Arrived and our first week in alberta
Sep 30th 2008, 4:56 pm
#16
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 2,484
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Hi Gill
You seem to have settled into the swing of things really quickly. I know what you mean, we arrived on Saturday and I feel that we are already at home. Good for you. We haven't found a permanent house yet, so I will check out where Lethbridge is in relation to my husbands work....hey if the ex-pats are taking it over....
Well done you anyway.
You seem to have settled into the swing of things really quickly. I know what you mean, we arrived on Saturday and I feel that we are already at home. Good for you. We haven't found a permanent house yet, so I will check out where Lethbridge is in relation to my husbands work....hey if the ex-pats are taking it over....
Well done you anyway.
Sep 30th 2008, 5:18 pm
#17
Now on Vancouver Island
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 6,935
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Welcome to Canada, Gill (moondevil). 
Glad to see you read the memo about networking.
x
Glad to see you read the memo about networking.
x
Sep 30th 2008, 5:32 pm
#18
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 2,484
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
i did..i did
i think we forget when we are in the uk that everything we know is from parents and the area that we live, we kind of grew up networking withot knowing it
When you land you kind of wounder where everything is and when they are at school and work, we are left at home.
networking is fab, got us settled really quick and the kids are happy.
To see there faces light up and smile is the bes feeling ever.
Hope you are liking BC, you will have to ask for a name change now
Sep 30th 2008, 5:39 pm
#19
Now on Vancouver Island
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 6,935
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Not knowing local place names cost me my first job when I initially arrived in Canada. I lasted in the job for exactly one day.
I was a secretary, and an agency hooked me up with the employer. It was a small office where I was going to be the sole person providing administrative support. Hence the owner felt that he needed someone who could hit the ground running, so to speak.
At the end of the first day, he called me into his office. He told me that I seemed like a nice person, I appeared to have a good attitude to work, and he was sure I would be a very competent secretary once I'd had a bit of local experience. However, since his company was so small and he needed someone who could function right from the beginning, he could not afford to coach me.
I think it must have become apparent to him that I didn't know much about local geography when I was asked to send various pieces of mail out by courier and had to ask clarifying questions.
I felt pretty devastated, but the agency soon sent me to another company. The next company was willing to work with me while I was on my learning curve. I worked for them happily for quite a while, until I gained more local knowledge and realized they were paying me less than I could earn elsewhere. I then found a job with an oil company that paid better.
My first long-term employer in Calgary was a real estate company. They were nice people, but they had lower profit margins than the oil companies, and hence they couldn't afford to pay as much. In Calgary the oil companies tend to be at the top of the food chain.
When you're a newly arrived immigrant there may be moments when you feel like Cinderella. This tends to be temporary, and sooner or later you find your sea legs.
Anyway, I thought I would share that story to correct the impression that I accidentally may have created around here, namely, that I know a lot about Canada, that I have known how to handle all situations since my arrival here, and that I generally am on top of things.
Yes, I think it's fair to say that I do know a reasonable amount about Canada. But I'm in that position after having spent most of the last 31 years here. Also, frankly, I rely heavily on Google. That often is the source of the information that I provide in my responses on this forum.
But back to you, send out the calgary. I wish you all the best in your new life in Calgary.
x
Sep 30th 2008, 7:23 pm
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2006
Location: BC
Posts: 1,361
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Lethbridge is two and a half hours' drive south of Calgary, which is a fact that you very well may have unearthed by the time you read this post.
Not knowing local place names cost me my first job when I initially arrived in Canada. I lasted in the job for exactly one day.
I was a secretary, and an agency hooked me up with the employer. It was a small office where I was going to be the sole person providing administrative support. Hence the owner felt that he needed someone who could hit the ground running, so to speak.
At the end of the first day, he called me into his office. He told me that I seemed like a nice person, I appeared to have a good attitude to work, and he was sure I would be a very competent secretary once I'd had a bit of local experience. However, since his company was so small and he needed someone who could function right from the beginning, he could not afford to coach me.
I think it must have become apparent to him that I didn't know much about local geography when I was asked to send various pieces of mail out by courier and had to ask clarifying questions.
I felt pretty devastated, but the agency soon sent me to another company. The next company was willing to work with me while I was on my learning curve. I worked for them happily for quite a while, until I gained more local knowledge and realized they were paying me less than I could earn elsewhere. I then found a job with an oil company that paid better.
