How to make friends while living in Canada

Most students studying English in Victoria ask how they can make Canadian friends, so I thought that I would talk about that a little bit today.

First of all, the main point to remember is that Canadians enjoy meeting and talking to new people. Canadians will talk to you at the bus stop, on the bus, waiting in lines at restaurants, movies, and banks, or on a beach walking their dogs or playing frisbee. We are interested in you, your country, and we always like to help.

The second thing to remember is that Victoria is a tourist town, so many Canadians think that if you are speaking your language here, you probably do not speak English. If they hear you speaking English, then they will be more likely to talk to you. People do not want to embarrass you, so they will not force you to speak English if they think you cannot.

So what should you do?

Speak to your friends in English when you are around other people. Don’t worry if your are good or not, Canadians don’t care about that. You can speak to your friends in English, even if they are from your country. You need to practice as much speaking and listening as possible. Get used to doing this and you will see how many people will want to talk with you and find out more!

Students who come to Real English Victoria are often surprised how easy it is to talk to each other in English. We have even heard students say that it seems strange speaking their own language in Canada, now!

You can also watch my short video here.

Do your best.
Make new friends everywhere.

Practice English as much as you can.

Have a lot of fun living and learning in Victoria.

www.realenglishvictoria.com