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I understand what are you trying to say....if you want to go in Vancouver for your schooling it can be a nice choice....the city has a truly beautiful scenery setting and is not too big. Lots of outdoor opportunities.
Winters can be very depressing (gray, lots of rain) but this may not bother you.
Actually rental costs can be reasonable, totally disconnected from actual property prices which, understandably, you are not interested at this point in your life.
I always said that Vancouver is a great place to live in your 20s, much less past that.
At some point you will have to think about a career and maybe owning a house......this is where Vancouver fall definitely short.
Cost of living can be very high (leave alone statistics, I'm talking about real experience of daily life) and job prospects are not great.
My point is, Vancouver may make perfect sense at your stage in life but why not picking a city where you can actually have the opportunity to stick around after school??
Maybe you could look at places with great interior designer schools AND great job opportunities after that.
If you like the northwest lifestyle I can tell you for my personal experience that Seattle is very similar to Vancouver but with vastly greater job opportunities and an actual lower cost of living (lived in Vancouver, moved to Seattle)
But I do not know about interior design schools here.
Yeah, it is honestly more of an adventure for me. I may not stay after school, we'll see. I (like many others) have always wanted to live in another country, experience new culture, and see the world in a different light. And I'm lucky enough to realize it at a young age when I'm not bogged down by commitment.
I’m not sure why some folks here are being so negative and frankly condescending with you. You want to know if Vancouver is a good place to go when you are young and relatively free of obligations. I say that it is! I lived there for a few years in my mid-twenties and had a great time. I met people from all kinds of backgrounds; professional, artistic etc…
For someone who grew up in Eastern Ontario, the Pacific Northwest climate was an awesome change. I didn’t mind the rain and “gloom”. I loved how the light was different, how the air smelled like trees, how the mist hung over the mountains – all the intangible things that give you a sense of place and make you feel like you belong, even when you are a newcomer. If the school has a good reputation and you can swing the costs associated with being a foreign student in Canada, then why not go for it? As you stated, you are not tied to staying in Vancouver in any way afterwards – don’t know why other posters are treating you like you are dying to sign up for a mortgage in Vancouver. There are always ways to live frugally or creatively – even in an expensive city like Vancouver.
I've heard many people talk about the smell of pine trees; totally awesome! I love dark, mysterious gloomy days so I was happy to hear that the city gets lots of rain in the Winter. I'm very excited and can't help but map out the adventures I'm going to take in BC during my free-time. The only problem is telling my parents- who are currently wondering why I'm not actively applying for colleges yet! They just think I'm lazy. If only they knew...!
Yeah, it is honestly more of an adventure for me. I may not stay after school, we'll see. I (like many others) have always wanted to live in another country, experience new culture, and see the world in a different light. And I'm lucky enough to realize it at a young age when I'm not bogged down by commitment.
Well if you want to experience a dramatic change in culture in another country, Canada would not be my first choice...it is still very similar to the US in terms of lifestyle and culture.
A better option, remaining within the comfort of an English speaking language, would be Australia or England over Canada.
Well if you want to experience a dramatic change in culture in another country, Canada would not be my first choice...it is still very similar to the US in terms of lifestyle and culture.
A better option, remaining within the comfort of an English speaking language, would be Australia or England over Canada.
Okay, no, you don't seem to get it. I'm going to Vancouver. Not Australia, England, Ethiopia, Russia, Mexico. That's what I've decided...
Joan, Vancouver used to be one of the best cities in the world probably back in the 90's. Then everything got expensive, traffic has become so congested, wages stagnant, taxes so damn high.
However we hardly ever have snow and when the sun comes up, we are truly one of the best looking cities in the world. Our winters are fairly mild compared to everyone else, but a lot of rain and overcast days.
Public transit has improved and more options to go other places.
Vancouver is definitely not the place to move and live if you plan to start a family unless you have a lucrative career or your partner does. Or unless you have rich parents.
I find most people born in Vancouver wish things were back they were when it was actually affordable. People who love it here with no gripes tend to be the richer citizens who have don't have the same worries as the average shrinking middle man. Other people who love it here tend to be those without kids and don't mind renting for the rest of their life.
If you like the northwest lifestyle I can tell you for my personal experience that Seattle is very similar to Vancouver but with vastly greater job opportunities and an actual lower cost of living (lived in Vancouver, moved to Seattle)
But I do not know about interior design schools here.
I don't think Seattle is quite adequate as a "Vancouver substitute". The economy is more robust but the access you have to the outdoors, the beauty of the area and the perks of being a Canadian (somewhat more affordable healthcare etc) will be compromised. I find Seattle sort of an ugly city and without a car it would be a very depressing place to live in a lot of ways. The people are colder and the city feels "deader" and smaller than Vancouver as well.
I don't think Seattle is quite adequate as a "Vancouver substitute". The economy is more robust but the access you have to the outdoors, the beauty of the area and the perks of being a Canadian (somewhat more affordable healthcare etc) will be compromised. I find Seattle sort of an ugly city and without a car it would be a very depressing place to live in a lot of ways. The people are colder and the city feels "deader" and smaller than Vancouver as well.
That's another thing I'm excited about! I can get by without a car. Where I live now we have no public transport. I still want to explore upper BC at some point, though, so hopefully I can meet some friends who have cars that will take me there.
I don't think Seattle is quite adequate as a "Vancouver substitute". The economy is more robust but the access you have to the outdoors, the beauty of the area and the perks of being a Canadian (somewhat more affordable healthcare etc) will be compromised. I find Seattle sort of an ugly city and without a car it would be a very depressing place to live in a lot of ways. The people are colder and the city feels "deader" and smaller than Vancouver as well.
Give Saturno a break. He works in Seattle so it's natural for him to say that. In fact, I've seen him frequent all the Vancouver related discussions only to trash Vancouver and warn potential new comers. Seriously dude, if you don't want to live in some place, that's your choice, don't make decisions for others who have very different life circumstances and goals than yourself. I'm no fan of Vancouver and have no intentions of moving there in the near future, but it's just bad taste to trash talk people out of something on an online forum.
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The only problem is telling my parents- who are currently wondering why I'm not actively applying for colleges yet! They just think I'm lazy. If only they knew...! 
I'm going to Vancouver. Not Australia, England, Ethiopia, Russia, Mexico. That's what I've decided...
