6 months and counting
Feb 15th 2007, 1:58 pm
#1
Thinking the unthinkable.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Posts: 2,136
6 months and counting
So here we are almost exactly 6 months to the day from when we landed in Canada as permanent residents on 14th August 2006. What follows is a brief synopsis of what's happened, what's changed in our lives and what will (in probability) happen next.
First day: Through immigration and customs in under 30 mins total. No one but us in the entire hall which was good because one of the cats had crapped all over the carry case. Our first present to our new homeland was a pile of cat poo-encrusted wet wipes left at customs - "Have a nice day eh!"
We drove into Guelph on the 401 in a minivan that smelled faintly of poo and the cats were deposited at the cattery. Thank God - they could take care of them and clean them. It rained when we got to Guelph and was dull, foggy and miserable. We were knackered and fell asleep on top of the beds, thinking 'What the Hell have we done?". Thankfully the next day the sun was shining which lifted our spirits and I exposed my little blue Scottish legs to the sun (which my Mother once told me about but I dismissed as an impossible myth
). Guelphites were heard screaming "I'm blind, I'm blind!"
First month(s): Got all the paperwork and shiny little plastic cards organised i.e., SIN, Drivers licence, Health Card application. Moved out of the hotel into a nice 3-bedroom rental property in the East end of Guelph. We viewed some real s**tholes that I wouldn't have housed a Labour politician in. Found some nice bars and restaurants and explored the local area. We bought a Dodge Caravan and were surprised that the insurance wasn't as high as the doom mongerers predicted. I have named it "Piece of American Crap" which is an accurate description and officially recognised as the proper way of adressing such vehicles.
Discovered that the Canadian banking system (specifically the big 5) is the most antiquated, rip-off, customer unfriendly organisation on the planet. These places make 'Al-Qaeda' look like the girl guides. My wife, who is the finance guru and an accountant, was talked down to by a guy who I wouldn't let organise my pocket change and had difficulty pronouncing a coherent sentence in a recognisable language. We've accepted they're crap and will just transfer our money into an ING or PC account fairly soon.
Took 3 months to get a job that paid $10 an hour for 12 hours a week. Got offered a job that paid $20 an hour the next day for 40 hours and took it. Lasted 9 weeks and left to take up a 3 month contract at $25 an hour for the local county. Wife took 4 months to get a temporary position as a payroll clerk at $15 an hour. We've had so many promises, interviews and meetings that have fell through that we no longer accept anything until it happens - A life lesson I suppose.
Took up volleyball at a local recreation centre and met a bunch of sweetly crazy folk. We've been out to quite a few parties, drank a lot of booze and I now have injuries that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Went to a few local hockey games but the team lost every time we went. I think our picture is now distributed to the arena security for the purposes of screening?
Wife joined a local newcomers club and met some nice women. Unfortunately they are a bit older than her so the opportunities to socialise were a bit limited. Met and struck up friendships with two couples who have since moved back to the UK - are we that obnoxious?
Recently and the future: Landlord has informed us that he has put the house on the market and to be fair he did offer us the chance to buy. However, without permanent jobs we can't really commit ourselves to a mortgage. The house now has a 'For Sale' in the front yard and viewers are arriving. We will need to be out for May. My contract ends in March and my wife ends her temporary post at the start of March. No further employment on the horizon for either of us though we are steadily applying for everything local and further afield that we can find. Networking has been a dead end for us so we must be doing something wrong.
Family are coming over for visits in March and April so that's something to look forward to and because we'll be unemployed, we can spend time with them. Can't wait.
Barring an upsurge in the market for 2 well educated Scots with some Canadian experience, we are facing the possibility that we will be starting the arrangements to go home around April. This will give us about 1 month - 6 weeks to organise shipping, cats and plane tickets. Finances dictate unfortunately and we've spent approx 20,000 pounds since we've been here (though we do have no debt and the car and lots of new furniture are ours to sell so we'll recoup some of that). We're not skint and have money in the UK but we worry that if we keep spending at the rate we have then even the option of returning home and buying a flat will be beyond us.
