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Traveling to Canada alone
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NewsMeQuick wrote: »Pretty much in the same position as you lads ^^
Where's everyone heading to? Vancouver anyone?
Hey
I'm heading to van. Got my visa in 2013 actually just came back from activating it. I'm heading again in may/June. Had to come back to save a little more and stuff. What kind of jobs are you looking at? Spoke to a few agencies via email but they all say it's best to be on the ground before applying for anything but are confident you can get work!
BTW people this thread is magic0 -
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oh yeah? cool!! when approx would ya think of flying over goingitalone? i was thinking of goin around may or june as i still have a bit more saving to do, all going well the visa is got........
Hi
I am so glad I found this page, thanks to ckgirls thread
I am travelling to Toronto solo too, but it would be nice to meet some of you that are going it alone.
My plans are to fly May/June this year, and I am currently trying to find reasonable flights.
I can't PM yet due to lack of posts but anyone feel free to get in touch.
We can help each other out
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NewsMeQuick wrote: »Good God you won't be worrying about money. I trailed the 2013 threads and most were saying 4-5 k CAD. If living modestly, you could go almost a year without work over there.
Hi NewsMeQuick,
I have just read your post and was keen to know exactly what you meant?
It made me smile because honestly I think once paying for flights, insurance and hostel, I would be left with about 3K in sterling which from a quick search would give me approx. 5500 CAD
I don't mind penny pinching as long as I can pay my bills and get to enjoy some sort of a social life
Obviously it would be nice to not have to struggle but my main concern right now is that not having a job before I get there means that I will be using my savings until I can secure a job...I am hoping that because I am not a skilled worker and I am happy to do any job(within reason haha!) to get by, that this should been I will find something pretty quickly.
I quite fancy bar tending or anything that's sociable would be nice, but as I say I am quite open to most work.
I am looking at flights in May so I have some time to arrange everything but this post made me feel so much better about it all 0 -
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That's what I plan on doing, I might book a hotel for a few days and just sightsee then get a hostel and look for potential houses and housemates. Aren't most places unfurnished in Canada? that's weird but has to be done I suppose if it's the norm, I might check craigslist and see if anywhere is looking for an extra housemate, see how it goes sure.
Anyone got any hostel recommendations? not doing it through USIT so winging the whole thing.
Hi Krudler,
I am winging it too
I was going to use Bunac but decided against it, I am female late 20's, house share is definitely a must for me...I love the concept of it and it works out cheaper than living alone.
If you don't mind can you let me know if you find any reasonable hostels and I will do the same.
I've been talking to a few Torontonians and they have given me areas to check out based on distance to the cities centre, beach, but also reasonable shared housing price, but I haven't researched the hostels yet.0 -
Hi NewsMeQuick,
I have just read your post and was keen to know exactly what you meant?
It made me smile because honestly I think once paying for flights, insurance and hostel, I would be left with about 3K in sterling which from a quick search would give me approx. 5500 CAD
I don't mind penny pinching as long as I can pay my bills and get to enjoy some sort of a social life
Obviously it would be nice to not have to struggle but my main concern right now is that not having a job before I get there means that I will be using my savings until I can secure a job...I am hoping that because I am not a skilled worker and I am happy to do any job(within reason haha!) to get by, that this should been I will find something pretty quickly.
I quite fancy bar tending or anything that's sociable would be nice, but as I say I am quite open to most work.
I am looking at flights in May so I have some time to arrange everything but this post made me feel so much better about it all
well i mean your far form gonna be living it up with 5000 your gotta remember add in tax to everything you buy too so theres an added factor and anyone who thinks canada is cheap i mean your going to a country where a block of cheese is 11 dollars . people do really underestimate how much money you really need .0 -
goingitalone wrote: »Your can get decent places on airbnb for cheap too kinda wanna stay outta the hostels myself
Hi goingitalone,
I am planning on booking into a hostel for a week or 2 purely for the social side of it and hopefully find potential "roomies" along the way.
Any particular reason why you want to stay out of hostels?
