Craig And His Infamous List...

Craiglist is equally famous for its 'best of' advertisements too!

The title to this post sounds like the making of a spoof Harry Potter movie. But seriously, what is all this hot air about Craigslist. I mean, I had heard of the site whilst back in the UK, played around with it a bit and quickly got the impression that it is more commonly used in and around cities for sharing classified ads, but in Vancouver (and North America generally for that matter) this site is huge.

The brainchild of Craig Newmark - since arriving in Van I have spent a fair amount of time on this site, as it is a primary port of call for gaining employement (and had I not been with my girlfriend, I probably would have been looking for accomodation on here too!) The site is easy to navigate around, and has this tag line of info that draws you in depending on the certain words that you are looking for!

What's more, after getting fed up with the mundane job searching, you can always dip into the hilarious 'best of' Craiglist ads too, which is a killer way to pass some time, as the nice little story above demonstrates. My experience of the site is so far so good. I haven't had any luck with getting a job (despite applying to loads) but I have managed to purchase a really decent road bike, and make a new friend to go riding with in the process!

You just have to simply reply to the email address provided at the top of any advertisement, and the rest is up to the person that you notified with your interest. Then they will come back to you with more details, an offer, etc.

By The Sea

White Rock - where the sun is always shining!

The past couple of days I have been out in the 'burbs', discovering some parts of Greater Vancouver. My girlfriend descends from Surrey, which is situated more or less at the end of the Expo Line. Unlike Surrey (UK), this version boasts quite a large East Indian population, and has many malls and large expanses of farmland, and far less private schools full to the brim with spoilt kids installed with the statutory toff accents!

Coming out of Surrey Central, you soon realize this area is where people choose to build a family. Lots of primary and secondary schools, open spaces, no sidewalks, and large MTV Cribs style houses/mansions. It is a really nice area, although I have been reliably informed that Surrey does have a grizzly underbelly too - like anywhere really?! 

Anyway, it wasn't Surrey that I wanted to write about. Just 20 minutes away is not only the mighty US of A, but a stunning little seaside town (although I understand that it is actually a city?) called White Rock. It is so named after a very large white boulder that sits on the shoreline - apparently a glacial erratic from the last ice age. It is so large and vibrant that it has often been used a point of reference for navigators, including good ol' Cpt. George himself! 

My goodness is it steep when trying to slowly manoeuvre your car down into a parking space towards the general promenade area. That brings me to the incredible view that such a gradient provides. Looking out over Semiahmoo Bay, this is an area that is known for staying vibrantly sunny, which it was. Looking back inland there was no hesitation that the grey skies only meant one thing, that rain was bucketing down. 

As my girlfriend and I ambled down the pier, taking in the sea air, and noticing the clanging from the masts of the boats moving in the wind, I asked the obvious question when at the seaside... is there a good fish and chip shop? 

Not expecting anything special, as y'know, the idea of fish and chips in Canada is like trying to find the best salmon in the Humber Estuary. We walked alongside the railway tracks, that I understand are still used for goods transportation to the States, and ended up at the Moby Dick Seafood Restaurant. Boy was I in for a shock!

You go inside, a highly accredited establishment since 1975 (due to the countless 'Best Eat' stickers plastered on the door), and the place has a warm feel to it. Lined with pictures of famous celebs and sports stars (hockey players mainly) you get to the counter and are greeted in a friendly, wholesome manner. We ordered 2 pieces of lingcod and some crumbed oysters, which we decided to take away and eat at a bench whilst the sun went down.

That was some of the best fish I have ever had. Evident too by the amount of seagulls that were lurking to wait for us to drop some. What's noticeable is the lightness of the batter. Usually you feel so sluggish after eating an inch think of stodgy batter, but this was light and had a sweet beer taste - served with a great, fresh tartare sauce. What's more, when you order 2 bits, you get three, order 3, get 4 etc.

After our snack, we strolled back along the road, eyeing up the best of the seafront properties, and sucked in the last of what is a undeniably stunning view. The only down side is the brutal hill start that you have to try and coax all the horses out of your cars engine to drag you up the steep hills! We will definitely be back here in the Summer.

Staying Right

You will see these cool leaf imprints on the sidewalks around Yaletown

This may seem a bit of an odd post to be getting into, but being English (where everything is done on the left) you can perhaps start to empathise with my concerns. Basically, I find myself occassionally walking into people here in Vancouver, not because I am mad, but I have come to the conclusion that this happens because I am just overly English (in some respects!) I mean even when I was in India last year, there is still evidence of a colonial hangover, as I had no worries freely veering to the left-hand side of the (not very exsistent) pavement, or driving on the left-hand side of the roads in Goa, as this was something that was not changed in the wake of Indian Independance.

