Are you moving to St. John’s for work and want to know all the things that no one tells you about what it is really like to live here?
In this blog, I’m going to tell you 5 things that you might not expect about living in Newfoundland so you can feel less worried and more excited moving to St. John’s.
#1 We are Horrible at Directions
St. John’s is the oldest city in North America and the roads go all over the place. There is no such thing as city blocks. If you ask for directions people will often use landmarks or buildings instead of actual street names. And, just to keep you on your toes, most times up is down and down is up. If you are headed south we call it’s called up the shore. You might find this confusing at first but thankfully we have google maps.
#2 We like Pineapple Things
I have no idea why there is a fondness for this particular tropical fruit, St. John’s is far from a tropical location. But we love pineapple crush, pineapple popsicles, you can get pineapple beer. We also strangely enjoy orange chocolate and Big Turk bars, so don’t be surprised when you see the end of aisle displays at the supermarket.
#3 Expect Shipping Delays
There was a joke recently that covid traveled to the province faster than your amazon package. We are literally a rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and if the boats or planes are delayed by the weather then so are all your packages. Luckily, there are a lot of great local shops and some even offer delivery. You get to feel great about supporting local business and you don’t have to spend days online tracking your package.
#4 Travel Off the Island is Expensive
There are only two ways off the island – you either fly and you will most likely need a connecting flight in Halifax, Montreal or Toronto. Or you have to take a ferry, which takes a full day between the drive and the boat ride and you are still only as far as Nova Scotia. Luckily, there are so many things to do and great staycation places on the island that you don’t need to travel far to have a great vacation.
#5 We Love to Talk about the Weather
St. John’s can get all four seasons in one day, so the weather is always a great topic of conversation because it changes so quickly. It could be snowing in the morning and you might be out in short sleeves in the afternoon. This will also explain why the weather man is a household name and takes up 45 minutes of the local news hour. If you are starting a new job here, be prepared to be asked about the weather.
Now that you know some unexpected things about Newfoundland Living, I hope you are ready to get moving to St. John's!
If you are still feeling nervous about moving to St. John’s you should also check out my blog where I share 5 of the reasons why I think you will love living here.
And if you are relocating, in this blog there are 5 helpful questions that you should be asking to help find the right real estate agent for you.
And, if you are moving to St. John's...
I would love to be a resource for you! Schedule a free home buyer consultation so that we can work together one-on-one to find you a new home you will love.
