Our first month...
 

We have been here in Ottawa for just over a month now and slowly we are getting there although it hasn't been plain sailing.

My OH was fortunate as he had an interview lined up for the day after we arrived and he got offered the job, it is not fantastic and there are no benefits but it's a start. He is surprised at the amount of hi-tech work still out there, he is a Web Developer, and has been to 2 other interviews so far. He says that working here is really no different to working at home. The one thing we have noticed is that agencies tend to work harder and later than back home, he is regularly getting emails from recruiters at 8pm or later and one called last night after 8pm too!

Our children have settled into school and pre-school well. My daughter has gone into SK which is half-days whereas she had started full-time in the UK. She has adapted to this well though and we use our time to explore the city.

We have bought a car, actually a mini-van! It is huge and I was worried about driving it but so far so good and I am venturing further out of the city. The one thing I have noticed is that Canadians aren't very forgiving! They don't seem to let you in / out or move over for you when you are getting on / off the highway which is a nightmare. I find the highways quite daunting with 4 lanes of traffic all weaving in and out. Gas is cheap and it cost $50 to fill our car up, it has a 3 litre engine too..that $50 lasted 10 days. Compared to the UK where we had a 1.4 ford focus and was putting in £30 every week!

I have found food is pretty much the same as the UK, meat is good quality and beef seems to be cheaper but chicken is dearer. I have got into the habit of going to Walmart for things like bread, milk (which is a good few dollars cheaper) and some snacky bits. Then I go next door to Loblaws for other food and then Farm Boy for all meat and fruit / veg. It is hassle but we are a family of 4, soon to be 5 on a budget and this gives us more money for luxuries and eating out occasionally. I also look at all of the red flag deals and try to plan menus and shopping lists accordingly.

The city of Ottawa is great, there is so much to see and do, a lot of it free too which is a boost. The only downside for me is where we are living. Currently staying with family in their basement so we can save more money for a deposit. We are in The Glebe, which was fine years ago when we had no children but now I think we need to be elsewhere. My experience so far, (and this may upset some people so sorry if it does) is that most of the mums and dads in this area work full-time and the children are all at school and then have nannies / caregivers and go to the after and before school clubs. I have made a real effort to go to story time, the parks, the library and indoor play in the local community centre but have only seen the caregivers / nannies and I really wanted to meet other stay at home mums and get to know families. I even put notes in my daughters school bag giving our telephone number to try and arrange some play dates and apart from one mum saying she would like to meet up and then not phoning I have heard nothing, which does make me sad. I am not very confident at meeting new people and feel I am really making an effort but it is not paying off.. I have made friends with a lady off this this website who lives in Ottawa too but would like more! Also we could not afford to live in this area and I think that we may be suited to a more suburban lifestyle...

Anyway, sorry for rambling, this is our first month done and it can only get better...

Melanie

Re: Our first month...
 

Well done for getting the job. We have been in Ottawa for nearly two years and my husband is still trying to find work in the IT industry. Any advice would be appreciated!

Yes, Ottawa is a lovely city. It takes time to meet people, but Ottawa is a safe place and you will make lots of friends.

We bought a house and do like the area, but wish we had waited to see where we really wanted to live, so being in the Glebe for a while is probably not a bad move.

Good luck with it all, and any advice on the IT stuff would be appreciated!:)

Re: Our first month...
 

Hi,

I can't give any advice really...my husband had an interview when we landed in Sep 07 and they liked him and he emailed before the move over this time and they were recruiting. Saying that, its not a great job, hourly rates and no benefits. He has just got a permanent job, contract came through today, and that was through the agency Robert Half. He has also had some interviews and interest via another agency called Creative Niche. Maybe your OH could try there if he hasn't already.

Where abouts in Ottawa have you bought? We have been looking to rent this weekend and for the cost of a 2 bed rental in The Glebe we could have a 3 bed house elsewhere...trouble is we know the Glebe and the kids are settled and I am too chicken to move to another new area.

Thanks
Melanie

Re: Our first month...
 

Hi Melanie,

Thanks for the info re: Agency.

We bought in Beacon Hill North. It is a very nice neighbourhood, particularly if you have kids. We don't have kids and would probably be better suited downtown. We do like it here though and are near the river. The area has lots of older (1960s) houses and mature trees.

Good luck with it all.

Ann;)

Re: Our first month...
 

hello,
interesting to read your post. I hope that by now you have managed to make new friends, found a place you like, and that your man has found a good job.
We are thinking of moving to Ottawa, so any advice on the place, where to live, we are a family of 4, two boys 4 and 6, and where not to live. How is the job market, is it as hard as it sounds- like if you are an immigrant, you only get to low paid jobs?
All the best
:)

Re: Our first month...
 

