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Home , Downtown Vancouver, Granville Island, Robson Street, Vancouver Aquarium

Expat File |

Vancouver: alfresco living year-round

Vancouver, on Canada’s West Coast, is consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities in the world. With a stunning natural setting and a mild climate, there’s no shortage of things to do outdoors, year- round. But in winter, you will need an umbrella.

TExT SuZAnnE MorPHET

fter three years in the African backwater of Gabon, Known for its relaxed pace of life and great outdoors, AVancouver almost feels like another planet to Fenneke Vancouver has revealed other surprises to Fenneke and her Tjallingii-Brocken. “It really is the place where you can ski Dutch family since they settled in a house on the slopes of in the morning and sail or golf in the afternoon,” she says, , after her husband, Frans, was offered a job still brimming with enthusiasm a year and a half later. by Smit International, a subsidiary of Boskalis. “There is sooo much to do here… movies, theatre, all sorts of They’ve discovered, for instance, that they’re close to superb sports, shopping, dining, library,” she rhymes off a list before downhill skiing at . And they’ve learned stopping to interrupt herself. “You are allowed to take out that their kids – now aged 5 and 7 – are safe to go outside up to 100 books/CDs/DVDs at once – can you believe it?” she and play on the street with the neighbours, something they asks, incredulous at what long-time residents of Vancouver couldn’t do in Gabon. take for granted about their libraries. Well, safe except maybe for the occasional black bear that

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GCM_EN_01_2013.indd 60 2/26/13 9:35 AM Nature and wilderness everywhere boldly wanders into their yard from the adjoining forest. “They’re beautiful to watch from behind the glass, but more It’s been twenty years since Pascale Ubalijoro lived in scary if you know that a couple of hours later fifteen kids Vancouver, but she still remembers it fondly. “I was amazed will be coming to your place for an outside birthday party,” by the presence of nature and wilderness everywhere,” she laughs Fenneke nervously. recalls. “It was so different from Europe.”

People from far away Newly graduated with a Ph.D. in microbiology, the French Certainly, Fenneke and her family are not the first expats native took a position with Agriculture Canada after hearing to fall in love with Vancouver. After living off the bounty of good things about Vancouver from a cousin. “I remember the land and sea for thousands of years, the indigenous First explaining to my family that it felt like the city was built in Nations were joined by people from far away, beginning in the middle of a forest.” 1827 when the Hudson’s Bay Company built a trading post on the . Pascale took advantage of her new home with hiking, skiing, British fur traders were soon followed by an influx of camping, whale-watching and more. “ was a American prospectors looking for gold. Next came the Chinese frequent visit, as well as the and Granville Market.” to build railroads, and the Japanese, who knew how to fish and farm. By the beginning of the 20th century, Indians were It was in Vancouver she discovered ice hockey and the city’s drawn to the booming lumber industry and Vancouver’s professional home team, the Canucks. “I had a chance to see Punjabi Market is a result of that immigration. After the one game and was very impressed by the speed – and the Second World War, Italians arrived by the thousands.  brutality, pretend or real.”

Even twenty years ago, Vancouver was a cosmopolitan city. “I ate my very first sushi in Vancouver,” she smiles. Currently living in New York City, where her husband City curious? works for Heineken, Pascale says “Vancouver is still my For more inside information from our members, dream city where I left a piece of my heart. I have to go see the ‘Vancouver city page’ on our website get it back one day!” www.global-connection.info

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Culture Today, Vancouver enjoys a robust economy with strong First Nations Art and Dance technology, financial, legal, scientific and technical service sectors. And because of its natural deep-water harbour, After almost losing their its proximity to the US and being the closest major North culture as a result of American city to Asia, Vancouver is also an important colonisation and assimilation, transportation hub. First Nations in Canada is still basking in the afterglow of the today are enjoying a cultural , with new sporting venues, such as the renaissance. Richmond Olympic Oval, and improvements in transportation A good place to begin to infrastructure, like the train, which whisks explore it in Vancouver people from the airport to in half an hour. is where you arrive – at Vancouver International Airport. YVR has a significant Most liveable collection of indigenous art in wood, stone Getting around by car or bus in the rush hour can still be and textiles. You can’t miss Nuu-chah- challenging because of Vancouver’s numerous bridges, but nulth artist Joe David’s Welcome Figures the city is consistently ranked as one of the most liveable in in the arrivals section. And ’s the world, with clean air and water, numerous parks and easy masterfully carved Jade Canoe is near the check-in desks in access to the surrounding mountains and ocean. the international terminal. “If you have the correct gear you can live outdoors for most At the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British of the year,” notes Ingrid Kendrick, who moved here in Columbia, there’s a stunning display of totem poles, house 2008 when her husband was transferred from his previous posts and other carvings inside the Great Hall, created by posting with Anglo American in Johannesburg, South Haida, Gitxsan and Nisga’a artists. Africa. Ingrid has a passion for cricket and both works and In world-renowned Stanley Park, have your photograph taken volunteers at the Cricket Club, close to next to the nine totem poles and three gateways at . In summer months, jump on the Spirit Catcher train (a 13-minute ride) to Klahowya Village, where you’ll be immersed in First Nations culture. Hear stories told by native elders, watch artists at work, sample traditional native food and more.