I know they are not for everyone but just curios...ok I'm nosey haha! 0 -
Hi NewsMeQuick,
I have just read your post and was keen to know exactly what you meant?
It made me smile because honestly I think once paying for flights, insurance and hostel, I would be left with about 3K in sterling which from a quick search would give me approx. 5500 CAD
I don't mind penny pinching as long as I can pay my bills and get to enjoy some sort of a social life
Obviously it would be nice to not have to struggle but my main concern right now is that not having a job before I get there means that I will be using my savings until I can secure a job...I am hoping that because I am not a skilled worker and I am happy to do any job(within reason haha!) to get by, that this should been I will find something pretty quickly.
I quite fancy bar tending or anything that's sociable would be nice, but as I say I am quite open to most work.
I am looking at flights in May so I have some time to arrange everything but this post made me feel so much better about it all
Hey, well from 2013 anyway I seen many posts saying 4/5k Euro. There are a few Irish over there a few years now that comment occasionally and I chillaxed when they chime in on the coversation.
The others that I've seen this year mentioning a lot more than that, if using the modest living expenses calculated above, would definitely seem to go a lot longer on 6/7/8k Euro.
It depends on how much you want to/plan on spending while looking for work though. I'm being really tight with money until I work; two 'social meetings' accounted for per week 1) business/networking social 2) some random meetups to meet new people.
It depends what we're all budgeting for, but I'm looking at $1,000-1,100 per month which at todays rate is about €690 per month. That's what I'm working on. I'm single and intend to house-share too I should say.
Of course once I get working I'll relax and spend again. And fk me do I like spending. 0 -
Hi goingitalone,
I am planning on booking into a hostel for a week or 2 purely for the social side of it and hopefully find potential "roomies" along the way.
Any particular reason why you want to stay out of hostels?
I know they are not for everyone but just curios...ok I'm nosey haha!
I'll let goingitalone answer for him/herself but I might add something to that
1. I did that hostel thing and it worked better than I imagined. I actually met the two people I ended up living with for that year, within 10 minutes or so of sitting in the lobby with my laptop for the wifi. We found a superb apartment in two days and moved in before the end of the week. It won't be everyone's experience, but I thought that was great.
2. I'm aiming for non-hostel accom this time. I'd be happy to share a room with friends/family but just like my own privacy I guess (*that does not mean anti-social or nervous with boxer changing!*) I think I just feel more comfy doing it this time and happy to go my own way. I'm not worried about making new mates it'll be grand! 0 -
Any particular reason why you want to stay out of hostels?
I know they are not for everyone but just curios...ok I'm nosey haha!
not my cup of tea ! and ive saved enough where i dont have to . plus the privacy deal . plus you can get semi decent hotels for not more then the cost of a single room in a hostel !
and very nosey! :P0 -
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Hmmmm.... Don't know about that!
I personally hated the idea of hostels, till I inter-railed last year and stayed in hostels the entire time. It was awesome! I guess not everyone's cuppa tae though.
ahh you certainly can if you look about i link . but i mean cant share everything
and yeah just not my thing with the hostels at all0 -
I was the same, I was terrified off hostels till I did Australia, now see them as a great place to meet people and have great craic, dont plan on doing the whole adventure to Canada in hostel though, which I did in AustraliaHmmmm.... Don't know about that!
I personally hated the idea of hostels, till I inter-railed last year and stayed in hostels the entire time. It was awesome! I guess not everyone's cuppa tae though.
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NewsMeQuick wrote: »I'm being really tight with money until I work; two 'social meetings' accounted for per week 1) business/networking social 2) some random meetups to meet new people.
You could meet more people and not stray too far beyond your limit. Networking here is more about a random coffee, rather than a few drinks. And from my experience, many of the people you meet will not let you buy the coffee! They're nice that way 0 -
goingitalone wrote: »well i mean your far form gonna be living it up with 5000 your gotta remember add in tax to everything you buy too so theres an added factor and anyone who thinks canada is cheap i mean your going to a country where a block of cheese is 11 dollars . people do really underestimate how much money you really need .
