Q: Hi all, well i am planning to take admission in a college at Vancouver for higher studies. Since this is my first time i am a bit tensed and at the same time excited too. I have so many question for which i need someone who can answer me. 1.) How much will it cost for me to rent a shared flat/other housing unit, in Yaletown/ anywhere in West Hastings Street. 2.) Where can i get my food from? I cant goto restaurants daily? Are there some services that provides food for students and also dilivers it to students door and charges weekly/monthly/whatever? Or i will have to cook my food on my own? 3.) What are the taxi charges per mile within city. 4.) If i buy a bicycle.Can i bike it all over the city or to just some restricted areas? Will i require a special permit/licence, for it? 5.) How safe is the city. Coz my classes are of 18 hrs a day and i will be returning late hrs and then back early hrs to the classes. 6.) Which one amongst theTaxi/Buses/Tubes/Bicycles/Walk, is the best
A: Congrats on going to Vancouver for your higher studies, I can understand why you'd be excited but also tense too...it's a long way from home. I can't answer all your questions as I did not go to school there and it's been a 2 years since I was last there, however I will tell you what I know from my own experience and that of friends who have lived there. Rent prices fluctuate according to what the places are like and how close they are to the university, etc but the university should be able to give you a general guide to costs for housing, and check to see if you can live on campus, it might work out cheaper for you. They will have information available regarding housing, don't be afraid to write and ask for the information, that's part of their job. As far as food goes and where you can get it, there are shops that will be close by no matter where you finally choose to live, it's a very well equipped city and you will find they have a wide variety of foods available throughout the city. There are inexpensive restaurants that are still quite good, but if you can cook it's cheaper to do that than to have restaurant meals (not to mention it'll be healthier too). If you choose to reside in aplace where you will have room mates sharing the accomodation with you, then you could even work out a schedule where you each cook on certain days for the whole group that way you aren't having to cook daily but still keep your food bills as low as possible. Safety in the city. Vancouver is a great city and fairly safe, however it's a city and with any city there are things you need to do to keep yourself safe...it's the common sense things that you'd do in any city really. I'd recommend asking the university to send you information regarding safety in the city, they will have all these types of things covered for their new students, particularly the students from other countries...but you may have to ask them for it instead of them volunteering it. You will not need a permit or license for a bicycle, but I would recommend that you have a chain for it so it does not get stolen or to at least reduce the risk of it being taken. Vancouver is a pretty spread out place, bikes are a good thing here although you will need to be in good shape with all the hills. Walking is another great way to get around the city and even the bus system is good and it's inexpensive. Taxi's on the other hand can become quite expensive and for a student, I wouldn't recommend using them unless you absolutely have to. Contact the university's admission department and ask them to send you information regarding housing, getting around the city, personal safety, etc, they are one of the best sources of the information that you need, and they'll have all the info to hand where they can either email it to you or post it to you...they may well have it on their website, so if you haven't looked, I'd recommend starting there...if they don't have it on their site, email them requesting the info be sent to you or that you be given contact information on someone who will be able to give you the info. They will be helpful and will be only too happy to get the information to you, especially as you are coming from so far away. Good luck with it all and I wish you every success with your studies, you will have a great time in Vancouver, it's an incredible city! I hope I've helped a little.