MY CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

Staying safe in Vancouver

2011-10-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, after Halloween party, I walked home alone. It was 20 minutes walk, 20 blocks in residential area of Burnaby. It is very safe and calm part of the city, but still I was alone and it made me think of safety in Vancouver.

Vancouver has thickly populated Downtown area, which of course means increased level of pickpocketing and "small" crimes. In general, Vancouver is one of the safiest cities to live in. However, every big city is facing some problems. And therefore it is good to follow some basic rules.

Vancouver is the warmest city in Canada, so that lots of homeless people and drug addicts move there. You can see quite a lot of homeless people spread on the streets of Downton, but they are usually just begging for some money. Not a good part of Vancouver for visits (and especially in the evening) is Eastside Vancouver - part of East Hastings street close to China Town. Stay away from this area full of drug dealers and junkies.

It is also not very likely to visit famous Stanley Park during the night, especially if you're alone and woman. Don't leave valuables in the car and lock your bike wherever you go. If you run into problem, do not hesitate to call Emergency on 9-1-1.

Trick or Treat! Muhehe :)

2011-10-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Halloween. Samhain. Summer's End. All Hallow's Eve. Witches Night. Whatever name you like. This special event is celebrated 31st October in anglo-saxon countries such as England, Ireland, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and CANADA of course.

There are many different ways how to celebrate it. Children usually dress to scary costumes, do Trick or Treat and receive candies and small presents. Adults, however, found their way how to entertain themselves during Halloween as well. Costume parties, carving jack-o'-lanterns, apple bobbing, haunting hauses, fireworks, horor movies and much more is going on every Halloween.

I never had a chance to visit real Halloween party, but once I'm in Vancouver, I'm ready to enjoy myself in a costume of "wild cat" :) It is hard to decide what party attend. Downtown Vancouver will be full of parades, festivals and outside parties. But because of the "autumn/winter" weather, it is highly likely we will visit some of the clubs on Granville Street. See Halloween Guide here to decide where to go.

And what I find the most surprising and unusual? Definitelly the Haloween Party in the SkyTrain! Let me know how you have enjoyed All Hallows' Eve.

Health care in Canada

2011-10-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

Few days ago, I wrote article about weather in Canada...and guess what? I got cold. And I'm really sick now, which made me think of medical care in Canada. To be honest, I don't know much about it. I know that the health care is for foreigners very expensive, therefore it's highly likely to be very well insured.

But what if I need to see a doctor? Or what if I cut myself while cooking and I need to go to an emergency (yes, that happened to me as well)? Important thing to know is - don't go to hospital unless you're dying. Hospitals in Canada are pretty good, but if you're not bleeding or you're feeling really bad don't go there, because it will take ages until someone will take care of you. You will have very impersonal feeling and getting necesarry documents for your insurance company will be a real struggle.

If you feel you need a help, go to some of "walking clinics", which you can find easily everywhere. These clinics are private, but it doesn't really matter to you, because as a Canadian Temporary Resident, you don't have an access to free health care and you would have to pay in hospital too. After examination, you will have to pay or you will get a cheque. Don't forget to take all original documents, receipts and doctor's report for your insurance company.

And if you aren't insured? You better do so a quickly as possible. If you are in Czech or Slovakia, try insurance company Allianz, if you are already in Canada, try guard.me insurance.

Take care and be careful when opening cans ... :-)

Weather in Canada

2011-10-23T17:11:00.001-07:00

What comes to your mind, when I say Canada? Tons of snow, bears, maple sirup, hockey, freeze? You may be right, but don't be too worried about Canadian weather, especially if you're heading to British Columbia.

Canada’s climate varies wildly based on geography, from perma-frost in the north to four distinct seasons towards the equator. In this region the temperature can climb up to 35 degrees Celsius in the summer and descend to a chilly -25 degrees Celsius during winter.Canada’s climate is characterized by its diversity, as temperature and precipitation differ depending on where you are and what time of year it is. Other than the North where it’s above freezing for only a few months a year, most Canadian cities are within 300 km of the southern border, where mild springs, hot summers and pleasantly crisp autumns are common during the majority of the year.

Weather in Vancouver, the most popular city amongst international students, is very moderate. Thanks to Pacific ocean, there are almost no freezing winters and it hardly ever snows in Vancouver. If yes, all city goes nuts. Vancouverites aren't used to it so the traffic stops working and some shops and schools close. Usually, it is mostly rainy in winter time with temperatures around 0°C. In general weather conditions in Vancouver are very similar to those in middle Europe, with rainy autumns, sunny springs and summers with temperatures around 25 - 30 °C. So if you are afraid of cold, don't be. If you want to enjoy snow, don't be dissapointed as well. In less than an hour, you can be in mountains with tons of snow :) And you will also get a chance to experience one of Vancouver beaches too. However, swimming in Pacific isn't the most pleasent unless you appreciate cold water.

