This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Linda Ofshe, a 71-year-old retired technical writer who left the United States and moved to Victoria, Canada — directly across the border from Port Angeles, Washington — in 2022. The essay has been edited for length and clarity.
I lived my best years in Austin.
I moved there in 1970 to attend the University of Texas and lived there for all but 10 years — I spent five years in New York and five years in Houston — until moving to Port Angeles, Washington, in 2019.
I left Austin because it was getting too darn hot, and the political climate became unbearable. I’m an old hippie — it was just too much for me.
After meeting my husband on a dating site in 2020, I left the United States in 2022. I’m now a permanent resident of Victoria, Canada.
At this point in my life, it’s 99.9% better for me than the United States.
The weather and politics in Texas became unbearable
Growing up in Texas, the weather was tolerable. However, it was not that way by the time I left.
In the last five years, the summers in Austin became extremely hot. It seemed like three weeks out of each month temperatures reached over 100 degrees. I had to curtail all of my outdoor activities, even walking my dogs.
Courtesy of Linda Ofshe
I moved from Austin to New York City in 1985, and then to Houston in 1990. When I arrived in Houston, Ann Richards was the governor of Texas, and the city had a female mayor and police chief.
In 1995, I left Houston and moved back to Austin. By the time I left the city in 2019, there were only a few female leaders in Texas. At that point, it seemed like the liberal advances women had made in the state were really constricting. Policies made on gender and minority rights, as well as the proliferation of guns, were also concerning to me.
I thought Washington state would be a better place for me
In 2019, I moved to Washington because it was more liberal politically, and, similar to Texas, there is no state income tax.
At that point, I had been single for many years, so I made the trip all by myself. I loaded all my furniture into a big U-Haul truck and attached my car to a trailer in the back. My two dogs joined me in the cab of the truck, and we took a five-day journey from Austin to Port Angeles.
Courtesy of Linda Ofshe
In 2020, COVID struck, so I couldn’t go out and meet new people. Instead, I joined a dating site and set a 60-mile radius for potential matches. I met a Canadian and we started a telephone and Zoom relationship. We later fell in love.
In March 2021, we met for the first time at Peace Arch Park in Washington. After the visit, we went back to our respective countries and continued to get to know each other. When the borders opened, we got married that year.
I moved to Canada, and I’m not looking back
My husband and I moved to British Columbia two years ago. He sponsored me in getting my permanent residency, which I received last August. It was a pretty quick process that took only about 10 months.
We live in Victoria, which is a small city that is right across the strait of Juan de Fuca from Port Angeles. Flowers bloom all year round here, and the area has a sub-Mediterranean climate. I can see the Olympic Mountains from my living room — it’s just absolutely beautiful.
Courtesy of Linda Ofshe
I live in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex that we rent for $3,000 Canadian dollars (about $2,235) each month. Rents are expensive here — but rents are also expensive in Washington state.
I still own a duplex in Austin, and for retirement income, I rent out both sides for about $1,700 each month.
Courtesy of Linda Ofshe.
Gas is very expensive in Canada; they sell it by the liter. So, if it says $1.53, that’s like $5 and some change per gallon. Coming from Texas, which has really low gas prices, it’s a lot.
Apart from cheap gas, I miss the HEB grocery store chain. I’m sorry to say that is the one thing I miss more than my friends.
I love it here — but Canada isn’t perfect
It turns out Canada is a little better than the United States on climate, safety, and politics.
There are some extreme politics here, too, but they haven’t taken over like they did in the States. The climate here is a lot cooler, of course, and safety is better because they don’t allow everyone to carry a gun.
However, healthcare is a national concern here.
When I was living in Texas, I didn’t know much about Canada, except that they had universal healthcare, and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s great.’ But once I got here, as an older person relying on healthcare, I do have concerns about it.
I found out there’s a shortage of family doctors — what Americans would call primary care physicians. So, you can get an appointment at a clinic, but you may not get the same doctor next time you visit. I’ve also read articles about there being terrible waits at the emergency room.
Courtesy of Linda Ofshe
Despite my medical concerns, I’m happier in Canada than I was in the United States.
After being single for decades, I’m married to a wonderful man who loves me very much. And because I’m retired, we go camping and see the most beautiful places that I never knew existed.
The food here is just as good as it was in New York City and Houston, which are considered among the best cities for great restaurants. The people here are also wonderful, warm, and open.
My life has greatly improved leaving the States, and I don’t intend to ever live in Texas again.
