Expat Andy

Have you considered Vancouver Island? My family and I love it here, but it is certainly a quieter lifestyle than Vancouver. Property prices are a little cheaper.

dboy

My family are here from the uk and love Kokanee - i like it - nice and easy, just like life on the west coast. Just had a great day in white rock - it was hot. Had lunch at the boat house. God life is rough.

dboy

Just a matter of time before someone comes along and slams vancouver's homeless problem or the rain. Incidentally the last 6 weeks or so have been great weather wise.

Off white water rafting tomorrow on the Thompson river.

gibsonslanding

we've been here 3 months (at least me and the kids, hubby 6 months).......LOVE IT.....so much to do/see.......

kids are taking a time to adjust (16 and 18) but they do overall love it.....for them it's the social life that they need to be re-building; they're getting there.....

it's a fab place......

heidi40

Thank you guys for your thoughts. When we stayed in vancouver for two weeks we almost cried when we left. We hope that it would feel the same when we go there for good.
Can anyone tell me about schools in vancouver. my son is 12 and we already seen a school called holleyburn in west vancouver. They seen alright but I have no idea about the standards? Thanks

NomadicJ

Hey again Heidi,

Where are you thinking of living? I've latched onto Kits because of the nearby university and beach (and dboy raves about it so much ). I've been looking at rentals and $1500/pcm seems about right for a nice 2 bed.
Craigslist seems to be the Canadian version of Gumtree over here and has a load of apartments on one year leases...

heidi40

Hi nomadicj I loved north and west vancouver. west vancouver I suppose would be out of our reach but north van around capilano road is so beautiful. Well we have to see where desteny will take us!!

dboy

School will depend on where you are living.

dboy

Kits rocks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caDXXzufXLU

NomadicJ

Thanks dboy,

Jesus, you know how to make people impatient don't you...

So how am I going to show my litarary, artsy girfriend how great kits is?

JonboyE

My turn next month, but we go to the Wenatchee River in WA.

Lychee

Typically you send your kids to the school within the catchment area of where you live. Canadians pay less attention to what school their children will go to because the public school system (at least around Vancouver) is good and they all follow the same curriculum - differences between schools are marginal. At least marginal enough not to be too stressed over what school your child will go to - after all, the school they will go to is determined by the neighbourhood you choose to live in.

In other words, if you live in a rich neighbourhood, your kids will be going to school with other children who are likely to be rich. If you live in a poor neighbourhood, your kids will be going to school with other children who are likely to be poor.

Hollyburn is likely no better or no worse than any other school in and around Vancouver, except the children who go there will likely come from exceedingly wealthy families. That will be the major difference.

ExKiwilass

Well said Lychee.

heidi40

How about renting a house then? Would it count as catchment area?

JonboyE

Yes.