Short Blog 1 — Toronto, I Love You
Back in 2013, my family moved from Vancouver to Toronto. I still clearly remember the first winter that I encountered living as a resident in the GTA. Lots of snow and frozen rain covered the roads while news headlines were on power outages. The storm really caused havoc in the city. I remember saying, “Will the winters in Toronto always be like this?”
Here’s a video looking back at the 2013 ice storm:
It wasn’t the best first impression that I could have had. But over the many years, I developed a deep affection for the city that I now call “home.” And through this blog, I hope I will be able to share my stories and my thoughts on Toronto, social justice in Toronto, and cities as a whole. When it comes to cities, three cities are very close to my heart — Toronto, Vancouver, and Seoul.
I often compare Toronto with Vancouver, a city on the west coast of British Columbia that I lived in for a few years. I also compare both Canadian cities with Seoul, a city in South Korea that I was born in. To be honest, I don’t have a favorite city or anything, because all three cities are very meaningful as they all had a major impact on who I am today.
A key feature of Toronto that makes the city so distinct and beautiful is its multiculturalism. After all, Toronto’s motto is, “Diversity is our strength.” I especially love visiting ethnic neighborhoods and being able to experience the city’s multiculturalism. It’s amazing to see people from different backgrounds connecting with one another as Torontonians, and being able to celebrate the diversity together is what makes Toronto so beautiful.
On the other hand, one problem that I often hear about is the housing crisis in Toronto. Toronto’s housing market is famous for being one of the most expensive housing markets in the world. Prices continue to jump, there aren’t enough houses, and the term ‘affordable housing’ seems out of reach for many individuals who want to live in Toronto.
One thing I love to do on a daily basis is writing in my journal because I can record my thoughts and look back at them in the future. It allows me to see how much I’ve changed and grown as a person. I’m hoping to do the same with my blog, by making it a collection of my writing that I can come back to whenever I want.
