-Where were you born?

France, Grenoble

-In which country and city are you living now?

Vancouver, BC, Canada

-Are you living alone or with your family?

Alone

-How long have you been living in Canada?

2 years

-What is your age?

29 years old

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?

To take a break from Paris and to improve my English.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

No, it took 4 months to get my working holiday visa.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, I subscribed with Globe Trotter for a year and have renewed it since.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?

I am a French teacher (private and school). It took me 2 weeks to find an "easy" job (coffee shop) and 2 months to find a good position in my field. I used craigslist.ca, monster.ca and workopolis.ca to find my job. Here are some good tips to find a job in Vancouver: http://2vancouver.com/en/articles/interview-tips-to-get-a-job-in-vancouver-bc

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

Yes I do, but I had to improve my level when I arrived. This is essential to speak English if you want to find a job and settle in Vancouver. You will not be considered if you don't speak good English.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

Yes I do, especially my family and close friends. We use Skype a lot to keep in touch, but the time difference between France and Canada (9 hours ahead) doesn't help. I miss French food, bread and wine :-)

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Yes, I may move to New Zealand with my boyfriend or go back to Europe.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

I am renting a 1-bedroom 650 sqf. apartment in Kistilano (close to Cornwal) for $1200/month (including heat and underground parking). Rents are expensive in dowtown Vancouver and in good neighborhoods like West End, Fairview, Commercial Drive and Kistilano. Real estate in Vancouver is out of control and starts to be unaffordable.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?

Quite expensive especially regarding rents and food.

-What do you think about the locals? 

They are friendly, laid back and love hockey games and yoga! They will easily talk to you and share a great time but sometimes it's hard to build a real friendship with them. They like foreigners and are willing to know other cultures.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?

Positives: beautiful city to spend time in, tons of outdoor activities (ski, kayak, hike...), peaceful, easy to go traveling around (Seattle, Okanagan Valley, Rockies, Vancouver Island...)

Negative: Expensive, lack of culture and history. Hard to have Canadian friends.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?

Vancouver is a great city for people loving outdoors and nature. It is a good mix of urban, food and sport but I wouldn't advice the city to someone who loves big cities, parties and cutlure. Vancouver is young and has still lots to learn from fun cities such as NY, Paris or even Montreal. This is more a place to take a break, settle in with your familiy or enjoy tons of outdoors activities (ski, kayak, hike...)

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

www.2vancouver.com: a bilingual English-French one-stop shop providing content for newcomers and immigrants coming to Vancouver

www.miss604.com: Best Vancouver blog

www.winningaway.com: an expat support and coaching company in Vancouver

-Where were you born?

I was born in a small town called Maidstone in the SE of England although I moved when I was 18 to live in Edinburgh, Scotland and lived there for around 7.5 yrs before moving abroad.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I am currently living in Montreal, QC, Canada.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my "Boyfriend" of 9 yrs.

-How long have you been living in Canada?

Almost 18 months.

-What is your age?

27 

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?

My boyfriend was offered a job with a company here although we had considered a move to Canada a while before the job offer came up.  A few friends of ours had already made the move to Montreal so that helped us make our decision to pack up and move.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

No, as my partner's company did all of that for us. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

When we arrived we immediately registered for a health card for access to medical services; however, it will only become active 3 months after you land.  In the meantime you can get temporary private insurance; however, we chose to take out private insurance with my boyfriend's company so we were covered through that in interim.  Be aware that Quebec DOES provide a free/low cost drug plan for the public, but it must be applied for separately and is not immediately activated when you receive a health card.  If you do not opt for private cover and do not apply for this you could be stung for very large drug costs when you get ill and need medications.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?

It took me about 2 months to find stable work - I started off in a call centre for market research, found via craigslist, then moved onto nannying through an agency.  It was hard, but not impossible.  Pretty much all of my British friends here have a job of some sort, albeit not necessarily in the fields they have education/experience in perhaps.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? 

I have taken some French lessons at the local YMCA but they are VERY expensive.  According to my work permit I am not allowed to study at all in a proper institution (such as university or college) so there aren't that many options open to me and I am not eligible for funding or free government subsidised lessons on a Temp. work permit - I would need to obtain residency which is not something we wish to do currently.  My level is currently "basic" and I understand way more than what I can actually speak.

Day to day French is useful but not 100% necessary, but this depends a lot on the area you live/work in.  The West Island, for example, is predominantly English-speaking and you will have little to no issues with no French language skills here.

Provincial government requires that all services be offered in French first so when you go into a shop, by law the person serving you must greet you in French first, signage must be in French and if English is also provided it must be in writing no more than 50% smaller than the French and other such slightly bizarre rules apply.

