So You Want to Move to Canada, Eh?: Stuff to Know Before You Go

by Jennifer McCartney

Laugh as you learn about America's friendly northern neighbor with this step-by-step guide to Canadian customs, pop culture, and slang -- perfect for anyone who's considered moving to (or just visiting) maple leaf country.

Written by New York Times bestselling author (and born-and-bred Canuck) Jenn McCartney, this comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about Canada,
Hilarious and honest, this guide will delight your politically disgruntled father, nudge your bleeding-heart neighbor to hit the road, and inspire you to plan for (or daydream about) your own Canadian getaway.

Genres: Nonfiction, Canada, Travel, Audiobook, History, Comedy, Humor

192 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

About the author

Jennifer McCartney is a New York Times bestselling author. She is the author of numerous books including The Little Book of Sloth Philosophy, the novel Afloat; Cocktails for Drinkers; The Joy of Leaving Your Sh*t All Over the Place; and Poetry from Scratch. Her writing has been broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and appeared in The Atlantic, Vice Magazine, Teen Vogue, Curbed, Globe and Mail, and Publishers Weekly, among other publications. Originally from Hamilton, Ontario, she lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

lol 18 months here and happy to say I knew more than 80% of the stuff in the book

[Prashasti · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wholesome guide to the Great White North, eh?

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has wonderful information about Canada and really cute drawings. I admit that I didn't get very far into it due to time constraints (checked out the e book from the library), but because I often dream about moving to Canada, I found this book to be helpful. I'm definitely going to read it again in the future.

[Sam S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and informative. Though practical for Americans, I think this was really written for Canadians to amuse themselves and read all the good parts about the country.

Would recommend.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Canada book was fantastic. She lives in Brooklyn, now, (of course), but grew up in Ontario. Lots of music and tv show recommendations. She missed on her rec for an Alberta based show by ignoring Heartland - probably because she thinks she's too cool for it - but was correct in pointing at Kim's Convenience for a Toronto show. The book was heavier on the Maritimes then I was expecting, which was a pleasant surprise.

Big takeaway: look up Heritage Minutes on YouTube. These are minute long cultural history lessons that have been airing since the early nineties. They are fantastic.

[Suzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe not enough about Tim Horton's but a lot of questions answered.... I went to Canada twice in two years and have several friends there who are snowbirds. Lovely places, lovely people, great government and benefits, but they don't want me. Really fun read.

[Georgia Crossland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Christmas gift bought for me because of the imminent move and it was soooo helpful to learn about Canadian culture, colloquialisms, geography and so much more! Written to be really fun and optimistic. Made me very excited for my year of exploring!

[Joshua Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Was a funny ,and comprehensive guide about Canada. Would definitely recommend reading this.

[Anu Adamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vaimukas, informatiivne ja aus. Keegi võiks Eestist ka sellise kirjutada. :)

[Kara Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and practical, but not very in depth.

[Carly Hathaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not moving to Canada, but I loved learning more about it.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tongue-in-cheek read provides not only a wealth of information for people who are considering (or just fantasizing about) emigrating to Canada, but a comprehensive overview of Canadian culture and a helpful glossary of terms unique to Canadian English. As an American Canadophile with Canadian relatives (hi, Laura and Ian!) I alternated between chuckling in recognition and saying "Gosh, why didn't I know that?" The big omission was that the discussion of notable Canadian musicians totally omitted Rush: I mean, you're really going to talk about Celine Dion and Justin Bieber and ignore my boys from Toronto?

[Gijs Limonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the Canadians, love the country; this was a good primer, not great, but ok. The most important lesson I learned:

“Eh?” comes at the end of a sentence, usually a statement, that you want people to agree with. In this case “eh?” is akin to “Don’t you think?” Or it comes at the end of a statement that relays important information. So in this case “eh?” is more like “Did you know?” It’s never used at the end of an actual question. F*cking this up is a classic way to demonstrate that you’re not from Canada."

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great health care, metric system, all federal signs are in English AND French, no significant gun problems, cell phone usage is very expensive, online shopping is non existent, all federal signs are in English AND French, it is VERY cold for more than half the year, but the natural scenery is breathtaking!

[Kico Meirelles · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are curious about Canada, I don’t recommend this short book. This is a summarized FAQ that you will probably find better in the internet. I was expecting more about the country than superficial notes. In addition the book has a political side that makes it boring and activist (in the annoying way) in many parts. At least the quizzes are funny.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like to consider myself an honorary Canadian, and I still feel like I learned a smattering of Canadian things I didn't know. (I'm paraphrasing here, but McCartney quoted someone in the book saying something like, "Go to Canada for 5 years and you're an expert, but go to Canada for 10 years and you're a novice." I couldn't agree more.)

[inhonoredglory · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super fun and actually quite informative book about all the things you should know for a socially functional and culturally aware stay in Canada. Super funny and simple to understand. Makes me wish I could go to Dean Deblois' alma mater Sheridan College. Go Canada! 🍁

[Hildeberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and funny. Enjoyed her writing and agreed with most of experiences. I think it is a good read for those thinking about moving to Canada, but it is not a precise and detailed guide. It helps to understand the culture and some social rules.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guide to Canada! Should be required reading for young or new Canadians! A few errors that I caught- legal blood alcohol level is less than .08; Group of Seven was active 1900 to 1974, not just the 50s & 60s.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

audiobook
more informational and less humorous than I expected

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly for Canadians, but a must before visiting the Great White North.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book, written with a good deal of humor. I highly recommend it!

[Max Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something new even after two years here

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great starter book for a Canadian learning journey. Will definitely seek out the recommendations that were throughout the book.

[Richard Orlowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missing some mentions

No mention of Rush or SCTV, or Corner Gas....really! Otherwise a good read, makes you want to know more. Chili Dogs

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, fun read.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping for more tips on how to handle the immigration process - this was more about Canadian history and culture, with the basics about immigrating there. Still very enjoyable and informative.

[Sashi345 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, actually quite witty and comprehensive.

[Brenda Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who moved to Canada a few months ago this was a fun read, but it’s very focused on Americans so I couldn’t relate to a good chunk of it.
Good and useful info on Canada itself tho!

[Will G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly both empty and French.