Canadians

[Ksandra]

So what is this magical land really like when living there?

We have been tempted for quite some time to move up to this imaginary place full of moose and ugly police uniforms. Dependent on the next year or two this may become a reality as there's a fuckton of jobs out there for hubby (quebec I think), and it really doesn't seem like things in the country are going to get any better anytime soon. (I'm really curious to see what happens with obamacare, if it gets dropped I'm pretty sure I'm done with the political bs in this country).

But then, obviously there's the phrase, "the grass is greener on the other side." This is something we'd really have to think about and plan carefully. But I am curious as to what some of you have to say about it. Is it really an improvement or just the US ver. 2? While I know the job market for hubby would be good, what is the job market for teachers over there? (I don't speak any french, not sure if that matters) What about the cost of living? Would it really be worth it making the jump there or would the change be so minimal it wouldn't be worth giving up the sun for fucking cold ass weather? (keep in mind I found CT unbearable when I grew up there)


This is probably just a passing fancy, but in my hubby's career he has to be constantly looking for jobs in case of lay-offs as contract companies shoot up and down with films. So far he has avoided applying to Canada in the past, but we're becoming more open to the idea that maybe he should be keeping that option open as we become more and more disillusioned to all the shit going on in the US. Would be a huge move though. D:

[Shiroikage]

It's totally awesome. Quebec is a lot different than the rest of Canada, but I really liked it there. I certainly intend to get back to either Montreal or Quebec City.

No French will probably fuck you for teaching in Quebec. There are private English schools, but you're still basically gonna need French. Not sure on what the job market is like in the rest of Canada. There's certainly jobs, but they might be in more rural areas.

Cost of living is pretty great in Montreal and even better in other parts of QC from what I understand. Rent's cheap, food's super cheap, entertainment is pretty cheap too, and if you've got a decent job (i.e. not service or retail or something), you're made in the shade. There's a huge cultural scene if you are into that. I could live pretty awesomely on $30k/year.

I guess you can PM me any questions if you're interested or just ask in this thread. I'll do my best to answer whatever.

[D44kpunk]

quebec is the texas of canada + they are french

[Callisto]

Quebec is terrible and Shiro doesn't even watch hockey, not a real Canadian

[Shiroikage]

quebec is the texas of canada + they are french

Alberta is the Texas of Canada, this guy's huffing paint.

[Rhyis.]

Ontario is like America, but with better domestic beer and less self-entitlement.

[Shiroikage]

Quebec is terrible and Shiro doesn't even watch hockey, not a real Canadian

man, i sometimes watch hockey

[Rhyis.]

I don't. Fuck hockey.

[Charismatic]

Ontario is like America, but with better domestic beer and less self-entitlement.

Less self-entitlement? Sounds like an awful place.

[Ksandra]

Ty shiro! you know it's funny, I didn't mention it but one of the reasons I'm getting so pissed off is because hubby has been working at his current company for over 7 months, and he's still on temp status with no benefits (they did some mass hiring back then because they had like 7 movies to do and all those people are on temp). Pisses me off because originally they said it would be 3 months. Past few weeks he hasn't had a day off and working 12 hour days because of a movie deadline and he's not earning any hours off for vacation or sick time or anything. Just makes me want to pop a vessel, but he can't say shit as they've already done some lay offs since they've completed a few movies, so he doesn't want to get hit.

Yet just after I posted this, he called me saying they're finally getting benefits today. XD

I still want to keep Canada open as an option though because he's had to deal with similar shit in other companies. It's the way that market works, but you know things like having universal healthcare n' shit cuts the retarded company out of the equation.



Oh and btw, I asked him, it wasn't Quebec that has the jobs it's Vancouver. How does that change things?

[Rhyis.]

Less self-entitlement? Sounds like an awful place.

http://cdn.bluegartr.com/customavata...ar33721_15.gif

[Shiroikage]

Ty shiro! you know it's funny, I didn't mention it but one of the reasons I'm getting so pissed off is because hubby has been working at his current company for over 7 months, and he's still on temp status with no benefits (they did some mass hiring back then because they had like 7 movies to do and all those people are on temp). Pisses me off because originally they said it would be 3 months. Past few weeks he hasn't had a day off and working 12 hour days because of a movie deadline and he's not earning any hours off for vacation or sick time or anything. Just makes me want to pop a vessel, but he can't say shit as they've already done some lay offs since they've completed a few movies, so he doesn't want to get hit.

Yet just after I posted this, he called me saying they're finally getting benefits today. XD

I still want to keep Canada open as an option though because he's had to deal with similar shit in other companies. It's the way that market works, but you know things like having universal healthcare n' shit cuts the retarded company out of the equation.