Downtown and in other heavily bilingual areas shop assistants greet you with a "Bonjour, Hi!" leaving you to respond in either language.  Sometimes even if you respond in English they will continue in French.  Often if you don't understand and respond politely with a "Sorry, I did not understand. Do you speak English?" or similar they will repeat in English.  Only once or twice have I encountered people who do not speak English at all and this was with older individuals. 

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? 

Of course!  My family and friends are all back in the UK and flights aren't cheap.  My parents have visited once; however, we have not seen friends or my boyfriend's parents since we moved.  We are lucky that we have friends from back home living here so we aren't completely alone and I have made friends playing my chosen sport - roller derby!

-Do you have other plans for the future?

We plan to make another move, this time to Amsterdam in the Netherlands in March 2011, again for my boyfriend's work. The distance from home is too much for us and I am hoping this will be the last move for a while!

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

We are renting a 6 1/2 (2 double bedrooms, two smaller bedrooms/offices) unfurnished for $1270 near to my boyfriend's work in a district called The Plateau.  It's pretty reasonably priced considering the location and space we have.  I will certainly miss it a lot when we move again!

-What is the cost of living in Canada?

I found food/groceries to be very expensive here.  It's not unusual for people to make the 1hr drive over the border once every couple of weeks or so just to do their food shopping in the US to save some money!

Mobile phones are also expensive compared to the UK.  A lot of plans you still pay for incoming calls/texts and the technology is very behind.

Rent is pretty cheap and you get a lot more space for your money here.

Eating out and going to bars has a pretty variable cost; however, a lot of nice restaurants do seem to provide very affordable, very delicious lunchtime special menus.

-What do you think about the locals? 

It depends a lot on the area you are in but on the whole people are friendly and welcoming, especially if you attempt to make an effort with French - that is very much appreciated by the locals.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?

 +ve proximity to USA means easy travel by car to visit a number of cool places.  Weather can be really nice - generally there is a hot (but humid) summer time and the sun shines for a large portion of the year. There is a wealth of outdoor activities nearby. Various music and arts festivals throughout the year for the artsy types. There is also a very big culture of using/buying second hand furniture which we found very useful when we arrived - there are some great items out there to be found for bargain prices.

 -ve Tax isn't added on items you buy until point of sale which we always forget about and it can get confusing if you aren't used to this. Winter is VERY cold (winter brings lots of snow from about Nov/Dec through to about March/April and temperatures can drop to -30 degrees Celsius UGH!), you can't get good bacon here.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?

Learn French to improve job prospects if your move isn't work related, get a VERY warm winter coat and boots, look out for items of good furniture left on the kerbside (free to a good home) in the summer, especially on 1st July (moving day) and explore the wonderful places around you by going on a few extended road trips!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

www.britishexpats.com - awesome forum for british expats worldwide which has a very active Canadian section.

www.craigslist.com - Where I found work, and apartment and a ton of great second hand furniture. 

www.livemocha.com - to start learning French!

www.mtlrollerderby.com - once you've discovered roller derby there is no turning back! The leagues season runs from the end of April til August and promises fun times for all.  For those that want to get involved, bootcamp starts in August for would-be skaters and referees!

-Where were you born?

Auckland, New Zealand

-In which country and city are you living now?

Brisbane, Australia

-Are you living alone or with your family?

My husband & I with our 2 Kiwi dogs

-How long have you been living in Australia?

4 years

-What is your age?

37

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Australia?

4 years ago - needed a change of pace.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

No, it was simple.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No

-How do you make your living in Australia? Do you have any type of income generated?

I was lucky, when we decided to move over to Australia I managed to get a transfer through my role at the time in finance. My husband, however, resigned in NZ and came over - he had 4 job offers within the first day of ringing around - a positive attitude goes a long way.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

 Do I speak the local language - Australian - sometimes!!!

 I think it is very important to immerse yourself in the culture when you're living abroad. I spent 15 years travelling and living in countries like Thailand (5 years) Spain (12 months) Chile (8 months) USA (2 years) Canada (18 months) Egypt (6 months) and I loved every single minute of being submersed in different cultures, the food, traditions, customs, food, language - ooohhh I just soak it all up and enjoy the beauty of what all cultures have to offer.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

Sure I miss home, I mean New Zealand is one of the most beautiful countries of the world! Thankfully with Sykpe, Facebook and the likes communication is a lot easier now that it was when I started travelling 20 years ago.

My favourite thing to so in NZ is to go "Pipi Collecting" along the white sandy beaches for dinner! Yumbo!

-Do you have other plans for the future? 

I started a new Internet-based business late last year, www.globalkidsoz.com.au. Even though I have chosen to settle in Brisbane for the time being, I can't get travel out of my mind...this is a fabulous way that I can still immerse myself in learning about other cultures while still having both feet firmly planted on the ground in Brisbane. I love what I do - by sharing different multicultural resources with the education sector of Australia, I get the amazing opportunity to continually learn about other cultures and countries through my work. They say that if you are able to find a job that you're passionate about then you're one lucky person - well, I feel that is exactly what I am...one very lucky person indeed!

