My expriences so far ... first two days in Toronto!!!

[ultimate_mr_universe]

hi Charlotte!....Whats up?

 

[newtone]

oi charlottey ki hoya soniyo? Tusi kitthay ho? Where you at? have you reached Hollland or still in Kanida? keep in touch and tell us your where abouts

 

[cono_sur]

I suspect that the way one sees a country has a lot to do with one's personal viewpoint. I remember being in a town in Coats Rica, thinking it was dirty, noisy, depressing. I returned to that town a few years later, after living in Costa Rica and getting used to its ways, and thought "what have they done to this town? It is clean, not so noisy, and rather charming."

It was the same town; it was I who had changed.

I'm also reminded of the old joke about the foreigner who came to a Latin American town and asked the gas-station attendant what he thought of the neighbourhood the foreigner had just moved into. The gas attendant asked "what was your old neighborhood like?" The foreigner said "wonderful, friendly neighbors, clean air -- a real delight." The attendant said "well, your new neighbourhood is much the same."

A few days later a different foreigner came to the gas station, had moved into the same neighbourhood as the other foreigner, and asked the attendant what it was like. The attendant asked what his former neighbourhood had been like, and the foreigner replied "terrible, noisy inconsiderate neighbours, polluted air -- terrible." The attendant replied "well, your new neighbourhood is much the same."

This is so true.

Surprised that this thread is still going.

 

[Baloo]

This is so true.

Surprised that this thread is still going.

CharlotteJ has not been in the forum since March 07, 2011, 05:59:27 pm

 

[toby]

You mean, the minute she decided that Canada was not for her, she shook the dust off her feet, left the country, and forsook us?

 

[Baloo]

You mean, the minute she decided that Canada was not for her, she shook the dust off her feet, left the country, and forsook us?

I doubt that was her intent.
I am certain that she has plenty of other more pressing things to do at present.

 

[CharlotteJ]

I am back in the Netherlands for your information all.

It is OH SO DIFFERENT HERE!

I have not started to look for a job yet and guess what, the recruiters call me all the time, in all the hassle to settle in, I am asked to go there and there, visit this, that and all pay very well, unemployment the lowest across EU and the fun part is that unlike in Canada that nobody is interested in who you are, what your qualifactions are bla bla bla and only ask you silly questions, here, you go and sit, they bring you coffee and tea, have a great chat, laughter and all excited to hear about my experiences, one of my job interviews, just had 3 in total so far, as I not even have started but all through/via ONE recruiter only so far and it is one of the largest IT companies worldwide with offices in Toronto and Vancouver too, we had like 2 hours of a conversation and I was also been given a free lunch so we could chat further from there and it was so fun.

IF I get the job, I don't know, but I was supposed to go to the second interview today but I couldn't so I have to wait for a new schedule. They call you today, you will be in the interview tomorrow and in a week you will hear if you are hired or not!

Guess what, one of the companies in Toronto where I had a job interview and never heard anything from them although I 've been following up on them, has sent me an email yesterday to let me know I was not selected and you know what is more funny?

I had the job interview like 3 months ago!!!! ... Are you kidding me? do they really think I will wait for 3 months to hear if I am hired or not? Who are these people?

For all your information people, I have no regrets that I went to Canada and through such misery there, I learned a lot and I now really appreciate the great happy life here so much.

There is really nothing to worry about here and no wonder the Dutch are ranked among the happiest people on this planet. Everybody is happy, beautiful efficient modern nice cars everywhere, big nice homes everywhere, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF flowers really truly EVERYWHERE you look and real grass, trees, blossoms and 15 to 16 Celcius everyday and sunny. I got my bike back from the bikeshop and been biking with my Doggy on the back seat (special doggy seat) all around town, enjoying the beautiful medieval Cathedrals, churches, palaces, forests and nice homes, lawns all nicely done and it is really such pleasure and fun to be here and everybody greets each other.

I was in Amsterdam 2 days ago and it was so much fun there ... so clean, although busy for sure, but so well arranged and organized and people are all happy or seem to be happy.

I took subway and gosh, what a DIFFERENCE!!! I could seat on a real leather chair and among people who are all nicely dressed and pretty chic and all during the day, nobody who cares about brand names etc, but we all wear the good high quality European stuff! .. it is the person who counts, not the "package".

I took the train a few times, it is like a refreshment, the trains that we use like busses here, are true luxuary by comparison!

And the more fun thing for you all to know: WE ALREADY HAVE ELECTRIC LUXUARY COMFY BUSSES! ... yep! busses that make no noise and are 100% clean!

And daphodils, tulips, hycinths, all is growing everywhere, but nicely arranged around town and roads are so clean, no hubble, no cracks, no holes, you can really enjoy life here and oh one more thing, my house, it is So big now! ...I can take 25 steps to walk from one side of my living room to the other side!!!

And take the staircases to go to the bedrooms, 4 of them, spread over 3 stories with an attic with a lovely view over the village and every morning I wake up to the lovely sound of the church bells and we have the village's shopping street (traffic free, all year round) where there is local cheese, veggi, meat, all you need and people are nice, quiet, no body is rushing to anywhere and I can buy local products that smell like fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk ... I broke a few teeth while in Canada and the dentist told me here that it is due to lack of "good" "real" Calcium!!!

