I just returned from a whirlwind trip to Vancouver and I wanted to reflect on some of my thoughts while everything is still fresh.
1. Canadians are really REALLY friendly people. Everyone was friendly. Even the border guards, the customs agents and the airport security agents. They are also super laid back. They don’t get hung up on things like Americans do. They don’t go from zero to deadly force like Americans do. When someone does something silly or stupid, they laugh at them instead of trying to arrest them.
2. Their units are really confusing. They use both metric and imperial, interchangeably. Road signs are all in KM/H but in grocery stores you may be buying things in kgs, pounds, grams, ounces, etc. Also some places use Fahrenheit and some places use Celsius.
3. They have great taste in food. Pretty much any kind of cuisine that you could want is within a 20 minute walk from the City Centre.
4. They throw unnecessary letters onto words. Like the British. Program is Programme. Honor is Honour. Center is Centre. You get the drift.
5. They LOVE their sports teams. But even then, they are pretty nice to the other team too.
6. Vancouver is a very green place. Both literally and figuratively. They teach their kids about recycling from birth. Even food waste is recycled. There is very little litter or graffiti. Busses are all electric. Lots of people bike. It was refreshing.
7. They don’t advertise prescription drugs. Their philosophy is that your doctor will tell you that you need a drug, you shouldn’t have to ask them. I think Americans are the only ones who advertise prescription drugs direct to consumers.
8. They all seem to be super outdoorsy people. Hiking, biking, kayaking, off-roading. It doesn’t hurt that there are loads of beautiful mountains and trails within an hour of the city.
9. Every third car you see in Vancouver is priced at $100k or more. I guess that socialism thing isn’t so bad.
10. They make great friends. My friend Liam showed me such an amazing time. Although it was completely unnecessary, he spent $1000 on alcohol one night that we went out to make sure that everyone in the bar had a good time. Even people he didn’t know and will never see again. I also met this amazing girl Michelle who I feel like I’ve known forever. Some of my American “friends” can’t even be bothered to return my texts. It definitely makes me rethink the people I invest my time and energy on.
