Originally Posted by The TWs

HANG IN THERE!!!!

Originally Posted by Madmac

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.

Originally Posted by Madmac

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

Originally Posted by therobbos

we are moving to BC very soon and thankfully have job offers in writing ....!!

Originally Posted by Morwenna

Any thoughts of moving to another part of Canada where job prospects may be more rosy???

Originally Posted by Madmac

Hi M

Applied for jobs all over Canada - Alberta, NS, NF, BC blah blah blah.

I have to face the fact that we will be living in a tent come June.

Nah - what will be, will be.

Adieu

Originally Posted by Madmac

Nah - what will be, will be.

Adieu

Originally Posted by Madmac

Morwenna - Resumes done on an individual basis. Even had extremely postive feedback on the layout from professional employment specialists. Good idea though. Fate - don't actually believe in it at all.

Applied for a few jobs in NS and NF at the weekend thanks to Atlantic X.

There may be a job coming up in the next few weeks where I currently work so fingers crossed even though it's not strictly in my field.

Originally Posted by julie1973

Madmac - thanks for making me smile. I work in IT too, and have been on the hiring side so if it's any help I could aid you in updating your resume...I've had quite a few offers (software side) but cant take them while I'm on a permit.
I too got stung ... I came on a company transfer then got forced to take a 35% pay cut cos they could, and have spent about $100,000 without even buying a house...
Don;t give up just yet....hell if I had the room I'd offer you somewhere to go.