Home Is Where The Beach Is

July 1^st 2011 marked my first Canada Day in Vancouver, but it also marked the end of our 6 month sublet and the day we moved apartments.  It was with a formidable sense of déjà vu that we packed our belongings at the end of June as July 1^stis moving day for students back in Southampton, and the day that I’ve moved house for the past six years. This particular move went very smoothly, thanks to the help of my Guardian Angel/friend who turned up with her surprisingly roomy car to transport our worldly possessions to our new place three blocks over.

Our building - The Green Monster as it's known to locals!

Our prized belongings contain largely clothes, so it was essential that we found somewhere fully furnished to move into. Bed linen, plates, pans…you name it, we need it. We struggled to find somewhere in the area that we wanted (i.e. the beach) at first, but 10 days before we were due to be made homeless we found a three month sublet in a very large and imposing building on the edge of Kits Point, and at the bottom of the bridge to Downtown. It’s definitely a little more cosy than our last apartment, but the bright and colourful interior and proximity to the beach more than make up for it.

The 'beach style' living room

Stanley Cup Final 2011: I Predict A Riot

Unless you’ve been living under a rock this week, you’ll have seen Vancouver and the biggest hockey game of the year hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Wednesday night was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, with the Vancouver Canucks hosting the Boston Bruins in an all-or-nothing battle for the Cup. Game 7’s are always going to be tense, but when the Stanley Cup is the prize the stakes are most definitely raised. Add the constant reminders of the riots that took over the city last time the Canucks lost the Stanley Cup final in 1994, and you can pretty much guarantee that Wednesday night was never going to end well.

Enjoying the pre-game celebrations with a friend

I watched the game with a group of friends on the outdoor screens in the gated area of the CBC Plaza. It started at 5pm, and the seating area was full of fans soaking up the sunshine from lunchtime. At 5pm capacity had been reached, the gates were closed and queues of people were turned away. At 5:20pm the puck dropped, and thousands of fans followed tradition and sat down on their blankets and lawn chairs to watch the action. Except hundreds more people remained standing at the front, angering those who could no longer see the screens. There was shouting, there was throwing things, there was more people standing up to get a better view. And then the gates re-opened and yet more people spilled into the plaza, taking up every available space. Every available space included roofs of buildings, billboards, trees and the tops of porta-potties. The walkways running through the seating area were quickly blocked with people, and the CBC security guards soon gave up trying to shift them and started taking photos instead.

A Day in the Life of Me

Today has been one of those days where I’ve been having some of those moments. The ‘oh right, I live in Canada now’ kind of moments.

It’s easier than it sounds to forget that on any given day I’m over 4700 miles from home as I’m not only settled inVancouver, but firmly established in my own work/life routine.  I often find myself sitting on the bus checking Facebook on my phone (nothing new there) when I’ll see that it’s a friend’s birthday, or an annual event I used to go to, and I’ll suddenly realize that I’m travelling down West Broadway, in a hockey jersey, on my way to work at Canada’s only national cancer charity. Crazy. Six months ago I left my old life in Southampton so excited but completely unable to imagine what my new life inVancouverwould be like.  Now I know, and I love it. Here’s a little taste of a day in the life of me:

6:30am – The alarm goes off, it’s time to get up.

7:40am– Leave for work. My daily commute involves a 10 minute walk to the bus stop, a 20 minute bus ride, a wait for another 10 minute bus ride, and a 10 minute walk to work. But hey, at least I’m not sitting on the tube.

The CCS Greater Vancouver Region team celebrating Daffodil Day 2011 - http://www.cancer.ca

8:30am – Arrive at work. I work for the Canadian Cancer Society BCY (British Columbia& theYukon) and the Greater Vancouver Regional office is on the border of Vancouver and Burnaby, another city to the East. My job as aVolunteer Engagement Coordinator involves attracting, recruiting and managing volunteers, as well as working with the rest of the team to improve the volunteer experience and make us the charity of choice in BCY.  My day can include everything from interviewing volunteers and designing training modules to discussing campaign progress with our Revenue Development teams  and organizing a volunteer recognition event. Yes, I’m a geek. But I love it!

