Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PatrickSiheung]

So me and the wife are considering moving to B.C. when we leave Korea. I'd love to hear from some people that used to live there. Where's a good area to live?

We're thinking Vancouver but are open to other places too. I'm originally from Ottawa and I'm so sick and tired of the freezing winters and ungodly hot summers. I need some nice weather for a change.

Suggestions on cities and city areas would be great. Thanks!

[Zed]

Do you have some line of work set up? I like Victoria but some people might find it a little dull compared to Van. It's more relaxing though and you don't spend so much time travelling around to get from point A to point B. The weather's similar but, if anything, it gets a touch less rain than Vancouver and stats say that the average temperature there is slightly higher also.

[PatrickSiheung]

No work lined up so I don't need to move anywhere specifically for a job. I'm pretty much free to choose any city.

Victoria sounds nice. How hot does it get though? If it gets close to 30 and humid, forget it I'm under the impression cities like Vancouver have a high around 25? And no humidity.

Which area of Victoria would you recommend? I like to walk places so anywhere near stuff like shopping, super market, bank would be ideal. I hate driving or taking a bus just to get groceries

[Zed]

It doesn't get that much warmer than Vancouver. I think the difference in the summer would be negligible.

There were some decent areas in the vicinity of downtown when I used to go there 10 years back. I don't know how the neighbourhoods have changed since then. The area near Willow Beach was also nice but I think you would have to go several blocks to find anything affordable there.

Depending what kind of work you are doing Vancouver would probably be an easier place to secure employment. Kitsilano and the area just south of it are nice and you could probably find something affordable there but it's not the cheapest area. i lived in East Van on Commercial Drive which was the cheap area in the mid-90s. Maybe it still is. The property crime rate there was getting a bit out of hand though.

[PatrickSiheung]

Thanks, I'll check out those areas.

Crime rate is another thing I'd like to consider. I don't mind paying a bit more for an apartment if I don't have to have bars on my windows, know what I mean?

What would you consider the safest area there? We'll likely be settling there for a while so a nice area with lots of families would be perfect. Also, I don't want to be afraid to walk outside at night

[Gord]

The fastest growing part of the province is the Okanagan Valley, specifically Kelowna. That's where you want to go. Tourist destination with hot summers and cool winters, low humidity and rain, etc, etc. Anything else is #2.

Only drawback is that everyone wants to go there so unemployment is higher.

[uberscheisse]

another drawback to the okanagan, especially kelowna, is that in the last five or so years it's turned into a stripmall. it's really ugly in spots.

the lakes are nice, and it gets hotter there than anywhere in BC. you could probably buy/rent a house for much less than in vancouver. my parents live in vernon, i lived there for most of my teen years. it's nice if you're looking to 'settle down'. there's at least 3 REALLY GOOD ski hills in the area.

another good thing about victoria is the 'rain shadow' - it gets way less rain than vancouver.

as far as vancouver...

if you're looking to stay away from crime, stay away from the downtown east side. in fact, pretty much anywhere within an hour's walking distance of the downtown east side, you'll get your car and house broken into. i lived in the DTES for years and crime is just a part of the economy in that neighborhood.

'cool' areas with 'cool' cafes, shopping, bookstores, restaurants and such:
commercial drive, kitsilano, upper main street (like main and 25th area/mount pleasant).

rents are super high in kitsilano because every SUV driving shill and his dyejobbed rollerblading girlfriend wants to live there. it's within walking distance of beaches.

if you're looking for 'safe' neighborhoods, try fairview, kerrisdale and kitsilano up above 12th avenue, in between arbutus and alma street. really nice old houses, family residential neighborhood.

but anywhere in vancouver you will get your car, house and toolshed broken into. property crime is harsh and the bus system makes it rather mobile, so nobody is safe from it.

[PatrickSiheung]

Some great info everyone. Thanks.

How does Victoria's crime rate compare to Vancouvers?

[CanadaCommando]

Heh. Victoria's crime rate is non-existant. The "bad side of the tracks" is areas like Esquimalt, where there are lots of trades and Navy guys-still safe to live in.
Lots of cheap properties. Before I moved here, I lived in a house where the rent was $900...and it was on the water!

