Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
#31
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
This morning, at the horse barn, the barn owner's husband was absent, usually he turns out the horses. He was being a ski patrol person at one of the nearby slopes. From this I conclude that there are people misguided enough to participate in outdoor activities every day even in the winter.
#32
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
I have never experienced this in the almost 12 years that I have lived here and, to put that in context, I am a lawyer that used to work for a large downtown law firm. I now work for myself.
I know that some posters on here have stated that but, most from the UK that I have met have told me that the workplace is way more relaxed here than it was wherever they came from in the UK and, as Canadians generally take a week to do what would be expected by employers in the UK to do in a day, they are was less stressed here at work than in the UK. I accept that there will be exceptions to that.
No one in my family has find it difficult to make friends and socialise and I sincerely believe that, if you wish to get involved in any form of activity in Calgary, there will be a group that is already doing it that will be happy to welcome you if you simply show up and get involved. However, Calgarians hate those that whine. So if you show up, tell them how shit it is compared to how it was in the UK, they will simply smile at you and not speak to you. This can be a good, or bad, thing.
I would say that most of your success or failure will be down to your attitude. Calgarians don't give a shit about where you came from, what race/religion/nationality/gender/sexuality you are. If you turn up, do the best you can, and get on with things, they will do their best to help you. I accept that there are exceptions to this but, in general, this is how they act towards everyone.
I know that some posters on here have stated that but, most from the UK that I have met have told me that the workplace is way more relaxed here than it was wherever they came from in the UK and, as Canadians generally take a week to do what would be expected by employers in the UK to do in a day, they are was less stressed here at work than in the UK. I accept that there will be exceptions to that.
No one in my family has find it difficult to make friends and socialise and I sincerely believe that, if you wish to get involved in any form of activity in Calgary, there will be a group that is already doing it that will be happy to welcome you if you simply show up and get involved. However, Calgarians hate those that whine. So if you show up, tell them how shit it is compared to how it was in the UK, they will simply smile at you and not speak to you. This can be a good, or bad, thing.
I would say that most of your success or failure will be down to your attitude. Calgarians don't give a shit about where you came from, what race/religion/nationality/gender/sexuality you are. If you turn up, do the best you can, and get on with things, they will do their best to help you. I accept that there are exceptions to this but, in general, this is how they act towards everyone.
The natural mountainous skyline is a major feature here - move somewhere you get to see it, if not from your home, then as you drive around your neighbourhood. It grounds you as to why you chose this place. It’s like the ocean for some - if you’re going to live near it, you want to bathe in its beauty! I take literal and mental deep breaths daily as I thank my surroundings.
The economy and job market has been tough in some areas, but it’s not awful. Unemployment in Alberta is down to about 6.3%, and to 7.9% in Calgary (and for Canada it’s down to its lowest in decades at about 5.6%). The city continues to grow. It’s not a beautiful city, but it has pockets of beauty, and is a very liveable city.
#33
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 817
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Calgarians don't give a shit about where you came from, what race/religion/nationality/gender/sexuality you are. If you turn up, do the best you can, and get on with things, they will do their best to help you. I accept that there are exceptions to this but, in general, this is how they act towards everyone.
#34
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
In Calgary, it is very unusual to find people that were born there and have lived there all their lives. Most are from elsewhere so you won't find the "them and us" mentality.
#35
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2018
Location: London, UK
Posts: 43
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
My husband and I are 30 and 31 with no intention of ever having children- we live in inglewood in a Calgary because it’s a neighbourhood with pubs, bars, restaurants and quirky boutique shops- we’re right on the river pathways and have a lovely park on our doorstep. We are also a short distance from downtown- we often just walk into downtown as it’s close enough.
We are frequently in the mountains just for the day- it doesn’t take that long to get there and we don’t have to spend money staying over.
Most of our friends don’t have kids- though those that do still have jobs that means they need to be near the city so they sort of live on the outskirts of the city where they could get a much bigger house for less money.
