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Thanks Alegria2,
That's a good point. Believe me, I've seen many of my grad school friends in the cohort before me accept jobs in the middle of nowhere so I'm not under the impression that I will be able to choose my exact location. There are just a list of cities that I'd like to move to. I'm in the process of weighing the pros and cons and I won't be graduating until December, at the earliest. Out of curiosity, what ongoing decline in the quality of life is happening in Canada? Are you talking in terms of retrenchment of social welfare policies or something like that. Sorry, what I study has more to do with urban policy and sustainable development initiatives. I am also considering working in the private sector too either as a policy analyst or a sustainability consultant of some sort. If I'm lucky enough to score a job like that.
Krock67, thanks for the encouraging words. Did you say you're also from Florida? How have you adapted to the weather in Toronto?
Maclock, there is no need to be unpleasant. I don't consider myself sanctimonious. In addition to preferring Canadian social policy I am interested in moving to Toronto because of its safety. I have had more than five houses broken into in Miami and I have witnessed carjackings and other violent crimes. I am also the first person in my family to go to college and I am the child of immigrants. Please do not try to portray me as some type of elitist. I am sure that you are interested in many things that are not of interest to me at all as well. If you are so miserable in Toronto, you should leave on the next plane. You have a serious chip on your shoulder and you seem to have it in for anybody with an advanced level of education. I was simply asking you to elaborate on why you think the U.S. may be a better option because I was genuinely interested in what you have to say. Remember, I am also considering relocating to various U.S. cities (Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago).
I can tell you that you would fit well in Toronto. It's a genuinely interesting city and the people are approachable and friendly AND easygoing, especially the women.
Don't believe most of the crap you read in this forum, as I suspect most people who post here have never left the city for any extended period of time and are pretty clueless about how good we really have it here.
Out of curiosity, what ongoing decline in the quality of life is happening in Canada? Are you talking in terms of retrenchment of social welfare policies or something like that.
In a nutshell yes. I recently returned to Canada after 12 years overseas and am very disappointed with the current political stance. Should history repeat itself, things will be back to normal in another 5-7 years
Quote:
Originally Posted by JProg305
Sorry, what I study has more to do with urban policy and sustainable development initiatives. I am also considering working in the private sector too either as a policy analyst or a sustainability consultant of some sort. If I'm lucky enough to score a job like that.
At the community level, I think you'd find urban policy and sustainability issues very progressive and exciting in Toronto but at the federal level, it's mere lip service. I work in the not-so-distant environmental sector and am ashamed at Canada's record on environmental issues and sustainability.
I wish I knew something about Boston, Philly or Chicago to help you out. I will say this, barring the need to be street smart as you would in any large city, Toronto is very safe. One thing to consider however is that the cost of living is much higher here than in the US while the salary base is lower.
As an aside and completely off topic, I am also a first generation college graduate and am often frustrated by how I'm perceived now that I have a formal education... doesn't seem to matter that I grew up in a single-parent welfare home or completed my first degree as a mature student while working full-time... Ignorance breeds fear.
Last edited by Alegria2; 06-26-2011 at 10:20 PM..
Reason: Typo
Don't believe most of the crap you read in this forum, as I suspect most people who post here have never left the city for any extended period of time and are pretty clueless about how good we really have it here.
Thanks Alegria2. I'm always surprised at how many negative people are on these forums. It's nice to hear a balanced opinion. I'm in the same boat as you. My parents are refugees from Cuba and I was raised in a single parent home for the most part. I also worked in order to support myself through graduate school. Last year I was working two jobs (teaching classes at my university and tutoring) so that I wouldn't have to take out loans. Is it hard for most urban Canadians to get by considering the higher cost of living and the lower average salaries? I don't need to live an extravagant lifestyle and I understand that you have to pay for the advantages that Canada offers (health care, safety, etc.).
Maclock, there is no need to be unpleasant. I don't consider myself sanctimonious. In addition to preferring Canadian social policy I am interested in moving to Toronto because of its safety. I have had more than five houses broken into in Miami and I have witnessed carjackings and other violent crimes. I am also the first person in my family to go to college and I am the child of immigrants. Please do not try to portray me as some type of elitist. I am sure that you are interested in many things that are not of interest to me at all as well. If you are so miserable in Toronto, you should leave on the next plane. You have a serious chip on your shoulder and you seem to have it in for anybody with an advanced level of education. I was simply asking you to elaborate on why you think the U.S. may be a better option because I was genuinely interested in what you have to say. Remember, I am also considering relocating to various U.S. cities (Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago).
JProg305, you might be the nicest guy in the world, but based on your expressed interests and concerns, we wouldn't be pals and that's perfectly fine. And I wasn't implying that you're sanctimonious. You might want to take another look at what I wrote earlier. There are hordes of sanctimonious types in Toronto, however.
