Today is our one-year anniversary in Canada! Whoop whoop💃🏾 (P.S. Ignore Teni's face in that picture—she was way more interested in running around than staying still for any picture #ToddlerLife, but I love the picture either way)
So, it's been a whole year since my family and I made one of the biggest decisions of our lives: moving to Canada. Was it easy? NO. Did we decide overnight? NO. Was it cheap? Hell NO. But after weighing our options, Canada topped the list, offering the growth and environment we wanted for raising our kids. It’s been a journey—no sugarcoating (it's been a bitter-sweet experience!). Just last week, I told my husband it feels like we've been here for five years! Things have moved fast, but I truly love the life, the people, and the country as a whole.
In this post, I’ll share the top five things I love about Canada. Hopefully, this will help you better understand what living here is really like! Disclaimer: No place is perfect. I definitely have reservations about certain things here, but I prefer to focus on the positives on my blog. So if you’re reading this, don’t be fooled—nowhere on earth is perfect!
1) The People: Canadians are Exceptionally NICE 🇨🇦❤️
I’ve experienced Canadians’ kindness firsthand many times. From the moment we landed at the airport, we felt at home, with people helping us with our luggage, saying hi to Teni, and offering us support. There are countless occasions when I’ve been standing somewhere, only to have people come over to see if I’m lost or need help. This was strange to me at first but eventually, I grew to love it. Canadians are just naturally nice and sweet! ❤️
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| Image from here |
2) Diversity 🌎
One of the most amazing things about Canada is its cultural diversity. Canada is incredibly diverse, and Calgary is no exception. The variety of cultures and people here is amazing—you meet folks from all over the world! My workplace alone feels like a mini United Nations. I’ve met people from Guinea, Senegal, Congo, Bolivia, and even countries I can barely pronounce. It’s a beautiful mix of accents, cultures, and beliefs. I love learning about cultural differences; it opens your mind and lets you see life in new ways. With all this diversity comes an endless selection of food and recipes, too. I’ve seen unique foods in Asian stores (purple fish, anyone?) and I’m excited to start exploring more recipes as we settle in.
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| Image from Atlassian |
3) Calgary’s Transit Accessibility 🚆🚌
Our house is just a 2-minute walk to the bus stop and only 7 minutes to the train station. While not all areas in Calgary have this convenience, it’s made life so much easier for us. I love that I can hop on a train or bus and get anywhere I need to go. Of course, Calgary’s size means transit can be lengthy, but having access to reliable public transit gives me peace of mind and "ifokanbale" (peace of mind).
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| On this day, I was the only one in this unit of the train and I decided to take a selfie😋 |
4) Exploring Calgary: So Much to See and Do! 🏞️🎢
Talk about being a tourist in your own city, I love it! This summer, we’ve got a list of events and places to check out. There’s always something happening, from local festivals to beautiful parks and landmarks. Teni already explored the Zoo, the stunning new public library, and some local parks. Our weekends have become so precious to us because of our busy schedules, but fingers crossed we can make the most of the summer and explore even more!
5) Sunshine, Even in Winter ☀️❄️
I wrote a full post about this here, but the sun here is AMAZING. While I’m not a fan of the peak summer heat, having sunshine throughout the year, especially in winter, is pure bliss. Coming from a place where winter daylight was as short as 4-5 hours, I appreciate how much brighter the winters feel here. The constant sunshine has to be one of my favorite things about living here and I’ve come to love Calgary’s “Sunshine City” vibe.
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| This was November 2018...Peep the Snow behind us while we also enjoy the sunshine. Basically cold and sunny #LoveEet |
Reflecting on This First Year 🌟
In just one year, I’ve built wonderful friendships, found familiar faces from home (many fellow Nigerians here!), and even heard Yoruba being spoken on the train. I’ve enjoyed delicious food (btw, the plantain here is fantastic!), taken lots of memorable pictures, and soaked in the beauty around me. While no place is perfect, focusing on the positives has made this experience truly enriching.
A Big Thank You 💌
Thankful to everyone who’s supported us along the way, especially my sister and friends who made this transition smoother. And thank you to you for visiting my little corner of the internet. Here’s to more memories and adventures in Canada. HAPPY 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME & MY LIL’ FAM! 💋
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