Vancouver Art Gallery

Located in a heritage building in the heart of downtown, the is home to Canada’s largest collection of Emily Carr paintings, as well as exhibits from around the world. Carr, long dead but considered Canada’s foremost female artist, painted scenes from First Nations villages up and down the West The ‘wet’ coast Coast. Carr was considered eccentric So how bad is the rain in Vancouver? Locals don’t call it the by those who knew ‘wet’ coast for nothing. her, both for her habit But the number of drops that fall from the sky varies widely of travelling alone depending exactly where you are. North Vancouver, for into the wilderness to instance, gets almost twice as much rain as Vancouver paint, and for keeping International Airport in Richmond (2,400 millimetres per year a menagerie of pets, on average in North Vancouver versus 1,154 millimetres per including a monkey named Woo. Her dark and dramatic year at the airport). landscapes weren’t popular when she was alive, but after her death in 1945 she was recognised as an artist of great However, Vancouver is still considered to have some of the importance. The Vancouver School of Art was renamed the best weather in Canada. July and August are generally dry and Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design in 1995 in her honour. It pleasant, with an average temperature of 17°C. And winters are has since become the Emily Carr University of Art + Design rainy but mild. Of the 100 largest towns and cities in Canada, and is a vital part of the Vancouver art community. Vancouver has the fewest days each year – 45 days on average – when the mercury drops to 0°C or below.

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GCM_EN_01_2013.indd 62 2/26/13 9:35 AM Fenneke Tjallingii-Brocken Stephanie Petch Pascale Ubalijoro

home on the North Shore, as well as the price of food seems exorbitant. “I can buy one mango here Mainland Cricket League. for the price I pay for a dozen at home!” she sighs. Along with the mild climate, she appreciates the safety they’ve found in Vancouver compared with South Africa. Cost of living “While we are not complacent, we feel safe in Vancouver,” Stephanie Petch sympathises. She also moved to Vancouver says Ingrid, adding that they have two children, a 14-year-old from South Africa in 2008 with her husband, who also daughter and a 10-year-old son. works for Anglo American. In doing some research at his But there are downsides to the West Coast city too. “It is just work recently, Stephanie says her husband learned that so far away from the rest of the world – except of course “Vancouver is one of five cities in North America with the the US,” she says. Furthermore, “there is just not enough highest cost of living.” sunshine here when one is used to sunshine pretty much all And, like Ingrid, she has found it hard to make friends in her year round!” North Vancouver neighbourhood. “Canadians are friendly Despite her outgoing personality, Ingrid also finds that but they’re very private as well. They’ll meet you for a coffee Vancouver “is not the easiest place to make friends,” and the at , but won’t invite you to their own home,” says  Tourism

Granville Island Public Market Vancouver’s most popular market sits under the Bridge in a former industrial area. When industry moved out, the area was cleaned up and redeveloped. Residents and visitors alike are drawn to the centrally located and lively market where you can buy every kind of food and flower, as well as high-quality crafts. Besides just being a great place to people- watch, other entertainment comes from informal buskers outside and professional actors inside at the 450-seat Stage of the Arts Club Theatre Company. Granville Island is also home to Granville Island Brewery, Canada’s first micro-brewery, and numerous restaurants, including Bistro 101 where you can indulge in a three-course lunch for C$18.00, prepared by chefs-in-training at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

Vancouver Aquarium There’s no better way to spend a rainy afternoon than at the . Walk from the tropics, where you’ll see black-tipped reef sharks, sea turtles and colourful anemones, to Penguin Point where African penguins hang out in a natural environment. Local fauna is well represented too. In the Treasures of the B.C. Coast, you’ll spot sea stars, salmon and octopus. Outdoors, the Wild Coast gallery features two Pacific white-sided , a couple of adorable sea otters and other marine animals that have been rescued or rehabilitated.

Whistler One of the host venues for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler is just two hours from Vancouver on the Sea to Sky Highway. The resort is consistently ranked as North America’s top ski and snowboard destination. In summer, biking, hiking, bear-watching and golf are popular. And throughout the year the resort offers festivals and events, such as Cornucopia, a four-day celebration of wine and food held every November, and the annual North Face Whistler Half Marathon in June.