[Thumperaven]

I'm Victoria born and raised, been in Korea almost two years............
Yes, Victoria is a very nice, temperate, safe place to live but it's often described as the place of the "newly-wed and nearly-dead"-It is very senior citizen oriented and many retirees come here from all across the country. I became totally exasperated in trying to find a good job in vic after graduating from UVIC-the truth is there are very few opportunities for young graduates in the city. Much of this has to do with the fact that people move to Victoria and Vancouver like it's going out of style and thus us locals are competing for jobs with people who are not from the cities. Many of us decry the reality that so many people move to our city and make it less of what we have known and loved all our lives-but thats just it-the reality of it- and we cant change it. Victoria is a very Government, Service, and Tourism based economy and career opportunities for those educated in arts or humanities are limited.

Naturally, there are many more opportunities in Vancouver but a good friend of mine's wife is a job-placement specialist and she has said even it has taken a downturn in large part due to the massive influx of job-seeking individuals from elsewhere in the country. After graduating from UVIC I kept a detailed job-search log-I applied for 48 jobs that I was qualified to the eyeballs for -(with work co-op) and was interviewe for only 3 and obviously offered none.

That aside, it's a pleasant place to live and you will like the climate-I just thought it needed to be said that you may find much difficulty in finding work that you deem suitable and rewarding. So many of us have, and we are native British Columbians

[fasequeira]

Victoria is my vote.

I am from Victoria and I would go back there if I were returning to Canada. Think about your lifestyle, though. If you are a big city person (someone who loves living in a place like Seoul), Victoria will probably disappoint you.

In Victoria you don't have to deal with all the hustle and bustle and you don't have to worry about long commutes to work or downtown. Living costs in Vic. are much less than Van.

Victoria is called the Garden city for a reason. There are a lot of trails and nature kind of things in the vicinity.

Weather in Victoria is mild. The winters don't usually go much below 0 and the summers vary. Lately the west coast has been a lot hotter during the summers as far as I know. But that is not a daily norm. Typically it will be in the high 20's.

Hope this helps.

[chinook]

The job situation in Vancouver right now is horrible. I'm fleeing it for Korea...

For example, the local YMCA job centre advertises a job fair-people line up and wait for hours just to get in the door and inside the jobs are all for grocery stores, Starbucks, temp agencies, etc. There are that many people looking and few jobs at all, much less of any quality.

Otherwise, I've really enjoyed living here this past year. Vancouver is nice, visited Victoria and sort of thought I might have liked it better to live in, but as some say it is small as cities go.

We've got a fantastically cheap basement suite in Dunbar-nice area if you like residential area (it's a bit boring for me, but really is very nice and right near the endowment lands to walk/bike in). Kitsilano would have been more fun.

[mithridates]

Assuming you'll still have some attachment to Korea after going back, I recommend you live somewhere on Robson in downtown Vancouver after going back. It's more expensive than most of the rest of the city but it's worth it in my opinion. There are Korean and Japanese bars, no-rae bangs, various convenience stores with a lot of things you can't find anywhere else, and also the amazing library just a few blocks down the street. A lot of people tutor in the plaza right inside the library front doors and make a bit of spending money on the side.

[coulter]

I'm from Kamloops B.C.. If you are a skier or a snowboarder, I would recommend moving to the Okanagan or to the southern Rockies. Fernie is the best place I've ever boarded (waist deep powder). The resorts in the Okanagan are great too (Sun Peaks, Big White, Silver Star). Also, the summers are beautiful. In the Okanagan it can be up to 40c in the late summer and there are tons of lakes and beaches!

[Draven]

I'm from Vancouver. If you're wishing to get away from cold winters and hot summers, you'd probably be best served by limiting your options to the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. If you can get a decent job in those areas, which seems to be the biggest hindrance, you can find affordable housing in nice areas, it just may take some time. Even Kitsilano has some places where housing costs are reasonable, you'll just be hard pressed to find them.