Ok, after getting some nice tips in my Canada related thread, I have been researching and found an amazing school in Vancouver, so I have decided to move over there. Could you let me know the "unknown" tips and details about life in Vancouver? You know, I don't want to hear about the great lakes and wonderful weather, I want to hear about how the traffic is, how they treat you at the post office, just the normal details about life over there.
Thats where we're going for our honeymoon fryman Thats also where NewComputers new job is so you should definitely ask him. I've also got a friend there and if you like I can pass her email to you as she is always happy to tell people about Vancouver.
You've got balls Fryman, after a quick chat and your all ready to up sticks and move, I guess it's something loads of people want to do but never actual do anything about.
Where to start ... Great city, traffic is busy, best to live close to work because you will spend lot's of time in traffic depending on where you live. Real estate is pricey compared to other Canadian cities. Many surrounding cities and communities immediately close to Vancouver to live in - Burnaby, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Surrey, Richmond, etc ... A lot of people commute from these communities in to Vancouver. Some people at the post office are miserable, while many are fine. Rains quite a bit. Downtown has character. Some parts you might want to stay away from (East side Hastings) - heavy drug problem. Robson is a trendy area to visit. Tons of cafes and places to eat. People are great, but it does take time for people to make up their minds here in business. Artistic - many movies shot here. Music scene is diverse. Tons of schools, especially for foreigners. That is all I can think of right now ...
Yeah a large number of films are shot in Canada, mainly Toronto and Vancouver, because tax advantages and government based finacial benefits. Wow, fryman, I think that's pretty cool. Good luck with your move.
Bumping up this thread... amazing what girls can do to you. I started a relationship and of course my plans to move over to Vancouver went to the trash. Relationship has ended and now I am 100% sure that I am doing this. No more girls for me, lol, they just take your mind off your real goals. So... anyone from Vancouver? Would be nice to gather up a list of people I can hang around with once I get there. I will be visiting in the first week of December, and then moving for my studies in Feb. or March. Is there some kind of newcomers forum or something where you can meet people on the net? Thought of adding a profile to Match or places like that, but I am not looking for a date but just people to hang around with and get to know the city.
Vancouver's a pretty simple city to get around in... There's Vancouver, North vancouver the downtown area, stanley park etc. You're a nice guy, if you go and hang up there you'll meet people. I think I'd be harder to try to meet people online before going. Just my $0.02. Have fun! Oh, and if you're planning on going to school there, you'll meet plenty of people at school.
I live in UBC (University of British Columbia) which is downtown Vancouver. It's a beautiful city, and usually people are quite nice. Downtown can be quite scary at night, but not nearly as scary as some other places in the world. The cultural diversity is magnificent. There's all kinds of people all over the city, and all kinds of cultural events. Downtown at night can seem like any other big city in the world, lights, people, music. It's a very simple city, but you'll love it. Stanely Park has an AMAZING beach, pretty much white sand. It's a great park that takes up about half of the city :-P That's my $0.02! Hope you like it when you get here!
I'm in Vancouver at the moment, and my first piece of advice would be to hit the east coast instead. Vancouver is alright, but it's expensive, dirty, sprawling, and the people aren't great. Before my fellow Vancouverites chime in to call be an asshole, let me say that I come from Halifax, and the two cities are completely different. Halifax combines the small town charm and big city rush, the people are wonderful, and you can walk down the street without much concern as to your safety. Vancouver is a cool city, but I've lived in quite a few different places in Canada, and it is by far my least favorite.
I actually like Vancouver, but I agree it's pretty expensive. Gas is really expensive, and if you jump over to washington or go out to Hope or Kamloops, you really see the difference.
ah, yes. finally, a thread where I know best. let me start by saying that driving in vancouver, especially the downtown area, is a big fat pain. but I guess that's the same with every major city. vancouver has one huge mall/shopping district, metropolis at metrotown, or whatever. google it. everyone in vancouver is categorized in my point of view as: 1.) gangsters/people who have nothing to do 2.) bums + hobos 3.) druggies 4.) businessmen/women 5.) shoppers from the outer cities 6.) asians? I don't notice a lot of tourists for some reason. oh yea, and there isn't a lot of exciting places to visit in the vancouver area... tourism is more like whistler and whatnot. I notice a lot of bums and a lot of people who are a little crazy and talk to themselves in vancouver. as for violence, ive never been in a situation, but i once saw a person who looked like a bum walking around with a butcher knife (l-m-a-o). but there is a lot of car accidents that ive seen in my lifetime in vancouver since the traffic systems needs like some upgrade. to get around, there is a small skytrain system. you can google that too. (translink) i think the best thing about living in vancouver apart from other major us cities is the environment, the trees, and the air. basically, the natural stuff. and there is a bunch of cultures gathered into one, so you learn about different cultures and people. I used to live in NY for about a year since my parents had work there, and what I notice is that NY has a lot of walkers and is more exciting in terms of nightlife and places to visit but people in NY aren't as courteous and polite as the people of Vancouver. Example, when you hold the door for the next person coming through, they would say thank you in Vancouver, while in NY, people just walk past you as if the door was automatic. thats about all I have to say. have fun reading lmao
The homelessness is a problem. Just the other night I was dragged to a big Elton John concert. I was parking my car and there was a homeless fellow who said he would watch my car for 5 dollars. I said sure, but I have no cash on me so Ill give it to you when the show is done. When I got back my window was wide open, but he didn't steal anything! I think he slept it in though, it hasnt smelt right since.
Can't be worse than here... you stop at a traffic light and get attacked by 10 people splashing water on your windshield to clean it or trying to sell you all kind of crap BTW I will be staying at Downtown Vancouver I am so excited... counting the days!
Yea you don't get alot of that here, downtown during the day is great, at night it's skeptical. Stay away from East Hastings St. But overall I think you will be happy