Your article is very good. But I hope you won't feel shamed that you don't know many things in Vancouver. I have been living in USA and Canada for almost 15 years. What I feel is Vancouver has its own culture that you don't see in other places. One example is the plastic bag thing you mentioned. I think some stores in Vancouver are very cheap because plastic bags are normally free in other places in North America. Vancouver was not a typical economic center that most immigrants dream of for a better life through hard work. It can only be considered as a retirement place or a place for some new immigrants to have a better feeling of living in NA before jumping into a pool of a better life through hard work and opportunities. The most important thing is there are many places in North America better than Vancouver that you need to explore, the places that young immigrants will find good jobs for a better life for the long run.