The god honest truth, my none basis opinion. I am not holding back .... Which may upset my boyfriend cause how die hard he is for the city BUT when have I ever not been honest with you guys? When have I ever sugar coated shit .... NEVER . So why start now. Honesty is the best policy babes.
Why I moved
My boyfriend and I wanted to move in together. At the time my job was not in Toronto so I was hesitant about the move. It had to make sense for both of us. I am not the type to follow a guy around for love ..and shit. I am very logical about it, god forbid if it didn't workout then I uprooted my life for someone else - I knew I would regret that.
I never wanted to move to Toronto. Growing up, going to school here I didn't care to move here.
It just so happened a position in the field I wanted to be in opened up. I knew about this opportunity for a year but never was going to take it. I was in Toronto and didn't make sense. The only reason I applied for it was because we wanted to move in together.
I was building a new store ! And I would be in my feild as an interior decorator. I have made a lot of sacrifices in my career to get to this point.
So, I got the job and took.
It literally fell into place for the first time in my life. This was also such a hard position to get. So competitive I was surprised a position was open,let alone that I got the job I have been setting my self up for.
To be 100% honest. If I didn't get this job, at this location, this position, I would of said no to moving in with my boyfriend despite wanting to move in - it just had to be mutually beneficial, make sense for both our careers.
So yea...I kinda followed a boy but I made sure I had something of my own that benefited my career and me long-term so if shit hit the fan I wouldn't be kicking my self.
My thoughts when I first moved
Regret. Instant regret. I started the job while I was still commuting, not living with my boyfriend yet.
There were so many suicides I witnessed - people jumping off buildings, homeless people, racism, racist attacks... These are all what I saw with my eyes- happen in front of me .
Way worse than when I went to school in Toronto.
And then you hear all the things going on in the news, shootings etc... And when someone you know gets shot and killed in Toronto that hits you differently.
In general I will say Toronto is the worst in terms of funding - the government does not fun TTC which is why it is (but not the sole reason) it is unsafe, unreliable, scam..
The government does not care about - homeless, health care ( that's all of Ontario though), affordable housing... The list really goes on .
I do feel it has all gotten worse since COVID.
It's also bad to say that you get immune to it .
The activities to do as a Toronto resident
Everything is expensive. Which includes cost of living, rent, food,yada yada.
There is a lot to do and see. Exploring different areas, even if you go to the same area a few times you'll find something new!
Just don't bother with the TTC it's a fucken joke! No security, always late, you never know when someone will push you on to the tracks just because...
You have to be very aware! However, you never know when you will get stuck on a cart while someone decides to go off!
Mostly for me everything is walking distance which I love. Even if it's a hour walk il do that in the summer.
I love that I do not have to drive to go to appointments, grocery shopping etc ..
If going out to restaurants, the markets is too expensive which it can be if you do it all the time.Go for a walk by the water, to the park, there is also skating rinks !
Toronto people.. Torontonians not as nice as the stereotype. .. sorry not sorry.
I used I am realizing a lot of people everywhere are very much whatever serves them. Walks in the middle.of the sidewalk, stops to text in the middle of the side walk, don't hold the door for you
... Common sense things they do not do. Always on the phone etc... It's becoming a very me me me culture.
There are some people who are not like that but I find that most people are in Toronto.
I have had some people I can strike up a conversation with because they are not listening to music or on their phone or they are overall just more inviting to do so. I do enjoy those moments of talking to random strangers, being able to connect, laugh etc..
I am lucky that my building itself has very nice people .So, I am coming home to nice people who have manners, common sense, people who will help people with strollers or elderly people.
A lot of the times I have seen people by pass an elderly person or person with a child in need of help.
I have a soft spot for elderly people and always love to help and strike up a conversation with them . As for people with strollers I get the struggle not all of the city is accessibility friendly so I will always help out .
Don't get me wrong there are a few times people have helped me but when you are looking at the over all "Trontonian" population very much they are self involved... In the core of Toronto.
However, I do feel like in general, not just in Toronto people are becoming like that.
I know there are nice people everywhere! Just to clarify I am not saying all people who live in Toronto are like this. I do like to focus on the good. I get super excited when people hold the door open for me, slow down to let me cross, when I see people helping each other - which does happen often.
Homeless People
So many homeless people. Way more than when I went to school here back in 2013-2015.
Toronto they way they fund - use our tax money it just doesn't make sense.
The affordable housing crisis is out of control, and mental health is of no importance.
There are not enough resources for people. You are also making people pay a crazy amount of money to become psychologist and health care professionals. Paying them not enough, student loans yada yada . .y'all know what's up with that we say how bad our health care system was during COVID and these health care workers were suffering and working like crazy.
Homeless people for the most part are harmless.
However, I have been chased, threated many times! So, ya it is scary because you never know when you are going to get attacked.
People are shooting, slicing people's faces etc... And throwing each other in front of trains for no reason homeless and non- homeless people.
TTC
The violence on the TTC is unreal right now!
It's very scary ... And annoying we pay so much and the TTC can't even create a safe environment.
Taking the TTC gives me anxiety. So yes I walk everywhere now....
Overall a lot of we don't give a fuck about people's wellbeing
1. Health care funding
2. Affordable housing
3. Mental health resources and funding
4. Police patrolling
5. TTC lack of awareness that they should have always had security on their tracks and stations.
There are some videos of violent situations I have seen, and pedestrians are stepping in. Which is amazing that people are willing to help, however they should not have to the TTC should be allocating funding for security.
After almost a year of being in Toronto how I feel now...
Do I miss my mum's home
... My bedroom
What I miss the most
Family. Coming home to a dog and a full house, as chaotic as it can be.
Something my therapist said was sometimes it's not the amount of time you spend with your family, it's the quality. I do feel that the quality of time, how present everyone is when I come back home has increased.
As much as I miss my family, FaceTime helps...it's primarily Lola I miss. I can't call her and talk to her so I go back home a lot.
It's in her best interest to keep her there. I know she would hate the city.
It's a catch 22... I do love both homes. And how lucky am I to have two homes!
I do find my self more comfortable now in the Toronto home.
I still miss my room at my mum's . It was soo nicely decorated and perfect for shooting content haha...it was just a nice space. I had a big closet with all my bags.I do like how we decorated the new place though. It's not my style...but it's our style which I think is important.
I do that thing after a vacation when you come home and you enter threw the door and go " ahhhh"and drop your luggage. I have started doing that after coming back from my mum's home, or even work that's when I realized that yep this ( Toronto) is my home.
My Toronto home - It was definitely my place to find peace when all of 2022 was emotional back home with everything my family was going threw, and all the deaths. Even though I was still very much stressed and thinking about everything Toronto kinda allowed me to take a step back and think.
Toronto has a lot to offer. Jobs, things to do, restaurants etc .. There are some nice people... I do think COVID, economy, inflation etc... Has cause people to lose their shit. More violence, mental health issues, homelessness etc...
I love where I live, talking to the people in my building, my neighborhood. It's a cozy vibe my area.
I think your never going to be 100% in love with where you live because there will always be something.
I am so blessed though. I feel like I have multiple places to call home. Not a lot of people do.
So overall I do like Toronto, but I also like where I grew up my mum's home. Not one more than the other. They each have pros and cons, they both have chapters of my life that made me who I am and are very significant to me
