Got an offer for a PhD in Vancouver

incog24

So I've got an offer for a PhD at SFU. I know very little about Vancouver so I'm doing a lot of research at the moment ahead of making a decision, but I'd appreciate any information/advice on the area or emigrating generally. In particular I'd like to know:

- Where's cool/affordable to live (I don't mind a decent commute). Cycling is the major factor, but I'd also like somewhere interesting to live as the GF might be coming with and she's not a cyclist (although is outdoorsy). Suburban hell would not be cool. I'd probably have $15-18k to work with I think, although I haven't seen the funding package yet.
- What's the road riding like (road/tt/cx)? Routes, racing, teams
- Should I become an XC racer instead?
- Why does lots of the décor in houses look so stuck in the 80s?

Bit about me, I'm 22, mainly a time trial rider (aiming for a short 20 this year) but I also do road races (2nd Cat) and cx. Very little MTB experience. Very into my outdoors and I've done a fair bit of climbing and mountaineering.

Thanks for any advice, its all a bit daunting!

northernneil

learn to ski or board whilst your are there in the winter .... outdoor life perfection then

incog24

That might be on the cards. Although, skiing and cycling are not massively budget friendly sports!

Pokerface

SFU = Some F***cking University. (That's what they call it out there).


Lived in Van for 10 years (and Canada for 30).


Go - you won't regret it.


Cheaper to live in the 'burbs than in Vancouver central (grossly expensive downtown). Nearer the Uni will be cheaper (but a LONG way to Vancouver itself). Good transport, rains a lot, roads are great to ride on, MTB scene is off the hook.

mrushton

Rated as one of THE places to live. It's a stunning place and if you like outdoor stuff you can't go wrong. You have a world class ski resort nearby (Whistler), superb scenery as you head North or to the East and the US border/Seattle is only 40 miles south. Pretty sure there is a lot of cycling going on there. Canada is a beautiful country with great people. Did I mention the whales off Vancouver Island, the bears on the Fraser River and inland. The journey to Jasper and down the Icefield Parkway to Banff (world class skiing). You get the picture? and if you can study at a good Uni then it's a bonus

meanredspider

My brother emigrated there a few years ago - let me know if you'd like me to put you in touch with him for the low-down on the place.

northernneil

incog24 wrote:

That might be on the cards. Although, skiing and cycling are not massively budget friendly sports!

true, but the bulk of skiing costs are hotel, travel etc and you will be living there dude !

incog24

northernneil wrote:

incog24 wrote:

That might be on the cards. Although, skiing and cycling are not massively budget friendly sports!

true, but the bulk of skiing costs are hotel, travel etc and you will be living there dude !

Good point! Hmm I'll have to do some research into ski's...

Road/MTB in the summer, ski/track in the winter?

Thanks for all the advice, I think I'm swaying towards heading out there. Here's hoping they don't give me a rubbish funding package...Meanspider - I may take you up on that one, I'll pm you at some point soon once I'm sure I won't be wasting his time.

Can anyone give me a bit more information on the road racing scene? Who's good to ride with? Is TTing a minority sport? Does it get boring riding around 90degree corners on grid plan roads?

daviesee

I can't give you specifics on Vancouver as I only visited for a few days but my experience of that along with 5 years in Montreal says - Go for it!

Seriously, even if you only last a short time it will change your outlook on everything, personal, family, goals, ambitions and it may even lead you to appreciate this Country more :shock: Too many people ignore what is on their doorstep.

It was by far the best decision I ever made (second if the wife was to be reading ) and I would recommend any young person to travel. Once you are over 30 you (well I anyway) start to settle down.

What's to lose?

Pokerface

There's something like 5 million people living in Greater Vancouver. And 3/4 of them are oriental - so be prepared for that! But it's hard to say there's ONE club to ride with.

Road race scene is good, as is the TT scene. Lots and lots of roads that aren't 'on a grid'. Smooth roads and the scenery is stunning.

You can ski almost in the city (Grouse, Seymour, Cyprus Bowl are all local mountains within an hour of downtown);. Whistler/Blackcomb is the best (world-class) but a few more hours and lift tickets cost more - but worth the trip.

North Shore of Vancouver (aka North Vancouver) is epic for MTB and XC.

Nicest people you'll ever meet.