Hi there
I appreciate what you are saying about underestimating how much is needed, but speaking from my own experience I have lived comfortably and also I've had to be really careful with money, so it was a comfort to read that it is possible to survive on less.
I haven't got a job to go to and I will have to arrange somewhere to stay so it would be nice to think that I wouldn't be forced to have a job the moment I arrive....although that would be great because it would save me having to dip into my savings.
P.S I don't like cheese... but jokes aside, I do appreciate the input from those of you that are already in Canada and I am grateful for you sharing that. 0 -
Hi there
I appreciate what you are saying about underestimating how much is needed, but speaking from my own experience I have lived comfortably and also I've had to be really careful with money, so it was a comfort to read that it is possible to survive on less.
I haven't got a job to go to and I will have to arrange somewhere to stay so it would be nice to think that I wouldn't be forced to have a job the moment I arrive....although that would be great because it would save me having to dip into my savings.
P.S I don't like cheese... but jokes aside, I do appreciate the input from those of you that are already in Canada and I am grateful for you sharing that.
yeah no i understand but id get on the job hunt sharpish ,working cost to live per month your talking a minimum 1000 or so dollars a month .plus the hiring process can be a little more draw out then here . so i mean you got 5 months or so of funds and thats without having any backup money so its possible just not for so long .having talked to people who did it !0 -
goingitalone wrote: »not my cup of tea ! and ive saved enough where i dont have to . plus the privacy deal . plus you can get semi decent hotels for not more then the cost of a single room in a hostel !
and very nosey! :P
Ahhh well if you don't ask haha!
Totally understand you on the privacy thing, and I guess if it wasn't for the fact that I will be on a budget and hoping to find room mates then maybe I would opt for a hotel....oh who am I kidding, I love hostels haha!
I love the social side of it, and I got bored/lonely when I stayed in a hotel (whilst travelling in the US )but as soon as I was in a hostel it felt right for me, and I met some colourful people.
But to each his own...we all have a budget and certain expectations, so we just do what suits us.
I am going as a non skilled worker and a lot of people that I am talking to have been applying for jobs specific to their skills, whereas I am almost going there with an open mind especially where work is concerned. 0 -
Ahhh well if you don't ask haha!
Totally understand you on the privacy thing, and I guess if it wasn't for the fact that I will be on a budget and hoping to find room mates then maybe I would opt for a hotel....oh who am I kidding, I love hostels haha!
I love the social side of it, and I got bored/lonely when I stayed in a hotel (whilst travelling in the US )but as soon as I was in a hostel it felt right for me, and I met some colourful people.
But to each his own...we all have a budget and certain expectations, so we just do what suits us.
I am going as a non skilled worker and a lot of people that I am talking to have been applying for jobs specific to their skills, whereas I am almost going there with an open mind especially where work is concerned.
yeah no an id get the budget deal . but ive found hotels for little more then the cost of at week in a hostel so for me its a no brainer for me anyways .0 -
goingitalone wrote: »yeah no i understand but id get on the job hunt sharpish ,working cost to live per month your talking a minimum 1000 or so dollars a month .plus the hiring process can be a little more draw out then here . so i mean you got 5 months or so of funds and thats without having any backup money so its possible just not for so long .having talked to people who did it !
Can you advise me on the best way of getting a job/setting up an interview prior to arriving...bearing in mind I am semi/non skilled.
It would be a lot easier if I had a job to go to, but I thought face2face would be easier.
Any help or even sites that I may have missed would be great!
Thanks again 0 -
Can you advise me on the best way of getting a job/setting up an interview prior to arriving...bearing in mind I am semi/non skilled.
It would be a lot easier if I had a job to go to, but I thought face2face would be easier.
Any help or even sites that I may have missed would be great!
Thanks again
there isnt really unless your going for a skilled based job.
no one will take it serious application without a Canadian address and number so you really have to be in the country. and thats info i got from recruiters . where ya planning on heading ?0 -
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