An Italian TikToker Moved To Quebec & Shared Her Biggest 'Culture Shock' Moments
Dinner at 6:30 p.m.?!
A TikToker describing moments of cultural shock after moving to Quebec.
When it comes to our day-to-day in Quebec, what might be totally normal for us is apparently very strange for some Canadian newcomers.
TikTok user Sofia Silvestri, who goes by @sofiasilvestri17, moved from Italy to Quebec City and shared a few videos about some of the things that completely stumped her when she moved to la belle province.
From the time we eat dinner, and the cost of Canadian phone plans to struggling with Quebecois French, Silvestri had it rough during her first few months here as a Ph.D. student at the Université de Laval.
@sofiasilvestri17 No wonder why you guys still use text messages #culturalshock #canada #quebec #lifeabroad #italian
In Silvestri's first TikTok, the content creator says that she was feeling confident about her French skills, considering she studied the language for eight years. Well, the French we apply here in Quebec, is likely not the same French that Silvestri studied.
"Me not understanding a single word of Quebecois," she says in one video while looking completely perplexed. In the same clip, Silvestri says she tried to buy a SIM card with data in Canada only to be surprised by the colossal $45 phone plan.
"Oh, thanks... I'm sorry WHAT???" she said. Same, Sofia...same.
@sofiasilvestri17 I am becoming the last one with my italian friends #lifeabroad #italianincanada #quebec
In a recent TikTok, Silvestri highlighted her struggle with texting in Quebec. It appears as if WhatsApp is most common across Europe, whereas iMessage, SMS or direct messaging on social media is our go-to, a concept Silvestri says dates back to 2014. Maybe we are behind...
The time in which we eat dinner also appears to have been a moment of culture shock for the Quebec newcomer. While it's no secret Europeans love a late dinner, Quebecers enjoy a bit of an earlier mealtime, which definitely took her by surprise.
Luckily for Silvestri, Quebec life has gotten much easier. "I have to say that after getting better with the language I am adapting more," she said in a message to MTL Blog.
Despite becoming accustomed to the Quebec way, Silvestri said that folks here are a little bit more private, making it harder to integrate. Oh, and the super long winter certainly didn't help either.
