Before anyone takes this way out of proportion, this is not an Ottawa hate piece. I actually love Ottawa, and I’m proud to call it my hometown.<\/p>\n
Since moving to Japan<\/a> last December, I’ve found myself getting pretty jealous every time something cool happens in the city. And I still have a bunch of boxes sitting in storage in Ottawa, so trust me… I’ll definitely be back.<\/p>\n That being said, after spending some time abroad<\/a>, I realized that I’m just not ready to settle down in the capital again.<\/p>\n So, here are the six biggest reasons I’m glad I moved away<\/a> \u2014 and why I don’t see myself moving back long-term (for now).<\/p>\n I definitely don’t miss Ottawa winters<\/p>\n Listen, as a Canadian, I can definitely appreciate a good winter activity. Skating on the Rideau Canal, tobogganing, building snowmen, and all of that classic winter stuff can be a lot of fun.<\/p>\n But then there’s the other side of winter…<\/p>\n Shovelling your car out after a snowstorm, parking bans, freezing rain, wind chill \u2014 the list goes on.<\/p>\n After spending a winter in Japan, where I only saw snow once and could wear just a sweater outside some days, it’s safe to say I’ve gotten a little spoiled.<\/p>\n Maybe I’d feel differently if Ottawa winters lasted three or four months. Sometimes, though, it feels like they stick around for half the year.<\/p>\n I needed to experience life outside my hometown<\/p>\n I was born and raised in Ottawa<\/a>, and before moving abroad, it was the only place I’d ever lived.<\/p>\n Looking back, I’m really grateful for that, but by the time I was in my twenties, I just had that itch to get away for a while.<\/p>\n Everything in the city had become so familiar and routine, and I was ready for something completely different.<\/p>\n I also found myself noticing things like the traffic, construction, and OC Transpo struggles<\/a> a lot more than I used to, and over time it all started to add up.<\/p>\n Honestly, I feel like almost everyone I know has talked about wanting to spend some time living abroad or away from their hometown if they ever had the chance, and for me, it’s been 100% worth it.<\/p>\n Of course, if you absolutely love your hometown and never want to leave, there’s nothing wrong with that either. Everyone wants something different.<\/p>\n But taking the chance to live somewhere new \u2014 even if it’s only for a little while \u2014 ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.<\/p>\n The cost of living makes settling down feel a lot harder<\/p>\n Even if I did want to move back to Ottawa, I think settling down would be pretty difficult.<\/p>\n Like everyone else, I’ve watched the cost of living continue to climb. Between rent, hydro, groceries, gas, and all the other bills that come with living in the city, I definitely felt the financial pressure before moving away. And these days, buying a home feels further out of reach than ever.<\/p>\n Every time another condo or apartment building popped up, I couldn’t help but wonder who was actually able to buy or rent them.<\/p>\n I don’t see myself living in Ottawa long-term anyway, but with the cost of living the way it is, I’ll probably end up somewhere far outside of the bigger cities.<\/p>\n Leaving Ottawa gave me a whole new outlook<\/p>\n One of the biggest things I’ve gained since leaving Ottawa is perspective.<\/p>\n When you’ve spent your whole life in one place, it’s easy to settle into certain routines, habits, and ways of thinking because they’re all you’ve ever known.<\/p>\n Moving to Japan completely changed that for me.<\/p>\n I’ve had to learn how to navigate a new culture, do my best to speak Japanese (while making plenty of mistakes along the way), adjust to different social norms, and totally rethink my day-to-day routine.<\/p>\n Even little things like getting used to unfamiliar foods, learning to cook with smaller kitchens and new appliances, and adapting to a different pace of life have all been such a fun part of the experience.<\/p>\n I know I’ll come back to Canada seeing the world differently than when I left, and I honestly wouldn’t trade that for anything.<\/p>\n I’m not ready to stop exploring yet<\/p>\n Right now, I’m in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa (WHV). It’s a program that lets Canadians between 18 and 30 (or 35, depending on the country) spend up to a year living and working in places like Spain, Australia, the U.K., and plenty of others.<\/p>\n I thought this trip might scratch the travel itch, but it’s honestly done the opposite.<\/p>\n Even after my year in Japan ends, I still have a long list of places I’d love to see \u2014 both around the world and back home in Canada.<\/p>\n I’ve been lucky enough to visit places like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Kingston, Prince Edward County, and a handful of other spots throughout my life \u2014 but when you really think about how massive Canada is, I’ve barely scratched the surface.<\/p>\n I haven’t even seen all of Ontario, let alone the rest of the country…<\/p>\n If I had it my way, I’d rent a camper van and take a road trip across Canada one day, stopping in national parks, small towns, and everywhere in between along the way.<\/p>\n And as much as I love Ottawa, I’m really glad exploring is the stage of life I’m in right now, and moving back<\/a> would feel like ending it before I’m ready.<\/p>\n I actually think I’ll enjoy Ottawa more as a visitor<\/p>\n Just because I don’t want to move back doesn’t mean I don’t think Ottawa is a great city.<\/p>\n If anything, I think leaving has made me appreciate it even more.<\/p>\n Plus, most of my family still lives there, so I’ll always have reasons to come back.<\/p>\n