I call BS

I was born and raised in Vancouver, but I moved away in 1993 because I could not afford a house. I live on Vancouver Island and have my cottage by the sea now, so it worked out for me. This week I came to Vancouver for a meeting and stayed downtown for three days. In my smallish town, when you walk by someone you give them a smile and they give you one back. It was an odd change for me when I moved here, but I adapted. When I was in Vancouver, I smiled at everyone as I was passing them and guess what.... they smiled back. There were a few hold outs, but honestly 90% smiled back at me. My one proviso, is that the people who walked down the street looking at their phone did not look at me, forget about smiling. I also saw that when I was busing it around town, people would say thank you to the driver as they left the back door of the bus. So my question is, are all of the people complaining that Vancouver is a cold town the ones staring at their phones? If you are one of those people who think Vancouver is a cold place, try giving everyone you pass a smile, the response may change your mind.

14 Comments

Post a Comment

Anonymous

Dec 8, 2017 at 6:27pm

Try staying in Vancouver for more than three days, then you'll understand. Obviously there's nice people in Vancouver but it's also a very uninviting city. I lived in Halifax and never did I once think people were rude or cold. Same with Montreal. Vancouver is very different than other Canadian cities and not in a good way. But hey, glad you had a positive experience.

Anonymous

Dec 8, 2017 at 7:49pm

It is cold in that it is abnormal for more people to be doing the smiling thing. You initiated, and the response is there so we aren't obviously rude but people keep themselves more than in any other city I've lived in. Being away from the center of Vancouver for so long doesn't mean you are part of the city anymore just because you visit for 3 days. I honestly think the ones staring at their phones could care less.

downtown girl

Dec 8, 2017 at 9:44pm

I've lived in downtown Vancouver for twelve years, having previously lived in the maritimes and the prairies. People are friendly here! I don't understand all the people who moan about Vancouver. I think they must all have bad attitudes themselves. It's like that old saying...laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone.

I am born and raised in Vancouver

Dec 8, 2017 at 10:20pm

I smile at everyone. Most people will crack a smile back at the last second. Also, most of my old friends who were also born and raised here are very friendly, laid back, inviting people. I'm beginning to wonder if it's the people that have moved here from elsewhere that are the problem. Do people have a stick up their ass now because they moved here from some shittier, cold, dreary Canadian city? I'm not saying Vancouver isn't cold and dreary because it most certainly is but geographically speaking, it's probably the warmest in the winter other than a few of the Gulf Islands and a few spots on Vancouver Island. Let's face it, the climate in all of Canada is absolutely awful 80% of the time. Perhaps that's the real problem?

@OP

Dec 9, 2017 at 5:17am

Excellent post... and ignore the rude comments...you will always be a part of Vancouver xo

Anonymous

Dec 9, 2017 at 10:38am

Did you have tourist/visitor written across your forehead in neon colours? Did you walk around with a visible giddiness to you that bounced off the high rises in the downtown core like rays of sunshine? Maybe that's why you think Vancouver is oh-so-dandy? Saying thank you when getting off the bus or having someone smile back is called having manners. There's no direct correlation between having manners and being nice. A serial killer will still say thank you to their waitress after having their breakfast after a killing spree.

Vacouver is....

Dec 9, 2017 at 12:24pm

the COLDEST place in the Country....year round.

OP-For Your Next Experiment

Dec 9, 2017 at 1:41pm

Stop and talk to people,chat a little and ask for a phone number or if you can meet up another time. Get back to us.

Anonymous

Dec 10, 2017 at 1:01am

I didn't find Halifax any friendlier than here. It's my least favourite of the places I've lived. If you want to go out and get drunk and then fight over cabs to try to get home when the bars close, it's a good city for that... I guess some people think the bar culture is friendliness? I had an easier time meeting people and making friends in Vancouver than I did in Halifax, and I moved here knowing no one. Halifax, on the other hand, was only an hour from where I grew up. I already sort of knew a few people there, but that didn't translate into anything.

Leaving soon...

Dec 10, 2017 at 7:11am

I agree that people smile and are polite.

It's getting to know them that's the challenge. If I smile at someone, they'll respond. If I ask for directions, they'll happily help me out. And believe me, I do it... I'm an extrovert. But becoming actual friends with someone? It's so hard... everyone is so busy, and most friend groups are closed, especially those who are from here. It's so rare to get an invitation. I've lived in Toronto, and if I bumped into people I knew on the street, they would invite me to come with them. Here the'll stop and chat for a minute, then say 'Well... have a great day, bye!'

So on the surface... I agree with you. Deeper... I can't wait to go to the island or somewhere east, and I will soon, which is a shame.

Join the Discussion

What's your name?