The Great Canadian Language Barrier

I’m now over four months into my Vancouver adventure, and I can already say that there are some things I’ll never get used to. My unsuccessful interactions with the Canadian service industry is one of them. I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason I’m asked to repeat myself every time I order a coffee/coke/sandwich/other food and drink is because the person asking for my order is so distracted by the fact that I have an accent that they stop listening to what I’m saying. So they ask me to say it again. Every. Single. Time.

The situation got so hilariously ridiculous that three of my Canadian friends created some cue cards for me to flash instead of speaking my regular orders. We soon realised that the English-Canadian language barrier doesn’t stop at food and drink, and before I knew it I had a comprehensive set of 41 unique cue cards. Here are a few of my most used translations:

Bin = Garbage
Chips = Fries
Crisps = Chips
Lie in = Sleep in
Lemonade = Sprite
Wellies = Rain Boots
Line = Queue
Hockey = Ice Hockey
Toque = Beanie
Poutine= Chips, cheese and gravy
Loonie = 1 dollar coin
Toonie = 2 dollar coin
Hydro = Electricity
Pop = Fizzy drinks
Take off = Go away
Trunk = Boot
Hoser = Loser/Idiot
Concentrate = Squash
Cilantro – Corriander
Canuck = Canadian
Movie Theatre = Cinema
Apartment = Flat

Price Match: Five things that are cheaper in Vancouver

Here comes Part Two of my Price Match observations, and just for you I decided to save the good news until last. And there is good news. Although the cost of living is most definitely higher in Vancouver than the UK (yes, even London), there are a few saving graces in a city of soaring prices. See below for my list of five things that are cheaper in Vancouver than the UK:

Fuel

The price of fuel is a much talked about topic in both the UK and Vancouver, though there is one clear winner in the cost-per-litre battle. The average price of regular petrol in the UK is currently £1.34 ($2.09), but you’ll only pay the same amount in dollars in Vancouver as the latest average is $1.34 (85p).  The price is rising on an almost daily basis in Vancouver, but still – can you remember the last time petrol was 85p a litre in the UK?

Sushi

Sushi and Starbucks are well known as Vancouver’s staples.  Starbucks is comparable in price and hasn’t made it onto either of my Price Match lists (though we do have Wi-Fi in all stores over here), but I’m delighted that sushi is most definitely cheaper in Vancouver than the UK.  A particularly great lunchtime deal on our local high street is 16 pieces of California Roll for $4.99 (£3.20), but elsewhere the average price per 6-8 piece roll usually weighs in at $5 (£3.20) compared to £7 ($10) in Southampton. With great quality, variety and original creations including my favourite prosciutto and cream cheese roll, Vancouver definitely wins the sushi battle.

Sushi? For me? And it's cheaper? Yes please!

Live Music Tickets

Tickets to gigs, concerts and live music in general is another surprising addition to the list, particularly as this seems to include both larger, mainstream concerts as well as smaller, local gigs. Tickets to Rhianna’s Loud Tour start at only $32 (£20.44) incl. fees at the Rogers Arena, Vancouver, with the cheapest tickets for the same show at The O2 in London costing £40 ($62.50). I could catch Ellie Goulding in Vancouver this month for $20 (£12), or in London in July for £28 ($43). Canadian Bryan Adams is at the Paramount Theatre in May for $46.50 (£30) and at the Manchester Evening News Arena in November for £45.50 ($70). The list goes on, suffice to say that going to gigs has gone up on my list of things to do this year after clocking the price.

Advice You Can Bank On

Today saw another milestone in my Canadian adventure, as I received my very first piece of Canadian mail!  The privilege of checking the mailbox has been taken away from me already (I lost the mailbox key on our third day living here and am now not to be trusted with it) so it was my boyfriend (the newly crowned keyholder) who opened the little brown door to reveal two shiny envelopes containing our brand new bank cards.  Granted, there are more exciting things one could find in one’s mailbox (tax refund cheques, magazines, chocolates), but the day I received my first piece of mail also turned out to be the day I became a fully fledged member of the Canadian banking system.

