For what it's worth, Vancouver has a large ESL student population, many of whom come from Brazil and Mexico.

I would roll with those in a comparison with Toronto.

I would also add that people in Vancouver aren't as freindly or well groomed based on my experiences (could just be me). I am only comparing downtown areas.

The access to Mountains and easy sailing is a huge plus however and as a city it definately feels cleaner than Toronto- less smog and grit etc.....

As far as cities go, I rather like Van. but the driving is horrendous. Learned to drive there in the 70's and never minded until about the 90's but now rarely go down because of the traffic. Also they're building too many highrises for my liking, I remember when Van. had more of a small town feel.

Kristina

Never heard that one before, although certainly very casual. No one ever seems to dress up when going out and dress codes don't exist (other than track pants and gang affiliated attire in some places). I've gotten used to it and wear a suit and tie everyday for work, so like the change.

There are no established black communities here but there are a significant number scattered throughout the lower mainland.

If hard drugs and marijuana is your vice then there's plenty of that.

not alway raining - just 50% of the time

I don't see much street food for sale here.

true. I would never advise anyone to come here with little money and no support group. If you ever find yourself in a pickle few are willing to lend a hand.

yep too much rain, no black community, no vices, no street vendors, drugs, and poor grooming (an oh, expensive cheese) don't come, it's terrible.

vvv poor fashion!!

But 501s have not changed in decades.

They werent good the 1st time round!

The best, could not wear them for work, the co insisted on those uniform thingies could not even decorate the parachute!

Some of them. Van is not like the east coast, it's true, neither culturally nor in respect to ethnic demographics. like someone else said, this is a pacific rim city, not an atlantic focused one. It actually reminds me more of australian/kiwi cities than east coast ones in terms of demographics. Random anecdote: a prof at UBC was telling me that they have a lot of trouble keeping talent from the east coast - NY, etc because of the cultural differences. However, other nationalities - like nzers, aussies - seem to adjust better.

re: lack of black people. Historically there were black communities here. I'm on Salt Spring Island right now for xmas and this island was one of the places slaves escaping from the US came to and developed. There are no black people here now though - it's hippy crunchy white people paradise with a rim of newly arrived asian. Likewise, Strathcona, aka my fave neighbourhood in van, was the historical black neighbourhood of van until the powers that be decided to run a bloody great viaduct through it and break it up.

I wonder where they went, and why there is very little evidence of these communities now. I read somewhere some went back after the liberation of the slaves in the US, but yeah, kind of a mystery. Clearly BC was not all that.

My best mate over in Van was also originally from S London and described himself as the only n*****r in town, (defo his words). I was also mates with another 4 or 5 black blokes from different parts of England.

Ooh embarrassingly so.

At work they could never get over my trainer fixation. Should of seen it in the 80's!

oooh I still love a good pair of trainers - I tend to get them off ebay!!