Hi
Nearly eight months on and as lot has happened, our daughter, Madeline was born in June and we are now renting our own house in The Glebe. It is such a nice neighbourhood and I think we will try and find a way to stay - the schools and facilities are fantastic and my children are so happy and settled here. It is funny as the people and kids are so friendly, even the teenagers who run the afterschool or lunch club that my son attends. It's funny as we can't walk to school or down Bank street without seeing someone who knows one of the kids, the sense of community is great here.
I would recomend The Glebe as it is central and very family orientated but it's pricey. I was told to avoid Barrhaven but I have also heard that people are happy there! Kanata is very nice but it's far out from Ottawa and can take up to an hour to commute into downtown for jobs, but if you worked in Kanata it would be ideal I guess.
I am making friends but they are mainly ex-pats, I am meeting more people through my childrens schools now which is good.
As for jobs, my OH has a job but the benefits suck! He has only taken a £3,000 pay cut from what he was on in the UK which from what I have heard is good. From what I can see there are jobs out there and being an immigrant doesn't mean a lower wage if you can do the jobs. The holidays are less than in the UK and the working hours are longer.
Hope this helps! Ottawa is a great city, not very cosmopolitan but very family orientated.
Melanie

Re: Our first month...
 

hello, and thank you for your reply.
I am happy to feel you are starting to settle in Ottawa. And it looks like a nice town to live in.
A £ 3000 cut in a salary!!!!!!!! That is enormous isn't it?. And with less holidays and longer hours, how is your OH coping?
My worries are that we would move for the kids, which sounds a good idea seeing how your kids are doing. But if we have to get two jobs, have no time free, and long hours at work, how is that fulfilling for the parents? Sorry for thinking out loud ;) But it is a difficult equasion to resolve I think.
We are coming over in December, so we'll have a look around the Glebe, definitely.
Thanks again :D
Marie

Re: Our first month...
 

Not really, if thats gross, then after deductions thats about £130/month - hardly life changing stuff.

Re: Our first month...
 

What IT does he do?

Re: Our first month...
 

Congratulations surviving the first month! Best wishes for your future life in Canada :D

Re: Our first month...
 

You might want to check this out.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features...p.html?cid=ETF

Re: Our first month...
 

Completely off topic - the picture of the day on that newspaper article could be dollface's new avatar :p

Re: Our first month...
 

Off Topic? It's about IT Jobs

Re: Our first month...
 

Not the article you posted - that is very relevant. No - my comment was off topic, ie, the bit about the photo of the day. However, the photo has now changed so just ignore me!!

Re: Our first month...
 

The photo in question. :)
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Large_Fo...ngdolls500.jpg

Re: Our first month...
 

We have been here 7 years and my hubby has'nt found any work in IT- we used tolive in Almonte and he set out over 300 resumes-nothing- now he has been out of it so long he has lost a lot of his skills- we are thinking about going back to UK. If he does'nt find a job soon get out!

Re: Our first month...
 

What IT does he do and is there any of that in Kingston?

Re: Our first month...
 

Karma Steve - I've got to spread it around a bit, apparently ;) :p

Re: Our first month...
 

What has he been doing for 7 years ? i assume you are PR
My OH is getting jobs through for Ottawa ( IT ) as well as other areas ( not Kingston though ) i suppose it depends on what skills you have ?

We need to sell our house before we can go don't have PR yet :fingerscrossed:
but his skills are LMO exempt so hope that will not put prospective employers off ?

If he can't get a job there what will he do here, there are people walking round London with there CVs on billboards trying to get work here ?

I hope something comes up soon for you :D

Re: Our first month...
 

Congratulations on your addition, we are aiming for Ottawa or Kanata OH is IT, my OH took a 10% pay cut here in the UK early this year along with everyone else in the company made a huge differance to his pay :blink:
But we can adjust as you probably did, my main concern is the medical etc ?
Good to hear you are making friends,
We liked Ottawa stayed downtown, didn't really feel like the capital at all, as you say very family orientated,

Good luck for the future :thumbsup:

Re: Our first month...
 

he has been doing handyman work-dried up completely now-we were pr- now citizens.

maybe at least he can get help retraining in UK? CANNOT GET THAT HERE! so unhappy and frustrated!!!

we were going to move back to Poole/Bournemouth area where friends andfamily are.

Re: Our first month...
 

He DID work for Marconi in the UK-he had retrained and been to Bournemouth University, and had only graduated like 2 years before we came to Canada- so he was'nt really experienced before we got here. His degree incorporated software and hardware- he used to be able to do "C,Java, Html,javascript, perl" ...cannot remember them all.

Anyway suffice to say when we came to Canada/Ottawa in 2002 the high tech bubble burst and he could'nt get a look in- now he does'nt remember it that well and would like to get back in but there are so many others with more experience.