Time flies. It's been over a year since my wife and I landed in Calgary with nothing but our suitcases back in 2024. We'd never set foot in this city before. Everything started from scratch. It's been one of those rare, life-changing experiences. Today, sitting on a park bench watching the autumn leaves drift down, I found myself reflecting on this whole journey. So here's what I want to share.

Why We Came Here

The reasons were pretty straightforward. First, we wanted to hit reset on our lives as a couple, to step out of our comfort zone and experience something completely different. Second, my wife had this dream of going to grad school and figuring out what she really wanted to do. To support her in chasing that dream, we decided to move to Canada, specifically to Calgary, one of the Prairie provinces.

What's This Year Been Like?

Calgary's Canada's fourth-largest city. Sounds big, right? But honestly, you can drive from the east end to the west end in about 30 minutes. And that's just the main city, not counting the far-flung suburbs. It's nothing like Hangzhou, Shenzhen, or Wuhan back home. Small, sure, but it's got everything you need. You can find pretty much anything for daily life here. Amazon's got a warehouse nearby, so online orders usually show up the next day.

Life here is quiet. Like, really quiet. And I've come to love that pace and vibe. After work, I'll go for a hike, head outdoors, or just stare at the Bow River. That kind of quiet is perfect for clearing your head and thinking things through. It really drives home what work-life balance actually means.

Also, it's dry as hell here. We're both from southern China, used to that damp, drizzly weather. Calgary hits different. None of that misty, romantic 江南 (Jiangnan) charm. It's more like the wide-open spaces of Xinjiang or the crisp, endless skies of Northeast China.

People here are polite, especially the teenagers. Total opposite of what you see on American streets, where you'll run into rude kids or ones trying way too hard to be edgy. In Calgary, if you walk past them, they'll smile at you, say hi, and the outgoing ones will even introduce themselves.

Of course, there are homeless people here too. You'll see folks yelling on the street or just lying down to sleep wherever. But you rarely see tent encampments like in other cities. Most homeless people just push their carts around with all their stuff. Sometimes I wonder where they all go. You don't see them as much as in LA, where there are tent "mansions" everywhere. After living here a while, I found a few homeless folks tucked away in park bushes. When I got close enough to talk, I noticed they'd actually kept their little areas surprisingly tidy.

Driving here is a pleasure. Once you figure out right-of-way rules, you realize this place is a driver's paradise. People rarely cut you off, and at unmarked intersections, you'll sometimes see everyone waving each other through. Everyone's used to taking it slow here. No rush, no stress. Of course, if you screw up the right-of-way, you might get a "friendly" middle finger reminding you not to drive like an idiot.

This place is an outdoor lover's dream. Two hours and you're at a national park. Skiing, rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking, hunting. Any outdoor activity you can think of, you can do it here. After a busy week, stepping into nature reminds you just how beautiful the world is. Just watch your back. The wildlife here takes eating very seriously.

Things You Wouldn't Expect

Healthcare Isn't As Bad As They Say

Before coming, everyone told me how terrible the healthcare system was. But honestly? My experience has been fine. Let me give you an example. I hurt my back once. Got scratched by a nail. True to form as a Chinese person, my first thought was, "Eh, whatever. Just wipe off the blood and move on." So I headed to a pharmacy to grab some disinfectant, but the pharmacist thought I needed urgent care. He found a nearby walk-in clinic and even called ahead for us.

When we got there, I figured we'd be waiting forever. But after filling out some paperwork, a doctor saw me in about half an hour. They cleaned the wound, gave me a shot, prescribed meds. All free (with a health card, anyway). From what I've seen so far, routine stuff really isn't as dramatic as people make it out to be. Though obviously, the best hospital visit is the one you never have to make.

Car Insurance That'll Make Your Jaw Drop

This might be unique to Calgary, or Alberta in general. Car insurance here is insanely expensive, especially your first year. As a new immigrant, if you buy a basic family car, your insurance bill might say something like CAD $6,000+. Back home, that'd be absolutely nuts. But here's the brutal part: you've got no choice. You can't drive the car off the lot without insurance.

I learned later that one reason it's so expensive is because of weather-related accidents. Hailstorms, snowstorms, you name it. The odds of getting into an accident here are higher, so insurance companies jack up the premiums accordingly.

How Have I Changed?

The biggest change for me is that I've slowed down. In an environment like this, you can't help but slow down. Back in Hangzhou, traffic jams would drive me up the wall. But here? My first instinct is just, "Take it easy. Everyone's out here lazily soaking up the sun anyway."

Second, I've gotten way better at understanding cultural differences. Back in China, I'd always wonder, "Why do foreigners act like that?" But once you actually start living here and blending into the local culture, you realize that what you used to see as weird is just... normal.

Third, my work setup has completely changed. I used to do the whole 9-to-5 office thing. Now that I'm based in North America and working remotely with teams back in China, everything's different. During the day, nobody's interrupting me, so I can really focus and think deeply about problems. At the same time, I cherish every conversation way more. Back when I was at Ant Group, half the meetings felt like a total waste of time.