Gimme Shelter!
August 4, 2010 2:49 AM Subscribe
Help me plan my move to Vancouver.
I'm going to school as an International Student in Burnaby in October. I currently live outside Canada.
I do not drive and am planning to live near a skytrain station in Buranaby. I plan to walk to classes. Currently I am looking at Metrotown as a viable place to live, unless of course people advise me otherwise.
The immediate problem I am facing, however, is that I don't know anyone there and have no place to live immediately upon landing. I haven't received any assistance from the school, I suspect they do not get many international students by the feel of things.
I'm sure I can figure out the final arrangements once I've landed and am out and about, it is the initial stay of a week or so(without spending too much money) that concerns me.
It appears to me I have three options
1) I look for(and get) an apartment remotely and then move into one as soon as I land. The problem with this is that I wouldn't want to move into a place without having seen it in person first, and the landlord/roomate would be wary of doing the same.
2)I check into a hotel and continue looking for apartments from there. The problem with this is that I might end up hemorrhaging money if I don't find anything suitable *very* quickly. Oh, I should mention that I do not have much money to spend for this initial period. The rent I'm expecting to pay for my stay during studying is around 500 dollars. A good, cheap, no-frills hotel in the area would be very welcome news.
3)Further, I plan to land about a month from now. Therefore, I'd like to make some arrangement that will be valid in a month's time.
Being very close, or very easily accessible to the campus is a priority.
I have never done this sort of thing before, the last time I was an international student, I met up with admitted students in my own country and made arrangements before we left, so I had somewhere to crash for a week or so. This time around, I don't find any students going to BCIT(the school) from my country.
I'm sure I've forgotten something. Any help, advice or tip would be very welcome.
I'm going to school as an International Student in Burnaby in October. I currently live outside Canada.
I do not drive and am planning to live near a skytrain station in Buranaby. I plan to walk to classes. Currently I am looking at Metrotown as a viable place to live, unless of course people advise me otherwise.
The immediate problem I am facing, however, is that I don't know anyone there and have no place to live immediately upon landing. I haven't received any assistance from the school, I suspect they do not get many international students by the feel of things.
I'm sure I can figure out the final arrangements once I've landed and am out and about, it is the initial stay of a week or so(without spending too much money) that concerns me.
It appears to me I have three options
1) I look for(and get) an apartment remotely and then move into one as soon as I land. The problem with this is that I wouldn't want to move into a place without having seen it in person first, and the landlord/roomate would be wary of doing the same.
2)I check into a hotel and continue looking for apartments from there. The problem with this is that I might end up hemorrhaging money if I don't find anything suitable *very* quickly. Oh, I should mention that I do not have much money to spend for this initial period. The rent I'm expecting to pay for my stay during studying is around 500 dollars. A good, cheap, no-frills hotel in the area would be very welcome news.
3)Further, I plan to land about a month from now. Therefore, I'd like to make some arrangement that will be valid in a month's time.
Being very close, or very easily accessible to the campus is a priority.
I have never done this sort of thing before, the last time I was an international student, I met up with admitted students in my own country and made arrangements before we left, so I had somewhere to crash for a week or so. This time around, I don't find any students going to BCIT(the school) from my country.
I'm sure I've forgotten something. Any help, advice or tip would be very welcome.
There's nothing wrong with living near Metrotown. It's on the Skytrain line, as you know, so it doesn't take long to get to downtown from that part of Burnaby.
Could you try contacting BCIT and asking if Admissions or the department you've been admitted to could make some arrangement with other students? Just because they haven't mentioned anything doesn't mean they couldn't help if asked.
If that fails, my friend used to work at the St. Clair hotel downtown, and did some filming there--the manager, Hans, is super nice. The rooms start at $50 a night, which is cheaper than what TripAdvisor brings up for Burnaby hotels.
Another place--in the ghetto, but safe--is Pat's.
posted by Beardman at 6:40 AM on August 4, 2010
Could you try contacting BCIT and asking if Admissions or the department you've been admitted to could make some arrangement with other students? Just because they haven't mentioned anything doesn't mean they couldn't help if asked.
If that fails, my friend used to work at the St. Clair hotel downtown, and did some filming there--the manager, Hans, is super nice. The rooms start at $50 a night, which is cheaper than what TripAdvisor brings up for Burnaby hotels.