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?

We bought our house when we first arrived in Brisbane 4 years ago for around $330k. We have since put in a swimming pool, done extensions and  landscaped. But prices are still reasonable in many parts of Brisbane if you're willing to take the time to look.

-What is the cost of living in Australia?

 Reasonable 

-What do you think about the locals?

The people of Brisbane have been so accommodating and welcoming to us - we know all our neighbours and even had friendly introductions from neighbours across the street when we moved in - it's a lovely community feel here.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Australia?

Positives - I love the weather.

Negative - I love the weather - as it means I don't get back to New Zealand as often as I should!! 

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Australia?

Never compare all the great things about New Zealand to the bad things about Australia. If you're talking to an Australian, make sure that you're positive about both countries and not just NZ. After all if you have chosen to live here then there must be plenty of great things to talk about! This goes the same about every country!

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Australia?

My website is www.globalkidsoz.com.au and www.recycledmats.cm.au

My facebook pages are www.facebook.com./globalkidsoz.com.au

www.facebook.com/recycledmats

www.facebook.com/jstranan 

-Where were you born?

In Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

-In which country and city are you living now?

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my husband Pete, and son Oliver who's seven.

-How long have you been living in Canada?

We orginally landed in June 2003, moved back to UK in 2005, and then moved back to Alberta in 2007. So in all about 3 years actually living here.

-What is your age?

I am 39.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?

Since childhood I had always wanted to live in Canada. Pete and I came for a vacation in 1997. I loved it and wanted to move. Pete was not keen so we left it for a few years but the desire for me did not go away. On our second trip here, he also fell in love with Alberta and we decided to move. The deciding factors I think were the people, how friendly, and positive they were. The natural environment, and space just felt great. The freshness and opportunities were inspiring. 

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

It wasn't hard but it took a long time. In preparation I had changed my job a couple of years previous to give me more points and experience. We applied as a skilled worker and it probably took about 3 and a half years. In that time Oliver was born so that made it harder to leave family. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, when we arrived we applied to Alberta Healthcare, it was simple.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?

My husband is a heavy equipment operator, and we contacted some local employers before landing. They were not interested until we had actually arrived. Once in town, he got a landscaping job to begin with and then a couple of other in between jobs. Getting a Canadian employer on his resume helped to get the job he really wanted. It took a couple of years though and was quite tough.

We bought a bed and breakfast and I ran that for a couple of years, so didn't need any other job. It was hard work, but also good fun. I enjoyed running my own business and after retraining as a personal coach, started my own business. I help people research and plan their emigration, with emigration planning and research programs.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language? Please add your thoughts on local customs and whether it's important for expats to respect/observe local customs.

We came to an English-speaking province because neither Pete or myself are fluent in any languages. I think it is very important to respect and adopt local custom. Oliver our son is enrolled in a French immersion program at school, meaning he is taught everything in French so will be able to speak both official languages. I am learning along with him. I feel if you move to a new country, because you love what it has to offer, then you should embrace that culture and become part of it.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

Yes. When we moved over in 2003, my brother was killed in the UK in a motorbike accident 6 weeks after we arrived. That was the hardest thing I have ever faced.  I became very homesick and wondered what I was doing being so far away from my family. In the end we moved back to the UK. But I found when we were back in UK, the things I had missed were not such a big deal. I didn't go to see my family as much as I expected and when I did it just became normal again. I realised that homesickness is a strange feeling that can be overwhelming and make you very unhappy but the answer you think is not always the solution.

We moved back in 2007 and whilst I miss family it's not such an overwhelming feeling. I know that what we have here is amazing and I feel sad that what I want is different to what they want and means we do not get to share so many things, but everyone has to live their own life. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to live here and enjoy some amazing things.

We often cross country ski, and Oliver is in hockey. We go camping in the summer and sitting round the firepit looking up at the stars is fantastic. Canoeing, hiking and swimming at the lake are part of everyday life. It's like being on holiday all the time. Of course we have to work in between but I love my job so that's fun too.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Just to enjoy life at the moment. We feel very settled here and there is so much to look forward to, it's great. I want to expand my business to help people emigrate worldwide. To give people the tools to realise their dreams. Nothing is impossible. Everyone desires to be happy and have a wonderful life, I've got mine and I want others to use the same process to get theirs. 

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

We bought our house, because I like the feeling of security you get from owning your own home. We do live in an expensive area. This is about 2000 sq foot home and it cost $700,000. We have three bedrooms, living, office, dining, kitchen and a 2-bed suite downstairs.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?

