Relocation services for British Columbia, Canada

Laura's Diary

Hi, I am Laura and this is my diary. I was 18 and in my final year at high school (Grade 12) when I started this, but am now at college - currently in my second year.

You can e-mail me directly if you want to ask any questions?

Dating in Canada

One of the scariest things for me when I first moved here was the idea of dating a Canadian. I had gone to an all girls’ school for five years and so even the idea of going to a mixed school was an intriguing prospect. Now having lived here for over two years I am used to dating Canadians. Unlike my sister I have not stayed in a steady relationship instead I seemed to have dived into the dating world.

At the moment I am “seeing” a guy in my class called James. We have been “seeing” each other for about four months, a long time for me. He however isn’t my boyfriend I use the term “seeing” to mean that the relationship is more casual, I am constantly filming and he is in rehearsals everyday and so we literally have no time for a proper relationship, this “seeing” seems to work out perfectly for both of us.

To my father’s horror I am asked on dates regularly by a number of guys, as I am with James I decline these offers. However in the past I have enjoyed dates to the movies and dinner or even just coffee and a walk along the beach.

Fitness

Fitness to me has become of vital importance, as a studying actor it is important for me to have a healthy, fit, supple body. My fellow actors and I spend countless hours exchanging workout tips and information about new exercise classes. Now that the summer is almost upon us my friends and I have been setting dates to go dancing or to yoga or just out for a jog.

One of my classes at college is specifically about movement and so we spend a great deal of time stretching and dancing, the idea being that actors should be able to move in any way. There is also a gym at our school and so on occasion many of my classmates and I spend our lunch break working out. I find that having likeminded people surrounding me keeps me motivated and on track

Night Life

I have recently discovered Vancouver’s nightlife. Now that I am 19 I am able to go to clubs and bars. I love to dance so I have been heading out at the weekends to my favourite club to literally dance the night away. I go to the same club a lot so I have made friends with the bouncers and band. There is a really friendly atmosphere and after my friends and I can walk outside without any fear. It is always a good idea to go out with friends so that you don’t get lost, as even now I sometimes have trouble navigating my way downtown.

Dance

In England I used to go to dance classes at least twice a week but when I moved to Canada I decided to try some new things. Recently I have missed my dancing so my sister and I decided to go to harbour dance school and try a few drop in classes. I now take Broadway jazz class ever week and luckily I was able to pick it up quickly. It is an intense class with lots of stretching and sweating but I really enjoy it. I am at college so I don’t have the time to take more classes but hopefully during the summer I will be able to do more. Harbour dance is an excellent choice for me because it has mostly drop in classes, which means I don’t have to commit to the class and I can pick and choose what I want to do.

College Life

I have now been at college for the last three weeks and so I thought I might write some helpful tips for those of you who will be entering a Canadian college or university.

Never underestimate the power of caffeine to help you through your classes. Tim Hortons is a great choice as it is cheap, and a Canadian company. My college actually has a Tim Hortons on campus. You get to feel really grown up when you’re rushing around campus with your coffee in hand.

Organize a carpool with anyone who lives close by. If you have your own car don’t feel pressured into driving your car less friends to college everyday, if you do at least get them to contribute to your gas allowance.

Get involved. If you’re lucky enough to have all your classes with the same people organize a get together for your class. My acting class all went out for dinner to get to know each other.

Talk to your parents about expectations. If you are expecting to be treated like an adult you need to prove that you can handle the responsibility. You will probably have more freedom to go out but be aware that there is a balance and it up to you to make sure you keep on track with work.

Make sure you get contact numbers from your classmates in order to find out about homework. MSN is a great tool to take to people quickly and easily.

The teacher will treat you as equals; I am able to email all my teachers and even talk to them on msn. They are there to help you just don’t expect them to nag you about getting your assignments done on time.

Take advantage of everything the college has to offer, in the first few weeks make sure to cheek out the gym, library, student lounge, cafeteria, and any clubs you may be interested in joining. My college holds many off campus events organized by students. Look out for posters and flyers diving details of up coming events.

London Bombing

Like everyone in Canada I woke up on Thursday to the terrible news of the bombing that occurred in London. My first thoughts were of course of my friends in London and for their safety. Being English I had many friends calling to give their sympathy and comfort to my family and me. An attack on my home, the place that I grew up in, shakes me to the core. My thoughts are with those who have lost a loved one.

Decisions

High school is finally over, my exams are done, I received a scholarship, and I have been accepted into a 3-year acting for stage and screen program. I am still unsure of what I want to do in the future but for now I have the foundations I need to move forward in life.

