EDITOR,
My wife and I are U.S. citizens from Chicago living in the Garibaldi Highlands area of Squamish. We have been here since August of 2010. We currently rent a basement apartment, but have been considering buying a place closer to downtown Squamish.
I just wanted to say that neither of us have ever dealt with such rude, aloof, neighbours before. The people of the Garibaldi Highlands area have been decidedly unwelcoming since the day we arrived, and things have deteriorated ever since. Some specific examples of this behaviour include:
Our car's rear brake light being smashed and no note being left.
Being repeatedly, rudely, asked whether or not we carry "bags" for our dog's droppings while we are walking him. This is especially inane as our dog is on leash and we always pick up after him, whereas there are countless dogs that run off-leash throughout the neighborhood and "go" wherever they want to, without their owners picking up after them.
General rudeness from virtually everyone we encounter in the area. (Excepting the couple we rent from, who have been quite kind to us.)
We have both tried, on numerous occasions, to strike up conversations with our neighbours and have had those efforts dismissed virtually every time. Now, when either of us walk the dog, people literally steer clear of us.
Just moments ago, our neighbour was extremely rude to me for absolutely no discernible reason. When I asked her if I had done something to offend her, she simply ignored me.
We have not encountered this behaviour in downtown Squamish, and have been blessed to make some good friends outside of the Garibaldi Highlands area.
Before we moved here, we had been warned that Canadians could be aloof and unfriendly, especially in B.C. Neither of us thought it would be an obstacle that couldn't be overcome, but that view seems naïve now. I don't know if our neighbours hate the U.S., or have some sort of embedded dislike of its citizens, or if they simply hate all outsiders. Perhaps it's because my wife is Jewish. I really don't know and, frankly, I no longer care. But I will say that I'm done keeping my reactions to myself. The next person who treats either of us rudely is going to get an earful they won't soon forget.
Chad Lind
Garibaldi Highlands