Another place--in the ghetto, but safe--is Pat's.
posted by Beardman at 6:40 AM on August 4, 2010
Oh yeah, and I forgot this one. UBC, which is far from where you want to be, does have good nightly rates if you stay in one of their residences in the summer. I did it once and had basically a whole building to myself. Starts at $19.
You could see if SFU has something comparable, but I can't find a link without getting a warning that the site isn't secure.
posted by Beardman at 6:43 AM on August 4, 2010
You could see if SFU has something comparable, but I can't find a link without getting a warning that the site isn't secure.
posted by Beardman at 6:43 AM on August 4, 2010
Sorry, I linked to the wrong place on the UBC site. That was for res students. This is for regular guests. The price might be slightly higher--someone said $30 a night.
posted by Beardman at 6:48 AM on August 4, 2010
posted by Beardman at 6:48 AM on August 4, 2010
Metrotown's fine for a neighbourhood; there are two skytrain stations. (Metrotown proper, and Patterson's about a 10-12 min walk away as well.) Ridiculous amounts of shopping, decent neighborhood. Tons of apartment buildings. I've felt as safe here as anywhere. BCIT is actually a bus ride from the skytrain/metrotown, but it's an easy one, and it'll be a pretty short commute.
I just moved to the Metrotown area from Vancouver, and have lived in the Metro Vancouver most of my life. I cant unfortunately help you with much in terms of house hunting (I'm working completely insane hours during the summer), but feel free to MeMail me with any questions or whatever; I'm happy to help in that regard.
Personally, if i were doing this, I'd look into hostels and apartment hunt once I got here, or, even better, I'd look at craigslist for furnished short term rentals or a room somewhere. (The hostels are all in Vancouver proper, from what I understand.) Don't sign a lease; a lot of places want a one year commitment out of you - do not do this sight unseen. Also, beware the typical craigslist scammers - at least a quarter the postings on craigslist seem to be of the type where the owner is oversees and will mail the key to you.
But anything along the skytrain line will be fine to start; it's pretty efficient at getting you where you need to go. I wouldn't go into Surrey however; the Whalley neighbourhood (although considerably cheaper) is especially sketchy, especially sight unseen.
Like I said, feel free to memail me with any questions!
posted by cgg at 8:14 AM on August 4, 2010
I just moved to the Metrotown area from Vancouver, and have lived in the Metro Vancouver most of my life. I cant unfortunately help you with much in terms of house hunting (I'm working completely insane hours during the summer), but feel free to MeMail me with any questions or whatever; I'm happy to help in that regard.
Personally, if i were doing this, I'd look into hostels and apartment hunt once I got here, or, even better, I'd look at craigslist for furnished short term rentals or a room somewhere. (The hostels are all in Vancouver proper, from what I understand.) Don't sign a lease; a lot of places want a one year commitment out of you - do not do this sight unseen. Also, beware the typical craigslist scammers - at least a quarter the postings on craigslist seem to be of the type where the owner is oversees and will mail the key to you.
But anything along the skytrain line will be fine to start; it's pretty efficient at getting you where you need to go. I wouldn't go into Surrey however; the Whalley neighbourhood (although considerably cheaper) is especially sketchy, especially sight unseen.
Like I said, feel free to memail me with any questions!
posted by cgg at 8:14 AM on August 4, 2010
When I was living there in the '90s there were still a few rental houses in the Collingwood area. As well I found quite a few basement suites in the Victoria area (just outside of Burnaby but still close to BCIT.) The advantage to those areas is lower rents. The disadvantage is that a good chunk of the basement suites are illegal, and therefore tenants don't have a lot of options in getting any issues resolved. If you limit your search to houses that are all-rental (i.e. each floor is for rent, not just the basement) you can avoid the illegal suite problem.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:37 AM on August 4, 2010
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:37 AM on August 4, 2010
The disadvantage is that a good chunk of the basement suites are illegal, and therefore tenants don't have a lot of options in getting any issues resolved.
Secondary suites have been legal in Vancouver since 2004. They're still illegal in most of Richmond. I'm not sure what the bylaws are in Burnaby.
