or the service was good I do 15% • No tip is considered extremely rude • Cars will stop for you • There are traffic lights for pedestrians across the city • It’s still safe to make sure the car sees you for crossroad without lights, but you will be amazed that cars actually stop for you • Sometimes you smell grass burning • Weed is legal here, people do smoke them, but people don’t mind them as long as they don’t smoke near the vent • Watch out for stereotyping others: gender and race • Sex, sexuality, and gender is not the same! • Sex is from birth, gender is chosen by you, sexuality is who you are attracted with • It’s okay to refer to someone you don’t know their gender as they • Where are you from? • Usually people will tell their ethnicity is if they want to. It’s normal to find Canadians that look like they are from everywhere else but Canada. Usually when you ask where you are from, if they say they are from here and don't tell you more, I would suggest not asking them (except you are friends) because they might find it rude. • Land acknowledgement: find it everywhere, and yes it is important. • It’s easy to make fun off but I think you should take time to read about residential schools. I had a residential school survivor come talk for our class as guest speaker and it was extremely dark and impactful. So make sure to be respectful! • Consent is big here • Other than land acknowledgement, and campus tuition ripping you off, you will hear a lot of people mention consent when you come to campus. It was uncomfortable to me because it was kinda taboo to talk about it, but too bad, you will probably hear more. The goal is that everyone gets treated as human beings and hopefully this makes our community safer for everyone. Written by: Ploykarn Edited by: Pleng

People here are extremely nice, if you are nice to them
- Pre pandemic, there were lots of handshakes, hold door open for you, you will see more
- Thanking people become so normal here
- They treat you like you belong here, they also expect you to treat others with respect.
Check the weather
- I’m writing it now because yesterday was sunny and hot, and I forgot to check the weather today. Turns out to be 17C and raining and I had my shorts and t shirt on and no umbrella
- If it doesn’t look like it
You don’t raise your hand in a restaurant
- It’s considered rude
- Sometimes you have to stare at them and try to make eye contact with them
- Maybe if it takes too long you can go to them or call them politely?
Tip!
- Always tip, I usually do 10% on fast food, take out
- 15% is normal in restaurant, I do 12% normally but if it was fancy or the service was good I do 15%
- No tip is considered extremely rude
Cars will stop for you
- There are traffic lights for pedestrians across the city
- It’s still safe to make sure the car sees you for crossroad without lights, but you will be amazed that cars actually stop for you
Sometimes you smell grass burning
- Weed is legal here, people do smoke them, but people don’t mind them as long as they don’t smoke near the vent
Watch out for stereotyping others: gender and race
- Sex, sexuality, and gender is not the same!
- Sex is from birth, gender is chosen by you, sexuality is who you are attracted with
- It’s okay to refer to someone you don’t know their gender as they
Where are you from?
- Usually people will tell their ethnicity is if they want to. It’s normal to find Canadians that look like they are from everywhere else but Canada. Usually when you ask where you are from, if they say they are from here and don't tell you more, I would suggest not asking them (except you are friends) because they might find it rude.
Land acknowledgement: find it everywhere, and yes it is important.
- It’s easy to make fun off but I think you should take time to read about residential schools. I had a residential school survivor come talk for our class as guest speaker and it was extremely dark and impactful. So make sure to be respectful!
Consent is big here
- Other than land acknowledgement, and campus tuition ripping you off, you will hear a lot of people mention consent when you come to campus. It was uncomfortable to me because it was kinda taboo to talk about it, but too bad, you will probably hear more. The goal is that everyone gets treated as human beings and hopefully this makes our community safer for everyone.

Written by: Ploykarn

Edited by: Pleng