User Story

By Kristi Tencarre

How did I end up in the Edmonton area when I grew up near Vancouver, BC? I admit there are times when I miss the ocean and green of the rainforest, but the constant sunshine is a bright reminder of why I love this area of Canada.

I have lived overseas and visited 51 countries. I have seen how people in other places live. This has helped me to know exactly what I want in my home city. I want the peacefulness of the country within close proximity to the amenities of a large city. The Edmonton area offers exactly that.

It's the wide open spaces. It's the cumulus clouds that blow across the blue sky in the summer. It's the prairie grasses, yellow canola as well as green and purple alfalfa that sway in the breeze, much like ripples on the ocean. It's the freedom of space. It's the small town feel of Stony Plain with the big city of Edmonton only a half hour drive away. It's the best of both worlds: the country and the city.

Back in Vancouver, it's typical to be in your 30s, working a good job, and still renting a basement suite. My pre-approved mortgage qualified me to buy a small one-bedroom condo there. If I wanted to buy a house, I would have had to move at least an hour (and that's not in rush hour) outside of downtown Vancouver, where I worked. Here, I can buy a house out in the country with acreage!

In Edmonton I can also find all the ethnic foods that I enjoyed in Vancouver. Driving the wide highways around Edmonton to do my shopping is pleasant compared to the constant traffic jams of the Lower Mainland. I am using my world experience and travels to open the eyes of the country youth here where I teach.

While Edmonton has a downtown core, it is not crazy busy like in Vancouver or Toronto. We have all the same amenities here and world-class restaurants, so it’s not like we're lacking. Vancouver has the reputation of being a "no-fun" city, while Edmonton is a city of festivals! A Taste of Edmonton and the Folk and Fringe Festivals are summer highlights for me, as is the St. Albert Farmers' Market every Saturday.

I like the peace I've found here. Watching a storm blow in, listening to the thunder rage, and then observing the lightening flashes across the grand expanse of sky is something I could not do with the small glimpses of sky in the city or the grey drizzle that settled in for days at a time. Seeing the northern lights from the comfort of your own home is amazing. Chasing twister clouds across the prairie is thrilling.

I've backpacked in Patagonia and I actually prefer the Canadian Rockies. Jasper and Banff are short drives away for me now and I can camp and hike to my heart's content.

I've come home.