Oh and btw, I asked him, it wasn't Quebec that has the jobs it's Vancouver. How does that change things?

BC is beautiful, tons of stuff to do. Lots happening culturally, and if you love the outdoors, there's so much to do.
Problem is that the cost of living is pretty damn high out there.
Best to talk to Blarg about this one.

[Rhyis.]

BC is Canada's California.

[Shiroikage]

BC is Canada's California.

This is an apt comparison.

[Howie Roary]

I've never lived state side so I can't empirically say that one is better than the other, but I can tell you about Toronto and Southern Ontario.

Toronto is the largest commercial centre, and with the surrounding boroughs, it is 3.5 million people, with a subway connecting much of it and nearly any kind of entertainment and shopping you could wish for. Don't tell hubby, but brothel houses recently became constitutionally legal, but they still can't advertise their wares in the street.

Our ER line-ups take any where from 3-6 hours or worse, but it's free for citizens, and not sure about people with work visas or landed immigrants. Our current mayor is cutting funding for libraries, parks, and pools in an effort to balance the books but he is generally viewed to be a bully and has outright refused to speak with one particular major newspaper.

The people are largely unfriendly, although still polite if they actually speak to you. Just don't expect a lot of eye contact (this is moreso directed at your hubby) and there is a significant homeless population and typical one on most corners and sidewalk sewer grates in the downtown core.

Real estate is very expensive to buy in downtown Toronto, it's a bit cheaper in the less trendy neighbourhoods, and cheaper still once you get to the outskirts, where you will have to take a train into town (not subway) and these run every half hour in rush hour, every hour otherwise, and for some stops not at all on weekends.

Toronto has an excellent variety of different cultures, and you can probably spin a globe and point to stop it, and find a restaurant which serves the cuisine of the country you've pointed to. Along with this, we have a huge variety of neighbourhoods, mostly based on cultural background (we have like 3 chinatowns and a little Korea, but no little Japan wtf), and other neighbourhoods are based on attracting wealthy, artisitic, or club & nightlife clientele.

The quality of education is generally deemed to be good in both the public and private/catholic school boards, although the public and catholic (especially) are underfunded and have significant class sizes (28-33 students with 1 teacher).

The tap water is drinkable, there are extensive recycling programs for nearly all forms of waste, including styrofoam (if you care). Voter apathy is probably about the same as it is in the U.S. but we do have a 3 party system instead of 2, although everyone seems to be not too far from the middle, extreme left pretty much doesn't exist and even our most right wing politicians shy far from a Texas Republican, I'd imagine.

As far as crime and safety, our murder rate has been decreasing every year I think, and I do know for sure that our suicide rate has. there are all kind of community support programs for distress lines, women's shelters, teen help lines, sexual education and so on. We have a vibrant gay community, in which straight people are also welcome. There are very few areas that I wouldn't feel comfortable walking home alone late at night, but I know basically all of them so I can go over these in detail with you should decide to move to Toronto.

Montreal is Shiro's specialty, but it is well known for its culture, and despite its large french speaking population, much of Montreal is english speaking, but as Shiro indicated, jobwise it is very difficult to get by without any french.

Vancouver is also a possibility but I've heard real estate prices are even more expensive than Toronto, and apparently Calgary is even more expensive still (and very much booming apparently). I don't recommend Calgary though, if you are looking for an experience that doesn't resemble the States, because we call it the Texas of the North. They hold very right wing ideas, pro Christian, pro-Life, and while not birther or tea party type crazy, they are nonetheless viewed as Other by much of Canada.

Hope this helps

[Ksandra]

BC is beautiful, tons of stuff to do. Lots happening culturally, and if you love the outdoors, there's so much to do.
Problem is that the cost of living is pretty damn high out there.
Best to talk to Blarg about this one.

kk thanks! (I love the outdoors, hubby hates it...been trying to get him to go camping for like 6 years now > )

[Howie Roary]

man, i sometimes watch hockey

I don't even own ice skates, let alone watch hockey that isn't playoffs or Canada juniors/Olympic Team versus Russia or U.S.

[Greatguardian]

I was going to make a suggestion about making sure you're learning the right French but if it's BC and not Quebec then it's probably a moot point. Quebecois French is to French French as American English is to British English. The accent and enunciation are noticeably different and they use a fair number of different words for things.

[Shiroikage]

I can't skate, lol.

[Shiroikage]

I was going to make a suggestion about making sure you're learning the right French but if it's BC and not Quebec then it's probably a moot point. Quebecois French is to French French as American English is to British English. The accent and enunciation are noticeably different and they use a fair number of different words for things.

To be fair, if her husband had a job lined up, there's plenty of governmental resources to learn French once you're there.