Graduating has made me appreciate all that my family has done for me, they are always there for me, providing me with the best in education and opportunities. I owe my parents everything for their unconditional love and support.

Looking back now I know that moving to Canada provided me with a better life than I could have ever achieved in England. Moving to a new environment gave me the confidence I needed to achieve my goals and pursue my dreams, thanks to my parents I am now going on to study something that I love.

Grad Banquet

Like all grade 12’s I have been looking forward to grad for months now. Grad is the Canadian equivalent to prom; it consists of a dinner and dance, which is attended by the grads and their parents. After the grad banquet comes the “after grad” which is sponsored by the parents and attended by just the grads and their dates. Our after grad went on all-night and ended at 5.30am with a “survivors breakfast.”

Photo taken at Prospect Point in
Stanley Park. West Vancouver is
behind me across the inlet.The whole day was devoted to getting ready for the big night; I had my hair done professionally and my makeup done at home. Grad is all about the dress and whom you go with. Some people choose to go with friends or with a date. I went with my boyfriend and we travelled there in a limo with a group of friends. Before the banquet stared we went to Stanley Park to take photos, everyone looked amazing, in their dress or tux.

My grad was held at the Westin Bay Shore, a beautiful hotel located downtown. The grad included a buffet dinner, lots of toasts, and to my fathers’ horror a father daughter dance. The grad was a huge success and enjoyed by all (including my dad). After the banquet and dance the grads got changed into more casual clothes and the grads went on to the after grad.

At the Grad banquet in our finery.
I am on the right with my boyfriend.Our after grad was held at “the keg” there was food, places to sit and lots of dancing. Without the parents there we were able to stop feeling so self-conscious and able to just let go and latterly dance the night away. By 3am I could barely stand, at 4 we got a taxi to the survivors breakfast, my boyfriend and I didn’t make it to the breakfast instead we got the taxi to take us to our homes and I fell asleep almost instantly. I don’t think I have ever had so much fun, lots of photos were taken that night and so grad will be remembered forever.

After high school

I graduate it less than three weeks time! But what happens after all the celebrating is over. For me I will have the chance to pursue one of my dreams. For the last few weeks I have been auditioning for theatre and acting programs at my local college. I could have gone to University but the College programs that I am interested in are just as good as the University courses.

The first audition I went to was for the acting for camera one-year program this audition consisted of an interview, a monologue performance, and a cold read. The audition went really well in spite of my nerves. A week later I was told that I had been accepted into the course.

My next audition was for the theatre program, this course is three years long and extremely intense. It is six days a week plus homework and no time for a part time job or an acting outside of the course. However the course is something that I have been dreaming of doing for years, it not only teaches acting but also, directing, history of theatre, writing scripts, and lots more that I can’t remember at the moment. The audition was three hours long but was a lot of fun. I won’t know if I get in for a few weeks but I will be sure to keep you all posted!

Can you live a Canadian life?

I’ve been living in Canada for 21 months now I can’t believe it has almost been two years! Many English people often ask me have I completely settled into the Canadian way of life. I think the transition from one culture to another is never easy. It takes time, yes perhaps the first few months are probably the hardest I know they were for me, but it takes time to take in all the differences. But now 21 months later, I can truly say that I feel more at home here than I ever did in England.

The transfer changed me, made me a stronger person and tested me in ways that I never expected. Moving countries isn’t for everyone it’s for those of us who have dreams that we will do anything to achieve, for those of us who can imagine a better life than the one we now have, for those of us who aren’t afraid to reach out for what we want, and for those of us who aren’t scared to swim against the current. These are the people who can step into a world different from their own without fear of what is to come.

It still amazes me how many people are willing to sacrifice everything they know just for a different way of life. People who can make the change successfully stand out above the rest, there are those of us who live our life scared of what could happen and then there are those of us who face challenges head on. Moving countries is a huge commitment; you’re throwing away everything that you are comfortable with and just hoping that you are dealt a better hand.

Structured work experience and training

This spring break I went to the Art Institute of Vancouver to do a course on acting for camera. The week was spent making a professional scary movie and learning about the camera. We got to what it was like working on set with the director and crew. The course was a chance to see if acting was what I wanted to do in the future. Two of my friends went as well and did courses in recording arts and animation. I think the best part of the SWEAT program was being able to use the amazing equipment that they provided us with. It was a lot of fun and extremely beneficial to me.

