Things I learned when I moved to Canada from Nigeria 

“... in Nigeria ain’t nobody smiling at you..”

We do the same smile thing here in the U.K., it’s not meant to be a genuine smile, it’s just a gesture of acknowledgement, an easy way to say hallo without using words.

But damn your accent doesn't even sound Nigerian..

I recall during my early days in England when my British supervisor asked me, "Do you want to take your break at 12?" I swiftly replied, "No, I want to take it at 1. Visibly angry, she replied, "I want you to take your break at 12!"

Some Canadians are not aware that English is the official language in some African countries. Maybe that's why they complimented you on your English.

You got the fake civil Canadian smile spot on !

Smile is a form of non-verbal greeting.

All facts you mentioned, including the “fake” smiling issue, make me feel proud Welcome to Canada 🇨🇦

IMO, our "fake" smile has always been a silent and sincere greeting. "Hello, fellow human" has been how I interpret the social smile. Personally, I quite like that part of Canadian culture. It's not exclusive to Canada but it is a welcome part of it. Great observations nonetheless, my fellow immigrant!

They're not saying "you speak my accent, good job" They're just ignorant to the fact that many African countries use english as their primary language. I used to get the same thing within Canada. I lived in Quebec for 10 years (mostly french speaking) and when i was travelling or working in different provinces people would always compliment me on my english. "thanks man, been practicing since i was 2!!"

I'm Canadian and I found this hilarious! Especially the part where you said our sentences always sound like we're asking a question. 😂

I don’t need to speak good English using any country’s accent . I just speak very clearly and meaningfully .

From a Canadian in Japan. It feels so strange not to greet people that you don't know in the street. I grew up in the countryside in Canada and we greet everybody, even the people we don't know. Even in cities to a great extent. It could be left over from the pioneer days. Anybody walking by could save your life. In Japan, they greet only the people that they know or customers. Everybody else, doesn't exist. Or not holding the door after yourself. In Japan, the land of politeness, they don't do that.

I’ve been thinking lately about moving to the UK, or Canada. I’m from the US, Mississippi to be exact (“The Hospitality State”). Hearing you describe Canada, I think that I would fit in very well. Being from the south, which is called “The Bible Belt”, we still have a since of good moral values (well some of us do). We strike up conversations with people in the line at the grocery store we don’t know. We sit on our porches, wave, and holler “Hey” to people driving down the street in their cars (especially in rural areas). We go to funerals of people we don’t even know, just because they were apart of the community. We still say “Yes Ma’am”, and “No Ma’am to our elders. Strangers are still polite,and courteous to each other.....some what. But, I will admit, these things are quickly fading away with each new generation. And, there are alot of psychos, road ragers, con artists, gangs, and racists bastards here. So, you just have to be careful at all times.

You have to come to Germany dude, they’ll make fun of you in your face and ain’t nobody is gonna smile at you..! Your problems are dreams of foreigners here

The smile is not about fakeness or even friendliness. It's about acknowledging the other person's presence. It's a quick, I know you're there, I'm not ignoring you.

Lol. I think I'd love see those fake smiles, here's kinda opposite, feels like everyone is sad:( I need to see some smile everywhere either fake or real!😃

Bruuuuhhh.... i'm from America and even i notice many of the same nuances when i'm in canada. Lol great observations.

fake smiles here in the Philippines, if you don't know you will think they love you so much lol

Really interesting video, I’ve lived in Canada my whole life so I didn’t really realize some of these things

The smile is legit man. If I am not smiling it is because I have girl trouble or money trouble. I hear that smiling is easier then frowning. Perhaps we are just lazy in Canada?

I never thought of it as fake smiling, it is a non verbal way of saying hello or acknowledging another person you might not know if eye contact is made. As for the bus driver thing, I say thank you if the service is adequate or exceptional. There was bus driver he would sing intermittently and bring smiles to folks faces. Being pleasant does not cost a thing. Your interpretation was very interesting. Thanks for that.

Lol, yes we always thank the bus drivers, ha

Come to Zambia, bus drivers will be fighting for you not leaving you 😂

OMFG IM CANADIAN AND JUST REALIZED I TALK LIKE EVERYTHING IS A QUESTION 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

This is a pretty interesting video and I love to learn about different cultures, because is the best way to understand some behaviours. I moved from Argentina 3+ years ago and we have a lot of similarities with Canadians, like making our sentences always sounding like asking a question, and smiling even if you don't know the person. Is just a polite thing, like saying hi and being friendly, like breaking the ice. Argentina is a multi cultural country as Canada, made by immigrants from all around the world, and that's why I feel like home here (actually Canada is my home now), and my English is not so good lol, specially the pronunciation (in Spanish we have only one sound for each letter). One difference with Argentina that I learned is about the personal space. Argentinians hug a kiss a lot, even the first time you meet somebody, and here at first I was doing the same, kissing every person at parties or at friends gathering, so I stop doing it, but depending on the situation, a hug is always welcome :)

Well you could be in NYC where we completely ignore you and look at you with negatively.

