Canadian immigration sharing immigration experience: The customs and habits in Canada are indeed very different from those in China. While not everything is necessarily better, following the local customs—recognizing, understanding, and accepting them—is beneficial for our shared harmonious society. If you are living here with the mindset or status of a tourist, please make your own choices. I have walked the path from a clueless new immigrant step by step, and I have gradually learned the following habits to share with everyone.
First, learn to sincerely say "Thank You" to your family. I believe everyone can say thank you to strangers, friends, colleagues, fellow countrymen, or classmates. However, with family members, we often hold onto the inherent concept that "great kindness does not require thanks." Parents give birth to you, raise you, and do so much for you—why thank them? It is expected for children to respect and love you—why thank them? It is expected for siblings to help you, as blood is thicker than water—why thank them? You are already husband and wife—isn't doing things for each other part of the job? Over these years, I have slowly learned to say thank you to those around me, and I have also become accustomed to accepting thanks from them. Do not assume that the care and love of family members are taken for granted and do not require recognition or gratitude.
Second, learn to say "Thank You" to those who provide services. This includes waiters in restaurants, cashiers in stores, mechanics, cleaners, babysitters, delivery personnel, bank tellers, hotel staff, customer service representatives on the phone, and so on. It is true that they are paid to do their jobs, and while you are a customer, you are not a god. We are all human beings; maintaining mutual equality and respect is a sign of civilization.
Third, respect the privacy of others. Age, family status, personal relationships, income, and the prices of private belongings are all considered private. Unless the other party volunteers the information, avoid asking directly. If you really must ask, you can preface it with, "If you don't mind, could you tell me..."
Fourth, learn to keep to the right. This is a country with right-hand traffic, and in various flow channels, people generally follow the habit of moving to the right. Unless there is a specific reason, you should keep to the right on sidewalks, bicycle lanes, motor vehicle lanes, escalators, hallways, and exhibition halls; the same principle applies everywhere.
Fifth, learn to hold the door for the person behind you when entering or exiting, and say thank you to those who hold the door for you. Letting women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities go first is a sign of good manners.
Sixth, unless it is noted that no reply is necessary, you should respond to event invitations regarding whether you will attend; do not catch the host off guard. Many events require seating and food arrangements based on the number of attendees. Whether you are going or not, and how many people are going, please provide a response. If plans change after you have confirmed, notify the other party as soon as possible.
Seventh, do not ignore strangers. When we are socializing, we often encounter strangers who appear or are present. If others do not introduce them, we should still acknowledge their presence with a nod, a smile, or direct eye contact. Ignoring people completely as if they do not exist while talking to yourself is a common bad habit for many.
Eighth, unless it is a public place, it is best to ask for the host's or the subject's permission before taking photos, especially when photographing someone's home decor, belongings, children, or pets. Stores and office locations are also private property, and they have the right to refuse you from taking photos.
Ninth, be mindful of the time when contacting others and respect their time and resources. Some compatriots believe that anyone who is out there making money—especially those in professional services like sales, agencies, or agents—should be on call 24/7. As long as they have given the other party a little business, they act like the boss, demanding that the other party satisfy their needs at any time or place, greedily seeking the greatest convenience for themselves. The real estate market has been booming in recent years, and competition among real estate agents is fierce. Some people take advantage of this by having three or five experienced agents take them to see countless houses, only to find a fellow countryman who just got their license and has no experience or knowledge to complete the transaction once they have made a decision. While this practice is not illegal, it is not kind.
Tenth, if you call and no one answers, please leave a message unless it is an emergency, and listen to the other party's messages as well. Most office and private phones here have voicemail functions, which is a way to stay in touch when you cannot answer. The other party's message will tell you if they are on vacation, in a meeting, on a business trip, etc. Many compatriots neither listen to the voice prompts nor like to leave messages, repeatedly calling landlines, mobile phones, WeChat, and QQ—using every possible means until someone answers, which is very impolite.