Unexpected benefits

My family and I had planned every aspect of our move to Canada in order to make the move go as smoothly as possible. That is not to say that there weren’t some surprises along the way. My parents were amazing about the whole thing; we started the whole moving experience like it was a vacation; my siblings and I were blissfully unaware of what was going on for the first week at least. After that my father had to go back to England to finish selling our house. The rest of us moved into rented accommodation and my siblings and I soon started school.

With time and help from relatives we were able to settle in. That was 19 months ago, but still the memory is burnt clearly in my mind. We had very little help with our transition and that is one of the main reasons my parents decided to start relocation2BC.

When I look back at the last 19 months of my life there are a few pleasant surprises that I had not expected.

• My health got a lot better when I moved to Vancouver, this I guess is due to the cleaner air and also the healthier lifestyle that Canadians have.
• Community spirit. I have found that people here are very proud of doing their part for the community.
• Canadians love of their country. Canadians are very proud of being Canadian. They take pride in having a diverse country and being peacekeepers. This love can be seen at any hockey match, in all socials classes and particularly on Canada day.
• Up beat people. I guess it’s the way people are brought but I have found that people here are very friendly and eager to talk to new people. This made making friends so much easier for me.
• No social groups. In England I had found there was this pressure to dress like everyone else in your so-called group. In Canada there was no pressure to fit in to a certain stereotypical group. Everyone tolerates everyone no matter what they are wearing.
• Environmental Concerns. I have found that Canadians are very environmentally aware.

Reflections

My sister and mother are currently in England for an emigration show. I am not used to being away from Gwen for so long (10 days) she is only 18 months younger than me and so consequently we are very close. I went with my mother to England last August and for some reason only have bad memories of the trip. It wasn’t that I hated my old life in England I just wasn’t prepared for it. I’m hoping my sister is having a better time there than I did. For me going back to England helped with the whole moving on process I was able to see how my life could have turned out and I am thankful that I did move to Canada and have experienced so many amazing things.

Stanley Park

My boyfriend decided that for our one-month anniversary we would do something out of the ordinary. He took me downtown, we rented rollerblades ($6, but you need to leave a deposit) and we went blading around Stanley Park. I had never been rollerblading before and so to start with I found the whole experience very scary. Luckily my years of dance classes paid off and I was able to keep my balance. That’s not to say that I didn’t fall over, I did but only when we stopped or I wasn’t concentrating.

Stanley Park is a great place to rollerblade or bike, there are a number of shops close by that rent out all the gear and there is a special path away from pedestrians where you can rollerblade without the worry of falling into someone. Also the views along the sea wall are amazing, and on a warm sunny day it’s the perfect excuse to go out.

If you decide to go rollerblading I would recommend going with someone who has done it before just so that you have someone to watch over you. It’s a great thing for couples to do, I was able to hold my boyfriends hand the whole time, this prevented me from falling over all the time. It was a wonderful experience and a real Canadian experience.

Making Pizza

I have just discovered an awesome way to make a home cooked meal. I’m not really much of a cook but I love the idea of making something at home. Yesterday my boyfriend and I decided to make a pizza. I thought that this was going to be a bit too ambitious for us but I was reassured that it would all work out. I had imagined spending hours trying to make dough but I was amazed when I found out that our local take out pizza place sold frozen fresh dough for less than $2. All we had to do was let the dough defrost, roll it out and add the topping we wanted. I was amazed at how well the whole thing turned out and even my Dad seemed to like the pizza.

Will I lose my accent?

This is one of the frequently asked questions that many English people moving to Canada ask me.

Like in England there are variations in people’s accents however these variations are hard to pick up on if you have not grown up in Canada. The Newfoundland accent is the only one I can really pick up on, as it is sounds slightly Irish.

The Canadian accent that I am used to is subtler than the American accent however people who live in England commonly confuse the two.

People asking if they will lose their accent email me regularly. Some want to lose their English accent in order to feel like they fit in and others are determined to keep their accent.

The general rule is the younger you are the more likely you are to lose your accent. Being around Canadians constantly at school means that you will start picking up their habits. However after the age of 16 or 17 it may be harder to adopt the accent.

My accent is sort of a mix of Canadian and English and my speech patterns are all Canadian. I picked up Canadian slang and speech patterns in order for people to understand me. I learnt very early on that unless you use words that Canadians are familiar with they would not understand what I was saying.

I remember laughing at how stupid some Canadians seemed when they couldn’t understand the simplest things. Even my parents have started to use Canadian language in order to avoid the confused look that seemed to always plague peoples faces whenever an English person talked to them. These changes happened naturally and are only really noticeable to people who have experienced living in more than one country.

