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

BMWXC60

Member
Aug 18, 2009
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Hey CJ,

Many thanks for those inputs.I had done my landing a yr back and exactly know what you mean by suburbs and downtown living.In my personal opinion, suburbs is good once you are settled , wanna lay back , dont want a lot of noise,lot of people etc etc......I stayed in Mississauga and was kinda bored after my stay.Due respects, this is my personal opinion.

Will check more into the areas which you have mentioned.I am surely looking for a 1 BR condo (unfurnished) , but dont you think 3 weeks is tooo much if i wanna find a good place?I mean to say that i had thot of a time frame of 7-10 days to get a decent place for myself.

Ofcourse my budget is in the range of 1000-1200.

Again, let me find out more about the areas you have mentioned, most important for me is transportation,subway,TTC etc.....

Will keep you updated and thanks again for the feedback.

Rgds
 

davidriched

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Nov 30, 2010
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general

This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are unanimous and needs to be appreciated by everyone.
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davidriched

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Nov 30, 2010
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The above thought is smart and doesn’t require any further addition.
It’s perfect thought from my side.
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Sihs

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Hi CharlotteJ;

I have started reading your post last night, and I have reached the end now. Go girl !!
You are such a surviver, you are doing a great job so keep it up.

I'm sure at times you feel tired and lonely, looking for a job continously, but remember when a door closes another opens somewhere else.

I will keep on reading your posts cause it is so informative and gives a really clear picture of the conditions there. One thing we all need to remember is that we all have chosen Canada for our own resaons, some peolpe for better jobs, better standard of living, human rights,....etc

So always keep that goal ahead of you, and don't have your expectations very high, however always look forward and be positive, cause your attitude affects you personality, health and behaviour.

Hold on there girl and keep fighting, you will get what you are looking for soon.

regards
 

davidriched

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Nov 30, 2010
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Every dark night is followed by a bright sunny day. So, patience and
attention is required and things will be fruitful in near future.
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CharlotteJ

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Jul 31, 2009
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:D Yeah! I got my Health Card ... finally ... and honestly, now I look at my application date, I notice it has been issued and proceed pretty fast too.

I applied for my Card on November 1st and today, December 2d, the day I started to work ;D (yep, who seeks, who will find!) I also got my Health Card being sent to me by regular Mail. ::) which makes me wonder though ...have I been so busy that I didn't notice that it has just been less than 4 weeks ago that I applied while It feels like 3 months ago?!

I better keep better record on what I do each day.

Ah well ... I also got my VERY FIRST pay check today! yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh .... hahaha... I 'd worked for a day or two at a Call Center and I didn't like it, so I quit. I didn't look back and didn't mention anything or was expecting any "pay-check" just check my mailbox and hey, there is a pay-check!!!! Canadian companies do respect the law and pay you for any labour hour.

Lovely!

I can buy a drink and a hamburger for that, but it is the "gesture" and the "push' I need! hahahaha :p Ah well, we ll be fine, we all will be fine. Don't worry boys/girls, you will find what you seek too. We are good people, we live in a good world, let's make it a better place then and a better country eh? ;D
 

CharlotteJ

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Jul 31, 2009
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Volunteering work:

Well obviously I 've hit the nail on its head with my first volunteering position as I hear from the real Torontonians that they have a great reputation and famous for being a very tough place and difficult to get in, either to work or to volunteer regarding their old establishment and rules and regulations but I 've made it there too!!! :D

And yes, I can tell they are tough. I had a phone call from them this afternoon telling me they can't call all those references provided because these are international phone calls and if I don't provide them Canadian references? if not so, then so be it and I won't be able to further proceed.

Yes, gentlemen and ladies, volunteering is really considered as job history here and they don't take it as something silly. It is sure an important matter and you shouls provide them with police check, SIN and all. I will have my Tuberculose test tomorrow there too.

Anyway, I told them they can email my previous employers and provided them with the email addresses and yes, an hour later, my previous boss/manager who is now travelling, sent me an email telling me he has received an email regarding a reference for me? ??? So I immediately replied and explained so he could fill out their questionaire and return it which he did.

Then I receive a second mail from this real estate agent I know who I 've been offering my referral services too and she was wondering if it is ok to fill out the questionaire and I said yes. She did and just now, I got an email from the institution that welcomes me as a new addition to their volunteering staff and programs etc etc! :D

So, I tell my neighbour about this event and when I mentioned their name, she said: Oh really? good job Charlotte, you will be fine, most companies know them and appreciate what you do.

So, time to go and fix up my resumé, adding the programs I support and volunteer as they are all accepted by the institution.

