I Moved To Canada & Realized That The UK Is Massively Lacking When It Comes To These 7 Things

There are outdoor activities year-round

When I lived in the U.K., I never really considered myself a lover of the outdoors. However, since moving, I realized that it was mainly down to not having that much access to it.

The U.K. is pretty wet and windy through winter which can quite literally dampen any plans to do anything outside. In comparison, I feel like Canadians tend to really take advantage of that with so many outdoor activities year-round.

Whether it's skiing or snowshoeing, or heading out on hikes or taking a paddle board out on a beautiful lake, Canada has so many fun outdoor activities to get into.

Poutine

Now I've been in Canada, I'm really not sure how I ever led a poutine-free life. I'm pretty convinced there's nothing poutine can't fix.

Pretty much every bar or fast-food restaurant will have some variation of poutine on the menu and while they definitely vary in how good they are, I'd pretty much take any poutine over fries in the U.K. any day.

The wildlife is unreal

If you're hiking in the U.K., you're not going to need bear spray because, well, there just aren't any.

Since moving here, I've seen bears, elk, chipmunks and deer pretty regularly. I've yet to see an elusive moose but the fact it is even an option blows my mind a bit.

Remembering all the different rules for what you should and – probably more importantly – shouldn't do when it comes to Canada's wildlife is definitely a steep learning curve, but being able to see impressive wildlife all over is pretty incredible.

There are so many landscapes

Obviously, Canada is an enormous country so there is so much to explore, especially when it comes to scenery.

Yes, there is definitely some stunning scenery in U.K., such as the Scottish Highlands or Snowdonia, but there's nothing really comparable to what I've been able to see and do in Canada.

From the Rocky Mountains to prairies, badlands, huge cities, enormous lakes and stunning beaches, there are so many different landscapes in Canada to enjoy.

Being able to explore all these completely unique spots without needing to grab a passport is so exciting.

You can see the Northern Lights

While very occasionally you might see the Northern Lights in the U.K., the Northern Lights put on an incredible show in Canada pretty frequently. Even if you're in a city, you can usually drive out to a more remote area to check them out in person.

It's sadly something I've yet to see in person, but the Northern Lights are something I'm desperate to tick off my bucket list and being in Canada just makes it all the more realistic.

There's so much space

Because the U.K. is so densely populated, sometimes it can feel a little cramped. The cities are sprawling and there are thousands of people rushing around at all times.

While there's still some open spaces, it feels as though almost every area has been built up.

Canada has almost half the population but way, way more space so even if city life starts to feel overwhelming, you can travel outside of the city and feel like you're a million miles away from other people.

Canadian friendliness is like nothing else

Whether I'm in Calgary or I've travelled elsewhere in Canada, I never get over how nice Canadians are. While the friendliness was definitely a culture shock at first, people randomly saying hello or asking how your day is doesn't feel alien to me anymore.