I would say cost of living is similar to UK. We spend about $5000 /month which is mainly day to day living costs.

-What do you think about the Canadians?

We have a great community here. Everyone is welcoming. That said there are a lot of expats living here so everyone is used to a multicultural environment. Most people living here have come from somewhere else, and don't have their immediate family arround to support them, so we all help each other.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?

Positives, being surrounded by a great positive attitude, happy caring encouraging supportive community. ~I am so glad Oliver will have that role model as he grows up. Opportunity for active outdoor lifestyle.

Negatives - not seeing family so often, I just wish they would all move here!! Oliver not seeing his grandma.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?

Do lots of research before you come. With the current global economy, it means that getting a job, having a higher standard of living here is not so likely. It's more expensive now and you have to be sure that you can get a job, that you can afford the lifestyle you want.  

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

www.theexpatcoach.com - Emigration Research and Planning Programs to help you get where you want to be. If you are serious about emigrating and want to get there quicker, find out what you can do.

www.immigrate-to-canada.info - Information on Canadian immigration, articles about moving to Canada, working in Canada and living in Canada.

www.expatforum.com - Really great site to ask and answer you emigration questions, Join the community to share your journey.

-Where were you born?

I was born in Canada and now I hold a permanent residency card for the US.

-In which country and city are you living now?

I live in the city of Chennai, India.

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my husband and our 11-year-old son.

-How long have you been living in India?

We've been living here just over a year.

-What is your age?

Eek! This interview starts with the tough questions first! I’m 36, and I’ll probably stay there for next 15 years.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in India?

This question makes me laugh because I had no notion of ever living in a developing country such as India. We had been expats in the US, UK and back to the US, so the notion of living abroad was not foreign to me. My husband came home from work one day and said, "Start researching Bangalore." To which I replied, "Where’s that?" Thankfully for him, I’ll say yes to just about anything…including India.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?

I don't have a work permit here. I'm operating on the assumption that I can write while I'm in India and sell my books out of the US. We moved here with a multinational manufacturing company, so they handled our visas and my husband's work permit.

-How do you make your living in India? Do you have any type of income generated?

Currently, I'm writing books. Each expat assignment has given me a different opportunity. At one time I worked in multi-level marketing, another time I had a consignment bookstore, I've done photography and this time I wrote a book. I've been blessed to be able to try my hand at so many things of interest to me.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I do not speak the local language, but so far, I haven't had any real need to. Most people that I've interacted with locally have had enough knowledge of English—along with my crazy hand motions and charades—that we’ve been able to communicate adequately. When I get really stuck, my driver translates on my behalf. I'm not sure what I would do without him.

I'm not one to beat around the bush so I’m not going to be delicate about my thoughts on expats respecting local customs. I truly hate (strong word but it's true) to see expats and tourists behave so flagrantly disrespectful in their host countries. There have been times in India (a conservative Hindu country), or when I've traveled to Dubai (a Muslim country), when I've wanted to shake women walking down the street wearing a spaghetti-strapped crop top and shorty-shorts, and ask them, "What are you thinking?" I believe we represent our countries when we travel. We're ambassadors. If the custom is to dress conservatively in a country that we’re visiting, it's our duty to respect that custom.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?

I do miss my family, especially when someone is ill and I can't be there. I don't really miss the town where I grew up, and although the people there don’t "get me" anymore, I still miss them and my former relationships with them. I'm actually closer to some expats friends than I am to my blood-family. They're the people who have become my family over the years. My expats friends have a better understanding of my life and we've bonded over those shared experiences. As for home, home is now wherever my husband and son are. I'm a bloom-where-you're-planted kind of person.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

I'm always hatching my future travel plans. I usually have our trips laid out at least a year in advance. When I look at a map, I feel desperate. There just isn't enough time—or money—to travel to all the places I'd like to go. We've just returned from Egypt. Now I'm gearing up for our summer trip around the world—just me and my son—to nine cities in 55 days.

Where we go next and what my interests are at that time will determine what I end up doing as a serial expat entrepreneur.

-What is the cost of living in India?

The rate of inflation in Chennai is staggering. House and apartment rental prices are skyrocketing. It's becoming impossible to find decent housing (by North American standards) without paying a fortune, and because the big companies are paying big rent, the rent keeps increasing. So expats who aren't here with large corporations can't find decent, affordable housing...and that's if the landlord will even rent to them without the support of a multi-national company behind them.

There was a shop that some expat friends were enjoying. They last time they went in the prices had nearly doubled. I've heard that a local expat magazine will be doing an article on this shop which means the prices will likely go up yet again.

The local grocery store that caters to expats and carries imported items is price-gouging. The expats horde items when they're available because they don't know when it will be shelved again, and that drives the prices up as well.

I believe it would fairly inexpensive for expats to live on the Indian economy if they were willing to live in Indian housing and live solely on local dishes.