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 9:08 AM on August 4, 2010
Secondary suites have been legal in Vancouver since 2004. They're still illegal in most of Richmond. I'm not sure what the bylaws are in Burnaby.
posted by ten pounds of inedita at 9:08 AM on August 4, 2010
Currently I am looking at Metrotown as a viable place to live, unless of course people advise me otherwise.
It's certainly viable, but if you're a city person it will drive you insane. Even the core of Burnaby is sort of a ramped-up suburbia.
Personally I would consider the Commercial Drive area if I was going to BCIT. Lots of cheap (by Vancouver standards) suites, and a short commute to Brentwood Station by Skytrain.
posted by ripley_ at 10:14 AM on August 4, 2010
It's certainly viable, but if you're a city person it will drive you insane. Even the core of Burnaby is sort of a ramped-up suburbia.
Personally I would consider the Commercial Drive area if I was going to BCIT. Lots of cheap (by Vancouver standards) suites, and a short commute to Brentwood Station by Skytrain.
posted by ripley_ at 10:14 AM on August 4, 2010
nthing craigslist as a good place to look for accom around burnaby or vancouver. perhaps try posting an add looking for roomies going to the same uni as yourself? check translink's trip planner to see how long your commute will take by transit.
you didn't mention clearly whether it's BCIT or SFU you're attending, but either way you should get in touch with their international students' department (bcit; sfu). you are not the first int'l student with these concerns!
and good luck :)
posted by tamarack at 11:22 AM on August 4, 2010
you didn't mention clearly whether it's BCIT or SFU you're attending, but either way you should get in touch with their international students' department (bcit; sfu). you are not the first int'l student with these concerns!
and good luck :)
posted by tamarack at 11:22 AM on August 4, 2010
Response by poster: May I begin by saying that this is why I love Metafilter. I've been passed around like a hot potato by all the relevant authorities these past couple of weeks and all my pleas have apparently fallen upon deaf ears. I haven't even gotten a concrete reply from any of them. It is, thus, very encouraging and touching to get all these responses. Thanks a lot to all of you.
Let me clarify and say that I am going to BCIT, the UBC short term stay is an excellent deal. I've found out that SFU also has one for around $42, in case people in the future may face the same problem as I. Unfortunately, both of them only run until mid August and I am planning to be there exactly a month later.
I am awaiting a reply to an email I sent to the BCIT housing office wherein I appealed for short term on campus housing, if available. I've passed all deadlines to apply for on campus housing so all I can hope for is some mercy.
You'd think that this isn't the first time BCIT is dealing with international students and that there is some kind of system or protocol in place to sort these issues out, but apparently the only way for me to get in touch with students is during the on campus orientation that will take place way too late for comfort.
My concern is only for the initial stay, that is why I want to be as near the school as possible. Once I'm there and get a feel for the topology of the place, then I might venture forth and explore other possible options for my actual prolonged stay.
I think I will begin by placing an ad on craigslist rather than responding to some and hoping the listing will be around. The St Clair place isn't bad at all. If nothing else works I might just go for it. At this point I'm looking more for certainty and proximity than anything else.
Expect a memail(or several!) from me cgg! :)
posted by prufrock at 3:50 AM on August 5, 2010
Let me clarify and say that I am going to BCIT, the UBC short term stay is an excellent deal. I've found out that SFU also has one for around $42, in case people in the future may face the same problem as I. Unfortunately, both of them only run until mid August and I am planning to be there exactly a month later.
I am awaiting a reply to an email I sent to the BCIT housing office wherein I appealed for short term on campus housing, if available. I've passed all deadlines to apply for on campus housing so all I can hope for is some mercy.
You'd think that this isn't the first time BCIT is dealing with international students and that there is some kind of system or protocol in place to sort these issues out, but apparently the only way for me to get in touch with students is during the on campus orientation that will take place way too late for comfort.
My concern is only for the initial stay, that is why I want to be as near the school as possible. Once I'm there and get a feel for the topology of the place, then I might venture forth and explore other possible options for my actual prolonged stay.
I think I will begin by placing an ad on craigslist rather than responding to some and hoping the listing will be around. The St Clair place isn't bad at all. If nothing else works I might just go for it. At this point I'm looking more for certainty and proximity than anything else.
Expect a memail(or several!) from me cgg! :)
posted by prufrock at 3:50 AM on August 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by srah at 5:49 AM on August 4, 2010