haggis88

thanks folks!

stu, how you finding it 4 months in?

cheeky_monkey

i thought it was 12 months from when you arrive for good to live?

Stu_g2004

Loving it mate, settled in well, work is so much better.
Takes a while to find your feet, but I really feel like this is home now! Feels like I've been here for years.
If you need any help, just gimme a shout.

haggis88

thanks bud! i'll keep that in mind!

August 7th:
So today I managed to open a bank account with ScotiaBank, and was successfully approved for a Credit Card with a $1000 limit without having to put in any money...i guess this isn't the norm going by some posts on here?

i already have an AMEX that i was recommended to get while back home, then when i've got an address just to change over to that address and my UK Credit history will come with me!

Stu_g2004

I guess having an AMEX helped you out.
Were with RBC and had to put money down. They didn't even ask or check about uk credit rating.

On another note,

When we sorted out our utility bills we opted for direct deposit, that way you won't have to put down a hefty deposit which they'll keep for a year.

haggis88

every chance of it! its unlikely i'll really use the credit card much, i had a couple in the UK and only ever bought anything on it to try and raise my credit score when i was younger!

haggis88

well, a quick BUMP for this

i'm now what, 5 months and a bit in, and i'm still having a pretty good time

had 2 friends over for a fortnight each, and they both loved it and are looking into IEC visas

my job is going well, been working plenty of overtime and generally trying to make a good impression

been living in my apartment in NE Calgary since middle of August and its not too bad, bit ghetto compared to what i'm used to, but it was cheap and served well to get my on my feet

had major problems with the truck i've bought, the oil pump shat its nappy and because i didn't wanna walk 10k to work in -15, i drove it with the CEL flashing and wrecked the engine, so i'm gonna be about $4000 down for a new engine by the end of this week!

family visiting right now, so i've been doing a lot of touristy things, infact i think i'm gonna take up snowboarding after a visit to COP during the week

at the moment though, i still can't see my life here...i miss being able to phone my mate on a Friday night and get drunk for <£10 while watching decent television or playing computer games!

i miss going to the football on a Saturday, home or away.

at this very moment, i'm still thinking that when my 2 year TWP is finished, i'm going to go back to the UK and do my degree (mechanical engineer, would skip first two years of Uni since i have trade papers) then maybe seek out work elsewhere in the world! not sure whether to go for PR or not!

but all in all, a very positive experience so far, and i hope to continue this trend...hating the fact that 24 small cans of beer is almost $50 though

haggis88

update, i was actually closer to $7000 down for a new engine for the truck

had a bit of a bad week with that, started to feel a bit homesick with the family being over and all...made it through and looking on the bright side! a quiet Xmas with some beers and crap TV will suit me fine

haggis88

another update

applied for a new rental - a brand spanking townhouse in the NW, and nailed the application, so i move in next Sunday, really looking forward to it, and its certainly picked my spirits up after the drama with the truck

christmas and new year were quiet, but then again i worked most of it, only having Xmas and New Years Day off...gotta think of the money and the fact i wouldn't have been doing anything anyway

anyone ever had problems with landlords when trying to get their deposit back? i've a feeling the landlord is going to come the "c u next tuesday" when it comes to paying it back to me, even though they've been shitty Landlords and i've not damaged anything, infact the apartment is better looking than when i moved in

considering applying for PR actually, trying to work my way through the Wiki information to see how to do it anyone went from TWP to PR successfully that can give me some pointers?

TheScotty

Keep the updates coming mate. Always good to here how someone is getting on.

Top marks to you for heading out there yourself and getting on with it.

P.S. I have a mate who is an Ayr Utd fan, you probably know him

Almost Canadian

The unwritten rule that appears to exist in Calgary is that landlords don't give the security deposits back, therefore tenants don't pay the last months rent to compensate.

In theory, you and your landlord should do a walk through a week prior or following you giving up possession. Any issues should be noted and both parties should acknowledge them.

See Section 19 here: Residential Tenancies Act

The return of the security deposit is dealt with in section 46. Invariably, it doesn't happen. If your landlord withholds any part of the security deposit you believe belongs to you, you need to sue the landlord using the Provincial Court or Court of Queen's Bench, or proceed to through the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service. Here is a link which explains the process:Residential Tenacy Dispute Resolution Service

Best of luck

haggis88

6 months done and dusted

got the damage deposit back for the old place without any qualms...so just stuck it straight into the savings

got a pay rise and bonus at work too...so its all rosy at the moment

also started Hockey coaching which has been awesome

i thought i could skate, but it turns out i'm not really as good as i thought after having professionals analyse your technique

also developed a taste for Tims :O

and i'm finding "eh", "douchebag" and "totally" creeping into my vocabulary from time to time :| lol

NovaGlaswegian

My other half and I are making the journey over to Calgary later in the year / early next year, so reading threads like this is a massive help mate, cheers.

$50 for 24 beers though...brutal!

Auld Yin

Before you know it the green slime will be off your liver, lol.

NovaGlaswegian

Not if my home brew is successful