Money, money, money

2011-10-18T23:57:00.000-07:00

When I firstly went to buy groceries in Canada, I returned with 1 bag and leighter for $40. I thought to myself, well, girl, you will have to work harder. Yes, some prices are surprisingly higher than in Europe, however, you can also earn much more money. I believe you're quite curious about hourly wages, so I made a little survey between my friends and I made a little chart, which you can see below:

TYPE OF JOB	ENTRY HOURLY WAGE	HOURLY WAGE AFTER
Waiter, bartender, coffee shop employee… (tips on top)	$9	$12
Cleaning	$11-12	$14
Landscaping	$14	$16
Hotel staff (cleaner, hostess)	$14	$16
Receptionist	$15	$18
Construction	$14	$25
Professionals (work with wood, electricians, geodes, …)	$20	$25

In general, boys earn more money than girls. People working in hospitality earn less, but it very much depends on their abilities and place where they work (there are some really high class restaurants where you can get $15/hour, but they will “tear you into pieces”). The biggest advantage working in hospitality is every day use of English. Well paid are boys (and girls) in constructions.

On a way to Rocky Mountains

2011-10-14T23:01:00.001-07:00

Fall in Vancouver is beautiful if you are lucky and it's not raining. Forest is changing its color, leaves are falling down the trees...and one of the most beatiful autumn sceneres has Alberta. On Monday 10th October, Canada celebrated Thanksgiving Day. Therefore, we had Monday off and decided to go to Rockies and skip the whole "turkey" supper.

There are many student travel agencies which offer trip to Rocky Mountains. It usually costs around $300 for 4 days. But I did this trip with my friends and we payed much less. So the only thing you really need to cut-down on your expences is a car to share.

We started our journey on Friday evening. After approximatelly 500 km we stopped at Kelowna, BC. It was too late for finding a place to stay o we simply decided to sleep outside. Which was...cold :-) When I woke up in the morning, I didn't feel my feets at all. But it was fun. However, if you'd rather stay in some more comfy place, check Samesun Hostel at www.samesun.com.

On our 2300 km long tip we visited Radium Hot Springs and had a great hot bath for $6, then we continued to Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. All these 3 places are not only tourist attractions, but also a huge employers. If you are ready to leave big city for few months, getting a sesonal job in one of them will be easy and you will definitelly have fun.

Wanna have fun?

2011-10-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

So you are already in Canada, you have a place to stay, you have a job, but you also want to have fun, right? And are you short on a budget? Well, then you might be interested in some hints bellow because I'm in exactly same situation.

FOOD
I bet you like to eat. Almost everybody does. I do too. But food in Canada isn't the cheapest fun. However, if you'd like to have a nice meal with your friends I recommend shopping in Superstore, where you can buy the cheapest food in Vancouver. Cheapest meat is beef (obviously :-)), fruits and vegetables is cheaper in small "asian shops", you can buy pastry in sale after 7 pm. And if you want to go out for a meal, you should definitelly try Sushi Garden (for example Metrotown Skytrain station), where you can get the best sushi in Van for less than $10. And if you have eaten too many homemade pancakes with maple sirup, you should do some...

SPORT
Vancouver is well known for its active lifestyle. You can go rollerblading around Stanley Park, jogging next to Seawall, riding a bicycle to work or school (7-eleven Trail under Skytrain) or hiking. In less than 30 minutes you can start a hike up the Seymour Mountain, Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain, or go to Lynn Valley Park. If the weather isn't very pleasant or you'd rather do some "indoor sports" you can try Robert Lee YMCA Fitness in Downtown. Monthly membership costs about $35. If it is still too much for you and you'd rather do team sports, check websites of Community Centres which offers rich sport program starting with Basketball, ending with Zumba for ladies. Some lessons for free, some for less than $5.

TRAVELLING

Once you're in Canada, you probably want to see as much as possible. If you don't have anybody to travel with or you don't know how to arrange it by yourself, try IP Travel. You can choose from numbers of trips around Canada and US for reasonable prices. I went to Rocky Mountains...more about Rockies coming soon :-)

Need a job?

2011-10-07T00:36:00.000-07:00

To be honest, life in Canada isn't the cheapest and there aren't probably many of us, who can only study and enjoy their holidays in Canada without working. If you want to cover at least part of your travel and life expences you will most likely have t look for a part-time job.

Vancouver is together with Toronto the most expensive place in Canada. However, it has also lots of job offers. You just have to be patient, pro-active and flexible. Don't expect to get a job in management or other leading positions, be open-minded and you'll get a job which is maybe not career driven, but will definitelly help you with integration to Canadian society, with meeting new people and your financial situation.

