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Vancouver people are pleasant but not friendly. You've experience the pleasant side of them. The difficult part is trying to actually make REAL friends... you know, people to go to the movies with, go out for dinner with, talk to about your problems, etc.
You'll find out very quickly that vancouverites are substantially less interested in you (or anyone else for that matter) than they are in their smartphones.
But yeah, they'll be forever nice and kind to you. Just don't expect that to evolve into anything else.
"Making actual friends" is not easy anywhere. Doesn't just happen. Often there have to be trying circumstances that become joint memories. I'm always baffled by people who want to form deep emotional bonds with no common experiences.
I lived in Vancouver, northern BC, Toronto area, and the Southern US. Out of all the places, I would say that BC overall can be aloof and distant, in my opinion. The aloofness and coldness in Vancouver may be more pronounced because there are more people, and because people may need more emotional space.
I'm not saying BCians are mean or bad people, but maybe more socially "selective" and "guarded."
Someone mentioned the "Nordic" history, I think referring to Seattle's history. I'm curious about the history and personality type of the earlier British Columbian, which likely has a role to play in shaping the social environment today. Maybe more of an adventurous loner?
Even at college in BC, 90% of my friends were from the club that I joined (not much from classes or elsewhere), but we didn't hang out much apart from formal group activities, from what I recall. I remember people disappearing on Friday afternoons after class, not to be seen until the next meeting, lol.
Shortly after moving to the States, and also about at least half a year after moving to Toronto, my social world became wider and robust, somewhat naturally. I think people just wanted to socialize and have fun together more with others, i.e. meals, movies, dancing, etc.
I heard Newfoundland/ PEI is VERY friendly, on another note.
I just don't think BC is the most socially engaging place in Canada, you may have to take more initiative and reaching out. Good luck!
I heard Newfoundland/ PEI is VERY friendly, on another note.
I just don't think BC is the most socially engaging place in Canada, you may have to take more initiative and reaching out. Good luck!
Areas that are mainly rural, like the Atlantic provinces, are very different. Your social "networks" are a lot smaller. The second you're introduced to someone, they're an acquaintance. If you see them regularly, they're automatically a friend. Invite them to your house, they're a good friend. Easy peasy to socialize.
Moving to Ontario was quite an adjustment to me. I'll never see it as being as friendly as the Maritimes... OTOH, I think circumstances will colour how "friendly" a person finds a city that they've just moved to... If you're young when you move to a city, it's going to be a lot easier to get out and meet people your own age to hang around with. (Especially if disposable income is not an issue)... if you're young and pinching pennies, or middle aged with all of your time going into work/family, you're probably not going to have a wide circle of friends right away, no matter where you move to... just the way it is.
Having said that, I'm not familiar with Vancouver, but I think it's about 50/50 divided opinions from people I've met... some say it's more laid back and casual, some say people there are aloof...
In Seattle they have a term for it called the "Seattle Freeze" which could be used for Vancouver maybe call it the "Vancouver Chills" make sense as we are each other's sister city.
It is a PNW thing just like their is "Minnesota nice" and "Southern hospitality" that counter balance thus it is regional phenomenon.
The Seattle Freeze refers to a belief that it is especially difficult to make new friends in the city of Seattle, Washington. According to KUOW radio, a 2005 Seattle Times article was the oldest reference to the term found.
Newcomers to the area have described Seattleites as being standoffish, cold, distant, and not trusting, while in settings such as bars and parties, people from Seattle tend to mainly interact with their particular clique.
One author described the aversion to strangers as: "people are very polite but not particularly friendly."
It has been speculated that the origin of the phenomenon stems from the reserved personalities of the city's early Nordic and Japanese immigrants.
Other reasons might include the emotional effects of the climate or the region's history of independent-minded pioneers.
In fact Google any city and you will find people complaining a place isn't friendly enough.
For a reality check, find a place where you found the people really nice and friendly. I guarantee you will find some who have the opposite view.
In other words, it's not them, it 's you.
Nat....even you admitted that there are social differences between places...trying to negate that is frankly absurd.....
