This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
It's often hard to imagine yourself living anywhere else if you've grown up in one country, but sometimes you might just find the positives outweigh the negatives.
When I moved to Canada from the U.K. almost 18 months ago, I had no idea how long-term the move would be but as I decided to start the process to get permanent residency here, it's safe to say Canada stole my heart.
While both places absolutely have their selling points (I miss U.K. public transport every single day), there are a few things which ultimately sealed the deal in my decision to stick around a bit longer.
So if you were ever curious about whether the grass really is greener elsewhere, here are the things I think the U.K. seriously lacks on in comparison to Canada.
There are outdoor activities year-round
When I lived in the U.K., I never really considered myself a lover of the outdoors. However, since moving, I realized that it was mainly down to not having that much access to it.
The U.K. is pretty wet and windy through winter which can quite literally dampen any plans to do anything outside. In comparison, I feel like Canadians tend to really take advantage of that with so many outdoor activities year-round.
Whether it's skiing or snowshoeing, or heading out on hikes or taking a paddle board out on a beautiful lake, Canada has so many fun outdoor activities to get into.
Poutine
Now I've been in Canada, I'm really not sure how I ever led a poutine-free life. I'm pretty convinced there's nothing poutine can't fix.
Pretty much every bar or fast food restaurant will have some variation of poutine on the menu and while they definitely vary in how good they are, I'd pretty much take any poutine over fries in the U.K. any day.
The wildlife is unreal
If you're hiking in the U.K., you're not going to need bear spray because, well, there just aren't any.
Since moving I've seen bears, elk, chipmunks and deer pretty regularly. I've yet to see an elusive moose but the fact it is even an option blows my mind a bit.
Remembering all the different rules for what you should and – probably more importantly – shouldn't do when it comes to Canada's wildlife is definitely a steep learning curve but being able to see impressive wildlife all over is pretty incredible.
There are so many landscapes
Obviously, Canada is an enormous country so there is so much to explore, especially when it comes to scenery.
Yes there is definitely some stunning scenery in U.K. like the Scottish Highlands or Snowdonia but there's nothing really comparable to what I've been able to see and do in Canada.
From the Rocky Mountains to prairies, badlands, huge cities, enormous lakes and stunning beaches, there are so many different landscapes in Canada to enjoy.
Being able to explore all these completely unique spots without needing to grab a passport is so exciting.
You can see the Northern Lights
While very occasionally you might see the Northern Lights in the U.K., the Northern Lights put on an incredible show in Canada pretty frequently. Even if you're in a city, you can usually drive out to a more remote area to check them out in person.
It's sadly something I've yet to see in person, but the Northern Lights are something I'm desperate to tick off my bucket list and being in Canada just makes it all the more realistic.
There's so much space
Because the U.K. is so densely populated, sometimes it can feel a little cramped. The cities are sprawling and there are thousands of people rushing around at all times.
While there's still some open spaces, it feels as though almost every area has been built up.
Canada has almost half the population but way, way more space so even if city life starts to feel overwhelming, you can travel outside of the city and feel like you're a million miles away from other people.
Canadian friendliness is like nothing else
Whether I'm in Calgary or I've travelled elsewhere in Canada, I never get over how nice Canadians are. While the friendliness was definitely a culture shock at first, people randomly saying hello or asking how your day is doesn't feel alien to me anymore.
I Moved To Canada & Realized That The UK Is Massively Lacking When It Comes To These 7 Things
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