Upon making my rounds today to see if anyone needed me to do anything, I had a temporary lapse of sanity and asked Paul if he needed anything. His answer “Heather…..write a blog about the differences between British and American business culture”, I again had to remind him that I was Canadian.
This seems to be a theme here in Britain, always mistaking me for an American.
How can we be confused with Americans?
I thought that my distinct soundings of the work ‘Eh’ after my sentences would tip people off, also the way I say ‘about’. If they didn’t catch on with my Canadian vocabulary I thought that my style of dress would also be a clear indicator that I am Canadian. All the flannel attire and work jeans, looking much like a lumberjack, with blue ox in hand.
I also thought that my painfully polite manner and dislike of confrontation would be another clear indication.
Contrary to some belief here in Britain, Canada is its own country, we do have system of government, a prime minister, a flag and a different work visa than the US. We do not belong to the United States or Britain; we are as some Brits like to call us “just like Australia”.
Business is very different here than back in Canada. Back home in Canada we do not have these new fangled things called computers, but this may be a good thing for our hands would freeze while typing and, well, we do not have power in our igloos to run lights, let alone computers!
If businesses are lucky enough to find a shack with electricity the heat is generated from a small wood burning stove, and the office walls are covered with animal heads and there are bear rugs on the floor.
The biggest industry in Canada is seal hunting. Baby seals are harvested, seal blubber is used to power our lamps, bones are used for utensils and tools, and the meat is dried and made into pemmican. Our second largest industry is that of Maple Syrup. Maple Syrup production has been taken over by the older population since sending them on ice flows was banned a few years back.
Moonshine and beer brewed by the Sasquatch are the drinks of choice during office hours as well as after hours.
Curling leagues dominate the other hours that are not consumed by playing hockey, watching hockey, talking about hockey, dreaming about hockey, arguing about hockey and thinking about hockey.
In the few months that we do have a general lack of snow, time is spent playing street hockey, watching re-runs of hockey, talking about hockey, dreaming about hockey, arguing about hockey and drinking beer.
Canadian football, other than hockey, will get us out of our docile ways. Football season is the most frightening time in Canada; never will you find more people with faces painted beer in hand sitting in front of a TV.
I ask again! HOW CAN WE ALWAYS BE CONFUSED WITH AMERICANS?
Heather (The CANADIAN Intern)
