An American Moving To Calgary Asked What The 'Biggest Culture Shock' Is & Locals Got Real

The metric system and Girl Guide Cookie options were hot topics.

Calgary skyline.

Calgary skyline.

Creator

A Reddit user from the U.S. asked Calgary locals for their thoughts on the city, so they could prepare for their upcoming move.

The person who posted said that they wanted to move their family from Salt Lake City, Utah, because of "the overall political situation" in America, but needed to know how their new Canadian home compares. Luckily Calgarians came in hot with some honest advice.

The Utah family wanted to know what the biggest "culture shock" would be, how the city's nightlife is, how friendly the city is, and of course all about the chilly Canadian weather.

One user said that they "find overall there are more assertive drivers in the States vs Canada. 4-way intersections take longer to negotiate because of this."

So be prepared for some very polite Canadian driving, Americans.

What's not so polite is the winter weather. Calgary is known for some brutal winter weather from time to time, and another user said while the weather can get very cold, there are also Chinooks that bring the temperatures up every once in a while.

from Calgary

Some people came in with U.S. city comparisons.

from Calgary

On top of nice driving, apparently, people should expect to hear "sorry" a lot.

from Calgary

Every Canadian knows the pain of explaining when we use what measurement system.

from Calgary

More than one person called it out.

from Calgary

A few people warned the family about the treats they might miss. But at least they'll gain ketchup chips!

from Calgary

Other people were a little bit more positive about what the city has to offer, highlighting the friendly people, great pubs, and tons of breweries.

from Calgary

While Canada is often compared to the U.S., clearly there are some major differences, right down to the snacks.

  • Creator

    Charlie Hart was a Calgary-based Creator for Narcity Media. Hailing from London, U.K., Charlie moved to Calgary with a passion for learning more about what Canada has to offer. She studied Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University and has over five years of experience for titles including Supply Management, Elle UK and InStyle UK.

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