Hi everyone

Well we are due out to Nova Scotia again on 8th August for two weeks and staying at the Quaich which was highly recommended and are all very excited. We plan to have a meeting with UK2Nova Scotia again and a trip out house hunting in the Fall River Area. We want to do some sight seeing, relaxing and generally getting a feel for Nova Scotia. Has anyone got any suggestions for us for whilst on this trip. I could do with some good job search sites to go on as well. I have a husband who is a qualified joiner and builder, myself who has always done admin and run the business with him with a BTEC business diploma and a son 19 who has just left college awaiting results from a Music techology diploma (doesnt have a clue what he wants to do)!!!! A daughter who has just discovered at 15 that she will have to go to school for a further two years anyway to receive her hight school diploma and shes ok with it.

Weve all had a very busy stressfull life in the uk with running our own business and want to work for someone else now and not have the same pressures. Were hoping financially we will be able to buy a house outright and support ourselves until we find work but it would be interesting to find whats out there on the market right now and what the pay and working conditions are like to know whats ahead of us.

It would be nice to know if any special events going on as well during our visit and interesting places to go to as were treating this as part holiday and part recce.

Hi there,
I've never loked at the attached site but it's on the radio ads all the time....might be worth a look and if it's any good maybe let others know.
Enjoy your trip next month.

http://www.novascotiajobsearch.com/

The Buskers Festival is on from 6-16 August in Halifax
http://www.buskers.ca/


that's always worth a visit - depending on the weather of course
(could you please bring some sunshine with you)

There will still be boat trips out to sea from Halifax Waterfront, although not sure how many whales you will see. Digby is probably a better bet that time of year.

It seems house prices have held steady in Halifax. Fall River is a lovely area but very popular, so prices are higher there than some other areas close by such as Wellington, Windsor Junction and Enfield.
The area you choose will also determine where your daughter finishes high school - I would suggest you really look at which school she would go to and it's record.

I find this quite a good website as it tells you the date the house was listed etc.
http://homes.point2.com/CA/Nova-Scotia-Real-Estate.aspx


Send Amydavid a pm - she might be able to give you more information on the job front.

Other than the touristy things like The Citadel, there's seafood to be had! We had a great meal at The 5 Fisherman. Make a reservation!

It's worth taking a trek outside the Halifax region too. If nothing else, anyone who grew up in the UK in the 1970s will be highly impressed if you visit Pugwash ("World Famous for Peace" according to the sign; Northern NS Famous for Peace would be more appropriate though it is home to a peace conference). Around that area, somewhere between Truro and Moncton via the backroads, we found a winery that does excellent ice wine.

Hi guys,

There is a BE meet-up organised for 9th August at Victoria Park, Truro, starting around about 11am-ish, if you're interested. I know it's the day after you arrive, another BE member is flying in on the 8th as well - Arty, might be worth PMing him, you may be on the same flight.

The Busker festival as previously mentioned is really good, also the Wildlife Park is excellent value.

We have a house in Windsor Junction, which is right next to Fall River, we move over permanently next May. It is a lovely area.

Send me a PM if you want any more info. Good luck and we'll maybe see you on the meet up.

Karen

Hello! Please, please, please bring us some sunshine when you come..I don't know how much more crappola weather we can take!

Re your husbands job search - his best bet is to browse the Yellow Pages and then pop along to see people, with his resume. They much prefer to be able to have a chat with you face to face and I think he would secure a job no problem this way. I THINK that your hubby would be looking at being paid anywhere between $20 - $28 per hour for his work.

Don't forget that though Fall River is lovely, you do seem to pay more to live there because it is so popular with the Brits and there are lots of other nice areas over here to live in. Perhaps take a browse through MLS and ask your Realtors (I'm assuming it is The Murphys') to set up some other viewings as well.

thanks to everyone

Theres some usefull tips on there and we will definately look into it all.

Thanks luckyone Ive tried the website for job searches and theres a lot of directing you back to the Uk stuff so a bit awkward to follow and will have another look when I have more time. I ended up on kijiji looking at jobs but they dont give too much info out at the first stage like pay and duties etc. I need to spend more time looking in depth but cheers for that.

Thanks Claybuster for the info weve done the Citadel and stayed for a week in Halifax last time so will be venturing further afield like you suggest and yes we both grew up in the 70's so know pugwash ha ha.....

Thanks Val50 I will definately go into the city for the buskers festival it looks fun and the kids will enjoy it too. Ive been on the homes.point2 site before and its a good site along with mls.ca thanks. Believe me if there was any sun here in the Uk I would bring it as its done nothing but rain in the Uk in July its grey and miserable!!!!!

Thanks Kazbob I will pm you re the meeting to see if we can make it and thanks amydavid for the job info i will pm you too if ok as val50 has mentioned.


Thanks everyone its a big help
Debbie

Annual Sand Castle Festival
Clam Harbour Beach Provincial Park
Sunday, August 16th, 2009

pack a lunch always a great day of fun

Not much in the way of sunshine here either - rain for the past 2 weeks - boo

Okay so after a few hours my brain has engaged and realised that if you oh was working over here he would be working under this Union...

http://www.carpentersunion.ca/

Give them a call and they will be able to answer all your questions re jobs/pay/benefits etc.

My OH is under this Union and they do a lot for the men. We are even off on a jolly to Upper Clements Park in Annapolis Valley in August - all paid for by them :0)

Hi Amy

Thanks for the union link. Is your oh a carpenter then ? Did he join the union then they help to find you work ? Reading the site it implies you need to be with them really to stand a chance of surviving. Not sure how it works can you fill me in a bit more before I contact them please

Debbie

My OH is a drywaller but they are under the same Union. My OH found a job and then joined the Union. 99.9% of sites here are Union sites. If your not in the Union you cannot work on them.

If you call the Union they will know who is looking for work and if your OH joins BEFORE he has work, they will assist him in finding work.

If you call them and have a chat about what your are doing, they should be able to help you out.

Being part of the Union allows you access to a really good healthcare/dental/optical plan as well as a really, really good pension.

(ps I don't work for the Union...I just love em..lol)

Hi,

I noticed your message and I would like to tell you a few things (sorry, as not all of them will be so rosy colored - be warned in advance )

I myself moved from London (from the UK - not London Ontario) to Canada a few years ago. At first it hard to believe your luck with how beautiful it is here and how cheap everything seems in comparison (especially housing !)
Too me, it a was wonderful and quaint experience, people are so friendly and you still have a sense of community, it like a bit going through a timewarp

On the less good news, most of our degrees and certificates are useless here - it now well know and documented that even people with doctors degrees aren't allowed to practice here, they need to re certify, that's they case with nearly every profession (pharmacist, accountants, fireman, nurses, teachers, ... basically any unionased profession. IF you think you don't need your degree because you have enough work experience, think again as it don't seem to count.

In my case, going back to university at my age wasn't really an option, so I had to think of doing something else.

Oh, and for your husband, they make houses here very different here, he may wanna look at that before you decided to make the move permanently (and if union will accept him without new certification of some sort - they do love their paperwork here )

I really don't wanna sound negative, just, I probably wished somebody else had told me these things before I moved, just so I would have been a bit more prepared and would have had a better Idea of what to expect.

Still, Canada is a fabulous gorgeous country and you have definitely picked a beautiful spot (just maybe not easy for finding a job at first)