Wish I could volunteer at White House?! :p Maybe I should try it too...who knows, they will accept me. ;D
 

Honolulu

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Wow that's a valuable lesson learnt for us.
Good work Charlotte. May you continue to find better tidings!!
 

mot

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CharlotteJ

You have such a good heart. God bless you. Wish to meet you when I get to Canada.
 

Drea

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Charlotte, you're a trooper! I'm so glad you've started this thread. I started reading it today and couldn't stop until I reached the end!

I, too, am a woman moving to Canada on my own in 8 days! And I gotta say, you're posts have been so enlightening and have given an honest and real picture about what I can expect and how to prepare for it. Thanks! By the way, you've got a winning attitude and you remind me of myself! Ha ha! :D When I read your stories, I can almost imagine myself in your place, cuz that's exactly what I would've done!

Being positive, looking on the bright side and yes, a damn good smile goes a long way, doesn't it?! ;D

Just curious - what kind of reference letter did the volunteer group require from you from your previous employer? What information did they want to see on it exactly? (I want to get this done for myself before I leave.)

I really hope to see more posts and updates from you!

Chin up!


Drea
 

hagr182

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Nov 28, 2010
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Amazing! you seem to be doing better than OK!
In fact this was the sort of story to motivate me to make my final decision, if you dont mind I would like to explain my situation real quick (so as to not draw that much attention from your posts (BTW keep them coming!) :D)

I'm a Mexican law student who graduates in 2012 and to be honest the situation on my country is getting worse each passing day, to the point I cant even go out at certain hours or places anymore... Anyways, I studied a summer semester on Hamilton in 2006 and after a few trips around Canada I literally felt in love with the country, the land, the climate (yup I love hot summers and really cold winters) and everything in general.

So im looking at doing a Masters on either Alberta or Ontario and then applying for a PNP to get PR.

That much Ive decided, tough I have some questions that I hope you (and anyone on this topic) could answer:

1.How did you overcame your fear on starting a new life by yourself on a new country? any advice on that?
2.How did you cope with leaving your loved ones behind (this is a main concern from me as I love my parents very much)?
3.Also, this is more of a more subjective question, I lived on Ontario, hence I already now what to expect, but I also have friends from my hometown and distant family on Alberta, which would you pick? (im leaning towards Alberta, even tough I know so little about it)
4. Any general advice?


Sorry to use your topic to ask you, but it is precisely your experience that could help me (new life on a new country, by yourself, etc)
Thank you very much, here's to hoping a new post on your behalf! 8)
 

CharlotteJ

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Jul 31, 2009
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Hagr,

I am glad my story has so been an inspiration for you as to make the final decision and move to Canada. Especially knowing how well educated you are and already been studying in Hamilton, ON and would be just fine here.

And am sure if you keep the faith and don't ever loose it, you will be just fine. No matter what happens, just be and stay "yourself" and pursuit your dreams. Never NEVER give up on your "wishes" and the picture in which you see yourself. ;)

I can only asnwer 2x questions of your, not the last one sadly, as I 've not been to Alberta (YET) and can't tell, but that is really a personal journey and one that only you can decide and determine which one to be doing you right. OK?

Answer to your first question: The biggest fear is the FEAR itself! ;D by Winston Churchill and I truly do know that that should be your lead and motto for life.

DO NEVER FEAR anybody or anything! unless for drugs and "bad" stuff.

Answer to your second question: We all were born alone and will die alone, our parents will become old regardless, it is you and your life that matters. I miss my mom tremendously, she keeps sending me messages and posts video clips to my Facebook wall and telling me how much she misses me, how much she loves me, how much she cries etc, but I see her sitting at home, on her sofa, watching TV and eating and having not much to do or news to talk about and the fact that everyday it was the same and that I 've been living close to her for 18 years as to just be " close" to her while I could 've made the choice to be here much earlier, studied and had better jobs and built up on a life that is really me and suitable for me NOW, today, and not throwing it away for 18 years in a country that really is so used to " social nanny" attitude , a real Nanny state, that people do not need people with guts, with a bright mind, with innovative souls and with " the spirit and creativity" to matter and be of a change to their surroundings.

All that you see is people who go to work after school, do the same job for years until they retire, have a few weeks of holiday each year, eat the same food, keep people from other cultures outside of their own living room and who ever enters their country, finds himself in total isolation and in order to find his way is forced to integrate by law and forget and kiss goodbye his own culture and " himself". IN that country, a person like me was always told that I was " too much" ... too much of being good, but here, I can be too much of NOT being good! ;)

So, why should I throw away my "creativity", my "life", my " future", for the sake of my mother and family and why not Choose for myself?

