Canada is North America’s quiet gem, packed with natural beauty, from mountains and glaciers to secluded lakes and forests. But Canada’s allure isn’t just the great outdoors; Canada has clean, safe cosmopolitan cities, friendly and multicultural, you’ll experience it all! Canada is lauded as one of the world’s most livable countries. Whether your interests are river rafting or live theater, Canada won’t disappoint.
In its vastness, Canada ranks as the world’s second largest country (after Russia). Yet 90% of its citizens live within 100 miles of Canada’s southern border, which abuts the United States. Canada, after all, stretches far into the Arctic, with winters everywhere that are long, dark and harsh—and they get worse the farther north you go. This is why 89% of Canada remains uninhabited, with more than half the land covered by forests.
Nonetheless, Canadians have a standard of living comparable to that of the United States, and though Canada’s lifestyle at first glance seems similar to its neighbor’s, in fact, Canadian culture is less brash. You’ll find that the French people of Quebec, known as Québécois, are very proud of their language and heritage. The country offers a friendly but reserved mosaic of heritages that includes British stolidity, French vivacity, native Inuit customs and even Chinese traditions, especially in Vancouver, which has the largest Chinese population of any city outside Asia. Canadians patiently tolerate this lively social jumble, especially because all of its cultures share a passion for ice hockey.
Canadian teenagers love clubs and activities involving sports, orchestra, newspaper and drama. Student government is also an important and becoming more influential in school policies. You may be surprised by how many teenagers in Canada have after-school jobs, such as babysitting or working at a local coffee shop.
