Canada – one week in

I’ve been super lazy with my blogging considering I have nothing else I have to do!

A week has passed in Canada already. I actually feel like I have been here longer than that.

With the sun setting at 10pm the days are long. So much time for activities!

So far I have…
– walked the entire edge of Stanley Park – 10km in all
– attempted to blade Stanley Park – a terrible decision
– got lost in the city
– met up with friends – Carso, Maegy, Chris and made some friends – Merica, Christina, Jackson and Toby.
– visited the aquarium
– watched the sunset on English Bay
– visited Granville Island Markets
– had a night out
– done some promo work for a nightclub
– had an interview with Steve Nash Fitness
– looked at an apartment I love
– eaten out a little too often
– got back to exercising regularly

Many activities. Most of my time is taken up walking and searching Craigslist. Looking for apartments and jobs.

I’ve found a few jobs I like so far that I have applied for in the digi world but competition is fierce here. I have been looking into some promo work to keep me occupied and make some friends.

I found an amazing apartment. It’s really nice and the chick who lives there is just lovely. Se teaches yoga and works in marketing. It has the most incredible views you’ve seen in your life. Right across the ocean to the mountains and over Stanley Park. But that’s because it’s on the 18th floor and I’m not sure if I want to live that high. I cant find anything else half as decent for the same rate or in West End. Decisions, decisions.

Suppose I better get up and into my activities!

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Canada – come at me!

So I arrived in Canada and taxi’d to my new place. It’s an awesome apartment, right in town by the marina on the 13th floor. Great views. My room is tiny. It’s called a ‘den’ its all glass with curtains hung up for privacy. It’s cute though and all my stuff fits. Turns out the chick is moving coz the area is too ‘old & rich’ for her. She seems really lovely so far.

After unpacking I walked to town to get my phone set up – priorities right? That and I needed breakfast. Unfortunately you can’t get a phone plan without Canada ID and their plans SUCK for international calling.

Anyway I’m sitting at the Sinclair Centre waiting for my SIN. Think it’s my tax number but I really don’t know. All I know is bed is looking pretty good right now…

I ended up spending the rest of the day running around like a mad women getting everything organised. Bank, SIN, phone, food etc.

Went to bed about midnight – my body clock hasn’t yet adjusted. No rest for the wicked!

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Four more sleeps

The countdown is on. In four more sleeps I will be leaving New Zealand and embarking on my adventure to Hawaii and Vancouver.

I am really sad to be leaving New Zealand. I have been having such a fantastic time and it saddens me to leave my family knowing I may not see them again for up to a year. That will be the longest time I have spent apart from them. Thank goodness for skype, viber and iPhone’s!!

So while I am sad I am also incredibly excited. I have always wanted to visit Hawaii. It seems like a magical place. Touristy, but magical. I will be travelling alone but I don’t mind. 8 days in paradise, I’m sure I can make some friends.

THEN the big adventure begins. My visa has come through and I am moving to Vancouver for a year. Having never been to Vancouver, or Canada, I am super excited to get there and have a look around my home for the next year. I have rented a place in Coal Harbour for the first 3 weeks and I will take things from there.

Working in Digital Marketing, I really, REALLY want to maintain my skills and stay in my field. It changes so fast. Fingers crossed I can find a role in an industry I am passionate about while staying in digital. Wish me luck!!

And now to attempt to sleep, while my mind is racing of my new adventures.

Sweet Dreams!

Visa so hard

Getting my visa is proving painful… or rather perhaps I should just learn to read instructions properly.

It’s not that it is hard… Just frustrating.

So today, I ran around getting a ‘digital’ photograph of myself to the required specifications for my Visa. Nobody did actual digital ones so I headed to Aus Post & just got passport pics done then scanned them.

I thought that was the last part I had to complete for my Visa and I was well under way to getting it back in good time before I left for Hawaii. Was pretty amped to be honest and relieved to have it gone.

You see for a NZ police check you just have to sign a release form. What I didn’t realise however was that as I had lived in Australia over 6 months I had to get an Australian one also. And theirs takes up to 15 working days. 3 weeks! That’s three weeks too long. (Insert smart quip about Aussie’s not being as efficient as Kiwi’s here.)

Now I will potentially be in Hawaii, about to leave for Vancouver, before I even get my Visa… cutting it fine alright! That’s if the police check takes the 3 weeks and the visa takes 8 weeks… any longer on either side and there is the possibility I could be stuck in Hawaii…

Could be worse!!

Stuck here.. Damn.
Brisbane-based lifestyle and travel blog image featuring mountain and sea scenery

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