We'd love to stay and have no regrets about coming over. We've met some great people and made some new friends. I can now truthfully say that Dutchies are the best Timmies doughnut; that Maple flavoured baked beans are a nutrional crime; and that at -22 your nasal hairs do indeed freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
Best wishes and good luck to all those who have the guts to try- J
First day: Through immigration and customs in under 30 mins total. No one but us in the entire hall which was good because one of the cats had crapped all over the carry case. Our first present to our new homeland was a pile of cat poo-encrusted wet wipes left at customs - "Have a nice day eh!"
We drove into Guelph on the 401 in a minivan that smelled faintly of poo and the cats were deposited at the cattery. Thank God - they could take care of them and clean them. It rained when we got to Guelph and was dull, foggy and miserable. We were knackered and fell asleep on top of the beds, thinking 'What the Hell have we done?". Thankfully the next day the sun was shining which lifted our spirits and I exposed my little blue Scottish legs to the sun (which my Mother once told me about but I dismissed as an impossible myth
). Guelphites were heard screaming "I'm blind, I'm blind!"First month(s): Got all the paperwork and shiny little plastic cards organised i.e., SIN, Drivers licence, Health Card application. Moved out of the hotel into a nice 3-bedroom rental property in the East end of Guelph. We viewed some real s**tholes that I wouldn't have housed a Labour politician in. Found some nice bars and restaurants and explored the local area. We bought a Dodge Caravan and were surprised that the insurance wasn't as high as the doom mongerers predicted. I have named it "Piece of American Crap" which is an accurate description and officially recognised as the proper way of adressing such vehicles.
Discovered that the Canadian banking system (specifically the big 5) is the most antiquated, rip-off, customer unfriendly organisation on the planet. These places make 'Al-Qaeda' look like the girl guides. My wife, who is the finance guru and an accountant, was talked down to by a guy who I wouldn't let organise my pocket change and had difficulty pronouncing a coherent sentence in a recognisable language. We've accepted they're crap and will just transfer our money into an ING or PC account fairly soon.
Took 3 months to get a job that paid $10 an hour for 12 hours a week. Got offered a job that paid $20 an hour the next day for 40 hours and took it. Lasted 9 weeks and left to take up a 3 month contract at $25 an hour for the local county. Wife took 4 months to get a temporary position as a payroll clerk at $15 an hour. We've had so many promises, interviews and meetings that have fell through that we no longer accept anything until it happens - A life lesson I suppose.
Took up volleyball at a local recreation centre and met a bunch of sweetly crazy folk. We've been out to quite a few parties, drank a lot of booze and I now have injuries that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Went to a few local hockey games but the team lost every time we went. I think our picture is now distributed to the arena security for the purposes of screening?
Wife joined a local newcomers club and met some nice women. Unfortunately they are a bit older than her so the opportunities to socialise were a bit limited. Met and struck up friendships with two couples who have since moved back to the UK - are we that obnoxious?
Recently and the future: Landlord has informed us that he has put the house on the market and to be fair he did offer us the chance to buy. However, without permanent jobs we can't really commit ourselves to a mortgage. The house now has a 'For Sale' in the front yard and viewers are arriving. We will need to be out for May. My contract ends in March and my wife ends her temporary post at the start of March. No further employment on the horizon for either of us though we are steadily applying for everything local and further afield that we can find. Networking has been a dead end for us so we must be doing something wrong.
Family are coming over for visits in March and April so that's something to look forward to and because we'll be unemployed, we can spend time with them. Can't wait.
Barring an upsurge in the market for 2 well educated Scots with some Canadian experience, we are facing the possibility that we will be starting the arrangements to go home around April. This will give us about 1 month - 6 weeks to organise shipping, cats and plane tickets. Finances dictate unfortunately and we've spent approx 20,000 pounds since we've been here (though we do have no debt and the car and lots of new furniture are ours to sell so we'll recoup some of that). We're not skint and have money in the UK but we worry that if we keep spending at the rate we have then even the option of returning home and buying a flat will be beyond us.
