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I've visited Vancouver several times and I've never found them any less friendly than Americans.
We're not. It's odd in a way. What I mean is that in a lot of cities a large proportion of it's citizen's are not from that city, yet they get labelled as being unfriendly as well...but they're from all over.
My best friend is from Toronto, my partner Northern Ontario, two friends from Saskatchewan, one from Nova Scotia, one from India, one from Calgary, one from London U.K., one from L.A. one ..well you get the picture.
Alot of what you're experiencing is not limited to Vancouver. Canadians in general have a shy, awkward reserve compared to Americans. It is especially pronounced in it's two largest Anglo cities (Toronto and Vancouver). However, I lived in Vancouver for 27 years and I still find it to be a much, much friendlier city than Toronto and on par with Seattle and Portland, but less so than California or cities in the south or midwestern US.
Socially, Vancouver seems heavily influenced by British attitudes, and more recently the Asian population - neither being cultures I would describe as being outwardly friendly. People are reserved and seem somewhat suspicious of friendly advances. I don't think you can blame them entirely, in Vancouver a friendly advance is often somebody asking for money, pitching you on their charity, offering you drugs, or some other ulterior motive - especially on the bus or Skytrain.
Also being that you're not from the city, you may be viewed with some suspicion. Vancouver is a very transient city, and often people come from other places temporarily, without laying roots, or you may be interacting with others who fall into this category. In either case, people may not be overly open to creating friendships if they're already one foot out the door, or assume that you are. If you stayed in the city, built a career, had a family etc, you would probably find your social circle would expand within those activities. I can say, that although I still have many friends in Vancouver - most of those were formed during childhood, school and work so you may be on to something there.
I find Toronto to be a much colder city on the surface, although friendships seem to have more substance once they are formed and people here are incredibly loyal. After only 2 years living here, I would trust my friends here with my life. Contrast to my friends in Vancouver, I can barely trust most of them to show up on time for a cup of coffee or a beer.
That said, you may wish to rethink your approach somehow. Based on some of your earlier threads where you've expressed your opinion about certain ethnic groups and social policies, I can tell you right now these types of attitudes are not well received in Vancouver. If any of these opinions came to light in a casual conversation, most people would shut you out pretty quick.
Last edited by Liberated in TO; 06-06-2013 at 06:41 AM..
Once on the #4 bus there was this woman with a bleeding face, rocking back and forth and moaning. I was incredulous at the fact every other person in the surrounding seats were busily typing on their iphones, not doing so much as ask her if she needed help. If this happened elsewhere like back in LA I'm sure it would have raised more attention and concern.
Just out of curiosity, when this incident raised your attention and concern and you offered to help the woman (which surely you must have done) did she accept your help and tell you what had happened to her or did she reject your attentions?
Alot of what you're experiencing is not limited to Vancouver. Canadians in general have a shy, awkward reserve compared to Americans. It is especially pronounced in it's two largest Anglo cities (Toronto and Vancouver). However, I lived in Vancouver for 27 years and I still find it to be a much, much friendlier city than Toronto and on par with Seattle and Portland, but less so than California or cities in the south or midwestern US.
This is true. Canadians can be very reserved, especially in Vancouver and confused for rude, especially by Americans. I am from Vancouver. I grew up there, but now live in the US. I think I am outgoing and friendly, but every single one of my friends would say that I am very shy.
I have read, numerous times, reports that Vancouverites are hard to get to know and, while superficially polite, very closed-off socially.
I have been like this my whole life, but have been lucky enough to grow up in California where the abundance of outgoing people welcomed me into their homes and lives. As a shy person who doesn't initiate contact, I've lived here a year and a half without making a single close friend. I have made some effort, but in the end it didn't go anywhere. When it comes to talking to other people here, it's only when something is needed. I haven't formed a friendly relationship with a single person in my college classes here either.
Once I had a group project and did make efforts to get to know those fellow students, speaking on personal topics. But they were very clique-y, having already known each other, and shut me out to the point of rudeness when it came to the group project, making choices without consulting me, they left me out, despite my best efforts of being a valuable and friendly team member. Same thing happened in another group project. I felt dissed. Now when I pass those girls on the way to classes, they don't even make eye contact. Back in my California classes I made friendly acquaintances left and right. People actually showed an interest in each other.
Feeling the social chill has only made me more introverted and less likely to smile at a stranger on the street. Last time I tried that here, I got a blank face back. I feel weird whenever I am friendly with people. It always feels fake and uncomfortable.
A lot of the girls here are overly perfect, toting Louis Vuitton purses and overly manicured bodies. Honestly they are a bit intimidating, and when it comes to wooing guys there seems to be quite a bit of competition. Girls are just not friendly towards me. In other cities strangers would often say nice things like they like what I'm wearing, or various compliments. That never seems to happen here. I ride the bus with droves of people every day, and no one does so much as smile. Riding the bus with strangers, they seem like a bunch of robots.
Once on the #4 bus there was this woman with a bleeding face, rocking back and forth and moaning. I was incredulous at the fact every other person in the surrounding seats were busily typing on their iphones, not doing so much as ask her if she needed help. If this happened elsewhere like back in LA I'm sure it would have raised more attention and concern.
