There are not that many Certified International Movers but Cord Moving in Saint Louis, Memphis and Belleville, IL has been certified for years and are willing to share their thoughts and insight on moving anywhere globally. Most people who relocate internationally are prepared for drastic changes. Moving to Germany? Better brush up on your German and get used to public transportation. Heading to the Dominican Republic? You’ll need Spanish and less reliance on the technology and amenities you’re used to. Going to Canada? Well…have fun.
When you move to a new country that’s similar to your own, you’re less likely to think your upcoming changes will require hard work. After all, Canada is very much like the United States, with a similar culture, similar infrastructure, and even a similar government system. However, that doesn’t mean Canada and the United States are the same. In fact, if you’re relocating to our northern neighbors, you can expect quite a few changes. These changes can be found at www.cordmoving.com
Differences between Canada and the United States
Overall, Canada is like a more relaxed, socially-conscious country than the United States. Whether you look at their universal healthcare coverage, their generally friendly outlook toward visitors, their ban on firearms, their year-long maternity leave policy, or their more affordable college education, the focus here is on the people first and foremost.
For those from the United States, this can seem like a dream come true. After all, a country that looks after its people with such care is sure to be a great place to live. And for the most part, it is—but all these features come at a cost. Life in Canada is considerably more expensive than life in the United States, especially if you factor in the taxes required to support all these social systems. Jobs are also hard to come by, and unless you have something lined up before you arrive, you may find that employment is first offered to residents of the country (as opposed to expats).
City Life versus Country Living
Depending on where you’re moving (and where you’re moving from), you may experience a bit of culture shock inside the cities. Canada is a proud multicultural place, especially if you look at larger cities or the province of Quebec, where the way of life is much more European in style and French is the most common language spoken.
You’ll also find that Canada is a vast country with more wide open spaces than you’re used to. The majority of people live in the cities, and if you head out expecting to drive to the nearest town, you may be surprised at how remote some areas of the country can be (especially if you head north).
Outside of cities, you might also find it more difficult to access things like cell phone service, high-speed internet, and public transportation. This isn’t a reflection on the culture of the country so much as it is the remoteness of some of the areas.
Making the Transition to Canada
Moving to Canada isn’t likely to change your life the way a relocation to Europe or South America might, but that doesn’t mean things will be exactly the same. Although you can still enjoy a cup of coffee every morning (at Tim Horton’s instead of Starbucks) and access the same quality of life, the subtle differences in the way residents view the world means you may need to take things slow and start thinking about how you fit in the larger framework of a socially- and eco-conscious country.