I'd like to move to Canada (Vancouver) somebody is from there?

[ilcontegis]

Hi guys,
I am Matteo from Italy.
I am now a 2nd year PhD student specializing in Geographycal Information Systems and Earthquake. Once finished my PhD in Japan I am thinking to move in Vancouver (Columbia University).
As I still have 1 year and half, I am thinking to go there to see how is before obviously....
But now I'd like to know if somebody of you is from Vancouver and has some spare time to have a bit of chat with me about his city as I do not trust so much what I read from books and internet.

Thank you very much for those that will be so kind to dedicate me a bit of their time.
Regards,
Matteo

p.s. why I wrote here? because I am a ubuntu/debian/archlinux user and I trust very much the linux community

[HappinessNow]

Hi guys,
I am Matteo from Italy.
I am now a 2nd year PhD student specializing in Geographycal Information Systems and Earthquake. Once finished my PhD in Japan I am thinking to move in Vancouver (Columbia University).
As I still have 1 year and half, I am thinking to go there to see how is before obviously....
But now I'd like to know if somebody of you is from Vancouver and has some spare time to have a bit of chat with me about his city as I do not trust so much what I read from books and internet.

Thank you very much for those that will be so kind to dedicate me a bit of their time.
Regards,
Matteo

p.s. why I wrote here? because I am a ubuntu/debian/archlinux user and I trust very much the linux community

Great Post!

Vancouver is the most beautiful city in North America! while I don't live there (wish I did) I do visit Vancouver very often.

Vancouver has perhaps one of the largest 'Chinatowns' in North America it makes the ones in San Francisco and New York pale in comparison.

Think of Vancouver as the Emerald City (like in the Wizard of Oz) a lot of the buildings are new and done in a beautiful Emerald green glass, this with the downtown surrounded by water and the mountains rising up dramatically in the background.

I can not say enough about the city, and the very friendly people.

Not having lived there I can not give any good advice on which is the best neighborhood to settle in but I suspect you want to be close to your school.

Good Luck! Vancouver is very beautiful and a great city yet it does have it seedy districts also; which some may find interesting still, ie Gaslight district.

On a side note, historically Vancouver and practically all of British Columbia was once part of the "Oregon Territory"; in the state of Oregon you will find the most beautiful city ion the USA: Portland, Oregon but Vancouver, BC reigns as the most beautiful city in North America (IMHO).

[wojox]

I'd think you'd want to move there anyway. Don't they have a pretty good earthquake ratio per year? Especially Vancouver.

[HappinessNow]

I'd think you'd want to move there anyway. Don't they have a pretty good earthquake ratio per year? Especially Vancouver.

Not as high as California or Anchorage, Alaska but the whole Pacific Northwest has active volcanoes in the Cascade Range which contribute to Earthquake activity.

Also Vancouver BC has a high percentage of European and Asian populations which makes it very diversified.

[cta16]

Vancouver doesn't even have one noticeable earthquake every year. This may not be the best time to do an exchange to Vancouver because the Olympics are happening next year. This means housing prices are skyrocketing.

When you say Columbia University, you mean University of British Columbia right?

[HappinessNow]

Vancouver doesn't even have one noticeable earthquake every year. This may not be the best time to do an exchange to Vancouver because the Olympics are happening next year. This means housing prices are skyrocketing.

Not to worry the OP stated he is a 2nd year PHd student, it still has a year and a half to go.

As I still have 1 year and half,...

[ilcontegis]

Vancouver doesn't even have one noticeable earthquake every year. This may not be the best time to do an exchange to Vancouver because the Olympics are happening next year. This means housing prices are skyrocketing.

When you say Columbia University, you mean University of British Columbia right?

Yes I mean the British Columbia University. Sorry.
I will go after the Olympics so it should be ok I hope.
In Vancouver the seismic activity is not that much remarkable (1 to 3 degree of magnitudo) but still around there there is a quite high activity.

[p_quarles]

On a side note, historically Vancouver and practically all of British Columbia was once part of the "Oregon Territory"; in the state of Oregon you will find the most beautiful city ion the USA: Portland, Oregon but Vancouver, BC reigns as the most beautiful city in North America (IMHO).

Incorrect. No part of BC has ever been claimed by the United States.

[coolbrook]

Incorrect. No part of BC has ever been claimed by the United States.

Simon Fraser just joined the NCAA.

[schauerlich]

Incorrect. No part of BC has ever been claimed by the United States.

"54 40' or fight"? I guess it was never officially claimed by the US, but there certainly were people who wanted it to happen.