In Commonwealth Canada however, it is a different ball game altogether. I walk around downtown with my girlfriend, and she is constantly dragging me over to the right-hand side of the sidewalk. Additionally, and somewhat scarily, should you have a current UK driving license, you are actually allowed to drive in Canada for upto six months from your time of arrival - cruising on the freeway wouldn't be so bad, but driving within a city, no thanks! I think the remedy for this little quirk that I have discovered is to just keep practising, right, and if worst comes to worst, just apologize in your best British accent!

How I Spent Friday Night

Every gamers fantasy??

Yep, turns out that seeing is believing! My busy week of sitting around the apartment, watching crappy movies, and (eagerly) waiting for my girlfriend to finish to work, culminated in this awesome show that we went to see at the Legion on Commercial Drive. I heard that this was going to be a pretty big night, with some 400 hundred tickets available and word going about that they had all sold out in advance!

As we turned up to the venue it became increasingly apparent that this was the hot ticket in town, as the line up started to snake around the side of the building. Once we got stamped, with a little Blinky, you entered through the doors to find a whole host of cool stuff to get you in the mood before the show started. There was a SNES with Mario being played - projected on the wall, a photo booth area, a DJ playing video game related theme songs, stalls selling quirky items, not to mention some really great cupcakes, which was all nicely washed down by the obligatory cheap beer available at the bar!

Having never attended an event like this before, I was a tad apprehensive before the entertainment began... What's more, a picture of the Queen was hanging just above the stage. I am sitting there thinking, 'I wonder what she would make of all this!'

First things first, whooping, vulgar language, and inappropriate comments are all encouraged, as the MC proudly announced before the curtain was raised! Right, lets go! Tetris began proceedings, with giant glittered blocks protecting the ladies modesty until they were joyfully tossed off stage revealing all! Appearances from strip Sonic, and the stereotypical Japanese teen playing on the famed dance mat to... classic jazz music all made up a great first half of performances!

After the break appearances from Zelda, Spyro, Lara Croft, all introduced by a Stephen Hawking style vocoder, and all getting down to their undies and pasties, were excellent. The climax of the night was a Mario skit that resulted in the gang-banging of poor, lovable Peach! I remember at one point during the night I went back up to the bar to get some more beer, and the guy at the bar said, 'Hey, how are you enjoying the night?' to which I replied, 'What's there not to like, there's tits and beer!'

The VanDolls sure put on one hell of a show! It is obvious just how much effort must have gone into putting on the night. I was informed that mostly all the costumes and props that violently torn off are all hand made, and the routines are self-choreographed, tirelessly stepped out and practiced. All in all, a great night for just $15. After the show, the audience willingly ushered all the chairs to the side and enjoyed the disco that ensued!

G A M E - O V E R

Save On Meats

Find the brilliant Save On Meats at 43 West Hastings

Enough of all this talk about paperwork. Time to get back to experiencing more of what Van has to offer. Somewhat strangely it has been blindingly sunny in the earlier part of the week, which has been glorious. Due to the sun I have been hitting the pavement hard and exploring new spots around the city. I ventured off down into Gastown, an area easily defined by its brick streets, boutique shopping, and enterprising restaurants, bars and sandwich shops. I understand that historically this area hasn't always been that desirable with the seedier aspects a bit further east!

Anyhow, it was here that I found this awesome diner, Save On Meats. It originally opened in 1957, but has only re-opened recently after being closed since 2009. The place was packed when I strolled past the window (always a good pointer) so I thought I would grab a bite to eat - plus there are some sweet neon signs that (almost forcibly) guide you in! Straight through the door you notice a stunning jukebox belting out 70s and 80s classics. A typical diner bar lines one side of the joint with booth seating the other side, all dressed in retro brown vinyl with plenty of exposed brick.

Now to get in to the food. They have a really well planned menu, catering for all levels of hunger. Whether it is a snack or a hearty meal, your needs will be met. I went for the classic burger (only $6) with a root beer float to wash it down. Quality for mega value. I will definitely be going back to try more! Attention to detail is what makes this place. The graphics are quirky and clichéd, but that is what you want from a diner. What's more, it was on leaving that I realized there is an adjoining butchery and deli counter, with a take-away sandwich counter in between. Great!