Sorry but Oslo is not Barcelona...not by any stretch of imagination....
I travel very often to Texas and Cali...these places tend to be more friendly than the PNW...they just are .....even my wife, a PNW native, admits it......
The latest example of people I know.....one of my acquaintances recently moved to Houston....he was living in the suburbs here and they live in the suburbs there....he told me it is so different....within 3 days he got invited to a couple of BBQ and he is amazed how much more friendly and willing to engage people are...years ago someone else moved to Austin...same story...
That does not mean everyone in Van or Seattle is a social inept and everybody in Rio de Janeiro is friendly.....
Last edited by saturno_v; 04-11-2017 at 11:16 AM..
To tell that it is all about you, but not about the place, is incorrect oversimplification. Places are very different and social environment is different. Before moving to Toronto I lived 4 years in Bangkok and these cities are shockingly different in terms of social environment.
To tell that it is all about you, but not about the place, is incorrect oversimplification. Places are very different and social environment is different. Before moving to Toronto I lived 4 years in Bangkok and these cities are shockingly different in terms of social environment.
I agree....but we are dealing with Natnasci here right?? Vancouver has no fault, it just can't have any faults, it is perfect, it is paradise on earth!!!
Last edited by saturno_v; 04-11-2017 at 11:53 AM..
Nat....even you admitted that there are social differences between places...trying to negate that is frankly absurd.....
Sorry but Oslo is not Barcelona...not by any stretch of imagination....
I travel very often to Texas and Cali...these places tend to be more friendly than the PNW...they just are .....even my wife, a PNW native, admits it......
The latest example of people I know.....one of my acquaintances recently moved to Houston....he was living in the suburbs here and they live in the suburbs there....he told me it is so different....within 3 days he got invited to a couple of BBQ and he is amazed how much more friendly and willing to engage people are...years ago someone else moved to Austin...same story...
That does not mean everyone in Van or Seattle is a social inept and everybody in Rio de Janeiro is friendly.....
Ottawa tends towards being extremely staid and conservative in its social scene, and I've heard a variety of theories about why that is, over the years. It's obviously not a partier's town,* even despite the decent population size.... People move here from across the country, so it's not like it can be entirely blamed on local culture.... The most interesting theory I've heard, is that because so many people work in the government, they're paranoid about cutting loose and letting it all hang out after work, in case anyone they know sees them (decent chance) and it all gets back to the office and bites them in the rear end career-wise. It's sorta plausible. People do tend to sort of have just a couple of degrees of acquaintances separating them here, there's quite a grapevine, and it's possible it puts a damper on things as far as the public social scene goes. That's the most novel explanation I've heard for Ottawa's blah social scene, anyway... (*generalization, but the generalization is generally true!)
For Vancouver, I'd love to hear some of the theories on why people there might be seen as standoffish to outsiders. It's not like it's a prim and proper city, so I find this intriguing...
Ottawa tends towards being extremely staid and conservative in its social scene, and I've heard a variety of theories about why that is, over the years. It's obviously not a partier's town,* even despite the decent population size.... People move here from across the country, so it's not like it can be entirely blamed on local culture.... The most interesting theory I've heard, is that because so many people work in the government, they're paranoid about cutting loose and letting it all hang out after work, in case anyone they know sees them (decent chance) and it all gets back to the office and bites them in the rear end career-wise. It's sorta plausible. People do tend to sort of have just a couple of degrees of acquaintances separating them here, there's quite a grapevine, and it's possible it puts a damper on things as far as the public social scene goes. That's the most novel explanation I've heard for Ottawa's blah social scene, anyway... (*generalization, but the generalization is generally true!)
For Vancouver, I'd love to hear some of the theories on why people there might be seen as standoffish to outsiders. It's not like it's a prim and proper city, so I find this intriguing...
Considering that this trait is very common to gray and cold cities around the world (with exceptions) one of the simplest explanation I have is that the weather does play a non trivial role on this.....not the only factor but it is a factor...
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maybe it's a BC thing