Grad dress

I have been looking forward to getting my grad dress for months now. One of the dress stores held special events just for grads, my friends and I signed up with our mothers and the store was opened up to just us. They provided us with food and drinks and a relaxed atmosphere to try on our dresses. It was a lot of fun, I was able to pick from a wide selection and I had my friends and mother there to help me decide on the perfect dress. Having everything provided for us meant that we didn’t have all the stress of going round thousands of shops. The grad experience is very new to me seeing as I never experienced anything like it in the UK.

Grad

Preparations for our graduation have already begun. Before I came to Canada my idea of Grad was a prom like in the movies. I soon came to realize there is much more to it than that.

We have a graduation ceremony where the parents come and watch, and then in the evening we have our banquet and dance (this is when everyone wears their dresses) the parents come as well and take photos. That ends at about 11.30, after which the parents go home and everyone else goes onto another venue. We stay up all night dancing and generally having a good time.

In the morning we have a breakfast at someone’s house. Well that’s the plan anyway. There is loads of organization involved both from the students and the parents. The students have to vote on what they want their after grad to be, there is even talk of going white water rafting rather than going on to a club. So far it is all very confusing but it looks to be a very memorable experience.

Let it snow?

I was very hesitant to write this blog, I really don’t want to encourage the rumour that Canada is just a block of ice. It really is very rare when it snows and hopefully this blog will prove just how unprepared most Vancouverites are for the snow.

I was told that it hardly ever snows in Vancouver but the past two years the snow has been amazing. At the moment the snow is everywhere and rumoured to last the week. The real drawback with the snow is that people from Vancouver aren’t used to the road conditions. The steep hills everywhere become extremely icy and so the past few days the news has reported car crashes (fender benders) all over Vancouver.

The past few days’ students have been fighting to get to school. One of my friends had to abandon her car in a ditch and still managed to get to school. On Friday the school looked half deserted, those of us who had managed to get to school were all hoping to be sent home, but to no avail. Even most of the teachers thought it was ridiculous that we hadn’t had a snow day yet. If your car doesn’t have four wheel drive and snow tires then it’s just not worth the risk. My car outside our house in the snow
January 8th, 2005

The annoying thing is that I am stranded at home unable to go anywhere other than my back yard. My car is completely covered in snow and even if I could get it out of the drive there is no way I can drive it through all this snow.

Getting my “N”

For most people outside Canada getting your “N” doesn’t mean anything, but in Canada it is one of the highlights of any teenagers life. For those of you who don’t know, getting my “N” means that I passed my class 7 driving test so I can now drive on my own. I had had my L for a year now and so I was now able to go for my test. I did my “N” test a week before but unfortunately I didn’t pass first go. This didn’t really surprise me, as most people don’t pass on there first try.

By my second go I was feeling ready but very nervous. For the test I had the same examiner as last time. Lucky for me he couldn’t remember me and so had forgotten that I had almost crashed on my previous test. On each test you can make the same kind of mistake twice, three times however and you fail. I was tested on right and left turns, parallel parking, backing into a parking spot, turn circles, shoulder checks, speed control and hazard awareness. I passed the test with only making one mistake.

My “N” has some restrictions; I can only drive with one other passenger (immediate family members exempt) unless a qualified supervisor (25+) accompanies me.

Since getting my “N” my life has changed dramatically, I have my own car (which my grandma bought me) and so I am able to get myself around. I used to always rely on my friend John, who has his “N” under the old regulations (can drive as many people as he likes) or my parents for rides. I suddenly feel very grown up. I never really liked driving but now I love it, I keep trying to come up with excuses to drive and I constantly find myself playing with my car keys. I am now able to drive my siblings to school and to go out on weekend without worrying about being able to get a ride home.

See also: learning to drive

Skating on Grouse

My friends and I have befriended the Danish exchange students. One of my friends decided to take them ice-skating and because I hadn’t been I went as well. To get to the top of Grouse Mountain you have to ride the gondola (for students it costs about $15.) The gondola takes roughly five minutes and is definitely worth doing even in the summer. Two of my friends are scared of heights and so spent the whole journey up with their eyes closed.

The top of Grouse was amazing - they had a Santa’s hut set up and there was even a reindeer! The skating was really made exciting because I was with my friends, I’m sure if I had gone on my own it wouldn’t have been quiet as much fun. Of course my Canadian friends had all been skating since they were tiny, both of the girls had done figure skating and so were amazing skaters. I recommend going to Grouse with a group of friends; and of course it is always fun to have a cute Canadian guy hold your hand as you both skate around!

