Overcome the cultural shock in advance
Being Canadian can be a chore, says Will Ferguson, but it can be a lot of fun, too. For this follow-up to his runaway bestseller Why I Hate Canadians, Ferguson, a Canuck himself, recruited his brother Ian to create this ultimate guide to the country's cultural quirks, from diet and sex to sports and politics. The result is a nonstop comic ride through such topics as "Canadian Cuisine—and How to Avoid It," "Regional Harmony (Who to Hate and Why)," and "How to Make Love Like a Canadian
"How To Be A Canadian" conveniently packages our national heroes, cuisine, regional differences, literary endeavours, phobias, and odd social customs into a laugh-out-loud tome that is the literary equivalent of Timbits: tasty, bite-sized chapters on "Who To Hate and Why," "How To Waste Time Like A Canadian," "Mating Rituals," "Art and Stuff," "Progressive Conservatives, Responsible Government and Other Oxymorons," and "Twelve Ways To Say You're Sorry," along with how to insult Canadians, the official Canadian haircut and dress code (mullet, plaid shirt, skidoo boots with fake buckles), provincial "fact sheets" (Ontario: "Gaze Upon our Humble Magnificence and Bow Down Before Us!" Formal name: The Centre of the Universe. Provincial motto: "Celebrating over 100 years of narcissistic self-absorption") and more. To top it off the Ferguson brothers have written a clever little quiz at the end to test your Canadian knowledge (If you hear the name "Elvis" and immediately think of figure skating, give yourself one point. If you still don't know what the capital of New Brunswick is, give yourself 10 points. If you can't remember if you curled or not, because of how drunk you were: 50 points) You get the idea. Nothing is sacred for Will and Ian, which is what makes the book so funny.
This book is packed full of information on Canadian history, civics, values, institutions, and vocabulary, but don't make the mistake of thinking its going to be a lecture. Humor plays a huge role in making the book an enjoyable and informative. A few points of interest for me were: 2.How to wear the Canadian flag and live to tell about it. 3.The word “Eh” If you are moving to Canada, thinking about it, or are just wondering what makes Canadians tick get this book and read it! One word of warning to uber patriotic Americans or people who otherwise aren’t used to even the slightest criticism. While the book isn’t an all out assault on the red white and blue it will not hesitate to make fun of and condescend a little but don’t let that stop you. Its all in good fun and makes for a funny and informative read, and there is more than enough self deprecation to make it fair. Fakin' Eh!: How to Pretend to Be Canadian
1.Why Canadians are so nice.
I was surprised when I learned the true reason behind Canadian politeness. I won’t give it away here but it probably isn’t what you think.
This part made me love Canada ten times more.
You’ll learn how its used and when to say it.
The book is full of explanations on everything from the provinces and territories to Tim Hortons and Canadian beer.
The key to passing through the cultural shock is acknowledging it and to laugh a lot at yourself. After getting accustomed to the new cultural, returning to one’s home culture can produce the same effects as described above.