This second notable milestone was another easy one to achieve, with the most difficult decision being which bank to go with.  The four major banks in Canada are TD, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Scotia Bank and Royal Montreal (RMO), and SWAP recommended TD and RBC as the ones to check out.  We decided to go with RBC as we have a branch two blocks from us, for which the importance of this will soon become apparent.

So, off we went to our local RBC branch and made an appointment to set up our account.  We turned up bright and early on a Thursday morning, armed with two pieces of ID and the somewhat worrying knowledge that we were booked in for a two hour appointment.  Luckily we were done and dusted in a little over an hour, no thanks to our personal banker and relocation advisor, Reiner.  Now repeat his name with a more than slightly camp Canadian accent, and talk a lot about Vegas shows and trips to Europe, and you’ll have some inkling of how it took us a little over an hour to complete our applications.

Not one but two RBC cash machines, the holy grail...

Flight of the BUNACers

As you’ll be aware from reading my previous posts, my boyfriend and I travelled to Vancouver on a BUNAC group flight.  This means that we booked our seat with BUNAC rather than directly with Air Canada (BUNAC always use Air Canada flights) who sorted out the paperwork for us and met us at Heathrow to give us our documents and make sure we checked in OK.  At the other end a SWAP (BUNAC’s North American counterpart) rep met us at Vancouver airport, loaded us all onto a bus and took us to our hostel (one night’s accommodation was included in the package).  We also received a t-shirt and a phone card, and we’re able to change our return date for approximately £35 (essential if you want to stay for a year as you can only book a return date 11 months from when you book your flight).

The best thing about the group flight is that it’s a great way to meet other people who are travelling to the same place as you on the same visa, with similar work/travel plans. There were 38 of us on our group flight, and meeting for a drink in the airport bar helped calm the nerves (and not just because of the alcohol) – we soon realised that we were all as terrified as each other.  We’d already set up a Facebook group for everyone on the flight, and stalkerish pointing and shouting ‘I recognise you!’ definitely broke the ice.  As you know I’d already sorted a place to live, but it proved a great way of getting to know potential housemates and the majority of the others on the flight are now living with each other.

Upgrade on the return flight anyone?

We’re going to need a bigger bag…

The pain of packing one’s worldly possessions into a suitcase was so much that I’m only just bringing myself to write this post five days after the incident took place…and I’m still suffering post-traumatic stress even thinking about it.  Monday 10^th January 2011 was one of the most stressful I have ever known, made all the more difficult by the realisation that all my things were just not going to fit.

My first attempt at packing had my suitcase at 28.5kg (my limit was 23kg) and my little ‘shoes’ holdall at 10kg.  At that point, all of the clothes in the ‘maybe’ pile had to go, unfortunately along with most of the ‘can’t live without’ pile too.  My second attempt was better, with my suitcase weighing in at 22.5kg, however the holdall wouldn’t even do up with less than half my remaining belongings.  As a result, my Mum was dispatched to collect a newer, bigger holdall from Argos to fill (and I mean fill) with what was left.  My third and final attempt at packing left my suitcase at 22kg, and my new Puma holdall at 18kg, with my hand luggage consisting of a backpack and a laptop satchel.

My room after packing attempt number one

Hand Luggage

Backpack – Book, guide book, scarf, gloves, slippers, ear warmer, tissues, flu tablets, throat sweets, bottle of water, deodorant, make up bag, glasses, contact lens case, plasters, purse, passport, immigration documents, padlocks, Vaseline, iPod, diary, pen

Satchel – laptop, laptop charger, money, jewellery, magazines

Checked Luggage

Suitcase – Coat, salopettes, handbags x 2, hoodie x 2, hooded jacket, jeans x 2, denim skirt, smart trousers x 2, smart tops x 3, dresses x 6, tops x 10, leggings x 6, tights x 2, underwear