The statements that sound like questions must have slipped in from various strains of British English, it's very prevalent in Australia and New Zealand.

I have opportunities to meet Immigrants and I often compliment them on their English, and they always have an accent. A person does not have to speak in my accent to speak good English

Glad I stumbled on this video. I just moved to canada too. The polite smiles and small talk were a surprise. I wasn’t irked when I got comments on my impeccable English though because I understood that they just dunno that English is our official language.

I’m Nigerian as well and I moved to the uk 2 years ago...most of what u said I experience the same....noticed the same thing about smiling...but people are just being polite and same ting for thanking the bus driver..that’s just being courteous ....what u have to understand people in different places have different way of interacting with each other

I couldn't stop laughing! - from a fellow Canadian

U just made me want to come to Canada. People smiling at you for nothin ? That’s paradise :))

I'm from Ivory Coast, Canada always been my dream country since I was a little kid and am also planning to Canada by the year 2020.. I hope my dreams come true

yaay another Nigerian Canadian RU-vidr. we aren't very many lol

I never realized that we definitely do all the things you said. Lol. And I really didn't realize that English was spoken in Nigeria. But I do now. And ya, Canadian cops always do that question as a command thing. "Do you wanna just hop outta the car for a sec, sir?" What that really means is get your ass outta the car. Lol. We are a weird country when it comes to that sort of thing. We seem to dance around the thing we really want to say to try and spin it so it is taken as softly as possible, even if it is a hard command or instruction. Also, I say buddy alot. Like, alot! But I've come to learn that in America, when you call someone buddy without knowing them it's considered condescending. Like "hey, I'll take 20 bucks of regular gas, buddy," works completely different in canada vs. America. In America I'd get beat up for that.

All I want to do is Mama Bear you and tell you to turn off your phone and focus on driving. Welcome to Canada 🇨🇦 Genuine smile😂

Also in UK the fake smile thing is real.

Lol your Canadian conversation analysis was spot on! -American living in Canada

1. you're super cute! 2. "The Smile" is a rite of passage. Welcome to North America!

It's easier to smile than scowl. Besides, one never knows if the receiver of these 'fake' smiles is having a bad day, so better to smile rather than 'not see' or to glower. Health wise, it's better to smile. That goes for the receiver and giver. It costs nothing to contribute positively to someone's day. I like your site.

Brah.. I have lived in Canada, America, and China. The fact that you don't like smiling, even fake smiling shows that you are whining about nothing. I'd rather a bunch of smiling people than cold stares of hatred. Stop looking for things to be negative about.

Sorry but the smiling is GENUINE. We are very polite people and we live happy lives. It is also a warm and welcoming social behaviour that is learned in Canada from early on when you get your first job as a 13 year old or volunteering or being in girl guides/scouts. There is nothing fake about it. It is presenting yourself as welcoming and inviting! Not depressing or closed off or antisocial as in a face that looks at you with zero emotion or zero reaction, dead eyes etc.

Very funny dude! Your exposure to Canadian colloquial euphemisms in this culture shock narrative is really interesting🤣🤣🤣

Nice one bro. I’m proudly Nigerian Canadian 🇳🇬🇨🇦🙏

Reading the comments here from Canadians makes me love the country even more.

In Toronto we thank the bus driver too. :-) I don't hear the upper inflection at the end of sentences 'though It might be a youth thing. Older people don't speak like that.

HAHAHA I live in Vancouver but I'm from Brazil. Every time I meet a Canadian, they always say nice things about my English but I know that they are complimenting my accent. :D

I’d take a fake smile rather than an ugly look from a stranger, so I don’t think it is a bad thing even if it is fake. Lived in africa, Europe and now canada and by far Canadians are the friendliest and nicest people. Good and bad is everywhere in the end of the day.

😂😂😂😂God!!!! The way you mimicked them is soooo funny

i love how most of these things are about how polite and nice we are! Welcome to Canada!

In middle school we were taught if you smile at someone and they dont smile back it might have been a rough day for them so we should excuse them for not smiling back. In the public education system. I did not realize how canadian that was until now

Oh Lord I feel like you're changing mind about wanting to come to Canada🤣🤣.

