Hey everyone!!! I'm new to the site so I thought i'd introduce myself. My name is Kira, i'm 24 and i'm moving from the UK to Calgary next month to start a new life! I hope people don't mind me using the boards as i'm technically Canadian! I was born in canada but when I was 2 my parents decided to move back to UK as they were both British so that I could be closer to the rest of my family. I have dual citizenship but I really don't feel Canadian since i've spent 22 years being raised as british!

So i'm just looking for anyone who has moved to Calgary so that I can get some advice about the life there!

Thanks
Kira

Oh you don't want to come to Calgary we're all uptight red necks here.

You'd be better off moving to laid back Vancouver.

nah I like the atmosphere of calgary, i've visited loads of places in canada over the last 18 months but Calgary felt like home to me

What info are you after?

just general stuff like how easy it was to settle in and adapt to the place, what the people are really like there, what the current economy and employment is like there at the moment, where are the nice places to live and where should I avoid living, just stuff like that really.

I mean i've spent a short time there before but only really on holiday and i've been raised in a small town in north wales and worked for the NHS so I haven't really been exposed to city life or the current economic climate, plus i've been living with my parents so i've never lived on my own before

ANY help or information will be greatly appreciated as the prospect of moving to new place on my own 8000 miles from home is very daughnting!!

Top of the page, click Wiki, read and become informed

I think Brownstar might mean this.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Catego...erta_Lifestyle

thanks, i've been browsing through those pages and I guess i just wanted to hear info direct from people as i didn't know how old the information was in wiki.
thanks anyway

Areas to avoid, the NE that was easy, ok some areas of the NE as well as Bowness but otherwise the majority of Calgary is safe and pretty good living. Your decision of where you base yourself will most probably depend on the location of your work. Are you planning to stay in health care or do something else? The health care industry is always looking for people so if you have qualifications then you should be fine, if you are looking elsewhere it depends on what you are after. The economy in Alberta has only just gone in to recession but if you went to the Malls you would never know as they are packed as ever, and the only people I know are struggling are the small oil companies that overextended themselves and are now releasing engineers.
We didn't find it bad to settle in, as we meet quite a few people through playing drop in sports that are arranged through out the city, as well as alot of people through my wife's work, as I work out of town I have meet other people from other cities which has been great for when we travel. For us getting used to living here wasn't so bad as we both had moved from Los Angeles, so alot of stuff is very similar but with a different attitude of people here,which made it easier to meet others. If you enjoy the hills you are in a great place to be as it is only an hours driving to some great hiking (i know not as close as Vancouver).
You will even be here for the Stampede, a rodeo show that you have to do once. If there are any other questions ask away.

Thanks Brit_on_Tour! I'm hoping to stay in healthcare - Pharmacy - but i know that i will need to go back to college for a short time to update my qualifications to the Canadian ways such as the law etc!
i'm planning on staying with a family friend for a couple of months and she lives in the SW and i really liked that area but i'm thinking that maybe the NW would be better for me in the long run because that seems to be where the majority of the hospitals are located!
How do u find the public transport there such as the LRT etc? I plan to get a car but I will not have one initially and so i will be relying on walking and puplic transport to get around.

Thank god, an excuse to procrastinate!!!
There are four main hospitals are the Childrens and Foothills in the NW, Peter Lougheed Centre in the NE and the Rockyview in the SE. The website for jobs at the hospitals are http://www.healthjobs.ab.ca/searchjobs.aspx. I know when my wife came up from the states all she had to do was to write the Canadian Occupational Therapist exams, so hopefully school is not too long for you. As for public transport! Well if only it was as good as the UK. From where we live in the NW its a 20 min drive to downtown, but by bus its over an hour and three changes!!! The LRT unfortunately I don't think goes near any hospital. So if you plan to use the bus and LRT make sure you live on direct routes or within biking/walking distance, otherwise its a pain.

There currently are only four hospitals in Calgary with a fifth being built.

There a two in the NW the Foothills (Calgary's major hospital) and the Children's Hospital.

The Peter Lougheed is in the NE and the Rockyview is in the SW.

The new hospital will be in the deep south part of the city.

The Peter Lougheed is the only only one at present anywhere near an LRT line so it would mean bus or car to the others.

ok so i'm thinking that getting a car sooner rather than later would be a sensible move! lol!
Its wierd i've been planning this moe for around 15 months and i've altered where i'm going so many times - always either toronto or calgary - it just feels so strange to think that in 3 weeks time i'll be living there!! VERY SCARY THOUGHT!

Is the Cancer Treatment Hospital joined to Foothills or is it a separate hospital? I know it has its own pharmacy which is my primary area

Yes, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre is part of the Foothills complex.

http://www.cancerboard.ab.ca/Treatme...cilities/TBCC/