About My Visa

Welcome to Canada!

Now that I have my visa and am here in Vancouver, I thought that I would share with you guys how the process went for me - might be of some help! I set about on applying for my IEC working holiday visa the day that the 2012 application process was opened in late December 2011. I already had my police check certificate (ACPO) in hand, so that took a great deal of time/waiting out of the equation. With regards to form-filling, I just followed the instructions provided in order to make sure what I punched in was accurate and got processed first time around (be wary to have the most recent version of Adobe on your computer, as these forms are smart-forms meaning that after you have entered your details a barcode will then be assigned to the form). Be sure to keep copies of all the electronic forms too - you will need to send them (again!) to the Canadian Embassy later in the process. Read the Step-by-Step Application guide and the FAQs if you are still fumbling around with this stage!

So, after getting all the relevant paperwork, photographs, and certificates etc, I sent them off via Royal Mail (signed for delivery) and within 48 hours had received notification that my visa application was now 'in the process' so to speak - this was January 4th. By Jan 10th I was emailed stating that, 'We are pleased to inform you that your application to the International Experience Canada (IEC) 2012 Canada-United Kingdom Working Holiday initiative meets the criteria and has been conditionally accepted'. It was at this point that I had then had to organize paying ninety pounds (GBP) via electronic transfer to the bank account that the Canadian Embassy provide. I duly did this within the next 24 hours. I went in to my branch to transfer the funds - they did this for free and at no cost to me! Result! And by January 12th it had been confirmed that my payment had been received. All good - very efficient!

After a couple of quick days progress, I then had to wait until January 17th for any further news. It was well worth the wait though as it was on this day that I was told:

'We are pleased to inform you that your application meets the International Experience Canada (IEC) criteria. Today we transferred your file to the Visa Section at the High Commission of Canada to the United Kingdom for the second phase of the evaluation. If your application is approved, you will receive a Letter of Introduction by email to the address that you provided on your application form'.

Great, by this point I am all go for Canada! The next day I received the email regarding the 'medical examination'. I chose to ignore this email (as it states) as I am not wanting to work within the employment fields that this requires. If you do need a medical you need to reply to that email within five working days. It was at this point that I then started to scout out the best travel insurance that would cover me for the next twelve to thirteen months. ACE Traveller offer the best deals with a pretty decent package for the lengths of time mentioned - and all for under two hundred quid! Bargain!

Waiting, waiting... Just waiting around for the final Letter of Introduction. Arrr! Then bang, on the 26th January I was emailed stating, (the words we all want to hear) 'Your application to study or work in Canada has been approved'. YES, YES!! Good job too, as my flight was a few days later. I then spent the last few days before leaving chilling out, packing up my stuff (being sure to pack sensibly - i.e. bringing a suit for interviews) and purchased my travel insurance at the last minute in order to ensure the maximum length of time on the policy. I entered Canada at Toronto airport (February 1st), which was all good, bar a few interrogatory questions from the Immigration Officer. At this point the correct stamps and papers are stapled in to your passport (if lost this can be replaced for the cost of thirty Canadian dollars). Then speedily hurried to catch my connecting flight to Vancouver!

Once in the country, the next day I headed to the nearest Service Canada office to get my SIN number (they tell you do this at Immigration) - the nearest one in Vancouver is downtown at the Sinclair Centre. You need to get to one of these offices asap after landing as the SIN number you are issued is like your National Insurance number that you get in the UK - it allows you to work (you need a valid address to show them as they send you a card within 2-3 weeks).

After all this I would say that you are good to go! Bit of a long winded process, but not that bad as long as you follow the instructions that are given. I am here now in Vancouver, and am now tirelessly applying for jobs. Not long until some interviews, I hope! As for Vancouver, my goodness it is beautiful!

Vacant / Vacation

Right, sorry for going a bit AWOL, I suppose it is now time to get things back to normal a bit. I have just got back from spending just under two weeks in sunny - lounging on the beach at a constant 27ºc - Mexico (I know, a bit of an overindulgence since only just moving to Van!) After a bit of jet-lag/post-holiday blues I reckon I am settling back in to City life pretty nicely. Visa worries are a thing of the past now too, as whilst I was away I got my IEC working holiday visa acceptance letter. Beyond happy does not even begin to cut it, and it made getting back in to Canada (at Toronto) so much easier - even if there was a bit of classic cross-airport sprint action to catch my connecting flight!