I like Canada. It's still impressive how massive it is, and there's still so much left for me to see. I wouldn't mind living closer to some actual mountains, but otherwise, I enjoy what nature provides here. Being so close to the Falls helps.
That said, I don't plan on
living elsewhere in the country. I've enjoyed the transitions in life – a tiny, ~1000 people village for the first fourteen years, a half-million city for half that, and then Toronto – and I've found the big city is what suits me best, at least at this point in life, and for the foreseeable future. If I were to move anywhere else, it'd likely be Britain. But the chances of the dream job hiring me are pretty slim, unless
@homeforsummer feels like putting in a supremely good word.
Despite all the talk of "free healthcare", I can't say I'm a huge fan of our system, if only because, well, you get what you pay for. Though really, it isn't free, since I've been paying taxes on it all these years. I like that the system is there for me if I need it, but as I've been blessed with a relatively care-free life (knock on wood), it hasn't done much for me past the occasional flu treatment. Or the two staples in my head after I lost a fight with a brick fireplace as a three year old.
I love the weather. Sure, I'll complain about it, much like most of us will: right now it's misty and very likely to be a record high temperature for this part of the year later in the week. It's the first time I can remember where we haven't had any snow stay on the ground before Christmas. Most winters see us routinely hitting -30 or so with windchill, and while I hate that when I'm stuck in it, I appreciate the wide spread Canada affords me. Sure, sunny California sounds great, but I'd be worried about getting bored with the weather there.
About the only thing I dislike in Canada is the obvious lack of architectural history in comparison to Europe. We don't have centuries-old buildings. Hell, Toronto barely lets anything hit the century mark.
Toronto in particular has an amazing food scene. I like that almost every nationality has a lot of representation, and I've been able to try most of them since moving here. There really is something for everyone, at all levels of quality and cost. I've been told we have the highest number of restaurants per capita, but as that's something at least a half dozen different cities in the country claim, I remain skeptical. All that matters is it's enough for me.
Sadly if I plan to move out I'll need a fairly hefty chequing account, or I'll have to move to a more rural city.
. When I was there last year, it happened to be taste of the Kingsway, and the Ukrainian food festival in Bloor West Village.