You can ski all-year-round at Whistler - they have a glacier there. And can also take you MTB up the gondola and ride down the mountain in the summer.

Vancouver IS the most expensive city in Canada to live in. But as I said before - that is downtown Vancouver. SFU is based out in Burnaby (I actually lived a few miles from the campus when I was a kid). Burnaby is NOT Vancouver. It's very much not part of the big city, etc. Very residential and very green. And much more affordable.

Vancouver has a good transport system to get you around (monorail system called SkyTrain) as well as traditional busses, etc.

It's a little like living in London but nicer and cleaner and greener and..... wait. It's nothing like London!

mrushton

http://www.cyclingbc.net/

http://uk.britishcolumbia.travel/en-CA/ ... couver.htm

http://labiciclettaproshop.com/

Also, you can take the ferry to Vancouver Island and also up the coast for some off-road stuff. Skiing in the US and Canada is generally cheaper than Europe and as has been mentioned, the main cost is getting there/accommodation whereas you will be living there. I holidayed in that area and found it a really nice place. Great seafront, people, food but the outlying areas are what really makes it special. You are in BC and the scenery at anytime of year is stunning plus you have the wildlife both marine and land.

Pep

I emigrated THREE times and now still live abroad.
I did a PhD abroad.

Main point is: forget Vancouver. It's about the PhD. You could spend there only a few years, and your time there will be marked more by the PhD itself and by the nearest people around you. However, what you do on you PhD could probably mark the rest of your life.

It's not about Vancouver, it's about the PhD. If the PhD sounds good (I now you can't really tell right now) then go for it. Vancouver is just a place.

incog24

Pep wrote:

I emigrated THREE times and now still live abroad.
I did a PhD abroad.

Main point is: forget Vancouver. It's about the PhD. You could spend there only a few years, and your time there will be marked more by the PhD itself and by the nearest people around you. However, what you do on you PhD could probably mark the rest of your life.

It's not about Vancouver, it's about the PhD. If the PhD sounds good (I now you can't really tell right now) then go for it. Vancouver is just a place.

Its a good point, where ever I am if the PhD is horrific it'd be rubbish! I'm pretty confident that it is a good PhD though, and I like the system over there (broader study, you do more teaching etc).

I'm glad to know that there are some roads with bends out there. I briefly looked at the University of Alberta but ruled it out because the roads around it were grid like for about 80miles in every direction!

Pep

Pep wrote:

I emigrated THREE times and now still live abroad.

Forgot to add: two of the three times I emigrated I moved to a country I did not know the language.
When I moved with my wife I knew the language but she didn't.

Make sure the PhD is good. This is all.

BTW out of curiosity, what do you study? :?:

cjcp

Brilliant place. Often think about moving there (most days actually; presently live in London).

Going back there for two-three weeks this summer hopefully.

The amount of rain in BC is not a problem - I grew up in Wales.

Did I say it was a brilliant place?

aidso

This is making me nostalgic. I was there for hols in October and the place is everything as described above. The area around Grouse Mtn / Capilano was very pretty although looked very expensive and everyone is incredibly friendly - ill put that down to my Irish accent though . If there was one place I would defo consider living it would be Vancouver.

Plus your only 22, if you don't like it, who cares. Better than being 40yrs old and regretting you never took a stab at it.

rick_chasey

aidso wrote:

Plus your only 22, if you don't like it, who cares. Better than being 40yrs old and regretting you never took a stab at it.

Or being 40yrs old and about to be a grandad

Just messing. :P

daviesee

aidso wrote:

Plus your only 22, if you don't like it, who cares. Better than being 40yrs old and regretting you never took a stab at it.

That was the decider for me! :P

incog24

Pep wrote:

Pep wrote:

I emigrated THREE times and now still live abroad.

Forgot to add: two of the three times I emigrated I moved to a country I did not know the language.
When I moved with my wife I knew the language but she didn't.

Make sure the PhD is good. This is all.

BTW out of curiosity, what do you study? :?:

That's a bit more gutsy than just going to Canada! So basically the consensus is do it...

My research interests are in remote sensing and glacial geomorphology. The PhD at SFU is looking at controls on subglacial bedform morphology.

Pep

Don't give too much importance to this, but ....

The Economist, my fav weekly magazine, has just concluded Vancouver is the best city in the world to live.