Yeah, are ya? I am loving living in Vancouver, I really am. I live on the North Shore (North and West Van, I chose North) and look out my backyard to Grouse Mountain every day. Frickin awesome!!!! Better than the Southern Alps – almost!
The flogged, dead horse to which I refer is the ‘Great Vancouver Job Market’. Now, unlike the wonderful Vancouver Christmas Market downtown on West Georgia, thisvain’t a great market to sell or buy your goods. It is kinda ugly and can suck all the positive energy out of you a bit like the negative friend we all have had.
People say, ‘but Sue, you are Canadian-born so no problem.’ Shit, I wish!!!! All comes down to how much ‘Canadian experience’ you have which is a hard thing to get if you can’t find a Canadian job. The economy is still not fab and there aren’t alot of jobs and you are likely to be one of 200 or more up for ANY job you go for.
I became a teacher in ’09 and before that was largely admin, study and raising my kid. Since being here I have nannied, cleaned and worked as a temp. Perm jobs are a bit like winning Lotto. You just have to buy a ticket each week and ONE day you will win, or get a perm job. I have been here 4 months and thank god, the temping is picking up slowly but surely.
To date I have applied for jobs in retail, hospo, nannying and other kinds of child care, deli jobs, supermarket jobs, volunteer stuff and well, I can’t rememember what else.
Right now I have $20 to my name. That will pay for the right hand corner of my bathroom in my basement suite for January’s rent!
But I keep flogging the horse – let’s call him Jasper – cos I know that everything will be okay. It has to be, right? I didn’t give up everything in New Zealand to come here and give up. Jasper would hate that. He loves a good flogging.
Yeah, I cry and throw things at Jasper but I love it here and am staying no matter what.
Besides, who would flog Jasper.
Love
Cinnamon
A Crockpot and a Frying Pan 