Things You Should Know Before Moving to…

I.     Read the following information before you answer the exercise.

Things You Should Know Before Moving to…

There are millions of people who dream about moving to an English speaking country and some of them will probably accomplish that at some point. In case you are amongst those who believe that the best place to study English is in the USA, the UK or Canada, there are some things you should know before starting a new life here.

The US	The UK	Canada
1. Big cities are not family friendly. If you plan to raise a family in the U.S, go for a smaller and even less popular area. Small towns, sometimes neglected, are a lot cheaper to live in and most of the times offer a better environment for children. 2. You have to pay to be taken away in an ambulance. Rides vary from $400 to $1800, depending on your health insurance and the distance between your home and the hospital. Don’t be surprised if the paramedics request intended form of payment before taking you to the emergency room. 3. The U.S is a cashless society par excellence. While cash still rules the world and in some countries using a credit or a debit card is sort of a caprice, in the U.S. you can swipe your card everywhere. Even street vendors accept this type of payment. 4. Fruits and vegetables are more expensive than meat. This might come as a shock for a lot of people since in most countries meat and poultry are less accessible than vegetables. However, in the U.S maintaining a healthy diet could cost you more than you would think. Although extremely popular, vegetarianism is a rather expensive life choice. 5. You always have to tip. Whether you are at the restaurant, at the bar, you are having your nails done or you need to take a taxi, tipping is a must. It may not seem fair for your wallet, but leaving an extra 10 to 25% is customary in the U.S.	1. The British school year is divided into three terms. Autumn (and they don’t EVER call it Fall here, by the way)-September-December. Spring term-January-Easter and Summer term-Easter-till the flipping END of July! Every term has a week-long break called half-term. There are two weeks off for Christmas and Easter. And the Summer holiday is about six weeks long. Of course if you’re using private schools, the vacations are longer. 2. You have to pay a tax to own a TV (the license fee) 3. Traffic always comes from the RIGHT in the UK. So, always look right. Also, always stand to the right on escalators. 4. The UK has a national health service that provides healthcare to all UK residents free of charge. The system does, however, come under a great deal of criticism for its long wait lists and you may therefore wish to consider private healthcare. 5. The British are very reserved and private people. Privacy is extremely important. The British will not necessarily give you a tour of their home and, in fact, may keep most doors closed. They expect others to respect their privacy. This extends to not asking personal questions. The question, “Where are you from?” may be viewed as an attempt to “place” the person on the social or class scale. Even close friends do not ask pointedly personal questions, particularly pertaining to one’s financial situation or relationships.	1. Canada has two official languages - English and French. Both languages are not spoken in every province, but approximately 17.5% of Canadians are able to carry on a conversation in both English and French. 2. Canadians have a reputation throughout the world for being polite and etiquette formalities are very important in the culture here. 3. Tipping in Canada is expected in most service industries such as taxis, restaurants, hairdressers and bars. The typical amount is 15% and not leaving a tip is considered to be inappropriate. 4. Canada is the world’s most educated country, according to a study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. More than half of Canadian residents have college (university) degrees. If you are looking to study abroad in Canada, this country offers an incredible array of high quality colleges and universities to choose from British Columbia to Quebec. 5. Notice how fresh the air is here? In Canada it is illegal to smoke in public places, including offices, stores, restaurants, hospitals and other places of employment. This also means that you cannot smoke in the shared areas of any rental complexes or apartment buildings. The only place where you are permitted to smoke is within your own home, your vehicle or out in the great outdoors.