-What do you think about the Indians?

The locals have been very kind to us. There is a sense of entitlement here, though, so foreigners are charged exorbitantly high prices because of the color of their skin. There is certainly a feeling of always being on guard. Besides that, we have had some lovely experiences here with the locals at Hindu weddings, Pujas and other local festivities.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in India?

One of the main positives for me is the ability to travel around India and to nearby countries. India has many languages, religions, customs, festivals and foods, which makes it ones of the most fascinating countries in the world.

Like anywhere, there are always negatives that balance out the positives. There is a huge chasm between the pride that Indians feel about their native land and how they treat their land with very little pride at all. If visible dust and rubbish are hard for you to take, India might not be the place for you.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in India?

1) When you get frustrated, keep in mind that WE are what is different in India, not India itself.

2) Go with the flow or you can make yourself crazy going against the grain.

3) A sense of humor and the ability to laugh at yourself helps.

4) India has been the way it is for thousands of years. You won’t be changing it to "your way" in the short time you live here, so get over it.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about India?

I've been blogging since the day we knew we were going to move to India. I don’t take myself very seriously so please don’t take me very seriously either. My blog address is http://www.earthtodanie.com.

My first book is titled The Expat Arc: an expat’s journey over culture shock, and is available exclusively at Amazon.com. It details my journey through the stages of culture shock in India. I'm not an expert and my book is not filled with advice. It's just a fun read allowing the reader to see how even experienced expats don't always do culture shock "right" and still come out the other end just fine.

-Where were you born?
I was born in São Carlos, SP - Brazil.

-In which country and city are you living now?
I am now living in Toronto, ON - Canada.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my husband, Christian.

-How long have you been living in Canada?
Since August 2000

-What is your age?
I just turned 30...

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?
Christian and I always had an idea of living abroad; we believed this would be an incredible experience to get in contact with new cultures, new people, improve our English and work in a different environment other than Brazil.

This "dream" intensified when we got married in September 1999. We started to look for a job transfer and so on... then a friend told us about Canada's open immigration system, where we could apply for a skilled work visa (more information at cic.gc.ca)

We took this opportunity, we applied on January 2000 and in mid-July (same year) we got our visa.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
It was quite easy in my opinion. Once your have the qualifications, the processes were straightforward.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
"Immigrants are eligible for health care coverage under the Canada Health Act, although there are waiting periods of up to 90 days in some provinces."

We immigrated to Ontario, one of the provinces which have the "waiting periods of 90 days". We just trusted our international credit card travel insurance; fortunately we didn't have any issue during these days.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?
My husband and I work as SAP consultants (IT field), we are independent contractors and our income comes entirely from the contracts we get.

My husband worked with SAP in Brazil, it took only 2 months for him to find a job in Canada after our arrival.

At that time, I didn't speak English... so I dedicated my time to learning English and getting to know the new environment. In July 2001, I got my first part-time job as a Portuguese teacher for the OCSB (Ottawa Catholic School Board) where I worked for a year. In June 2002, I got the opportunity to work in the SAP field and since then I have been working as a SAP consultant.

The Canadian market has been quite generous to those working in IT; some friends that just arrived in Canada (Toronto) and work in the same field are finding jobs in 2 to 4 months. Other areas may take longer as the "Canadian experience" is something that companies ask for.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I do speak English and I believe it is essential that new immigrants speak the language of the new country they choose to live.

My husband and I are now finding time to also learn French; Canada is a bilingual country.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I do miss my family a lot, we are very close and it is very difficult to be apart.

But now, I made my home in Canada and I am very happy to live here... missing family and friends back in Brazil is a price I have to pay...

I am glad that we have good friends in Canada who are becoming our "Canadian Family"... together we enjoy our new Canadian way of life.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I am planning to open my own commercial business in the future, so I can settle down in Toronto (no more travelling business), buy a house in the suburbia and start a family.

My husband will probably continue in the IT field and get his PhD when the time comes.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We have a 2-bedroom condo in North York, Toronto. A condo is an ideal living place for us at this moment, so we can continue to travel for business (we are currently in Amsterdam) and we don't worry about house maintenance such as: gardening, snow and so on.

For more information about pricing in Canada, I recommend MLS.ca (http://www.mls.ca).

-What is the cost of living in Canada?
Higher if compared to Brazil, similar to the USA and lower than Europe.

But remember... Canada is a large country and cost of living can vary a lot from region to region.

-What do you think about the Canadians?
Somebody once told me that Canadians are polite and passive and I truly agree with this sentence.

I have a few Canadians friends and they are great, generous and friendly. Most of my friends are Brazilians and immigrants.

The tolerance among Canadians is amazing... Great people, no doubt!

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?

