Kelowna, BC
Immigrant
China
20-29
Allison
Originally from China, Allison immigrated to Canada in 2015 and has been living in Kelowna because of the family-run business. Allison is currently studying to be a sommelier.
Living in Kelowna is like living in nature… Kelowna gives me a different experience that I thought I’d never have… I don’t think I will move out of Kelowna.
I went horseback riding with friends. In Kelowna, everything is in nature and is quick to get to. It takes 10 minutes to find everything and the lake is near. When I first moved here, I wanted to stay in a city but over time, I got used to the small city life and being close to nature. It is a good place to live and we may not have all the extras but we have everything in Kelowna. Living in nature, I enjoy it, the parks and hiking give me a different experience and lifestyle.
Living in Kelowna is like living in nature. If I wanted to go for a walk or hike, the trails are close to where I live. The lake is gorgeous and quiet. I feel a peaceful moment when I see the little waves. In Vancouver, I would have to drive out to get to nature.
I spend time with my family and friends outdoors. During the summer it can be very hot and the way to cool down is to go outside and be on the lake. It is the easiest way to have fun. In Kelowna, you do not need to plan ahead of time, you do not need to pay for anything. Just drive, pump up the boat, it’s the simple things. To sit there and have a peaceful moment, to eat near the lake. It is a totally different experience than Toronto and Vancouver.
During the summer, I water ski’d on the Okanagan Lake. I fell in love with this activity. Many locals in the Kelowna-Vernon area own a boat and like to spend a whole day on the lake. | About a 40-minute drive away from Kelowna is the forest where we went camping. We went as three families. We spent three days with no connection from our phones and had fun with family and friends in nature. When I first came to Kelowna I thought I would have a similar life to when I was in China: work and school. But when I moved here, I never thought I would get in touch so much in nature. | This is a normal day. To go hiking in the mountains. I would say 90% of people in Kelowna love nature. If people want a high-paced life, it may not be good. No one is in a hurry when living in Kelowna. People love the outdoors and want to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. It’s common that people would ask, ‘want to go for a hike?' |
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I celebrated my graduation with my family by playing minigolf and go-karting. Kelowna gives me a different experience that I thought I’d never have. It is growing fast and feels like a little Vancouver. There are so many businesses growing in the area. It is a good size city to live in. I am learning more about the wineries for my career and I don’t think I will move out of Kelowna.
I went kayaking with my sister and friends and we spent about 3 or more days camping and relaxing. I didn’t have the chance to kayak when I lived in China. I first learned to kayak through a school trip. It was easy to learn.