Each and everything you said was so relatable. I really cracked up at The intonation part. That was so true and hilarious at the same time. You are a very funny guy! 😄

2second smile for stranger's is totally appropriate, it's not fake. I smile at lots of people and they smile back, and it makes me feel good; and I can only hope that it makes them feel good too.

Idk if anybody ever tell you, but dont vlog while driving man. No excuse.

Lol it’s so funny how accurate this is! I’m Nigerian but grew up in Canada. I’ve been living in Australia for almost a year now and man it’s so different from Canada. Everything you mentioned I do here! Lool I always say thank you to the bus driver and all the Australians look at me weirdly cuz it’s not really the culture here! Also I always say sorry even when it’s not my fault! And I smile at everyone and they just give me a blank look😂😂 I miss Canada!💕Haha

oh my goodness! It's true, nobody is smiling in Nigeria! very serious people I thought.

When Canadians use "Do you want to get up?" in that way it actually means more of "Could you please get up." It's more of a request to do something than basically telling someone. The question type ending? Its a not really a Canadian thing lol its more an odd thing some do recently. Yes, many of us smile at others even if we don't know them. I personally do this knowing it could either; A) brighten someone's day a bit. B) confuse them and leave them wondering who or what's happening and/or C) Annoys the crap out of cranky rude people. Either way its a win for me :)

4:56 Asking prices is based on self trust and integrity. Basic Canadian values of being respectful and honest. Yeah you could lie but that would reflect poorly on individual character. Canadians hold a lot of trust on persons own integrity. Canadians believe in civility and order. If we don’t as a society can’t be civil and respect each other or rules then what kind of country are we? That’s why a lot of Canadians get fooled or tricked when traveling abroad as most Canadians are naive and think same rules apply everywhere else in the world. No. Canada is more an exception. In a lot of places it’s a survivor mentality. It’s just like waiting in line in a cue. I noticed while waiting for the bus in college some people of a certain background that weren’t used to this concept jumped it which was extremely rude and disrespectful. Happens also on Montreal highways due to the constant construction that people would take the outside lane and cut into the proper lane to go the direction they want. Basically jumping the cue. It’s somewhat accepted in Montreal cause it’s absurd to have long lines of traffic and a lot of people are pressed. However if you were to do this in Alberta people would lose their mind on you, honk you or block you from doing it with their pickup. In Peru where I lived for a few years people would jump in front of you for an ice cream, or at the grocery store. You have to fight for an inch in line.

This is Canada's way of being welcoming, polite and inclusive. Erring on the side of trusting people, offering a smile instead of a frown, trying to make each other's day a bit better and having open-ended conversation to invite responses. But don't make the mistake of interpreting it all as being stupid or naive. There's another side to Canada that you don't need to know about if you are also polite, inclusive, and trusting in return. And by speaking good English, I would think it means you speak English clearly and with proper diction; not necessarily with the Canadian slang.

Complaining about compliments on your English? Move to Quebec and struggle with French there. You will be happier.

I'm from Nigeria Ibadan and I moved to Canada last year now I live in ottawa

In my culture too we don't say unnecessary thank you or smile. people think in Canada im angry as I look angry men, and I don't say thank you or fake smile, unfortunately people think im angry. But Im not angry.

All the things you mentioned are just telling me how kind people are in Canada.

The smiling thing is not a Canadian thing really.... Americans do the same thing. It's just a politeness thing.

Please rename this video to include Austraia. It 100% applies here too, no differences.

So in your Country everyone is miserable?

I live in Philippines 🇵🇭 and the Filipinos do the fake smile thing as well.... I remember how pissed I used to be when they'd smile at me, in my head I'm like "what's wrong with this one"?? 😃😃 I'm used to it now though.

Wow it's so cool.. it's seems so hard for me to absurd that kind of other country?? Especially abroad and cold place..

Canadian here, here's my take on some of the things you said: 1. Yes, there is an expectation to treat everyone well, including bus drivers. Since a very high value is put on politeness in Canada, we feel it's important to be polite to everyone, no matter where they might fall on the social or economic scale; 2) Your accent is so slight that its hardly even noticeable. No, most Canadians would not know that some African countries have English as an official language because we don't study African countries in any depth, just cover Africa generally in early education as part of our study of the world and most of us never have the opportunity to meet an African in Canada nor to ever visit Africa, thus we wouldn't normally know a lot about African countries. All that being said, when I tell my overseas friends that their English is very good, it has nothing to do with them speaking with a Canadian accent because many of them speak with a British accent actually and not Canadian at all. It's merely recognizing that I know the English language is not the native language in their country and I'm thoroughly impressed with how very fluently they speak it. So I would say that to you even if you were not speaking with a Canadian accent at all.; 3) The "fake smile"... I wouldn't call it "fake"... it is just a social nicety/brief greeting gesture to demonstrate politeness and non-aggression just like bowing to everyone in Japan is a social nicety for them that is part of greeting people. There isn't any attempt to deceive with it because obviously we're strangers and don't have a personal relationship so we don't expect you to believe we do. So I think it is just a custom that foreigners who don't have a similar custom might find confusing. Are there not any social niceties in Nigeria that are done as a way of a polite greeting? 4) Yes, the bulk store thing... yes, overall there are a lot of instances where we choose to trust someone... sometimes it gets taken advantage of but usually not.