My husbands boss lives in Cochrane and we spend a fair amount of time at hers. She commutes in- though not every day- but it would be too far a commute for me into the city each day.
My drive to work from the SE of the city to the NW takes 25 mins and that’s long enough for me.
We both enjoy living here though. We are outside a LOT! The weather very rarely stops you going outside- so we spend a lot more time outside here than we did in the U.K. It’s sunny most of the time, eating out is cheaper and it’s a fairly young city in terms of its residents- we made friends initially through colleagues and it’s been pretty nice!!
We have lived here for 2 years and still find ourselves in awe of where we live when we drive to the mountains.
I don’t know if any of that hat will help you but we’re pretty much the same age and it sounds like we enjoy the same sort of things so thought I would share our views.
Good luck!
#36
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2018
Location: London, UK
Posts: 43
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
There, AC has pretty much done all my typing for me! I live in Cochrane and commute to work (about 25 to 40 mins, depending on time of year). I work hard, but have a great balance. A good life can be had here. You have access to whatever you need, whether in Cochrane itself or in Calgary. You have a wide variety of avenues for singing in this city and the surrounds. Access to skiing, hiking, riding, kayaking, whatever outdoorsy pursuit tickles your fancy is never that far away. Calgary just landed 16 restaurants in the top 100 in Canada, only behind Toronto in numbers.
The natural mountainous skyline is a major feature here - move somewhere you get to see it, if not from your home, then as you drive around your neighbourhood. It grounds you as to why you chose this place. It’s like the ocean for some - if you’re going to live near it, you want to bathe in its beauty! I take literal and mental deep breaths daily as I thank my surroundings.
The economy and job market has been tough in some areas, but it’s not awful. Unemployment in Alberta is down to about 6.3%, and to 7.9% in Calgary (and for Canada it’s down to its lowest in decades at about 5.6%). The city continues to grow. It’s not a beautiful city, but it has pockets of beauty, and is a very liveable city.
#37
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: SW Calgary
Posts: 776
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Bankview
Beltline
Lower Mount Royal
Mission
Cliff Bungalow
Sunalta
Eau Claire
Hillhurst
Sunnyside
Crescent Heights
Bridgeland
East Village
Last edited by Photoplex; Dec 11th 2018 at 3:20 pm.
#38
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Completely agree with you about the mountains. The major reason i'm not considering Edmonton as much as because although I really liked it, I loved being able to get a surprise view of the mountains in Calgary. Looks amazing. Ah I'm so excited - I know it's just a pipe dream at the moment but everything you've all said has been so encouraging. I was worried I would get a lot of comments saying I'd be mad to come over on my own, would never make friends etc etc but I feel really positive about this.
#39
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: SW Calgary
Posts: 776
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey for November 2018 - Unemployment rates:
- BC 4.4%
- Alberta 6.3%
- Saskatchewan 5.5%
- Manitoba 5.7%
- Ontario 5.6%
- Quebec 5.4%
- New Brunswick 7.9%
- Nova Scotia 7.0%
- PEI 8.5%
- NFLD 12.2%
#40
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey for November 2018 - Unemployment rates:
- BC 4.4%
- Alberta 6.3%
- Saskatchewan 5.5%
- Manitoba 5.7%
- Ontario 5.6%
- Quebec 5.4%
- New Brunswick 7.9%
- Nova Scotia 7.0%
- PEI 8.5%
- NFLD 12.2%
#42
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2018
Location: London, UK
Posts: 43
Re: Help me narrow down locations - advice needed
Haha very good point. Don’t worry, I’m pretty flexible with respect to jobs. Having spent two years working 100 hour weeks and having no life I’m much happier having taken a pay cut and a change of career direction for fewer hours. I’m a pretty adaptable person, I will find something to do. But that being said I’m going to start working my network to see what comes up!