Positives:

• 1) Multiculturalism: it is fantastic to get to know people from all around the world and all of them are willing to become the new Canadian generation.
• 2) Quality of Life: there is no doubt why Canada is always ranked at the top of the list of the best places to live in the world. I am so proud to be a Canadian by choice!!!
• 3) And also safety, tolerance, organization and so on.

Negatives:

• 1) Public Transportation: this may apply especially for Toronto.
• 2) Weather: guess why???
• 3) Sometimes the government is too protectionist by diminishing competition, thus impacting quality of products and services as well as pricing.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?
Learn the language(s), be patient to get what you want, Canada is not the USA ...

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

Blogs:

My bilingual (Portuguese & English) blog: http://www.mikix.com/

Gean's (Portuguese) blog: http://www.vouprocanada.com/ (great source of information for Brazilians who want to go to Canada).

Communities:

Canada Imigration: http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/canadaimigration/ (Portuguese community for those who want to go to Canada... be prepared to receive a lot of e-mails)

Web Sites:

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: http://www.cic.gc.ca/ (Official Canadian website about immigration, this should be the first source of research for those who wish to immigrate to Canada).

-Where were you born?
I was born in Ohio, USA.

-In which country and city are you living now?
Saskatchewan, Canada. We live in a small college town about 20 minutes away from Moose Jaw, a city of 35,000 people.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I moved here with my husband and daughter, and then our baby boy was born here.

-How long have you been living in Canada?
We've been here a little over a year.

-What is your age?
35

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?
My husband got an academic job here, and we thought it would be a good fit for him professionally and for us as a family.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Not at all. NAFTA makes it easy for Americans--we got his work permit and our visitor visas as we crossed through the border to move to Canada. We are in the process of applying for permanent residency, so hopefully that will go smoothly as well.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No, in Saskatchewan, medical care starts right away for people who move here from another country. This was especially important to me because I was pregnant when we moved. I did have to pay for my care for a couple of months until my Saskatchewan Health card arrived, and then I was reimbursed for what I had paid. I find the cost of healthcare to be significantly less than in the US, so this was not a hardship.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?
My husband works full-time as a professor, and I am a stay at home mom. He heard about his job through word of mouth, and through academic job listings online. Canada also has various child tax credits which we will be eligible for once we've lived 18 months, or once we have achieved permanent residency, whichever comes first.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Yes, I speak English fluently, and sometimes people can't even tell I'm American. So language isn't an issue at all, except I have had to learn some new words like toque and runners! We have my daughter in a French immersion preschool, because Canada is officially a bilingual nation and we think learning French is an excellent opportunity for her. I do think it's important for expats to respect local customs, while also retaining their own heritage.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Yes, definitely. North America is so vast that I'm really far away from most friends and family. To visit my extended family, we would need to drive 3 days (considering we have small children) and to get to my husband's family, it would be 4 days. We can fly, but this can be pricey, especially because Regina, Saskatchewan is not a hub.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
We have no plans to move anywhere else for the immediate future. We do hope that we can travel to see friends and family more frequently as our budget allows. We also hope to travel to places in Africa and the Middle East and expose our children to other cultures.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We rented for our first year and just bought a house this last spring. In our town, houses generally run between $120,000-200,000.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?
Compared to the US, taxes are higher, however considering most healthcare is covered by those taxes, I think it's a good deal! And there are tax credits and help for people, depending on income level, number of children, etc. Saskatchewan is one of the most affordable provinces, especially in regard to housing. And living in a small town, my husband can just walk to work, we're able to garden, and neighbors help each other out.

-What do you think about the Canadians?
I like them! I find Canadians to be very friendly. I understand that many Canadians dislike aspects of America, particularly its politics; however, I don't feel they take this out on me personally. It also seems to be a country that welcomes foreigners from around the world and tries its best to help them integrate.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?
Positives: universal healthcare, less violent than the US, multiculturalism, bilingualism, varied landscapes, interesting cities, low cost of living in Saskatchewan. I am also beginning to more and more appreciate the beauty of the prairies, and the varied things to do around here.

Negatives: The winters can feel too long, no mortgage-interest tax deduction, taxes are high, and I miss living near the ocean here on the prairies.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?
Americans should know that in terms of social values, Canada is most like the more liberal states, i.e. New England. Religion is less of an influence on the culture at large (more so on the Prairies though), the government is more liberal, and overall, Canada is less materialistic. I have heard it said that Canada has the best quality of life, even if the standard of living is lower for the average citizen than it might be in the US.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?
My blog, Prairie Road, describes our life in Saskatchewan at http://www.ortlundsincanada.blogspot.com

We Move to Canada is probably the most comprehensive blog I've seen about Americans moving to Canada at http://www.wmtc.blogspot.com

I also read Correr Es Mi Destino about a Frenchwoman in Ottawa at http://correresmidestino.com/

and Wapentake about a Yorkshireman in Ontario at http://wapentake.wordpress.com/

-Where were you born?
Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK

-In which country and city are you living now?
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my wife and our two sons. My wife is Canadian and was born to British parents. Our eldest son was born in Canada back in 1993 when we were in Canada for six months. Our youngest was born in Scarborough, England, in 1999, a few months before we moved to Canada on a more long-term basis.