The most common jobs are in tourism and hospitality for girls - waitres, receptionist, bartender, maid, in cleaning services - property managers, cleaners, and also in shops as shop assistants or promoters. Boys are usually working on sites as workers, in sports shops, car rentals or in landscapping. Average wage is from $9 to $12 per hour. However, your salary depends on your abilities, knowledge of English and also if you will get tips or not.

Question is - how to find a job, right? It is simple, keep your eyes open and ask everywhere you can. Yyou can also check www.craigslist.ca. And if you need professional advise, you can definitelly visit Brazilian counsellor Marcelo from Information Planet who will review your CV and references and will give you an advice where to look for a job.

And! If you are really looking for something that works - you can take part in Basic or Full Service Job Placement program form Go International. See more information about the program here. Good luck! :)

I'm here! Woohooo! What next?

2011-10-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

You're in Canada!. You've been planning this trip for a long time. You were thinking over and over your options, you were trying to figure out how you will arrange everything and now you finally landed in Canada (and in my case, in Vancouver)?

When I arrived to Canada I had a feeling which is hard to explain - like if all doubts about my journey disppeared. I was finally here, all the people were smiling at me, willing to help me to find my way to a friend's place, air smelled like ocean and I finally felt calm and hapiness.

But the other day! I woke up early in the morning, positive, ready to arrange my SIN number, Bank Account, Mobile Phone and Accommodation (click on the word to see where I did it). I managed to arrange most of the things because I knew where to go, however, finding a place to stay - the most important part which wasn't that easy.

There are loads of accommodation offers all across Vancouver. It just depends on how much money you'd like to spend on your rent and what are your expectations. Good way how to find an affordable accommodation is to share a room/house/flat. You can find bunch of advertisments on www.craigslist.ca every day. You just have to be careful with the selection. Don't bother with postings without pictures. These places are usually filthy and not worth your attention. You can find a nice place to stay between $400 - $500 within Burnaby area. If you'd like to live Downtown, you'll have to pay more, however,you will save some money for transportation... In general, it is not difficult to find a place to stay, you just have to be patient and visit few places so you get a right idea about what you want and don't want. As I've mentioned before, renting single room outside Downtown Vancouver, near Skytrain will yost you around $500 + 1/2 month rent as a bond.

Let's get the party started! Share a room, meet new people, enjoy yourself and practice your English even at home. If you don't feel like arranging all these things alone, don't get upset. There are many places in Vancouver, where you can find professional advise or help with finding accommodation and work. You can visit for example office of student agency Information Planet in Downtown Vancouver. You'll find there English, Czech and Portugeese speaking counsellors who are willing to help you.

What to do in Canada?

2011-10-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

Have you already decided that you want to go to Canada? Question probably is - what I will do there? Well, good thing is, that you have plenty options and it is only up to you how you'd like to spend a year in Canada. Especially if you're a citizen of one of the countries which have Working Holiday Visas (if you're not sure, check this link).

Holders of Working Holiday Visas can work and travel in Canada for up to 1 year and the best thing is that you can also study up to 6 months. You can choose from broad variaty of schools - starting with language schools, continuing with colleges and technical schools, ending up with university. And as mentioned before, you can also work. Became an intern in Canadian company, have payed experience in hospitality and tourism, or find a job in ski resort - it is only up to you.

I decided to go to Canada to calm down a bit and take a rest from my busy life. And guess what? I end up with "school - work combination" again. However, to be honest, I like beeing busy and I can't imagine myself sitting in the corner and not wanting to explore new horizonts. If you also like to push yourself forward or you just think that is high time to kick yourself out from the "bird nest" start searching for more information about you possibilities.

There are plenty of information all over the internet, but you should try to talk to professionals first. They will give you right idea about what to expect and will be able to help you with arranging all necessary things - school, visa, insurance, accommodation, work... If you are in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Portugal or already in Canada and you need some advise - try educational consultants from Information Planet.

Why Canada?

2011-10-02T23:17:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons why people travel abroad... Some of them want to improve their language knowledge. Others want to have a life-time foreign experience and enhance their chances on the labour market. Maybe you're only looking for a big change in your life...maybe you want to meet new people, make friends from all over the world, maybe you're fed up with your "old life".

There are no good or bad reasons to leave your homecountry for bit of an adventure - there are only your reasons. And I can tell you, why I decided to go to Canada.

Canada is famous for its stunningly beautiful nature, bustling cities, friendly atmosphere, multicultural environment. Every year Canada accepts more than 150 000 international students and even more workers and immigrants. Its doors are opened to everybody who is eagerly looking forward to exeperince it.

I fell in love with Canada and mainly Vancouver 3 years ago, when I promised to myself that I'll come back for a longer period of time. And here I am. Back in Vancouver. The best city to live in (according to National Geographic), harbor city with immediate proximity of mountains, home to XXI. Winter Olympic Games in 2010. Check the video to see what I am talking about...