How To Prepare For Canada

as i mentioned in my previous post, preparation is key to a smooth transition from the philippines to canada.

while being prepared does not guarantee your success, it will definitely make the transition easier. i find that things are easier when you know what to expect. when you know what is coming to you, you are able to plan your course of action and prepare back-up plans as necessary.

so how did i prepare to migrate? here's the list of what i did -

1. research

before leaving for canada, google and i became best friends. whenever i needed information about canada, i would google it. almost everything and anything can be "googled" these days. some of the things i googled were - weather, jobs, apartments, culture, clothes, prices, banks, schools, etc.

2. ask questions

if you have friends and relatives in canada, asking questions is the fastest and easiest way to learn more about canada. nothing beats learning from the past experiences of somebody you know.

3. join email groups

if you don't mind your email being bombarded with messages from strangers who are either applying to canada or currently in canada, then joining email groups may also be a good resource. to address this concern, i opened a separate email address to use for the email groups i joined.

a word of warning though. when joining email groups, it is wise to keep in mind that not everyone will experience the same things. opinions vary and life experiences are never the same. people will express their own opinions but i suggest that you decide for yourself.

if anything, i used email groups to learn from previous mistakes and past successes of the people in the group.

4. prepare your resume

my husband prepared his resume about 2 months prior to leaving for canada. we had his resume checked to ensure that his resume follows the canadian format. when all was set, he emailed his resume to a friend who happens to know someone who works in the same field as my husband does.

one month prior to leaving for canada, my husband already received a phone call from a major company in canada who asked him to give them a call immediately upon landing. so my husband did and he was scheduled for an interview within the same week. he got his appointment letter 2 weeks after.

of course there are still other ways which i did not do but you could do. you could join forums or visit canada. you could also read my blogs and subscribe to my feeds (hahaha!)