Arriving in Calgary, I had little knowledge of the industry I would work in or the City of Calgary. Coming from a small town in North Carolina, I had yet to experience living in a bigger city. Living in the downtown area posed a question for me. For a city of this size, where are all the people? After some time, I explored different areas of the city, such as Stephen Avenue, and found many lively places. Additionally, I found small communities of people from around the world. Seeing an established Yemeni community where I could eat some of my favorite foods and speak in Arabic was relieving as a Yemeni American.Over time, I have grown to love the variety of Calgary. In some areas, it feels like a major metropolitan city. In other parts, however, you can feel the small suburban atmosphere. I love spending time in the outdoors, and I enjoy being close to a city. It was in this way that I was able to experience the best of both worlds. This is what draws me to Calgary.
As a computer science and business major, I found much value in the Collaborative tech environment, cohesive innovation network, and resources provided for young tech workers in Calgary. With better marketing, I truly believe Calgary can become a hub for young tech innovators and entrepreneurs alike. After this experience, Calgary is a viable option for me after my post-secondary studies, and I now have the honor of sharing my experience of Calgary with my peers.
As an aspiring entrepreneur, I was amazed by Calgary’s innovation ecosystem. While we were here, we had the opportunity to attend the Inventures conference and work at Platform. I was very surprised by how passionate people were to learn about our project and offer help without anything expected in return. I think Calgary’s tight-knit innovation community, which provides a lot of resources, mentorship, and events makes the city a very appealing place for young entrepreneurs to live in. I believe Calgary should market itself as a growing entrepreneurial hub and advertise local events, such as Rainforest Alberta, the Innovation Rodeo, and Platform panel events with an emphasis on including international participants, even in an online mode. This would place the city of Calgary on American college students’ maps as “the place to be to create a start-up.”
One thing that really struck me about the downtown area of Calgary was how safe and walkable it was. Due to not having a car and the beautiful summer weather, walking was my main mode of transportation. Although the widespread population of unhoused drug users did make me feel uneasy the first couple of days, I never witnessed any crime, violence, or even harassment such as catcalling throughout my 8 weeks of living here. The safety in downtown Calgary is unmatched by any US tech hub. I believe this asset of the city should be strongly marketed, as safety is a priority for young women.
In high school, I had the opportunity to start and grow my own sneaker reselling company, eventually turning it into one of India's largest sneaker marketplaces. The prospect of starting a business is often daunting and in a lot of environments there are times when you feel you are alone. However, I discovered that Calgary does not fall into that category. Upon arriving here, I was pleasantly surprised by the genuine willingness of each individual we connected with to extend their support beyond our initial request. These repeating experiences unveiled the true essence of Calgary—a close-knit ecosystem where every stakeholder is eager to provide not just resources, but also invaluable connections and mentorship. The impact of my time and work in this city planted a Calgary-sized seed in my mind, making it a prominent destination when contemplating life after college. Undoubtedly, aspiring young entrepreneurs would find the same nurturing and supportive environment that Calgary offers, making it an ideal launching pad for their careers.
On a more personal note, my time in Calgary has revealed an array of niche interests and communities that I didn't anticipate finding. Whether it was at the Superstore or walking down Stephen Avenue, I encountered like-minded individuals which allowed me to discover an underground sneaker community in the city. This experience is a testament to the diverse communities that thrive here, each catering to unique interests. It's clear that Calgary has a wealth of established foundations for different niches and it eventually boils down to effectively marketing these communities to enhance their and the city’s overall growth.
As someone who grew up on a small island in Alaska, where entertainment and opportunity are limited, Calgary has exceeded my expectations of everything I look for in a city. From outdoor activities to a thriving shopping and food scene, I can never see myself running out of things to do. Unlike other major cities I’ve spent time in, Calgary has a small town feel and collaborative community that includes every age group. During my time here, I was able to attend different conferences and events, where I encountered how supportive people were.
Before living in Calgary for 8 weeks, I had limited knowledge about the city. However, as soon as I arrived, I was struck by many things. One thing in particular that I struggled to adjust to was the prevalence of substance issues in the downtown area. Not having a car and walking as our main mode of transportation allowed me to gain exposure to these issues. This is the only thing I experienced during my stay here that would prevent me from moving to Calgary in the future.
At college, I am currently studying nursing with the goal of becoming a nurse anesthetist. Although I really enjoyed spending time in Calgary, it is difficult for me to determine whether I can see myself working here, as we didn’t spend time in a hospital setting. However, if I were studying business or anything tech related, I would confidently put Calgary at the top of my list.
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