I am from Poland living in Canada and I have similar thought dude LMAO. That fake smile nobody understand in Europe and mostly around the world too BUT I HAVE TO SAY many canadians have genuine inviting smile too and are super cool, it was just weird because I was not used to. Same thing with people asking you HOW ARE YOU? and not even expecting the answer like WTF?

It's a genuine smile of politeness. We don't want anything from you. We are basically happy people. Yes, truth about the bus driver. We do say thank you for the ride!! LOL

If you smile to a random person here in Nigeria, they'll think you're either mad or you want to rob them.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It’s good for Canadians to know your perspective.

Bus drivers are thanked because they woke up at some terrible hour, put up with a lot of low class stuff and drive in some crazy bad traffic. They are also not overpaid for what they do, so people like to thank them. The smiling thing then "resting-bitch-face" ... we want others to be happy even if we're not... LOL the intonation thing, you're hanging out with valley girls, "omg like you knnoooooooWWWWWWW" hahhaha!

That's a pretty good analysis of 'Canadiana'. When I lived there in the '90s, I was floored constantly over their general niceness. You picked out specifics, but it's their general way. Automatically queueing up when there's a wait. Stopping several metres before the crosswalk, and we hadn't even reached the roadside to cross yet! Where I'm from, people die crossing the street on the crosswalk! I didn't notice the way they make "polite commands", but I see it fits in with what I know about them. Yes, just takes getting used to. I remember it being hard adjusting to rudeness when I returned home. Which is better?

You got everything correct but the smiling part. For Canadians a smile is a way to show they are friendly and they are all around happy people. Think about it. What do they have not to be happy about?

It all boils down to being polite. Canadians myself included, strive to be polite. There is nothing worse than rudeness.

Just just get to learn the culture there, why you keep complaining for....

That question at the end is definitely not in all of Canada lol. We don't speak like that in Quebec

Please why are you driving and making the video .....not nice, not safe

probably in a predominantly white city, Toronto mans don't have time bout "do you wanna" LOL

hahaha, you are very funny :) Thank you!! I really enjoyed watching :D It's nice to smile :D I grow up in Germany and its a kind of diplomatic thing, but back in Bulgaria, everyone looked to me kind of angry :D

I love Canada, I wish I could move to Canada like you.

dude you not in nigeria, but if you feel bad because people are being polite with you we can do a trade, I'll give you my USA citizenship and my apartment i live in the Bronx you give your papers and you wont have to worry about fake smiling any more :D

I am a Nigerian who leaves in Ontario, I lived in England before I came here and I feel the smile is just courtesy and acknowledgement... which is a great thing!! I love Canadians for that and I hope it continues. For crying out loud it is a very cold country most times of the year, imagine if everyone was as stone cold as the winter. I love Canadians, fake or no fake smile it is very warming.

Is Canada good for depressed Americans like me😂 maybe being in a setting that’s always looking happy being polite can make me happy 😂( I don’t care if it’s fake)

Smilling is same culture in USA. In India also, it is like Nigeria, we are not used to smiling to stranger people.

Ok - so Canadians are kind. Got it.

You don’t even sound like a Nigerian 🤷🏾‍♀️

I just thin you are so mean :/

How can a normal human being smile 247.....

Omg why would anyone NOT be nice to the people who are performing a service for us, like bus drivers or cashiers? Absolutely say thank you. I'm Australian, we thank our bus drivers. Not the cunty ones obviously though.

Yo bro,I'm from India and i'll be moving to there in September hopefully.And ya bro,your language is awesome.

Okay I live in a very small town in america and we are they same way but then we moved to the city (Sacramento) and people are so rude I mean there not rude I guess but like I'll wave at people or smile and they don't do it back and it just makes me sad😢

Lmao same thing I experienced in the UK, they be asking you questions but actually mean ‘you should’...

How long have you been in Canada? Great video. I'm from Ghana, in Ghana! :)

Yeah... That's being polite. If you ever work in hospitality you will understand that's the way... Nice job your doing on this channel.

Let's not forget not all Canadians are alike either sweetness... Most people here annoy the heck out of me too 🤭😂🤣