No wonder ... as if Dairy Products in Canada, or at least in Toronto, are real!!! don't know what they put in them, but it ain't be cheese!

I don't know people, but you better get your ass to a real place to live like here if you would or could, but skip Canada!!!

You ll be always welcome here... and gosh I wish there would be a Korean restaurant, a Japanese and an Indian and a Lebanese here and my lovely friends in Toronto too... then the picture will be perfect! simply perfect.

I miss them ...

Toronto may not be a good place to live, chaotic, eye messy and not really clean and busy, always busy, and job wise, truly akward and really inhumane the way they recruit etc, ... but the people?! you can make real good friends there.

Here, people live on such an extended level of luxuary and have good jobs, that nobody needs to network and make friends, so they become passive in that regard!

...

See? nowhere is a like a paradise, but at least I personally feel much better here.

Going to eat my dinner, a real Fish and Chips! ... Fish is cought this morning in the lake nearby and I know the owner, local cafe and the chips are really chips! ..

MISS YOU ALL HERE :-*

 

[newtone]

Thanks CJ I am really very very happy for you and wish you all the best. You've really got a picture perfect life syle with simple things and most importantly you are happy.

 

[SFD]

I am back in the Netherlands for your information all.

It is OH SO DIFFERENT HERE!

I have not started to look for a job yet and guess what, the recruiters call me all the time, in all the hassle to settle in, I am asked to go there and there, visit this, that and all pay very well, unemployment the lowest across EU and the fun part is that unlike in Canada that nobody is interested in who you are, what your qualifactions are bla bla bla and only ask you silly questions, here, you go and sit, they bring you coffee and tea, have a great chat, laughter and all excited to hear about my experiences, one of my job interviews, just had 3 in total so far, as I not even have started but all through/via ONE recruiter only so far and it is one of the largest IT companies worldwide with offices in Toronto and Vancouver too, we had like 2 hours of a conversation and I was also been given a free lunch so we could chat further from there and it was so fun.

IF I get the job, I don't know, but I was supposed to go to the second interview today but I couldn't so I have to wait for a new schedule. They call you today, you will be in the interview tomorrow and in a week you will hear if you are hired or not!

Guess what, one of the companies in Toronto where I had a job interview and never heard anything from them although I 've been following up on them, has sent me an email yesterday to let me know I was not selected and you know what is more funny?

I had the job interview like 3 months ago!!!! ... Are you kidding me? do they really think I will wait for 3 months to hear if I am hired or not? Who are these people?

For all your information people, I have no regrets that I went to Canada and through such misery there, I learned a lot and I now really appreciate the great happy life here so much.

There is really nothing to worry about here and no wonder the Dutch are ranked among the happiest people on this planet. Everybody is happy, beautiful efficient modern nice cars everywhere, big nice homes everywhere, TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF flowers really truly EVERYWHERE you look and real grass, trees, blossoms and 15 to 16 Celcius everyday and sunny. I got my bike back from the bikeshop and been biking with my Doggy on the back seat (special doggy seat) all around town, enjoying the beautiful medieval Cathedrals, churches, palaces, forests and nice homes, lawns all nicely done and it is really such pleasure and fun to be here and everybody greets each other.

I was in Amsterdam 2 days ago and it was so much fun there ... so clean, although busy for sure, but so well arranged and organized and people are all happy or seem to be happy.

I took subway and gosh, what a DIFFERENCE!!! I could seat on a real leather chair and among people who are all nicely dressed and pretty chic and all during the day, nobody who cares about brand names etc, but we all wear the good high quality European stuff! .. it is the person who counts, not the "package".

I took the train a few times, it is like a refreshment, the trains that we use like busses here, are true luxuary by comparison!

And the more fun thing for you all to know: WE ALREADY HAVE ELECTRIC LUXUARY COMFY BUSSES! ... yep! busses that make no noise and are 100% clean!

And daphodils, tulips, hycinths, all is growing everywhere, but nicely arranged around town and roads are so clean, no hubble, no cracks, no holes, you can really enjoy life here and oh one more thing, my house, it is So big now! ...I can take 25 steps to walk from one side of my living room to the other side!!!

And take the staircases to go to the bedrooms, 4 of them, spread over 3 stories with an attic with a lovely view over the village and every morning I wake up to the lovely sound of the church bells and we have the village's shopping street (traffic free, all year round) where there is local cheese, veggi, meat, all you need and people are nice, quiet, no body is rushing to anywhere and I can buy local products that smell like fruits, vegetables, cheese, milk ... I broke a few teeth while in Canada and the dentist told me here that it is due to lack of "good" "real" Calcium!!!

No wonder ... as if Dairy Products in Canada, or at least in Toronto, are real!!! don't know what they put in them, but it ain't be cheese!

I don't know people, but you better get your ass to a real place to live like here if you would or could, but skip Canada!!!