We'd love to stay and have no regrets about coming over. We've met some great people and made some new friends. I can now truthfully say that Dutchies are the best Timmies doughnut; that Maple flavoured baked beans are a nutrional crime; and that at -22 your nasal hairs do indeed freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
Best wishes and good luck to all those who have the guts to try- J
Feb 15th 2007, 2:13 pm
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2006
Location: Kelowna
Posts: 2,514
Re: 6 months and counting
Interesting and funny piece but with a tinge of sadness for you i guess if it comes to the crunch and you decide to come back.
Hope it works out for you and you can hang on in there after all this time and money spent.
What kind of work were you looking for out of interest?
Hope it works out for you and you can hang on in there after all this time and money spent.
What kind of work were you looking for out of interest?
Feb 15th 2007, 2:22 pm
#3
Thinking the unthinkable.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Posts: 2,136
Re: 6 months and counting
Interesting and funny piece but with a tinge of sadness for you i guess if it comes to the crunch and you decide to come back.
Hope it works out for you and you can hang on in there after all this time and money spent.
What kind of work were you looking for out of interest?
Hope it works out for you and you can hang on in there after all this time and money spent.
What kind of work were you looking for out of interest?
Yeah, we've been slightly down about it but it all counts as experience.
We're still hopeful something may turn up.
Feb 15th 2007, 2:34 pm
#4
Scottish Canuck
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Auld Scotia > Nova Scotia > Calgary
Posts: 3,703
Re: 6 months and counting
I hope that good fortune comes your way very soon because you both deserve it. It would be a real shame if you had to return home because you have both put a lot of time and effort into moving here. I know that you have also applied for lots of jobs so lets hope that your Canadian job experience to date is taken onboard and gets you an interview because once there I am sure you'll do well. You have a way with words which means you'll have a bit of spark about you
Let's hope that something good is just around the corner
Let's hope that something good is just around the corner
Feb 15th 2007, 2:37 pm
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,480
Re: 6 months and counting
Barring an upsurge in the market for 2 well educated Scots with some Canadian experience, we are facing the possibility that we will be starting the arrangements to go home around April. This will give us about 1 month - 6 weeks to organise shipping, cats and plane tickets. Finances dictate unfortunately and we've spent approx 20,000 pounds since we've been here (though we do have no debt and the car and lots of new furniture are ours to sell so we'll recoup some of that). We're not skint and have money in the UK but we worry that if we keep spending at the rate we have then even the option of returning home and buying a flat will be beyond us.
We'd love to stay and have no regrets about coming over. We've met some great people and made some new friends. I can now truthfully say that Dutchies are the best Timmies doughnut; that Maple flavoured baked beans are a nutrional crime; and that at -22 your nasal hairs do indeed freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
Best wishes and good luck to all those who have the guts to try- J
Feb 15th 2007, 2:40 pm
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: The Vancouver Suburbs... for the next few years anyway!
Posts: 558
Re: 6 months and counting
So here we are almost exactly 6 months to the day from when we landed in Canada as permanent residents on 14th August 2006. What follows is a brief synopsis of what's happened, what's changed in our lives and what will (in probability) happen next.
First day: Through immigration and customs in under 30 mins total. No one but us in the entire hall which was good because one of the cats had crapped all over the carry case. Our first present to our new homeland was a pile of cat poo-encrusted wet wipes left at customs - "Have a nice day eh!"
We drove into Guelph on the 401 in a minivan that smelled faintly of poo and the cats were deposited at the cattery. Thank God - they could take care of them and clean them. It rained when we got to Guelph and was dull, foggy and miserable. We were knackered and fell asleep on top of the beds, thinking 'What the Hell have we done?". Thankfully the next day the sun was shining which lifted our spirits and I exposed my little blue Scottish legs to the sun (which my Mother once told me about but I dismissed as an impossible myth ). Guelphites were heard screaming "I'm blind, I'm blind!"
