Living in Kelowna as an Asian?

[stinkynuts]

I sm thinking of moving to Kelowna, primarily for the cheaper housing and scenery. However everyone tells me that it is very conservative, with 90% white and mostly Christian. As an asian, I don’t know if I would fit in.

I also heard other bad things:

-people are racist
-cliquish
-wealthy WASPs look down on you
-hard to make friends
-people are snobbish and douchey


Also:

-no good jobs
-expensive
-Homelessness
-high crime rate
-lots if drug use and addicts

Anyone lived there or know people who have? Would you recommend it? Especially for an Asian?


100 years ago, Chinese made up 10% of the population, today it is 1%. I find that very strange. Maybe it is not hodpitable for Asians to live there?

 

[AMG-GTR]

I’m wealthy, white, fit right in and I wouldn’t move there.

It’s not a bad place at all. It’s just different from Vancouver drastically. Expect to be “teased” regarding the Asian thing although I doubt it would ever be anything threatening. People think you’re a dentist etc. Bad driver etc.

People are generally pretty friendly but you have to play by their terms. It’s a lot less liberal than a big city. I’d be more worried being gay than Asian if that makes any sense.

I don’t know if there is actually more drug and alcohol abuse but it often SEEMS like it. Probably because there isn’t as much to do so the routine of “let’s get fucked up this weekend” is more the norm.

I like it up there but I wouldn’t live there. Then again, I have a home in Shanghai and I can only stand short bits there as well. Job market is also more concentrated in Kelowna as it would be in any smaller city.

 

[poorboyv6]

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/news/article_5f644290-18ef-11e7-bdba-3b21e3548e5e.html

 

[Gardener]

I’m not Asian, so can’t speak from that perspective, but I lived there a while back for several years. Truth be told, I hated it. Physically it’s an ugly town, yes it has the lake and hills, but from an urban planning perspective it’s a disaster. It’s a transient population so very few people with roots there. It is clique-y and waspish.

Blistering hot summers and terrible grey winters. When the lake inversion sets in, you won’t see the sun for weeks in the winter. Winters are far worse than Vancouver. Job market poor, cost of living high, food, property tax etc...

I would way rather live in Penticton.

Kelowna is easily the most overrated city in the province.

IMO

 

[johnnydepth]

Come to Winnipeg. We're the United Nations of Canada. Sure you might get shot or stabbed but that's due to the poverty and drugs around here, not your race.

 

[badbadboy]

I sm thinking of moving to Kelowna, primarily for the cheaper housing and scenery. However everyone tells me that it is very conservative, with 90% white and mostly Christian. As an asian, I don’t know if I would fit in.

I also heard other bad things:

-people are racist
-cliquish
-wealthy WASPs look down on you
-hard to make friends
-people are snobbish and douchey


Also:

-no good jobs
-expensive
-Homelessness
-high crime rate
-lots if drug use and addicts

Anyone lived there or know people who have? Would you recommend it? Especially for an Asian?


100 years ago, Chinese made up 10% of the population, today it is 1%. I find that very strange. Maybe it is not hodpitable for Asians to live there?

Your post is pretty accurate but it's not necessarily against other races but more against newcomers.

I've owned a place in the Okanagan for 10+ years and found neighbours are friendly. It's next to impossible to crack any social circles. I've invited friendly neighbours for summer bbq but never received an invite to any of their parties. There is a real disconnect when it comes to making friends that want to hang out and do activities like hiking or other outdoor things.

 

[pussy_stretcher]

I sm thinking of moving to Kelowna, primarily for the cheaper housing and scenery.

Cheaper housing? Sure. Higher cost of living? Absolutely. Research "Sunshine Tax". Don't move to Kelowna to save money.
Also, look at the traffic. Ugly.

Snobbish, racist, cliquish, douchey... that applies to most places. Making friends is hard, or easy, everywhere.

A population base that is seasonal can make it very difficult though. I've had stints in Kelowna. Awesome times. Horrible times.

 

[sybian]

I sm thinking of moving to Kelowna, primarily for the cheaper housing and scenery. However everyone tells me that it is very conservative, with 90% white and mostly Christian. As an asian, I don’t know if I would fit in.

I also heard other bad things:

-people are racist
-cliquish
-wealthy WASPs look down on you
-hard to make friends
-people are snobbish and douchey


Also:

-no good jobs
-expensive
-Homelessness
-high crime rate
-lots if drug use and addicts

Anyone lived there or know people who have? Would you recommend it? Especially for an Asian?


100 years ago, Chinese made up 10% of the population, today it is 1%. I find that very strange. Maybe it is not hodpitable for Asians to live there?

I've been told...without doing the research, that Vernon/Kelowna has the only Methedone clinic in the area, so that may explain the drug users, which I have noticed as well.
The people of the interior are different for sure. There are the ones born here, that keep to their own groups, then there are the ones that move here, and stay, some of those are accepted into the local Clans.
Then there is the third group....those that have seasonal homes up here. They think they are part of a community, but for the most part, other than the odd exception, they most definatley are not.
Kelowna has a large population of seasonal Albertans, a huge hub of drug trade run by H.A., and a large transient work force, that comes and goes with the seasons....I avoid it out of pure survival.