You ll be always welcome here... and gosh I wish there would be a Korean restaurant, a Japanese and an Indian and a Lebanese here and my lovely friends in Toronto too... then the picture will be perfect! simply perfect.

I miss them ...

Toronto may not be a good place to live, chaotic, eye messy and not really clean and busy, always busy, and job wise, truly akward and really inhumane the way they recruit etc, ... but the people?! you can make real good friends there.

Here, people live on such an extended level of luxuary and have good jobs, that nobody needs to network and make friends, so they become passive in that regard!

...

See? nowhere is a like a paradise, but at least I personally feel much better here.

Going to eat my dinner, a real Fish and Chips! ... Fish is cought this morning in the lake nearby and I know the owner, local cafe and the chips are really chips! ..

MISS YOU ALL HERE :-*

Charlottej

Am I happy for you? D...YES!!!

That reminds me of a situation that happens to us a decade ago...

It´s very important to live in a World of Happiness, but MOST important is to BE HAPPY..

Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience as we all have one.

SFD

 

[CharlotteJ]

I guess you better indeed apply for a study here rather than in Canada, SFD!

You 'd love it here.

Don't waste your time and precious energy and money on something not really worth trying. Just read the newspapers and keep yourself updated with latest on European continent and you will see that just two days ago, the Netherlands was praised for its persistent recovering economy, the lowest unemployment rate of all European countries at just 4% and still in decline as well as being ranked on top of the happiest nations on this planet.

I don't know though, but there is something not right or true when you read that Vancouver is ranked on top of all cities being the best to live and work, along with Toronto and Calgary, while Canada itself is hardly ranked as being one of the happiest nations on this planet!

A powerful marketing tool is behind all this deception.

Ah well, it is about being Happy and if one is happy to be in Canada, then so be it.

I wish all of you to be happy there and find what you look for. I will only visit Canada as a tourist from now on and do shopping and if anyone of you by the times I visit, will like me to be a client and receive commission just let me know! I know how the department stores and the retail industry works eh?!

 

[canloverdream]

Hi CJ. I am green with envy! wish could just relcate like you, but sadly we need to wait to get the canadian passports and my husband to get his pHD then we will be out of here like a shot. We gave yp everything to live in Canada so if its only the passport we get from canada then at least it wasnt all lost. Best wishes dear.

 

[SFD]

I guess you better indeed apply for a study here rather than in Canada, SFD!

You 'd love it here.

Don't waste your time and precious energy and money on something not really worth trying. Just read the newspapers and keep yourself updated with latest on European continent and you will see that just two days ago, the Netherlands was praised for its persistent recovering economy, the lowest unemployment rate of all European countries at just 4% and still in decline as well as being ranked on top of the happiest nations on this planet.

I don't know though, but there is something not right or true when you read that Vancouver is ranked on top of all cities being the best to live and work, along with Toronto and Calgary, while Canada itself is hardly ranked as being one of the happiest nations on this planet!

A powerful marketing tool is behind all this deception.

Ah well, it is about being Happy and if one is happy to be in Canada, then so be it.

I wish all of you to be happy there and find what you look for. I will only visit Canada as a tourist from now on and do shopping and if anyone of you by the times I visit, will like me to be a client and receive commission just let me know! I know how the department stores and the retail industry works eh?!

I have not had the opportunity to visit the Neds, but I sure will one day.

For many, Canada it´s not an option, but a most and that is sad not to have the choice as some others do. What Canloverdream implies is very true. Let´s remember that our backgroung is not the same. For instance, being a refugee or coming from a country in which unemployment rates overpass 20%, and there it does not forsees a recovery of its economy as european economies, WILL MAKE YOU THINK DIFFERENT.

Anyway, no one in this forum can disagree that reading your topic kept our attention (Read 16512 times) eventhough it didn´t focus on immigration issues as many would like to... (Hope I don´t get a -). ;D ;D ;D

Warmest Regards from the Caribbean.

SFD

 

[toby]

Hi Charlotte:

Good to hear you are settling in and happy.

I would love to hear your analysis of why your viewpoint changed so drastically. In your earlier posts you had many criticisms of the Netherlands, but not a word about them now. And you had mainly praise for Canada initially, but can say nothing good about it now.

Did the change occur because you can see the two countries more clearly now? Or do you think it possible that your disappointment at not finding a good job in Canada has coloured your viewpoint?

I mention this not to be argumentative, but rather to alert you to a danger. If you are seeing the Netherlands through rose-coloured glasses, ignoring the problems that impelled you to leave for Canada in the first place, then when those problems surface again (as they surely will), you might become unduly disappointed with your “new” country.

Better to see the country clearly, objectively; no?

 

[mot]

Hi Charlotte J

You must be a very strange person. When you got to Canada and up until a few days before you left canada, you had good things to say about the country and now you have made a 360 degree turn. I dont get it at all. Gosh!!!!

 

[Baloo]

Hi Charlotte J

You must be a very strange person. When you got to Canada and up until a few days before you left canada, you had good things to say about the country and now you have made a 360 degree turn. I dont get it at all. Gosh!!!!

Personal experience can do that to a person.