I moved to a walkable city on an island in Canada. Despite a few drawbacks, living here feels close to perfect.

I never imagined I'd fall in love with living in Victoria, Canada, which is smaller than other places I've dreamed of living.

Maria Polansky

• I've spent a lot of time living in midsize and big cities, so I never imagined liking a small one.
• When my partner and I moved to Victoria on Vancouver Island, we were pleasantly surprised.
• Though I miss some big-city perks, I love Victoria's walkability, size, and slower pace.

Growing up in the midsize city of Vancouver...