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the stay-at-home mum, adding that Food lovers having a 6-year-old and 2-year-old helps open doors with other families. celebrate Finding good schools for their children hasn’t been difficult for any of these Maybe it’s because of the influx expats. The quality of public schools of people from so many different may vary from one neighbourhood countries. Or maybe it’s due to the to another, so people often choose a bounty of seafood from the ocean school and then find a house within and agricultural produce from the that school’s catchment area. There near-by Fraser Valley. Whatever are plenty of options, including public the reason, Vancouver is a foodie’s paradise. From farmers markets to French immersion schools and numerous private neighbourhood bistros, from the 103 licensed food ‘trucks’ working institutions, such as the French International School the streets of , to innovative restaurants like in North Vancouver, which is popular with expats, Blue Water Café (where you can try jellyfish), Vancouver’s food scene French and otherwise. The latter is where Fenneke’s is dynamic and diverse. Vancouver is also home of the 100-mile diet, children go and Fenneke herself volunteers there; based on the popular book The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, she’s a marine biologist by profession and has been by residents Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon (ISBN 9780679314820). asked to give presentations. Ingrid’s kids attend But of all the cuisines you’ll find in Vancouver, perhaps none is as Mulgrave School, also a private school and located dominant as Chinese, particularly in Richmond, where almost half the in West Vancouver, while Stephanie’s school-age population is of Chinese ethnicity. Alexandra Street, also known as child attends a public school in North Vancouver. ‘Food Street’ is a four-block square bustling with Chinese stores and eateries (get off the Canada Line at Aberdeen Station). But for the best Other expats restaurant in Vancouver? Well, that would have to be Hawskworth, None of these women has felt the need to seek voted Canada’s Restaurant of the Year in 2012 by Maclean’s magazine. out other expats. Stephanie notes there’s a very

Expat partners map Vancouver from A-Z

Canada Line Opened in 2009, this rapid-rail line links Vancouver International Airport in Richmond with Vancouver and the waterfront. It takes only about twenty-five minutes to go from YVR to downtown, stopping at six stations enroute. Commercial Drive Known by locals as simply the Drive, the twenty-one blocks of stores, restaurants and businesses between Venables Street and 13th Avenue on Commercial Drive form a unique shopping area. The majority of the 400 or so businesses on the Drive are found nowhere else. They’re owner-operated and one-of-a- kind. Homes in the neighbourhood that house them are considered heritage, built at the turn of the 20th century. Nature’s Stairmaster’, the trail gains 853 don’t live there. It hosts the annual metres and takes the average hiker an Vancouver International Children’s Grouse Grind hour and a half to complete. Festival, the outdoor Shakespeare A typical Saturday morning in Vancouver festival known as ‘Bard on the finds locals challenging each other Beach’, and is home to the open-air – or just themselves – to climb the The neighbourhood known as ‘Kits’ Kitsilano Showboat. Every summer the 2.9-kilometre trail that winds up the face runs along the south shore of English Showboat hosts local entertainers in a of Grouse Mountain. Dubbed ‘Mother Bay and has lots to offer, even if you spectacular outdoor setting.

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GCM_EN_01_2013.indd 64 2/26/13 9:35 AM active South African group on the but she’s been fortunate to meet other expats close to home. “In my daughter’s kindergarten group, there’s a little boy whose parents are from South Africa. We catch up in the morning.” Fenneke has observed that most expats tend to live on the North Shore, Kitsilano or downtown and while Vancouver has a ‘newcomer’s’ club, it’s open to everyone, not just expats. For her part, she hasn’t noticed any lack of friendliness in the locals. Quite the opposite in fact. “They are friendly, easy, polite and have a general feeling that there is a need for everybody to feel at home and comfortable,” she says, and describes the warm feeling she gets when she sees volunteers with Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports helping disabled people learn to ski and snowboard. Overall, these expats agree that Vancouver is a wonderful place to raise kids and the North Shore, in particular, offers “the best of both worlds,” as Stephanie says, with its proximity to both city and wilderness. 

  For three short films and additional information on Vancouver, please go to ‘Magazine Online’ at www.global-connection.info

Lynn Canyon Wreck Beach Tourists visit the Vancouver’s clothing-optional beach Capilano Suspension in Pacific Spirit Regional Park by the Bridge on Vancouver’s University of British Columbia is a North Shore and pay big popular spot when the sun is out. The bucks to do it (C$31.95 beach is 7.8 kilometres long and is for adults) while locals magnificently situated at the bottom of visit Lynn Canyon for a 60-metre forested cliff. On a gorgeous free. Both offer the summer weekend, more than 14,000 thrill of walking across people have been known to descend on a bouncy suspension Wreck Beach. Just remember, gawking is bridge in the forest high not appreciated. above a fast-moving river. Sooner or later everyone ends up on Robson Street, if not for its fashionable boutiques, trendy coffee shops and ethnic restaurants, then simply for its great people-watching. The main action is between and Jervis Street.

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