The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Canada is one big country, which means that the people on either side of it are super different.
As someone who moved across the country, it's clear there's a lack of understanding between Canadians in different provinces.
I've lived in three different East Coast provinces, and definitely shared some misconceptions about what the West Coast was all about. Since actually moving here I've found that more than one is totally not true.
Some of the stereotypes about the West Coast are super positive, while others are, well, not so great.
Living in Vancouver and travelling around B.C. has given me a pretty good idea about what the reality is here — and I can now say that other parts of Canada get a whole lot wrong about it.
Celebs are everywhere
It might be just my bad luck, but I have not seen one celebrity since I moved here, to my great disappointment.
I mean, they call Vancouver "Hollywood North," and so many movies and shows are filmed in B.C. — you'd think they would be everywhere.
With , I was sure that I would bump into someone to fangirl over by now. Alas, I have seen not one.
Ryan Reynolds — where you at?!
The beaches are warmer
When I imagined the West Coast before, the vision in my head was a warm ocean waiting for me.
Unfortunately, the Pacific Ocean feels just as cold as the Atlantic — so you won't be surfing all-year long unless you want a polar dip or have a wetsuit.
It's wild expensive
Sushi from Miko in Vancouver.
Vancouver is pricey for sure, but people in other parts of Canada definitely over-exaggerate it. Things like groceries and going out for dinner are around the same price as in other parts of Canada.
Also, the food is way better here — I mean look at the sushi.
There are also many affordable areas in B.C. and the West Coast in general.
I do miss the rent prices in New Brunswick though.
The people aren't as friendly as East Coasters
Morgan Leet in her neighbourhood in Vancouver.
East Coasters generally consider themselves the most friendly people in Canada — in my experience.
I love my East Coast fam still, but I was surprised by how nice everyone is on the other side of the country too.
Even in a big city like Vancouver, people in my neighbourhood say hello to each other when they pass on the street.
Maybe that's because it's literally called Mount Pleasant though?
People ski every weekend
To a lot of people, the iconic image of a West Coaster is a ski bum.
Although I've made it out to Whistler, and some other mountains, a few times this year — it is not realistic to go every weekend for most people.
First of all, skiing is expensive here. The mountains are incredible but come with a price tag to reflect it.
Everyone is outdoorsy
Because of all the adventures that B.C. has in store, there's this idea that everyone here loves to camp, hike, and explore.
From what I've seen it's mostly newcomers like me, or tourists, who are the most outdoorsy.
There's also a great mix of people, in Vancouver especially. There are definitely some Vancouverites that I've met who do not want to step foot on a hiking trail.
It's super busy
Main St., in Vancouver.
Small towns in Canada — like Rothesay, New Brunswick (where I'm from) — think of West Coast cities as being super busy hubs.
I actually find that Vancouver has way less of a busy feel to it than Toronto or even Montreal.
The city is really spread out with tons of different neighbourhoods, so it never feels overwhelmingly busy.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.