I Tried For One Year

I moved to B.C. from a small town in Ontario for a little over a year. I thought Vancouver would be such an amazing place to live. So much to see and explore. Well unfortunately its amazing only if you have money. What I got was working 80 hours of week and barely getting by here. People are just so unhappy here. Its not uncommon for people to have 3 jobs and still be broke. Everything just costs so much. The cost of housing, car insurance, MSP, and it never ends. Most people are afraid of being evicted from their basement suites and apartments on a monthly basis. I have literally made 2 friends in 1 year and I am a very social person. The guys here are just so strange as well. I never figured out the dating culture here. People just aren't friendly like I am used to. Most people just spend their weekends exhausted from their jobs and watch Netflix because everything costs so much. Why don't people smile and make small talk. Everyone just cares about themselves. So I am moving back to Ontario to my small town where everyone knows everyone else. I can enjoy the same lifestyle as here while working full time in retail. I will live with my folks till I get a full time job or two. Save up for a year or so and buy a townhouse or a house. I might work 80 hours a week there just to save up. I have learned that I can do it. Don't understand how people can work 80 hours a week here for years and not even be able to afford a 1 bedroom apartment. I didn't realize how amazing a place I came from until I lived here long enough and I can't wait to get back.

15 Comments

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Leonardo

Dec 26, 2017 at 5:56pm

A year isn't a very long time...

Smart

Dec 26, 2017 at 6:31pm

Your very smart to figure this out in only a year. Impressive:)

Just a man

Dec 26, 2017 at 7:24pm

I will assume you're a girl (since you complained about the guys - my apologies if you're a gay guy), so I'll tell you why guys don't approach : ladies here are mostly looking for a 3-6 (if you don't know what it is just scroll back a little) guy, and there's also a very high risk of being accused of sexual harassment (especially lately, since the Weinstein scandal). So, better safe than sorry.

The guys...

Dec 26, 2017 at 8:17pm

"The guys here are just so strange as well. I never figured out the dating culture here."

Thanks to Common Law it's too risky to date. date a woman for 2 years-not even living together-and we are considered married. So women get palimony,a cut of investments,and guys get to pay half her unsecured debts.
Not strange,just smart.

OK

Dec 26, 2017 at 9:29pm

Vancouver is the one corner of this vast country that isn't an unlivable shithole. It's the only place I can think of in Canada with mild weather. As such, it is an attractive place to live. As a result, lot's of people want to move here or invest here, which drives up the cost of real estate. Also, there are so many people here with all kinds of degrees who are looking for work, and greedy employers can afford to keep wages low because there's always someone willing to work for less money.
Because there is so much demand here, the cost of living keeps going up. We've had 16 years of pro-corporate government that represents people who are economically comfortable, so there's been no policy agenda to mitigate these problems.
The guys here aren't "weird" per se, it's that Vancouver's dating culture is informed by wealth and status. Men who didn't get lucrative white collar jobs are considered "trash" by women here. They didn't approach you because they assumed it was futile.
And it's true that many people in Vancouver have to stay in and watch Netflix etc. because it costs too much to go out in the city. Restaurant meals have small portions and large prices. Other activities tend to cost too much as well.
So yes, if you're not a white collar professional, have the right credentials, connections, or were lucky enough to score some sort of office job, then life in Vancouver is an unending rat race.
I'm happy that you were able to make it out. Good luck to you.

So long

Dec 26, 2017 at 9:53pm

Yet another Ontario tourist complaining. Sorry you experienced this, and so long! I don't experience this at all. My rent here is cheaper than the Ontario town I went to Uni in where there was only 20 min bus service. I have good friends here. I go to the gym and have a community there. I enjoy the amenities this city has to offer. Toodaloo then!

You Couldn't Make It

Dec 26, 2017 at 10:33pm

Good riddance to you. You couldn't make it here so you're going to go crawling back to Ontario. B.C. doesn't want people like you who can't tough it out.

If you can't make more then 2 friends after 1 year then you are the problem.

single gay guy

Dec 26, 2017 at 10:52pm

take me with you please

my chances of getting a boyfriend are probably just as good there as here.

Wait

Dec 27, 2017 at 12:49am

You expect to love out to (insert big city name) and within a year have a career to fulfill all the things you wanted to explore and do i the (imagery city name here). You think TO would be any different!? Lol. You have a lot of growing up to do.

@OP

Dec 27, 2017 at 7:27am

Good for you. I'm born and raised here and everything you say is true. This is no longer the place I grew up in. I would do anything to leave.

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