-How long have you been living in Canada?
Around seven years

-What is your age?
I turned 40 earlier this year.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?
My wife and I had an unwritten pre-nup that we would spend part of our lives in each of our respective countries. After several years in the UK, a career crossroads seemed the ideal time to move west. After seven years in Canada, we’re about even now!

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No. It was just a case of going through the Permanent Resident application procedure.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
No, it was very straightforward. Just turned up at the government office and presented the necessary papers – very efficient.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?
I work as a college professor with sidelines as a writer, book reviewer, and conference presenter. For the first six months in Canada, I worked on renovating our house. Getting work was fairly straightforward: I sent out a mass mailing of my CV and got a temporary post at a postsecondary college in the public sector. I got a permanent post at the same place about a year later. I’m lucky in that my skills and qualifications are recognised internationally.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Well, I speak English, but that isn’t quite the same as speaking the local language! See this blog posting, Breaking the Sound Barrier, for more details on that. English is the predominant language in Ontario of course. I also speak pretty good French, so I can communicate well in Quebec as well.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Home and family – yes I miss them. I usually visit the UK at least once a year, and my family comes to Canada annually.

Things I miss most include hiking, live soccer, the British sense of humour, newspapers, BBC Radio 4 and 5, decent cheese, proximity to Europe, access to the countryside, and the coast. Most of these are available in a restricted form in Canada. For example, there are obviously hiking trails in southern Ontario, but nowhere has the accessible network of public footpaths that the UK enjoys. There is live soccer in the summer months, but it isn’t the same as watching the team I grew up watching for thirty years or so.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
Well, I have a sabbatical coming up in the near future, so I have a few travel plans related to that. Our youngest son is in a French immersion school, so we’d like to spend some time in France. We also plan to travel more extensively in Canada, especially Quebec.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
We bought a house as soon as we arrived in Canada. After four years, we moved a few kilometres away into a really nice community. In this area, an older three-bedroomed detached house would now cost upwards of $500,000 with houses closer to the lake fetching between 1 and 2 million dollars.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?
Some things are cheaper than in the UK: housing, cars, petrol, electronics, etc. Others are more expensive: public transport, domestic airfares, alcohol, books, banking fees, etc. Food and clothing, which used to be cheaper here, are now much closer in price.

-What do you think about the Canadians?
Well, around 50% of the people in the Greater Toronto Area were born outside Canada, so foreigners are fairly common. Of course, many Canadians have immigrant ancestors not too many generations back. On the whole, foreigners are well-treated.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?
Positives:

Tolerance is built into the political system

French or English education option

Seasons

Lots of friendly, open people.

Negatives:
Some people are very, very easily offended

Driving in the Greater Toronto Area

Cost of air/rail travel within Canada

Public transportation

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?
Learn to love all the seasons.
Buy spare hat and gloves.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?
My blog, Wapentake, which has several themes, including Canada Life can be found at:

Wapentake

I also read:

Correr Es Mi Destino, by a French expat living in Ottawa
Prairie Road, by an American couple living in Saskatchewan

-Where were you born?
I was born in Nantes, France.

-In which country and city are you living now?
I'm currently living in Ottawa (Ontario), Canada's national capital.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I'm living with my husband.

-How long have you been living In Canada?
I first came in Canada in 2002 and stayed there on and off because of visa limitations. I've been here full-time since 2004.

-What is your age?
I'm 24 years old.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?
I had never really thought of staying in France after high school. Not sure why... I didn't have anything against it, but I needed something fresh, something new. Europe is a nice continent, lot of history, lot of culture, but it has its drawbacks. I felt like we carried the weight of history on our shoulders and at the time and I hated the narrow-mindedness.

I had nothing to lose. I was fresh out of high school, I had arranged distance-study with my university, didn't have a job or an apartment so... I packed and I left.

To be honest, I had always thought I'd be living in China. I've been learning Chinese for 12 years now and my major in University was in Chinese history and language.

Right after high school, I first worked in Hong Kong for a while and realized living in China as a foreigner was a bit harder than I had expected. So once again, I packed and went to Latin America.

After traveling a lot, Feng and I decided to "settle" in Canada. It was an obvious choice since Feng is Canadian - at least, one of us would be legal ! I wanted my "Breakfast in America" too : North America was an unknown continent for me and I thought it would be fun to live something new.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
I spent almost two years on tourist visa, temporary visa, work visa, extended visa... you name it!

