20 ultimate fantasy towns
Tired of the daily grind? Find a slower-paced, stress-free life in these dream towns
Expat Cheat Sheet
Steven Kaup, 42
Moved: From Vail, Colorado, to Nelson, B.C., in 2007
Old life: Corporate architect in the fast-paced Aspen-Vail-Denver scene
New life: Owner of a small, green architecture firm (studio9architecture.com)
The aha moment: I was working 60 hours a week, but we were still living in a small condo among the mega-wealthy. My wife, Christy, knew Nelson
and talked me into a ski trip. The powder was better than anything I’d ever skied. We went back that summer to sea kayak,
and when we returned to our hectic lives, I thought, It can be better. It just takes courage. We put our condo on the market,
it sold, and we rolled out of town.
What I gave up: Job security. I started my new architecture firm here from scratch. Also, shopping. When you need, say, a couch, there are
just a few stores. And traveling in winter. Flights are canceled; snowplows just can’t keep up. So we hunker down, ski our
brains out, and have potlucks with friends. We’re big on potlucks in Nelson.
What I gained: Epic skiing, mountain biking, canoeing, plus my dream house—which I designed and built. In Vail or Aspen, it would’ve cost
millions—here we spent $686,200.
Take my advice: The immigration process is fairly straightforward: Have a solid background and a reliable prospect for employment, and it
should take only about 12 months.
I knew I was a local when: I started curling. Curling is to Canada what golf is to the States. We get dressed up, drink cocktails, and curl.