Holdall – Snow boots, Trainers x2, heels x2, ballet pumps x 2, work shoes, heeled boots, wash bag, wash bag with hair bits, wash bag with make-up bits, phone charger, camera bits, scarves, hat, ski gloves, good luck/goodbye cards, framed photo

The Final Countdown

This time in 4 days I’ll be beginning my descent into Vancouver International Airport, which is for some reason abbreviated to YVR.  It’s getting pretty close now, and the final countdown has well and truly begun this week with the release of the contact details of other BUNAC participants booked onto the group flight.  It just so happens that I’m running low on reading material for the plane, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to matter as there will be 37 other people to talk to!

I was expecting 10-15 others to have booked onto the flight through BUNAC, but it’s great to see that there’ll be even more of us turning up to the airport decked out in ski jackets, bulky hoodies and a million and one layers dragging the world’s biggest suitcases and weeping relatives (just me?).  What’s even better is chatting to everyone and realising that I’m not the only one who hasn’t quite finalised my CV, told my bank I’m leaving the country, or chosen how many pairs of shoes to take with me.

They're not all mine....honest?

Whilst I have noticed that I’m sleeping less and grinding my teeth more (classic anxious Lizzie) I’m also thinking about what to wear to the airport and planning my first few days in the city (classic excited Lizzie).  The more I worry the more I realise that there are dozens of things I haven’t done that I could have, or even should have, but the more I also recognise that none of these things are likely to really make a difference in the long run.

Anyone who knows me (and anyone who doesn’t but has been reading this blog) will know that I like to plan.  I’m not a total Monica Gellar, but part of me definitely subscribes to the notion of ‘organised fun’.  As a result, most of my anxiety stems from the fact that in 4 days time I’m going to be in a brand new situation that I cannot possibly imagine let alone plan for; in essence, there is no plan!  It’s not that I’m not prone to moments of spontaneity (I have a list as long as my entire body of items I purchased on a whim but never used, and it includes a violin and CDJ decks) but I do like to know what’s happening next, so jetting off to live in another country with no job is going to be a scary but liberating experience.

I’m jumping head first into a scenario where I won’t know what the coins in my purse are worth, how to turn my mobile phone Canadian or where to get the bus to the mountains, but the thought of living without any trace of a plan is strangely refreshing.  And if it all goes wrong, at least I’m in good company…

The To-Do List of All To-Do Lists: Version 1.1

With one week and six days until my flight (eeeeeeek!), the time has come to update the to-do list of all to-do lists that I introduced you to last month.  It’s been a busy end to December, what with finishing work, moving out of my flat and of course Christmas, so I was a bit apprehensive about re-visiting the list.  Despite the constant, gnawing feeling that I’m incredibly behind and must have forgotten something, the list looks much healthier than it did last time I checked:

My Flat

• Hand in written notice to lettings agent one month prior to move-out date (tick)
• Get deposit back
• Get reference from lettings agent (scan and save)
• Get reference from previous landlord/housemates (scan and save)
• Cancel electricity (tick)
• Cancel council tax (tick)
• Cancel TV license (tick)
• Cancel Sky (TV and internet) (tick)
• Cancel BT line rental (tick)
• Cancel contents insurance (tick)
• Book professional cleaning (fail – company didn’t answer the phone)

My Car (actually my boyfriend’s, so I don’t have to do much in this section)

• Sell or store car (decided to store)
• Book service/MOT (tick – extra point for passing!)
• Cancel car insurance (tick)

My Job

• Hand in written notice to line manager (tick)
• Get reference from manager and other partners I’ve worked with (mostly ticked – just waiting for manager)
• Make a note of contact details for key work contacts
• Write my Canadian resume (more than one, tailored to job areas) (tick)
• Send CV to recruitment agencies in Vancouver (half ticked – I’ve started)
• Search and apply for jobs (tick – I applied for one)
• Send off speculative applications to companies I’d like to work for
  

  Thing: EVERYTHING!