# New life in Calgary



## dalaney (Oct 7, 2008)

Hi.

We are moving to Calgary next month and starting to get nervous now.
Just looking for reassurance from anyone living in Calgary that we are doing the right thing. 
Worried about the recession and whether we will have job security.
How easy did you find it to fit in and make friends?
Also how are you coping with the cold weather, been looking at forcasts and saw the temp dropped to -30, thats really cold.

Thanks


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## louiseg (Nov 17, 2007)

Hi Dalaney,
It is only natural to feel that way right now, I felt exactly the same before we moved over. You are probably amindst organising and planning and then to have Christmas too. Thats a lot going on, emotionally and physically.

We live about an hour west of Calgary. So not right in Calgary but what I've experienced Calgary is a friendly city. There are lots of newcomers you'll hear a lot of Brit accents. That helps as its an easy way to break the ice. Making friends takes some work, and you have to be prepared to meet a lot of people before you hit it off enough to call them good friends.
Winter is harder because everyone tends to be inside more. Getting out to all the events and local activities you can will help. Speak to anyone and everyone you can. Join clubs and get involved whereever there are opportunities.
The cold, is OK. Not saying it doesn't feel cold, but its doable. Dress for the conditions, thermals, layers, hats, mits etc and its OK. There is such a brilliant blue sky today even -33C is amazing.

Stay focused on the reasons you want this move, what you want your new life to be like, and how great it will be. Write them down and keep reading it, because its hard to begin with and everything will not be all great to begin with, but slowly it all falls in to place and you realise what you have achieved. Then its all worth it.

I love it here!!! PM if you want moral support always happy to help fellow pioneers!! Best Wishes Louise what a way to start 2009


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## Getting There (Nov 19, 2008)

dalaney said:


> Hi.
> 
> We are moving to Calgary next month and starting to get nervous now.
> Just looking for reassurance from anyone living in Calgary that we are doing the right thing.
> ...


Hi dalaney,

Happy new year and it sounds like it is going to be a momentous one for you.

We'd be more worried if you weren't a bit nervous. This is entirely natural. We live just south of Calgary in Okotoks, having moved here from the UK in 2007 and we endorse Louise's comments above. All good, sound advice.

Calgary is not recession proof, of course, but we still see lots and lots of economic activity here. Are you moving as Permanent Residents (where there is no linkage between the loss of a job and your right to stay in the country) or on a Temporary Work Permit. If the latter, have you had recent conversations with your employer to get a sense of what their "order book" looks like for the period ahead.

As to temps, we can send you some resources that will give you a better feel for things if you drop us a Private Message or email. -30 is indeed blooming cold and you don't hang around outside in it any longer than you have to. However, anything down to around -10, on the sort of sunny day that Louise refers to (it really does look beautiful out there today), is really very pleasant to be ou in if you pop on an extra layer or two and make sure you have gloves and something to keep your head warm.

The more you try to fit in, the more people will welcome you and try to help you. We truly find the Calgarians (and Okotokians!) a very warm bunch. Accept and embrace the differences you will find here - you are moving to another country so don't expect all the little things to be the same. Use it as an opportunity to try new food, or new varieties of old food, different sorts of cars, different norms at work, etc, etc. If you open your mind to these things, you will soon find yourselves slotting in.

You also know now that you have two members on this forum (Louise and ourselves) that are very close to Calgary (Okotoks especially so) that you can count on for some support! You're not alone...OK.

Eamonn & Janet.


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## louiseg (Nov 17, 2007)

Absolutely you can follow Calgary weather here Jan & Eam's Weather Watch very interesting, such a great idea guys


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## WhiteRose (Nov 27, 2008)

dalaney said:


> Hi.
> 
> We are moving to Calgary next month and starting to get nervous now.
> Just looking for reassurance from anyone living in Calgary that we are doing the right thing.
> ...


Hi Dalaney,

We are moving there next month too and I know exactly how you are feeling...and its awful. One moment I am giddy and the next I am thinking about all sorts of things and worrying over silly things, having quite a few sleepless nights which am sure you are too.

It will be fine, the cold will be ok, it cant be that bad with so many of us Brits staying there and I am told that it is a dry cold not a damp and chilling cold so its managable (my husband bought me some really cool snowboots for Xmas specially).

Good luck with it all,am sure we will speak again.

Rosie


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## dalaney (Oct 7, 2008)

Hi and thankyou all for your reassurance. You have made me feel better.

We are going on a work permit though so am worried about job security. Last spoke to employer about a month or so ago who said they had contracts for quite a few years ahead but with how the construction industry is at moment we are still worried.

We will be applying for permanent residency straight away though so fingers crossed everything will be ok.