I know that what I do is also good for her, for my Mom. I can at least, if I find a real good full time paid job and a better bigger home in time, to accomodate her and bring her here, bring her out, show her the city, the country, places she has never seen before and make sure she TOO can have some fun and so she TOO can "live up" again and so her spirit to be "lifted up" and so she can say" I am alive, honey, thank you" :)

YES< that is why I do this and that is why YOU too should do it! ... you don't do this only for your own good, but also for your own good.

Remember:

Always blessings, Never losses! :)


Be blessed for having them, your family and loved ones, for being there for you, for the lessons they taught you, for the things they shown you and for the person you are and who you are because of their presence in your life, BUT please, do never regret and/or feel sorry for "not having them with you" or close to you and throw your own life away as NOT to loose. We never loose anything, the most precious thing in life one can loose, is "life" itself, isn't it?
:)

So, don't loose on "life" and choose for "a life" ... a good life, walking the right path of life and being a better person for yourself, to yourself and living a MUCH better life.

After all, honey ...

Whenever any and each one of us, is happy, is lucky, feels blessed, ... We, that person, reflects the inner happiness and the smiles back to this world and to the people around them, right?

So, when you are happy, you make other people happy and if we all together make sure that we feel happy and we are happy, then you bet, this world, at least this city or this country or wherever we are, will be a better place to live in and to contribute to.

That is why we are on this planet, aren't we?


You ll be good ... I am sure. Don't worry ... at least you do something and you are taking action now that you can and don't let it go and sit and wait until the day that you would wonder "what if" and "how this or that will be" "IF" you had chosen for this move.

Do it now and you ll be good.

If you want and NEED to wait for a little bit longer, then so be it, but whatever you decide, whenever, NEVER forget to take lead of your own future, because that is the only thing one has got and can say "is mine" ... the rest isn't us. We die someday alone anyway, but let's at least have lived a life that was "ours" eh? :D

Ah well ...

Even if I can't make it here and should go back to Europe, I can someday, when I am old, look back and say: Charlotte, you did it! at least I tried and I did what I wanted to do. ...

Oh gosh, now I become emotional..I better stop.


God bless you all ...

remember:

Always blessings, Never losses! :)
 
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hagr182

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Nov 28, 2010
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Thank you very much!, from reading your posts you seem to have grown up a lot and your advice more than proves it. You are right (and having a conversation with my mom just yesterday she told me I would have to start my own life sooner or later and that their (my parents) job was to give me the wings to reach my goals) all I can loose is life itself, and indeed it is too short to worry that much.

All that is left for me here in Mexico is to finish school, raise some money (even tough my parents will want to help me with the expenses, all I really want to ask them is the ride to the airport and their blessing) and of course enjoy the people I know and appreciate (Most of my friends are already getting scattered trough the globe).

In the meantime, thank you very much for your advice, you will be on my prayers!

In the mean time I will continue looking for scholarships and the logistics of my trip (I know its 2 years away, but I want to be ready to go at most a few months after graduation)

Good luck with your life over there!!

P.D. Hope to read from you and your experience soon!
 

CharlotteJ

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Jul 31, 2009
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Hagr,

You ll be just fine, am sure of it. You are determined to make this work out well and it will. Sure it will.

Hang on there and be patient.

Save as much as you can, every little penny and whatever you think is good to give you the peace on mind and the push you need to go for your goal and achieve your "goals", you do and you 'll be good. :)

Sadly, yes, these days, many good hard working families not only in Mexico but in many other places are falling apart and scattered across the globe in search for "peace" and "comfort" and some real "life" far from fear and stress and all the misery that is sadly caused by some sick mind who don't care about anything or anybody at all. So sad.

But you are young, talented and precious and so yes, spread your wings when you think the time is there for you to fly and you ll be good.

Toronto is VERY expensive, but I also hear that Calgary too is WAY too expensive. I also see so many people around me here at work who come from Edmonton or Winnipeg to find work and establish here in Toronto.

I won't mind going to Winnipeg if I would have a good job (office job) ...

Honestly, as long as I can have a real office job, who cares where I land, give me Yellow Knife or Iqualit, ... it is a job we need ,a home and a hubby/wife and a doggy/cat. Right?

We don't need more than that.

(well, I personally LOVE skyscrapers! :p but ah well, sometimes I should travel to enjoy them eh?)
 

niwrrehs

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hi..
we will be migrating to canada this coming march 2011, but our destination in our application form is in winnipeg, manitoba. Thanks God Visa Approved.. but instead of going to winnipeg, we are concidering to stay in toronto. Could it be possible to go directly to toronto??? help please