First month(s): Got all the paperwork and shiny little plastic cards organised i.e., SIN, Drivers licence, Health Card application. Moved out of the hotel into a nice 3-bedroom rental property in the East end of Guelph. We viewed some real s**tholes that I wouldn't have housed a Labour politician in. Found some nice bars and restaurants and explored the local area. We bought a Dodge Caravan and were surprised that the insurance wasn't as high as the doom mongerers predicted. I have named it "Piece of American Crap" which is an accurate description and officially recognised as the proper way of adressing such vehicles.
Discovered that the Canadian banking system (specifically the big 5) is the most antiquated, rip-off, customer unfriendly organisation on the planet. These places make 'Al-Qaeda' look like the girl guides. My wife, who is the finance guru and an accountant, was talked down to by a guy who I wouldn't let organise my pocket change and had difficulty pronouncing a coherent sentence in a recognisable language. We've accepted they're crap and will just transfer our money into an ING or PC account fairly soon.
Took 3 months to get a job that paid $10 an hour for 12 hours a week. Got offered a job that paid $20 an hour the next day for 40 hours and took it. Lasted 9 weeks and left to take up a 3 month contract at $25 an hour for the local county. Wife took 4 months to get a temporary position as a payroll clerk at $15 an hour. We've had so many promises, interviews and meetings that have fell through that we no longer accept anything until it happens - A life lesson I suppose.
Took up volleyball at a local recreation centre and met a bunch of sweetly crazy folk. We've been out to quite a few parties, drank a lot of booze and I now have injuries that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Went to a few local hockey games but the team lost every time we went. I think our picture is now distributed to the arena security for the purposes of screening?
Wife joined a local newcomers club and met some nice women. Unfortunately they are a bit older than her so the opportunities to socialise were a bit limited. Met and struck up friendships with two couples who have since moved back to the UK - are we that obnoxious?
Recently and the future: Landlord has informed us that he has put the house on the market and to be fair he did offer us the chance to buy. However, without permanent jobs we can't really commit ourselves to a mortgage. The house now has a 'For Sale' in the front yard and viewers are arriving. We will need to be out for May. My contract ends in March and my wife ends her temporary post at the start of March. No further employment on the horizon for either of us though we are steadily applying for everything local and further afield that we can find. Networking has been a dead end for us so we must be doing something wrong.
Family are coming over for visits in March and April so that's something to look forward to and because we'll be unemployed, we can spend time with them. Can't wait.
Barring an upsurge in the market for 2 well educated Scots with some Canadian experience, we are facing the possibility that we will be starting the arrangements to go home around April. This will give us about 1 month - 6 weeks to organise shipping, cats and plane tickets. Finances dictate unfortunately and we've spent approx 20,000 pounds since we've been here (though we do have no debt and the car and lots of new furniture are ours to sell so we'll recoup some of that). We're not skint and have money in the UK but we worry that if we keep spending at the rate we have then even the option of returning home and buying a flat will be beyond us.
We'd love to stay and have no regrets about coming over. We've met some great people and made some new friends. I can now truthfully say that Dutchies are the best Timmies doughnut; that Maple flavoured baked beans are a nutrional crime; and that at -22 your nasal hairs do indeed freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
Best wishes and good luck to all those who have the guts to try- J
First day: Through immigration and customs in under 30 mins total. No one but us in the entire hall which was good because one of the cats had crapped all over the carry case. Our first present to our new homeland was a pile of cat poo-encrusted wet wipes left at customs - "Have a nice day eh!"