I enter Canada with a 6 months visitor visa. Since I have a French passport, I was automatically granted the 6 months stay. But I couldn't work under the visitor visa.

So after 7 months (I got a visa extension in-between), I came back to France and applied for a working holiday visa, which I got right away. I came back to Canada with it and a few months later, I applied for permanent residence.

I had expected it to take at least 6 months, but I received my visa only 4 months later, two days before my working holidays visa expired. And... voilà ! I'm now a full-time Canadian!

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
As a tourist, I didn't have any insurance per se. I did have French student insurance though, so some costs would have been covered because there are numerous agreements between the two countries.

When I got the WHV, I was required to buy private insurance. I chose the ISIC student insurance (roughly 400 euro/year) and I found it good.

When I received the permanent residence, I had to wait for three months before being covered by OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan). I didn't have any insurance in between.

-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?
When I first came to Canada, I was still a student. I had arranged distance study with my university before I left France. As a post-graduate student, I received a 400 euro/month allowance, which I managed to live on. I couldn't work in Canada since I only had a visitor visa anyway.

As soon as I got my WHV, I got a job through a staffing agency. I worked in a call-center for a while, then in various customer service positions.

After I got my permanent residence, I applied for a teaching job and was hired right away.

I'm now working for a private school, teaching federal government employees French. According to the law in Canada, federal government employees must have some knowledge of French. There are three levels of exams : A (minimum knowledge), B (pretty fluent) and C (bilingual). I mostly teach B and C levels although I do teach a few beginners as well.

Since I left France when I was 18, I started building up my resume abroad, so I guess it was somewhat easier for me. I didn't mind starting at the bottom and I learned as I went.

The only thing which held me back for a while was the fact that a security clearance is often required to work with the government (and in Ottawa, everyone work with the government...!). As a temporary worker, I couldn't get it so I had to wait to get my permanent residence for better positions.

-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
I first learned English when I was in junior high and practiced when I backpacked, although my English was far from being perfect... it took my a few years to feel comfortable with it.

However, my French really helped me in Canada: being bilingual here is a true chance and I feel it every day.

Canada has a language program for newcomers who want to learn French or English for free when they arrive: LINC Program

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I don't miss France at all. When I first came to Canada, I compared everything to France, then realized these were two different countries and cultures and I just had to deal with it. As a result, I don't really miss anything anymore. I left France when I was 18 so I started my adult life abroad. I couldn't compare a lot of things. I don't miss food much cause I never really ate frogs legs and snails. Seriously. I do buy great cheese from Lebanese shops though.

I'm lucky to live with a Canadian who also have two cultures, plus whatever we picked up when traveling. I was never forced into abandoning my culture but I naturally adapted to Canada and it somewhat took over my French culture.

The only thing which is somewhat difficult - and it must be the same for expats all over the world - is to feel like you belong in your new home.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?
Compared to Europe, I find Canada pretty cheap - affordable at least. Gas, food, restaurants, housing & utilities, clothes are much cheaper. Occasionally, some items are more expensive (books, some food) but there's always a way around (discounts etc.).

-What do you think about the Canadians?
Canadians are nice people. The country is very multicultural and I work and live with people from very different backgrounds.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?
There are so many positive aspects for me, I wouldn't even know where to start. I have good work opportunities, the country is pretty open-minded and easy-going. I guess these are the main advantages.

The thing that bugs me the most is the constant struggle between the French communities (espcially the province of Quebec) and the rest of Canada. This is especially true in Ottawa because of its location. As a Francophone living outside Quebec and who enjoys living in an English world, it's sometimes difficult to relate. I enjoy speaking both French and English and I don't really want to be part of the battle just because I was born as a French. I like teaching French but I wouldn't live in Quebec because I don't feel close to the culture. I like being French in an English world! But language is a political issue in Canada...

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

• Canadian Life: anything related to my new life under the snow... From bitching about the weather to hockey games and the Stanley Cup, from culture shock to shocking culture, from old Europe to the New Continent, whatever is in my immigrant's mind.
• Immigration: the whole immigration process to Canada, tips, newcomer's first steps... Come on enjoy the Maple Leaf country!
• Society: sometimes, I read the paper and I just don't get it. Why ? WHY ??? And don't tell me I'm overreacting okay, I'm a former anarchist-communist turned left-wing.
• On The Road: "I traveled the world and the seven seas...". Well, maybe not the seven seas, but over twenty countries. I miss it. Really.
• Working Girl: I'm a young office worker and the world is mine. Well, most of time. The rest of time, I just bitch about work, like everyone else.

I also read Wapentake, a British expat in Toronto, Ontario.

To find a job in Canada or simply have a look at the job market, Jobbank is the place to start.