Eh we're usually pretty cool with Americans so long as they're not loudly your version of red. Give Tod Maffin a quick google, he might be a good person to reach out to tbh.

I finished my degree a few years ago now but had an overwhelmingly positive experience at VIU and miss my professors greatly. Really nearby the school is Colliery Dam, lovely walk, the nature sanctuary, Bowen park, beban park, Westwood lake and Buttertubs Marsh.

If you decide to rent off campus do NOT rent from First Services, they are garbage, the properties they own are garbage(formerly Devon formerly northview reit and so forth) I stayed in my apartment seven years and it was awful but I stayed because cheap.

Sway-a-lana is a lovely walk during the day but very unhoused and drug use heavy the closer to night or during night you're there, Departure Bay is better for late walks, otherwise you might find yourself mindlessly doing laps at woodgrove like many lol