Over reading week, my boyfriend and I went on a trip to Toronto. Being born and raised Edmontonians, we did not realize just how different another major Canadian city could be. Here are 3 things I learned when I went to Toronto:
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All the stereotypes/clichés about Edmonton traffic and transit are true.
Getting across town in Toronto is a breeze compared to Edmonton. When I’m home, my commute to campus will range from 20 minutes to an hour and a half. In Toronto, busses are more frequent with a larger radius, meaning shorter commute times. I have always had my complaints about Edmonton’s transit system, and now I will even more so after experiencing an efficient transit system.
Also, the stereotype that Alberta drivers are the worst drivers in Canada proved itself during my time there too. When we weren’t taking transit, we took Uber. Either the drivers in Toronto are super considerate, or people in Toronto just know how to perfectly weave themselves through traffic and handle multi-lane freeways with ease. It’s frustrating when I think about how most people tend to be 20km above or below the speed limit on the Henday with no in-between.
- All the hyped-up restaurants on social media can be found there.
Chipotle, Chick-Fil-A, Panera Bread, Cheesecake Factory… So many chain restaurants that we have no access to here they have in abundance. My food-loving heart sighs with sadness.
- The grass is always greener in the other city.
After coming back, I spoke to someone originally from Toronto. Everything that I was amazed by or loved about the city, she said, are nuisances to people who actually live there. It was then that I realized… I get annoyed at tourists at West Edmonton Mall. To me, it is just a mall, yet to tourists, it is this huge, awe-inspiring building with so much to offer. While it is nice to picture life in another city, there will always be drawbacks and greener grass (or a better transit system) somewhere else.