School Dances

Winter semi formal dance is coming up and it's all that the grade 11 and 12's are talking about, in particular the girls. Dresses are suddenly of great importance and so is finding a date! The semi formal unlike the other dances is only for grade 11 and 12's and it's a semi formal, which means for once everyone dresses up! My mom understands the importance of dresses and so took Amber and I out to get them. The major problem with the dresses is that most people shop in the same area, the worst thing that could ever happen is that you turn up to the dance and see one else there wearing the same dress as you. To avoid this problem people go to extreme measures to insure a unique dress. One of my friends even went to Paris to find her dress! The excitement around semi formal dresses is nothing compared to grad dresses (aka prom) however I'll tell you about that when the time comes. Laura

Pajama Day

Today was pajama day, which means that everyone is supposed to come to school in their pajamas I don't really understand the point of this but it's always interesting to do. One of the downsides to pj day is you have to make sure you have a decent pair of pajama bottoms and also some decent underwear on in case anyone decides to pull your pants (trousers) down! It is mostly girls who participate in this event, as girls seem to be able to pull off looking good in pajamas far better than the guys can. It still seems a strange idea to me but then again I am half English.

My halloween

Halloween this year fell on a Sunday, which kind of sucked. Unlike my sisters I didn't have a costume party to go to. The night before my friends and I watch a scary movie (dawn of the dead) as usual the fact that I was British seemed to come up in conversation this time because one of the characters was English. The same way I can't tell a Toronto accent from a Vancouver accent my friend don't seem to be able to distinguish a London accent from a Liverpool accent. It still amazes me that after living here for over a year my friends still have trouble understanding some of the things I say. My accent definitely isn't as strong as it once was I even caught my self using the word “eh” at the end of a sentence much to my American friends disgust. Any way for Halloween I went round to my best friends house to contact the spirits, I should point out that this is not my idea of fun. John, Katie, and I sat in a circle holding hands in the pitch black of John's garden, candles surrounding us. Coming from a large city I seem to be constantly on edge, my friends love to take advantage of this and so jump out at my at every possible opportunity, tonight was no exception.

Laura

West Van

West Vancouver is known for being a very rich community. A stereotypical West Van mother would be wearing her designer clothes, holding a starbucks in one hand, her designer purse in the other, and heading out in her cute, convertible car. My friend John once described it as being “disgustingly rich” and after living here for over a year I can understand where he's coming from.

At first I was worried that there was going to be a lot of teasing from the kids who came from rich families but I didn't have to worry. People are far too laid back to even notice if you wear designer clothes every day. That's not to say it's not a problem for some people; it really depends on the people you hang around with.

For me the biggest culture shock was the way these peoples lives are so sheltered from the real world. I don't want to be stereotypical and say everyone is like this, but some of the teens here are so wrapped up in their own life that they have no idea about what life is like outside of their “West Van lifestyle”. Even today I heard a grade eight boy complain that he had to spend the weekend at Whistler in his family's cabin.

West Van is an amazing and beautiful place to live however some of the people can seem a bit out of touch with reality.

Going back to England

This summer I went with my mom to England for a business trip, although for me it really was just a chance for me to see my friends again. I had lived in England for almost all my life but it shocked me to see how differently I viewed it now that I was an outsider.

I completely misjudged the English summer and consequently was cold the whole vacation, mix that with permanent jet lag and you’re close to how I felt for that week and a half. Each day I went out in the rain, in my sandals and skirt, and walked the familiar street that somehow felt so alien to me. My mother and I kept looking up, surprised at how close the clouds seemed. For some reason it was all very depressing.

The reaction from the people I met was extremely unexpected. “Oh my God! You have an American accent!!!” I was silently disgusted at these people’s ignorance. How could I have an American accent if I lived in Canada??? The worst was talking to adults. I was so shocked at the way they spoke and their attitude to life. I was so used to the Canadian laid back, outgoing attitude that I was blown away when I talked to these pessimistic, uptight adults. These people didn’t want to know that my family and I had found a better way of life, they seemed to want us to fail at our attempts to emigrate, as if they could not possible imagine a life better than the one they had.

I had also misjudged the school system in England, although I had been off from school for almost a month, my friends were still at college and so I found myself alone a lot of the time in an area which was extremely familiar to me and yet I felt so out of place.

It was awesome to see my friends again but I missed Canada and my new friends. Overall I felt that I didn’t fit in and was glad when I got back to my real home.

Laura