Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Dev]

What's it like to live in Vancouver? Overall, what's your rating on a scale of 1 - 10? Everyone knows how beautiful the city is, but what, if anything didn't you like there?

[SeoulnPepe]

Living costs are high. Homes are ridiculously expensive. Main & Hastings. No jobs for teachers. Teachers were being downsized from public schools.

I have friends who graduated from UBC's Ed. program, and after 7.5 years of looking some of them still have no full time jobs. Others have been more fortunate, and found jobs, but they're not what they wanted.

If you can get a great paying job, live outside Vancouver (like Maple Ridge), then you'll be in great shape.

Fun city, but has become too difficult to live in. You could, of course, always marry a girl from the British Properties or West Van. They're usually well off.

[mindmetoo]

If you're used to the Seoul subway, Vancouver is poorly fixed for public transit. Anything not locked up will be stolen. The weather is mild and the city is beautiful. No probs there.

[Dev]

The friends I know who live in Vancouver tell me it's hard going. Hard to make enough money just to get your bills paid.

A lot of the people who buy condos there are Asian businessmen from Hong Kong who don't even live in them. Just buy them for investment. Maybe not such a good city to settle down in. I don't know.

[rokgryphon]

Sorry mindmetoo, I have to disagree with you. I have a really good friend who lives in Toronto and he has had many offers of good teaching jobs in public schools after doing is B.Ed. at U of T. So I don't agree that you have to spend some time in the sticks in order to get a good job in a major population centre. This has also been the case for many of his classmates in his B.Ed program. Sure it takes a little time supply teaching to gauge the landscape but it is definitley not that hard to get a good teaching job in a city in Ontario.[/quote]

[Dev]

[SeoulnPepe]

Agree. Toronto and Vancouver are two very different cities. Can't be compared, unless you want to talk about real estate values, even then there are too many variables to consider.

I wouldn't go so far as bashing Toronto. It does have its light as well as its dark side. The same could be said of Vancouver. Heck, Vancouver Police HQ is kiddie corner to Main & Hastings (aka Junkie Corner, where people do drug deals in the open air).

As for people who graduated from U of T, well they're lucky to have found jobs at all. I have some friends who graduated from U of T and from York who still have no jobs or are underemployed.

Alberta, oddly, doesn't need teachers either. So there's no going to that "boom town".

It seems there is a surplus of teachers all over the country. That's why the US, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and many other international destinations have a field day recruiting Canadian teachers.

[mindmetoo]

[khyber]

My summer there out of ten? this one goes to 11!
My winter there....? 2
Good thing I had drugs and a good girlfriend.

Our apartment was pretty expensive but for what it's worth, we spent less on our food in vancouver than here in korea....thank you corner grocery store!

You can find quasi reasonable places to live if you can deal with a bit of slumming.

full time teaching jobs though? BEST OF LUCK!!!

[Dev]

[SeoulnPepe]

Montreal is a pretty hip place. I was actually considering heading over there a while back. Property values are still reasonable. You can still find a bachelor condo for 70,000CDN. The transportation system is excellent, and if you decide to become a resident you get nearly free University (it's like 1600CDN for a year of Uni.).

It does help if you speak French, but it's not necessary. Most Quebecers are proud of their linguistic heritage. Outside of Montreal you'll definately need it.

Wonderful place, and a much different feel than Vancouver and Toronto. Much more affordable, too. But winters are pretty brutal...

From what I've heard most Koreans are actually picking Montreal over Toronto and Vancouver, because of costs, taxes, and business environment.

[pacifica]

I have lived in all the major cities across the country (Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, Calgary...) and I would say that (if you're an OUTDOORSY person) Vancouver is THE BEST city in Canada -- hands down.

Sure the the cost of living is more in Van BUT this is only IN the city of vancouver itself. You can easily buy an affordable condo/house w/in a 20min skytrain ride of downtown -- I own a place just outside of Vancouver and it was very affordable. The lifestyle and weather are what makes Van GOLDEN!! Where else in Canada can you go surfing and skiing in the same day and ride your bike year round?! Whistler is your backyard and the pacific ocean is at your doorstep... does it get any better than that?!

One of the downfalls to the city is the large number of homeless people and addicts in the downtown east side. But you shouldn't fear for your safety at all. I lived in Gastown for awhile (4 blocks from Main/Hastings) and I had no probs whatsoever w/the homeless people. They don't bother you, they are just all f*cked up.

It is harder finding jobs in Vancouver and the transit system is still being upgraded (new skytrain line to the airport to open for 2010 Olympics), but the lifestyle makes up for it all!!

Of course, if you're not an outdoorsy person, and are looking to live in a very culturally vibrant and cosmopolitan city then Toronto and Montreal are your best bets. Toronto is NOT all THAT bad... it is the finance capital of Canada, so if you're looking to thrive in the business world, Toronto is where you wanna be -- in ANY field!! The weather is a lot more severe in T.O and Montreal though. HOT & HUMID summers and VERY, VERY COLD winters. But if you're looking for the best nightlife (concerts, clubs, musicals etc..) Toronto & Montreal are where it's at. One bonus about Montreal is the "bring your own wine" to restaurants and I personally really liked the french feel of the city, although people in Montreal and T.O are definitely NOT as friendly as the westerners.

Calgary is another great city as well. Cost of living is cheaper, the city is very clean and friendly but the winters will knock you off your feet!

You just have to figure out what sort of lifestyle you want to lead and what's important to you the most -- work or play?? But all I can say is "the West IS the Best" and I would never go back out East!!!!

[jewelz]

DO not waste your time. I am from Victoria which is far superior in beauty and nature then Vancouver. I guess people boast about Vancouver bc they have'nt seen much else. Why do you think so many Canadian are in Korea, full time employment nad far less taxes and housing covered. There is no work and the cost of living is outrageous. It also rains rains rains, the city is in a rainshadow next to the mountains. If you want to actually have employment and al ife head east; Toronto, Montreal. But since I have lived in Montreal (96), more and more English people left to Toronto. It is basically a transient student town, but cosmopolitan and super fun.

[TECO]

I lived in the Westend on Burnaby Street for a couple of years. I loved it. I eventually sold my truck because I could walk everywhere.

I had to have 2 jobs, though. I had a full time job and then worked security part-time in the downtown area to afford the costo of living down there. I was paying about $680 a month. Probably more expensive now, isn't it.

I was like 2 blocks from the ocean! When I think about it now, I really loved living in that area. Lots of good times. No need to worry about driving home. You can walk to all kinds of different bars when you live down in the Westend.

[Dev]