We drove into Guelph on the 401 in a minivan that smelled faintly of poo and the cats were deposited at the cattery. Thank God - they could take care of them and clean them. It rained when we got to Guelph and was dull, foggy and miserable. We were knackered and fell asleep on top of the beds, thinking 'What the Hell have we done?". Thankfully the next day the sun was shining which lifted our spirits and I exposed my little blue Scottish legs to the sun (which my Mother once told me about but I dismissed as an impossible myth
). Guelphites were heard screaming "I'm blind, I'm blind!"First month(s): Got all the paperwork and shiny little plastic cards organised i.e., SIN, Drivers licence, Health Card application. Moved out of the hotel into a nice 3-bedroom rental property in the East end of Guelph. We viewed some real s**tholes that I wouldn't have housed a Labour politician in. Found some nice bars and restaurants and explored the local area. We bought a Dodge Caravan and were surprised that the insurance wasn't as high as the doom mongerers predicted. I have named it "Piece of American Crap" which is an accurate description and officially recognised as the proper way of adressing such vehicles.
Discovered that the Canadian banking system (specifically the big 5) is the most antiquated, rip-off, customer unfriendly organisation on the planet. These places make 'Al-Qaeda' look like the girl guides. My wife, who is the finance guru and an accountant, was talked down to by a guy who I wouldn't let organise my pocket change and had difficulty pronouncing a coherent sentence in a recognisable language. We've accepted they're crap and will just transfer our money into an ING or PC account fairly soon.
Took 3 months to get a job that paid $10 an hour for 12 hours a week. Got offered a job that paid $20 an hour the next day for 40 hours and took it. Lasted 9 weeks and left to take up a 3 month contract at $25 an hour for the local county. Wife took 4 months to get a temporary position as a payroll clerk at $15 an hour. We've had so many promises, interviews and meetings that have fell through that we no longer accept anything until it happens - A life lesson I suppose.
Took up volleyball at a local recreation centre and met a bunch of sweetly crazy folk. We've been out to quite a few parties, drank a lot of booze and I now have injuries that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Went to a few local hockey games but the team lost every time we went. I think our picture is now distributed to the arena security for the purposes of screening?
Wife joined a local newcomers club and met some nice women. Unfortunately they are a bit older than her so the opportunities to socialise were a bit limited. Met and struck up friendships with two couples who have since moved back to the UK - are we that obnoxious?
Recently and the future: Landlord has informed us that he has put the house on the market and to be fair he did offer us the chance to buy. However, without permanent jobs we can't really commit ourselves to a mortgage. The house now has a 'For Sale' in the front yard and viewers are arriving. We will need to be out for May. My contract ends in March and my wife ends her temporary post at the start of March. No further employment on the horizon for either of us though we are steadily applying for everything local and further afield that we can find. Networking has been a dead end for us so we must be doing something wrong.
Family are coming over for visits in March and April so that's something to look forward to and because we'll be unemployed, we can spend time with them. Can't wait.
Barring an upsurge in the market for 2 well educated Scots with some Canadian experience, we are facing the possibility that we will be starting the arrangements to go home around April. This will give us about 1 month - 6 weeks to organise shipping, cats and plane tickets. Finances dictate unfortunately and we've spent approx 20,000 pounds since we've been here (though we do have no debt and the car and lots of new furniture are ours to sell so we'll recoup some of that). We're not skint and have money in the UK but we worry that if we keep spending at the rate we have then even the option of returning home and buying a flat will be beyond us.
We'd love to stay and have no regrets about coming over. We've met some great people and made some new friends. I can now truthfully say that Dutchies are the best Timmies doughnut; that Maple flavoured baked beans are a nutrional crime; and that at -22 your nasal hairs do indeed freeze to the inside of your nostrils.
Best wishes and good luck to all those who have the guts to try- J
The best advice I was ever given is this: "Give it 365 days". Yes you are struggling and getting work is tough but it takes time. It takes 6 months just to find your feet and another 3 to take your first step. When I came to London I was ready to go home after 2 months but my friends (in Canada) really pushed me to stay and at the 9 month mark I began to steady myself and at a year I couldn't imagine why I had ever wanted to return!
You're doing great so far - you have some work (contracts are often extended at the last minute) and you're meeting people! Just keep you chin up and remember don't call home when you're homesick - it makes it worse!