Maybe we can meet up once we both get over there Rosie and help each other settle in?


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## Getting There (Nov 19, 2008)

WhiteRose said:


> Hi Dalaney,
> 
> ...One moment I am giddy and the next I am thinking about all sorts of things and worrying over silly things...
> 
> ...


Hi Rosie,

1) Re the swinging back and forth in your thoughts...we soooooo did that...just keep reminding yourselves why you are doing this.

2) I (Eamonn) am the world's biggest wuss when it comes to the cold  and I cope! You'll be OK.

Eamonn & Janet.


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## Getting There (Nov 19, 2008)

dalaney said:


> Hi and thankyou all for your reassurance. You have made me feel better.
> 
> We are going on a work permit though so am worried about job security. Last spoke to employer about a month or so ago who said they had contracts for quite a few years ahead but with how the construction industry is at moment we are still worried.
> 
> ...


Maybe another little check in with the firm will help provide a bit of extra re-assurance. Good that you will be getting your PR application in pronto and everything crossed that gets processed in a reasonable timeframe.

We know lots of people recently moved and planning to move in the weeks and months ahead. We keep trying to connect them with eachother as a bit of a self-support network and that seems to be paying dividends for them, so your suggestion to Rosie is excellent and if you both want to try and tie in with the others we know in a similar position, we will be happy to oblige. Anything that helps take some of the stress and concerns away is a good thing.

Eamonn & Janet.


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## WhiteRose (Nov 27, 2008)

dalaney said:


> Hi and thankyou all for your reassurance. You have made me feel better.
> 
> We are going on a work permit though so am worried about job security. Last spoke to employer about a month or so ago who said they had contracts for quite a few years ahead but with how the construction industry is at moment we are still worried.
> 
> ...


That would be great to meet up!

We are going on workpermits too, the PR application is going in as soon as we arrive. The LMO should have arrived before xmas but there has been a back log on the processing so now we will be getting the permits at point of entry when we land.

....just to add to the stress I leave for Vancouver in 10 days to visit my mum with the kids, my husband is coming out for a week then flying back to the UK to work his notice and get the house rented out then he will be joining me in BC to collect all our worldly posessions and drive over to Calgary...yikes If the LMO has not arrived before I leave for Vancouver then when my husband flys back out to BC to meet me they will just issue his visa and the kids and I will have to drive to the US border for ours...why are things never straight forward?

'Short Term Sacrifices for Long Term Gains' 

Rosie


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## WhiteRose (Nov 27, 2008)

Getting There said:


> Hi Rosie,
> 
> 1) Re the swinging back and forth in your thoughts...we soooooo did that...just keep reminding yourselves why you are doing this.
> 
> ...


Thanks Eamonn...but I may have to challenge you on wussiness for the cold (is that a word?)

Can you guys recommend any websites for rental properties in the Okotoks area? Have done a load of research and that place looks fantastic to bring up kids.

Thanks

Rosie


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## Getting There (Nov 19, 2008)

WhiteRose said:


> Thanks Eamonn...but I may have to challenge you on wussiness for the cold (is that a word?)
> 
> Can you guys recommend any websites for rental properties in the Okotoks area? Have done a load of research and that place looks fantastic to bring up kids.
> 
> ...


Hi Rosie,

Okotoks is indeed a very family oriented place and up around where we live features an elementary school that was voted one of the top 40 in Canada a few years back. It's a very impressive establishment.

One good place to search out Okotoks rentals is Calgary Apartments For Rent and Edmonton Apartments For Rent | RentFaster.ca We hope the following link brings up the Okotoks selection of properties...
Calgary Rentals and Apartments For Rent - Alberta - RentFaster.ca

However, perhaps an even better place to look is in the classified section of our weekly local paper, the fabulously entitled, Western Wheel. It comes out on a Wednesday so check for updates then. We attach links to both the news section (so you can get a flavour of local news...it is usually refreshingly undramatic!) and the classifieds where you will find rentals...
Western Wheel - your Foothills Community Newspaper
Okotoks Western Wheel Classifieds
We're always happy to go take an external pic or two of a rental and jot down a note or two on the local area if peope have struck up a correspondence with a particular landlord and things are looking promising...only takes us a few minutes and reduces the risk of you ending up somewhere unsuitable (not that this is a big risk in Okotoks...you are generally talking degrees of "really very nice").

Kind regards,

Eamonn & Janet.


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## scotiagirl (Jan 3, 2009)

how long have you guys been thinking and planning this move up to thius point of about to fly out? gives those of us starting to make decisions some idea of timescales.

i hope you both have a successfull move over and are very happy in your new lives. keep chatting here and let us know how things go

teresa


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