Apparently this is a common experience...but why Vancouver? It's mostly people from other places. It can't be something in the water. I'm guessing it's a trend, and once people come here, they feel the chill and shut others out, keeping in step with the pattern of social exclusion.
Maybe it's just the lack of sun!
Umm maybe notify the bus driver since they can call for transit police to ask her if she needs medical attention and to find out what happened and if need be call in the RCMP or VPD to investigate.
Also want to get us talking then Canucks trade rumors and what we need to rebuild is a good topic for lots of discussion but be warned you better know your hockey and start to really brush up on the Canucks since if you say you like GM Mike Gillis for letting Coach AV go to save his own job then you are in trouble.
Also never speak of Mark Messier brief stint here since it meant that we lost Trevor Linden when Messier came here and the last minute of the 6th game and the 3RD period of the 94 SCF against the Rangers and you se why Messier is not popular in Vancouver and one thing that brings us all together is the Canucks and everyone has an option if they have lived here long enough or were born here and it is one topic that could break the ice.
But then again the 94 and 2011 cup runs before we lost were such a amazing feeling and we by either being downtown or at a pub or at home it was as if everyone in B.C. was out to support the team and the loss also brings out the worse in us since both those we had major riots but it is rare that 100,000 fans are packed into the downtown core to catch the TV game put on Giant TV screens
It is rare we get tougher as a city over something except when they Canucks have a shoot to win the cup and that is something we have yet to win and we really do want the cup and to be able to finally have the biggest party our city has yet to see besides the Golden goal from the 2010 winter Games which was a more of Canadian moment.
The Stanley Cup is the only thing that would exceed or equal that golden goal winning type feeling for B.C. feeling we had across the country in 2010.
"The Stanley Cup is the only thing that would exceed or equal that golden goal winning type feeling for B.C. feeling we had across the country in "
I will NEVER forget the positive fun energy downtown that day. People just spilled into the streets giving high fives to everyone from cops to bus drivers. Ambulances and cops blaring their siren to add to the jubilant atmosphere.
I recorded the last moments of the games with my camera from with me saying " we, lost, we lost" and then WHAM it turned around in the last few seconds and the deep rumbling roar that went up out my windows was something I don't think I'll ever hear again...
I agree, in part. Modern life and especially the ubiquidute of technology and social media + how busy people are working does not always allow for the greatest social life. And for some reason, people are seeming to get less friendly as time goes on, with each generation a little more introverted than the next. It's also the product of living in a busy city, although small towns and rural areas certainly have their issues (gossip, suspicion of outsiders, biases and occasional small-mindedness, occasional backwardness in some ways).
Vancouver is more of a city where you go out into the Recreational things that you meet people that share the same interest living here offers I mean go kayaking, snow boarding, mountain biking, hiking camping anything that is not in the city center is where without a reason to go into the core of the city we try to avoid it since parking is terrible and most things to see are tourist traps and the rest is stores and restaurants where most of what is downtown are found in the rest of the GVRD.
You need to have a car to really get out of the city and to where the all the things that make it fun are available to do and lots of things to see and explore and most of the things are not found downtown add in we have the worst traffic congestion and the longest time spent in Gridlock in North America Right after L.A. so people that think the city is where we go are wrong we head out of the city as much as possible esp. when two our more massive Cruise ships come to port and Stanley park is packed.
Parking is bad as is on weekend and Impark already makes enough from me feeding their meters and to find a spot is either pay to park in the park and pay above and underground lots and a spot on the street is hard to get a good spot when you want one.
We are opposite of T.O. and Montreal in that we get out of the city and only go there cause we have too for work and we have little in entertainment in the city I mean coffee shops and restaurants with a patio to sit outside on are about it.
"The Stanley Cup is the only thing that would exceed or equal that golden goal winning type feeling for B.C. feeling we had across the country in "
I will NEVER forget the positive fun energy downtown that day. People just spilled into the streets giving high fives to everyone from cops to bus drivers. Ambulances and cops blaring their siren to add to the jubilant atmosphere.
I recorded the last moments of the games with my camera from with me saying " we, lost, we lost" and then WHAM it turned around in the last few seconds and the deep rumbling roar that went up out my windows was something I don't think I'll ever hear again...
Yeah when we finally Beat Chicago in the 2nd OT in the first round with Burrows shot that made the whole city come alive.
Canucks Vs Hawks - Game 1 Entrance & Anthems - 2011 Playoffs - 04.13.11 - HD - YouTube
Plus the old U2 old entrance is way played at this game that had the city on edge since e it was the game & playing our number one rival in the west in the team that won in 09 and might win this year and got to love Mark Donnelly and the fans inside a packed to the Rafters Rogers area sing our national anthem.
man it was such a feeling when we the playoffs against the hawks who went all the way in 09-2010 the best season with the best team we had in history and the window to win it was wide open and the felling in the city was amazing and a time when we all seemed to come out of our shell to have fun.
I've visited Vancouver several times and I've never found them any less friendly than Americans.
Agreed, if anything I found them more friendly than most Americans.
I don't know what you people are talking about, every time I've gone to Vancouver I found the people to be very social.
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