Good luck!
Feb 15th 2007, 2:52 pm
#7
Thinking the unthinkable.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Posts: 2,136
Re: 6 months and counting
HANG IN THERE!!!!
The best advice I was ever given is this: "Give it 365 days". Yes you are struggling and getting work is tough but it takes time. It takes 6 months just to find your feet and another 3 to take your first step. When I came to London I was ready to go home after 2 months but my friends (in Canada) really pushed me to stay and at the 9 month mark I began to steady myself and at a year I couldn't imagine why I had ever wanted to return!
You're doing great so far - you have some work (contracts are often extended at the last minute) and you're meeting people! Just keep you chin up and remember don't call home when you're homesick - it makes it worse!
Good luck!
The best advice I was ever given is this: "Give it 365 days". Yes you are struggling and getting work is tough but it takes time. It takes 6 months just to find your feet and another 3 to take your first step. When I came to London I was ready to go home after 2 months but my friends (in Canada) really pushed me to stay and at the 9 month mark I began to steady myself and at a year I couldn't imagine why I had ever wanted to return!
You're doing great so far - you have some work (contracts are often extended at the last minute) and you're meeting people! Just keep you chin up and remember don't call home when you're homesick - it makes it worse!
Good luck!
We are not ready to go home and it's purely a financial decision - if it comes to it. After one year we will truly be skint (assuming the rate of spend stays fixed and I don't decide that I really, really want that Lexus SUV
). Sorry but fiscally conservative Scots soul can't abide that.
Anyway - I do hope the humour comes through in my post because that's what I'd like to communicate about this little adventure..
Feb 15th 2007, 2:56 pm
#8
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Re: 6 months and counting
Can I echo Printers question. What is it you do / want to do careerwise? It might help to engage the power of the BE Canada forum as part of your networking!
Feb 15th 2007, 3:04 pm
#9
Reunited
Joined: Apr 2006
Location: Somewhere out there
Posts: 1,754
Re: 6 months and counting
Best of luck to you both on what ever you decide to do.
Feb 15th 2007, 4:08 pm
#10
Bring on the snow!
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 1,420
Re: 6 months and counting
Yes, very amusing read - doesn't sound like you're too down about things, which is a great attitude to have. Good luck - I really hope things work out for you.
Feb 15th 2007, 5:31 pm
#11
Thinking the unthinkable.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Posts: 2,136
Re: 6 months and counting
I was a college lecturer in IT before we came over but realise that their is a snowball's chance in Hell of getting back into that over here without spending $1000's on more pointless certificates.
Currently working as a project coordinator for a GOC funded homeless shelter program. Essentially providing software/hardware support for a database and mucho report writing to the Federalistas.
I would engage Auld Nick himself as my PR agent if it got me a start.
Feb 15th 2007, 5:38 pm
#12
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: 6 months and counting
I recall "Cowtown" was looking for some sort of IT /DB types, but his user ID is dead now, and Ive misplaced his email addy.
Anyway, I did come across this post...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...1&postcount=14
Anyway, I did come across this post...
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...1&postcount=14
Last edited by iaink; Feb 15th 2007 at 5:42 pm.
Feb 15th 2007, 5:47 pm
#13
Slightly Canadian
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland
Posts: 10,129
Feb 15th 2007, 6:15 pm
#14
Thinking the unthinkable.
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Guelph, Ontario
Posts: 2,136
Re: 6 months and counting
Cheers for the links guys. I will fire up the PC tonight and start applying.
ps: I really mean't the comment about my nose freezing this morning. What a strange experience - felt like 'crackling' in my nostrils every time I breathed in.
ps: I really mean't the comment about my nose freezing this morning. What a strange experience - felt like 'crackling' in my nostrils every time I breathed in.
Feb 15th 2007, 10:08 pm
#15
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island, BC
Posts: 1,464
Re: 6 months and counting
my scottish neighbour told me the exact same thing! weird experience!!