“Mom, there’s a word that people use here that means ‘hat,’” my 10-year-old daughter told me one day during our first winter in Vancouver.

“It sounds like ‘tunic.’”

“Tunic?” I asked. “A hat? Are you sure?”

If you’re Canadian, you’re undoubtedly laughing or at least rolling your eyes at our American ignorance. Although we were well-acquainted with ski hats when we relocated to Canada from Boston, we had never heard the Canadian term “toque” (pronounced “toook”).

Remembering my early days as an American in Canada, when I was frequently surprised by all the things that were new to me on the Canadian side of the border, I’m getting lots of laughs from this tumblr blog, What’s Different in Canada?

Written by Kevin Bracken, an American who went to school in Toronto, this self-described “Beginner’s Guide to the Differences Between the Two Most Similar Countries on Earth,” highlights words, phrases, and customs that baffle many Americans when they visit or first arrive in Canada.

Can’t tell a Duo-tang from a donair? Perplexed by PD days and poutine? Then check out What’s Different in Canada?

Canadian toque photo by Lululemon Athletica (flickr)