My first long-term employer in Calgary was a real estate company. They were nice people, but they had lower profit margins than the oil companies, and hence they couldn't afford to pay as much. In Calgary the oil companies tend to be at the top of the food chain.
When you're a newly arrived immigrant there may be moments when you feel like Cinderella. This tends to be temporary, and sooner or later you find your sea legs.
Anyway, I thought I would share that story to correct the impression that I accidentally may have created around here, namely, that I know a lot about Canada, that I have known how to handle all situations since my arrival here, and that I generally am on top of things.
Yes, I think it's fair to say that I do know a reasonable amount about Canada. But I'm in that position after having spent most of the last 31 years here. Also, frankly, I rely heavily on Google. That often is the source of the information that I provide in my responses on this forum.
But back to you, send out the calgary. I wish you all the best in your new life in Calgary.
x
Not knowing local place names cost me my first job when I initially arrived in Canada. I lasted in the job for exactly one day.
I was a secretary, and an agency hooked me up with the employer. It was a small office where I was going to be the sole person providing administrative support. Hence the owner felt that he needed someone who could hit the ground running, so to speak.
At the end of the first day, he called me into his office. He told me that I seemed like a nice person, I appeared to have a good attitude to work, and he was sure I would be a very competent secretary once I'd had a bit of local experience. However, since his company was so small and he needed someone who could function right from the beginning, he could not afford to coach me.
I think it must have become apparent to him that I didn't know much about local geography when I was asked to send various pieces of mail out by courier and had to ask clarifying questions.
I felt pretty devastated, but the agency soon sent me to another company. The next company was willing to work with me while I was on my learning curve. I worked for them happily for quite a while, until I gained more local knowledge and realized they were paying me less than I could earn elsewhere. I then found a job with an oil company that paid better.
My first long-term employer in Calgary was a real estate company. They were nice people, but they had lower profit margins than the oil companies, and hence they couldn't afford to pay as much. In Calgary the oil companies tend to be at the top of the food chain.
When you're a newly arrived immigrant there may be moments when you feel like Cinderella. This tends to be temporary, and sooner or later you find your sea legs.
Anyway, I thought I would share that story to correct the impression that I accidentally may have created around here, namely, that I know a lot about Canada, that I have known how to handle all situations since my arrival here, and that I generally am on top of things.
Yes, I think it's fair to say that I do know a reasonable amount about Canada. But I'm in that position after having spent most of the last 31 years here. Also, frankly, I rely heavily on Google. That often is the source of the information that I provide in my responses on this forum.
But back to you, send out the calgary. I wish you all the best in your new life in Calgary.
x
got me thinking back the days when I was newto this country.
Yoong
Sep 30th 2008, 8:05 pm
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 183
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Hi Moondevil,
Cant believe you feel settled already, well done, you must be so pleased the kids are ok at school.
Hope to following you soon, congrats
Cant believe you feel settled already, well done, you must be so pleased the kids are ok at school.
Hope to following you soon, congrats
Sep 30th 2008, 8:07 pm
#22
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 56
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Yup I mirror the congratz too.... well done for making it out there and your right about the networking - I am getting my misses to sort out some posts to help me find new friends and possible contacts for when we come out next year assuming we get visas so we can meet up and get to know a little more of whats there and peoples views
I have to say though I have been on and off this website over the last year and found it very valuable and cant keep up at times reading the various threads...and you just know you might have missd out on something useful!
Well done and look forward to hearing more about how its going , feel free to send a PM.
Well done
I have to say though I have been on and off this website over the last year and found it very valuable and cant keep up at times reading the various threads...and you just know you might have missd out on something useful!
Well done and look forward to hearing more about how its going , feel free to send a PM.
Well done
Oct 1st 2008, 4:17 am
#23
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 2,484
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
thanks for the well wishes
Our boxes arrived earlier so its been like christmas unwrapping all the stuff.
Customs opened one of the boxes, must of loved the cuddly toys, glad they picked that box, someone from above must be looking out for us
So thats it, stuff arrived, just 2 broken stuff. one being sons car, but he said that it was ok and the other my wine glass, not normal ones, so i can now only have 5 people drinking wine instead of 6, but thats life and im glad everything else was fine.
