5 Reasons Why You Should Go to Canada

Last night, Husband and I returned from our delightfully relaxing vacation in Prince Edward Island, Canada. This was my third trip to Canada, so I wasn’t initially as excited about a return visit (yes, even though I know it is a gigantic country with endless possibilities of things to do). I was trying to talk Husband into going on safari or a road trip via Route 66, but then he reminded me that we are on a grad student break schedule and a grad student budget, so all of a sudden, Canada started to sound like much better plan.

After three separate plane rides (or a 24-hour drive from Indiana), we landed and I was first like, “OK, why did we come here, again?” There are grassy hills and car dealerships and McDonalds just like home. We could have driven around Indianapolis and gotten the same thing. But after about an hour, I remembered why Canada is so awesome and here’s why you should go visit:

1. Your money goes much further. The American dollar is really strong in Canada right now, so every price tag is like “Psych! The sign says $20? Well, guess what? It’s really only $15!” So, that’s cool.
2. You’ll have the comforts of home. You can get money out of the ATM’s. You don’t need a converter to charge your cell phone. Everyone speaks English.
3. You’re still definitely getting away from home, like there’s an ocean. Lots and lots of water and beaches and lighthouses.
4. You’ll relax. Generalizations, I know, but everything seems to be moving at a slower pace in Canada. Houses are spread further apart. There are no billboards. Many places are without cell service. Breakfasts are slow and involve pots of tea.
5. You’ll be welcomed. I always meet such friendly people in Canada! People don’t honk at my driving. I get free drinks if my food order is delayed. I get directions and recommendations for awesome stuff.

So, there you go. Time to find your passport and schedule a trip. Husband and I had a delightful week of lighthouse finding and Pokemon catching. We went to the beach and attended live shows. We ate amazing food and visited art museums. We tried deep-sea fishing and collected many memories that will (hopefully) last through another year of PhD craziness. Now I get to enjoy the rest of my (brief) summer break watching Netflix and planning our next trip.

Anyone else love Canada?