Summer in VANCOUVER, what words come to mind?
Guess what? I have been living in Vancouver for two months already. Time flies!
I looked back on those two months and wrote about my thoughts on Vancouver. These are the keywords of my thoughts when I think about the word, Vancouver.
Mother Nature
When I first came here, the first thing that caught my eye was the nature in Vancouver. Especially, I could never get bored with the high stretched out trees, and I could never forget the scenery of the top of the Chief mountain and the view from the Lion Gate Bridge. Also, the fresh air of the suspension bridge park was refreshing.
Whenever I see the Stanley Park and Kitsilano Beach, which are downtown’s best friends, I envy Vancouver people. Vancouver is the city that has balanced city and nature, which is my dream place.
Rain
Raincouver is another name of Vancouver. It is always raining here, except in the summer season. I heard that the people who live here, they endure the gloomy rain season, and look forward to summer. Summer is the best season to come here. Not too hot and not too humid. It’s warm under the sun shine and cool in the shade. For this reason, in my opinion, people go outside and enjoy the nice and sunny weather a lot. They don’t want to miss a moment of sun shine.
Health and Fitness
The wonderful summer weather and nature here lures people outdoors. People in Vancouver like outdoor activities. Hiking, camping, climbing, mountain biking, skiing (even in summer they can. How amazing!), golfing and more. It’s very easy to see someone doing activities. I think people in Vancouver are very interested in taking care of themselves and about health and exercise in general.
Cultural Diversity and Etiquette
I’d heard about the cultural diversity in Vancouver. I realized that especially at parade in Canada Day, July 1st. If you want to see the video of Canada Day’s Parade, click the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPGRFBUO75U&feature=youtu.be
On Canada day, not only Canadians but also the people who came from a variety of countries and live in Vancouver, celebrate the day. It was impressive that they wore their traditional clothes, held Canada flags and joined the parade. How do they live together harmoniously? I would say, as a person who has been living here for two months, the answer is etiquette. Consideration and respect for others. This is the key to their harmonious life, I think. It may sound so obvious but I would say it’s not easy.
Vancouver Busses
The Coast Mountain Bus Company is the public transportation system that I use the most. Without it, I cannot go anywhere. It’s too bad that the busses are less frequent than in Seoul but at least I can check when they come. It’s convenient to take because I only need to have a Compass card. Oh, There’s one tip that’s good to know about the bus. You cannot get change even if you paid more than they need. I bought a monthly pass Compass card so I don’t need to worry about change.
Long days
In summer the days are long. Longer than I imagined. Usually Seoul gets dark at 8 or 8:30pm in summer. But here, in my experience, at 9pm it is still bright and sun starts to go down from 9:30pm and becoming totally dark at 10pm. This is so good because I feel safer when the sun is out. I can spend more time outside and enjoy the life here.
Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.
- Bil Keane
I’m sad that I have only a month left, but I’ll fill these 30 days with new, exciting, and enjoying moments, thinking of the present as a gift.