Hubby pulled face that my vase arrived safe :curse:
but he now has his tools and stuff for work so he is happy.
He's done his first day and loves it, still some more training tomorrow, but easy life for him for a while
Gill
Our boxes arrived earlier so its been like christmas unwrapping all the stuff.
Customs opened one of the boxes, must of loved the cuddly toys, glad they picked that box, someone from above must be looking out for us
So thats it, stuff arrived, just 2 broken stuff. one being sons car, but he said that it was ok and the other my wine glass, not normal ones, so i can now only have 5 people drinking wine instead of 6, but thats life and im glad everything else was fine.
Hubby pulled face that my vase arrived safe :curse:
but he now has his tools and stuff for work so he is happy.
He's done his first day and loves it, still some more training tomorrow, but easy life for him for a while
Gill
Oct 2nd 2008, 1:20 am
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Lethbridge, AB
Posts: 151
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
[QUOTE=moondevil;6831825]Thanks janet
and thanks phil and kyla....where about are you??
Hi
We just moved into our new house in Coulee Creek (Behind Superstore).
Glad everything is going well.
Phil & Mrs (With Bump)
and thanks phil and kyla....where about are you??
Hi
We just moved into our new house in Coulee Creek (Behind Superstore).
Glad everything is going well.
Phil & Mrs (With Bump)
Oct 2nd 2008, 2:10 am
#25
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Vancouver since Aug 2008!!!!!
Posts: 904
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Welcome Gill
Really good to hear you've settled in really quickly and the kids are happy @ school and hubby happy at work!!!
Your first week has been packed full of things to do, I hope you manage to keep up the enthusiasm. Only say that as I too was very busy in the first week and then things got quiet, but there again I was on my own, you have alot to fill your time!
Also - it seems Gaynor was a star - well done her!!!
Keep up the posts over the coming weeks, it's great to hear of the newly arrived....
I've been here since Aug 6th, and loving it - had a wobble in the middle of Sept, but the guys on here cheered me and lifted my spirits, and no doubt they will again, as I'm sure wobbles will come and go....!
Welcome to Canada
Bx
Really good to hear you've settled in really quickly and the kids are happy @ school and hubby happy at work!!!
Your first week has been packed full of things to do, I hope you manage to keep up the enthusiasm. Only say that as I too was very busy in the first week and then things got quiet, but there again I was on my own, you have alot to fill your time!
Also - it seems Gaynor was a star - well done her!!!
Keep up the posts over the coming weeks, it's great to hear of the newly arrived....
I've been here since Aug 6th, and loving it - had a wobble in the middle of Sept, but the guys on here cheered me and lifted my spirits, and no doubt they will again, as I'm sure wobbles will come and go....!
Welcome to Canada
Bx
Oct 2nd 2008, 2:13 am
#26
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 2,484
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
hi phil and mrs....bump
Congrats on the bump...whens it due
o i know where that is, was up there at walmart earlier today, must get a job there soon as i need the discounts
Well do a meet up in a few weeks if you are up for it
Speak soon
Congrats on the bump...whens it due
o i know where that is, was up there at walmart earlier today, must get a job there soon as i need the discounts
Well do a meet up in a few weeks if you are up for it
Speak soon
Oct 2nd 2008, 2:55 am
#27
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 1969
Posts: 2,484
Re: Arrived and our first week in alberta
Thanks bandit
i am glad that you have got over your wobble
i think once the rush has carmed down, it will hit me what we have done
i did get a point last week that i felt all fuzzy and people was just being too nice
but im settled as far as the house, now we need a routine, but im looking after some kids after school so the house is full until later at night
But i was used to that in the uk as well, there is nothing like hitting the road running lol
i know the guys/girls on here have been brilliant and without this i think i would defo be wobbling by now, but we have made so many great friends.
Gaynor is a star
i am glad that you have got over your wobble
i think once the rush has carmed down, it will hit me what we have done
i did get a point last week that i felt all fuzzy and people was just being too nice
but im settled as far as the house, now we need a routine, but im looking after some kids after school so the house is full until later at night But i was used to that in the uk as well, there is nothing like hitting the road running lol
i know the guys/girls on here have been brilliant and without this i think i would defo be wobbling by now, but we have made so many great friends.
Gaynor is a star