 

[Gardener]

The number one thing that surprised me about my time in Kelowna was the winters. The lake inversion that settles in between Nov and late Feb is soul draining. Think very low cloud and fog for weeks at a time. At least in Vancouver it rains like hell, can be very grey also, but at least we’ll get 12 hours of blue sky every now and then. Up in Kelowna you won’t see the sun for weeks or months in the winter. I used to drive to Big White or top of OK connector just for sun.

 

[MissingOne]

... Also, look at the traffic. Ugly. ...

I drove through the Okanagan, from Enderby down to the border, three summers ago. There was slow, clogged traffic all the way. In future I will go far out of my way to avoid driving through the Okanagan in the summer.

 

[jgg]

I'm being serious. Everybody knows what my fear of Kelowna is.

ECI/ECI,
TJM.

Hell's Angels.

 

[Crookedmember]

Have you guys seen the throngs of sweet, young pussy walking around this town during summertime in their short shorts and tank tops with nipples poking through?

It sort of makes up for the motherfucking lake inversions and a few traffic jams.

 

[jgg]

The Eldorado is a great spot.

 

[sybian]

Have you guys seen the throngs of sweet, young pussy walking around this town during summertime in their short shorts and tank tops with nipples poking through?

It sort of makes up for the motherfucking lake inversions and a few traffic jams.

Yup!.......they are everywhere.
It is amazing.

 

[stinkynuts]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. I think that the consensus is that it is not the paradise it seems to be... Lots of issues. maybe I will stay in Vancouver metro.

 

[sybian]

Hells Angels, all the way.

I know that the OP isn't talking about pooning, but when I read by someone on Perb that "The Hells Angels own most escort agencies in Kelowna," and I'm scared of Hells Angels ANYWAY, that's what my hangup is with Kelowna.

On some MACLEANS polls, KELOWNA is sometimes listed as a top 10 most dangerous Canadian cities.

And remember, REGULAR members of that list are Regina, SURREY BC, Winnipeg, Green Deer, Metal Buffalo, and of course PRINCE George.

The only BC city that I have a bigger hangup about than Prince George and Surrey, is Kelowna.

ECI/ECI,
TJM.

I know you've mentioned in the past that most smaller interior BC towns intimidate you.....there are some very nice down to earth people up here, that you most likely would really enjoy.
If you find yourself in the Ranching areas you just need to know.

Don't mess around with a mans livestock, his fence, or his family...and you'll be just fine.

There is a little town up here, that the Nomads ,and the Angels thought they would terrorize for a weekend. Back in the 70's.
They got as far as stabbing a young bull rider, and raping an local First Nations girl....they got their asses handed to them, lost their bikes, and one of them...the tough guy who did the rape.....He just went missing.
Turns out he was someone, that nobody really missed anyways.

 

[Crookedmember]

Hells Angels, all the way.

I know that the OP isn't talking about pooning, but when I read by someone on Perb that "The Hells Angels own most escort agencies in Kelowna," and I'm scared of Hells Angels ANYWAY, that's what my hangup is with Kelowna.

On some MACLEANS polls, KELOWNA is sometimes listed as a top 10 most dangerous Canadian cities.

And remember, REGULAR members of that list are Regina, SURREY BC, Winnipeg, Green Deer, Metal Buffalo, and of course PRINCE George.

The only BC city that I have a bigger hangup about than Prince George and Surrey, is Kelowna.

ECI/ECI,
TJM.

There are 3 escort agencies in Kelowna, and the Hell's Angels own exactly zero of them.

While Kelowna does sometimes have high crime stats, most of it is petty stuff due to the large influx of tourists.

 

[Gardener]

Have you guys seen the throngs of sweet, young pussy walking around this town during summertime in their short shorts and tank tops with nipples poking through?

It sort of makes up for the motherfucking lake inversions and a few traffic jams.

When it’s greyer and darker than hell in winter, there is no “sweet young pussy” walking around. Only bitter newcomers in parka’s who can’t believe they haven’t seen the sun in 7 weeks

 

[Crookedmember]

When it’s greyer and darker than hell in winter, there is no “sweet young pussy” walking around. Only bitter newcomers in parka’s who can’t believe they haven’t seen the sun in 7 weeks

And then there's me, holding a finger to that grey sky and banging the shit out of my fleshlight.

 

[masterblaster]

I know you've mentioned in the past that most smaller interior BC towns intimidate you.....there are some very nice down to earth people up here, that you most likely would really enjoy.
If you find yourself in the Ranching areas you just need to know.

Don't mess around with a mans livestock, his fence, or his family...and you'll be just fine.

There is a little town up here, that the Nomads ,and the Angels thought they would terrorize for a weekend. Back in the 70's.
They got as far as stabbing a young bull rider, and raping an local First Nations girl....they got their asses handed to them, lost their bikes, and one of them...the tough guy who did the rape.....He just went missing.
Turns out he was someone, that nobody really missed anyways.

I like to hear when someone gets what they deserve.