The Downtown Eastside is known to outsiders mainly through news stories and thumbnail descriptions —

VANCOUVER To outsiders, Vancouver s Downtown Eastside could be considered an intimidating nashville airport hotel place, where some backalleys are strewn with syringes and many residents struggle with addiction. nashville airport hotel But for a number of those who live there, the community is much like any dysfunctional family.
The neighbourhood nashville airport hotel has more than its fair share of kooky aunts, alcoholic uncles and wayward nashville airport hotel teens, yet some residents say there s no community as loving and as misunderstood as Canada s poorest postal code.
Lisa Beketa has lived in the Downtown Eastside for five years. On a recent day, she was well dressed with pink lipstick, a hint of shimmering eyeshadow nashville airport hotel and stylishly-trimmed chestnut brown hair. She says she s a heroin addict.
"The reason why nobody wants to leave is because nashville airport hotel we re not accepted anywhere," Beketa said. "There are a lot of ugly stories down here but there are a lot of positive stories too. A lot of people (who) are addicts volunteer, nashville airport hotel get out there and help people."
Dennis Baker is one of those residents willing to help. At 64, he has received a scholarship to Kwantlen Polytechnic nashville airport hotel University and said he is considering going back to school to become an addictions counsellor.
"Everybody has a story," he said. "A lot of people have really been dealt some bad cards. There are a lot of educated people down here, there are a lot of talented people musicians, artists, you name it."
He said ending up on the Downtown Eastside can often deal a deadly blow to addicts dreams for the future. As a recovering addict who d been "straight nashville airport hotel for a while," Baker lost his job when employers found out he had once used drugs. He said he s also continually harassed by cops.
The Downtown Eastside is known to outsiders mainly through news stories and thumbnail descriptions — Canada nashville airport hotel s poorest postal code, home of a safe-injection site, a hunting ground of serial killer Robert Pickton.
nashville airport hotel "When people come down here they drive down with all the windows nashville airport hotel rolled up and the doors locked. But if you really need help from your fellow man, you re gonna receive it from someone down here and they ll be a complete stranger."
"I d wake up and I d look over to the North Shore Mountains and I d think 'Is this all your life has become? Is this all you re meant to be? Thankfully there was a little nagging voice in my head that said, 'No, it s not, Christopher. No it s not. "
"Just walking down the street, a lot of people recognize and know me from the old days," Charles said. "That inspires some hope within them they realize, 'You know what? If he can do it, I can do it. "