What I was trying to get at is that it's likely the overweening bounded thinkers of Toronto will welcome you into their social circles despite your Americanness because you dig all of that Canadian social policy stuff. Move to Toronto, marvel at all of the stuff that they think is important, and they'll accept you. Many of us Canadians from, you know, less groovy parts of the country, where people are more sensible and don't understand their obsession with fixies and all manner of other nonsense, don't relate well to them at all, but that's how it goes.
I'm very well educated myself, but I don't much care for quite a few people in the academe. They can be an exceedingly tedious bunch if ever there were one.
I left Toronto for the last time about 12 years ago. I took a run at living there two different times. It did not suit me at all. It's far from being everyone's cup of tea. It would suit someone with a PhD in sociology who is a self-styled progressive, however. Trust me on that.
Maclock,
Fair enough. Urban policy and sustainable development just happens to be what I study. I understand that no city is a utopia, but the research indicates that Canadian cities have paid more attention to these issues than U.S. cities. There are many U.S. cities that have been awarded accolades in this arena as well (Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, etc.) and I'm sure that there are many people in those cities that don't agree with the policies that have been implemented and/or don't care very much about the issue at all to begin with.
I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. Maybe my "self styled" progressive mentality is a reaction to the conservatism of the Cuban American exile community. I don't know. Believe me, I'm familiar with the annoyances of being around uber progressive people all the time. My mix of friends represents a pretty diverse range of political beliefs. I'm also not super jazzed about the culture of academia which is why I'd prefer to work at a small, liberal arts college, community college, or the private sector.
Maclock,
Fair enough. Urban policy and sustainable development just happens to be what I study. I understand that no city is a utopia, but the research indicates that Canadian cities have paid more attention to these issues than U.S. cities. There are many U.S. cities that have been awarded accolades in this arena as well (Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, etc.) and I'm sure that there are many people in those cities that don't agree with the policies that have been implemented and/or don't care very much about the issue at all to begin with.
Even with its current polarization, most of the desirable parts of the United States seem to be better places to voice dissenting opinions. In my opinion, the left in Canada encourages people to be shrill, confrontational and unpleasant. They're the real extremists north of the border. Once again, that's just this man's opinion.
If I were you, then I'd look very hard at any of the American cities that you just rattled off before considering Toronto. America gets a bum rap from both within and without its borders. At least having grown up there, you understand the massive regional differences in the country, a reality that is lost on many Canadians, Europeans, and others.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JProg305
I guess the grass is always greener on the other side. Maybe my "self styled" progressive mentality is a reaction to the conservatism of the Cuban American exile community. I don't know. Believe me, I'm familiar with the annoyances of being around uber progressive people all the time. My mix of friends represents a pretty diverse range of political beliefs. I'm also not super jazzed about the culture of academia which is why I'd prefer to work at a small, liberal arts college, community college, or the private sector. [Emphasis added.]
Small LACs don't really seem to exist outside the United States in quite the same way. In Canada, there are only a handful of such public institutions that I can think of -- Bishop's University, Mount Allison University, St. Francis Xavier University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Thomas University, University of King's College, University of Prince Edward Island, Acadia University, Brandon University and perhaps Trent University (Trent may be too large to be considered an LAC) come to mind -- and none are anywhere near Toronto. In fact, only King's is in a municipality of any size (Halifax, Nova Scotia). There are some smaller faith-based schools in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick, but they are unlikely to be your cup of tea.
Being open to teaching in community colleges will help a great deal, however, but I should think that in Toronto, even competition for positions at such places will be pretty intense. That's just an educated guess on my part, however.
Toronto does have a massive civil service, though, and between the three levels of government in the city and the private sector, you should be able to find a job. Whether it will be the job of your dreams is another matter of course.
I wish you nothing but the best of luck, man. Seriously, I do. Finding a place that is a good fit can be a challenge. But with your stated interests and your PhD, I do think that the left-liberal element of Toronto will welcome you with open arms.
I still think that my first post is the most accurate.
Few men who have lived elsewhere would say that on the whole Toronto women are approachable. Some evidence for this can be found by following the links I posted here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/toron...l#post19762972
No one has disputed my claim that, except for very good looking men, online dating is hard for men here.
There is still the possibility of meeting people (both men and women) through work. Now I agree with Maclock that there is reason to think that, based on your qualifications and interests, there are social circles that would be receptive to you. The question is how would you break into these circles. I think doing so would be easier if you didn't have an academic job. As I said, if you did get an academic job there's a good chance that most of your departmental colleagues will be older. If your department is large, however, that certainly increases the chances that you'll have younger colleagues. (Other factors are relevant here too. For example, if your department has a PhD program then there's also the chance that you can develop social relationships with advanced PhD students.)
The point is that if you do make connections through work, then Toronto can be good for you. You could make friends at work, make more friends through them, and even have a relatively active dating life through the women you meet through both of these groups. But if you don't establish connections at work I'm afraid that Toronto will probably be difficult for you. That may well be a risk that you're willing to take. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't take that risk.
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