Jasper admires the daffs in our front yard
Last week I wrote about my impressions of England seen as a returning expat. This week I thought I would mention a few things that struck me about Canada when arriving here. Of course other people’s experiences and observations may be different, but here goes.
- Friendly is normal
It is what Canadians are known for. And it is true – pretty much. We came back from the UK via Seattle as flights were scarce in and out of Vancouver due to the Olympics. The Canadian border guard was friendly and welcoming. And we are now back in a land where you can strike up a casual conversation in the line up (not the queue) for the check out at Safeway.
- Coffee is the national drug
I have written enough about coffee in the past, but when you come back to Vancouver you notice just how many coffee bars there are. And how many people walk around with a coffee cup in the streets, in the shops and even on the trails. Personally I still like to sit down with a coffee and don’t regard it as an essential prop. Maybe I am not truly Canadian yet?
One more point, coffee is not always good coffee. Outside the big cities you don’t get “bar drinks” (espresso based coffee) and if you do it is not well made. You may be left with Tim Hortons and other trucker coffees!
- Dogs
Vancouver seems to be dog obsessed. Even in the downtown core, you see a lot of dogs. They are mostly the small, cute ones. You know the kind – seen in a purse, or dressed up in designer outfits. In the burbs dogs are more likely to be larger and less cute, but perhaps just as indulged. Worse thing I have seen is drivers with dogs in their laps.
- Bears and wild critters
We do get them. Even in the urban areas. Ok no bears in downtown Vancouver, but any of the communities to the north will have bears coming down from the mountains to forage for food. In the urban areas we get raccoons, skunks and coyotes. Mostly a nuisance on garbage day, but also a potential predator for your pet cat.
- Casual clothing
Sometimes I forget we are a city. Vancouverites don’t dress very smartly in the main. You can see casual, outdoor clothes way more than business suits. Yoga clothing is almost a standard dress for some people.
- Cost of living
Two things stand out as expensive when you compare to the UK – cellphones and car insurance. Both are a real shock for newcomers. Cellphone plans work out expensive and especially when you bear in mind most require you to pay for incoming calls. Ouch!
Basic car insurance is a government monopoly. And so it wont surprise you that it is expensive.
- Driving
Again a subject that gets a lot of attention. I was struck (not literally!) by how slow we tend to drive in Vancouver. The cars are large and powerful, but they go at a sedate pace and can get confused by such complexities as a roundabout! I guess that could explain the high car insurance costs.