Photo: Vancouver Sun

Hello Vancouver! I’m Britanny. As you may or may not know, I’m new to this city! Here’s a bit of my perspective on the city I’ve come to know and love:

You know when you arrive in a new city and you feel like a total alien? You’re constantly lost, a new public transit system could not be more daunting, you don’t know the “places” yet (your closest coffee shop, grocery store, gym, wine store, you know, the basics), and everything just feels a bit strange. This is my third metropolitan city since 2014 and I was fully prepared to embrace full alien mode. Here’s the thing, I woke up every morning, walked new streets, sipped new coffee in new coffee shops, wandered the aisles of a new grocery store, and went about my day-to-day life feeling entirely at ease and all with an unexpected feeling of belonging. Because it was a wonderful feeling I was experiencing, I really didn’t put much thought into it, until I came to a second realization: Vancouverites are more prideful of their city than I’ve ever experienced elsewhere, and as a result (I believe) they are astonishingly welcoming and excited to share their home’s wonder. Continue reading:
A Newcomer’s Observations Vol 5: Local Pride