Thursday 18th July 2013, day 8 - Orientation

This was my first venture into Downtown, and my first trip on a bus. The way the transport system here works is quite different to at home so I had to get my head around that before just getting on a bus. I went for my orientation day at Work'N'Holiday, from whom I can get help with searching for jobs, getting the equivalent of a National Insurance Number, opening a bank account, getting a SIM card, and a couple of other advantages like membership of a particular hostel chain, which also includes 25% off coach travel.

There's almost no information on their website so I didn't know what time it started and got there as they were finishing the first welcome presentation. There was a job presentation after that and then people from one of the banks, a travel company, and a recruitment agency came in. Work'N'Holiday have a deal with that particular bank, so if we open an account with them it's free for six months. So I've done that, because I didn't know if I'd be able to get that deal if I went away to research and then went into a branch on my own. I have found out there's another bank who do a special program for newcomers to Canada, and they waive the fees for the first year not just six months. So I might look a bit more into that and decide which one to go with before transferring any money over.

Apparently Work'N'Holiday don't have my details, or something. They've contacted Bunac (their partner company in the UK that I booked with) asking for confirmation that I'm on the programme so until they get that I won't be able to get a few things, like a SIM card.

The job presentation make me think that I don't want to put myself through the application process and interviews for jobs I'm not interested in, ones like office work that might pay but I probably wouldn't enjoy. I can do that at home if I must. I didn't come here to experience normal daily life in another country, I came to see Canada, to go to beautiful places and experience the great outdoors.

The presentation mentioned WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), in which participants get free accommodation and meals in exchange for their time and effort helping around the farm/smallholding/ranch. It sounds right up my street and I just wish I'd known about it before.