I’m a French I’ve been living in Canada for a year. I didn’t know much about the country and its people before moving but now I see the flaws that bother me greatly. Where do you come from if I can ask and what were the deal breakers for you?
I’m a French who lived in both Canada and Spain. I agree with what you say about Canada. Whenever I listen to a conversation or participate to a conversation I feel like people are talking but they are not saying anything! That’s always at superficial level, people won’t ask me interesting questions and won’t be curious, they never ask me anything about my life in France but they will ask me questions that I always wonder where it’s gonna lead us, almost like they learned it on a manual. At the end of a conversation I always ask myself « wait what did they say again? Nothing ! »
The funny thing is how much they are scared to say certain words. I was working in a retail store and sometimes customers would look for colleagues of mine, since they didn’t know their name I would say « is it a black guy, middle eastern, asian? » 100% would sweat and shit their pants as if it was an insult, imagining thinking it’s an insult to the world black-african-arab-middlesstern-latino-asian etc.
I think you can apply for the citizenship!
I know exactly how you feel OP! I’m French living in Canada. I’ve never been attracted to North American culture and moved mainly because of the racism you described (I’m of Arabic origin) and for job opportunities. So I was happy to leave!
After a few months I started to not feel the same. In Canada people won’t hold the door for you even if you’re just right behind them. They never greet you at work unless they know you super well, even if they are your colleagues that work with you on a daily basis. People stay at home and use their car to go anywhere, there is basically no urban life except in big cities like Toronto or Montreal and if there is one it’s nowhere near what I am used to in Europe. And no need to mention the weather which I already knew before moving but experiencing first hand is different.
The worst part is dating. I’ve never been into French girls and living in Paris meant it was not a problem with all the foreigners and tourists but the only date I had in Canada was with a French girl. I feel like I’m so different that there is no way I can ever date a Canadian woman, I don’t get them.
A year later I came back in Paris for just visiting and now it’s hard to go back to Canada. I missed the food! I missed walking in Paris and see urban life and monuments, I missed the weather, I missed interactions with women who are not North Americans, I missed taking photos, etc
However ridiculous anti Islamic stance and rampant racism plus the cost of living (no way I can rent anything) make it impossible for me to live in Paris, but I wish I would be back in Europe, I miss my life so much here and feel so much alive, happy and energetic.
Interesting! Even an American can see this wall (not the same but it took me some time to make the difference). The wall you talked about is really what makes me wanna leave forever. I feel like I have no life there, every conversation I have with people is sterile.
Yes the housing is a big issue, I was promised low rent but since I am lucky covid and inflation hit hard right before moving. If I had to invest in housing I would definitely do that in the US. Thanks for your reply!