Thursday, December 06, 2007

Long Time, No Blog!


Honestly, I thought I would post sooner. Alot has happened since September so I will have to try and remember 3 months worth of info.

I waited and waited and waited for a reply for the pub but non came. So I asked for help through my Canadian links, mostly Bret who worked at the Traddock this year. She gave me a few links such as a hostel in Banff. I emailed them with my CV but received no reply. Great.

Next I joined up on Canadian job sites such as jobincalgary.ca and banffjobs.com . Luckily I got a responce from The University of Alberta which is in Edmonton from the catering department. Great news! So we talked over email and I explained about the 6+ week wait to get the VISA sorted and flights booked. Then she was going to send me a letter of confirmation. So I waited, and I waited, and I waited.... dammit.

I tried to get help through Bret's family and asked if they could get a letter from anyone offering work but it didnt happen due to it being to risky. The Canadian Government is VERY strict on these issues and they could have got into a lot of trouble. It's ok.

At the start on November, while I was just waiting for more replies, it hit me that I could go back to the original plan and go through BUNAC. I sent off my UCAS and hoped that a reply would return in time. Then, sadly I found out of a closure date a week from that day. So that went out the window. I still dont have a reply from Universities now, but they will come soon.

Recently I've reconsidered the whole year. In May I will be travelling round Europe in a VW Camper with some friends in May and June. That's going to be great but a little costly so we've all set aside £1k. Then, for more ideas I looked through travel books such as 'things to see before you die', and 'places to go before you die'. Just trying to get this holiday sorted was killing me...
In one of these books it mentioned Mexico City which took me back to dreams from when I was young to go see the Aztec Piramids. I thought it was great so I put Mexico onto my plan for April May.
This is where it got complicated/annoying. For enough money for January through April for both countries, I would need a job in Canada. I cannot say at all that I will be able to get a job there so ... looks like no Mexico for now. Not until summer 08 anyway.

Today I booked my flights. I leave 26th January, Mexico to Calgary, then return 26th April, Calgary to Manchester. £450. One of the best, if not the best price I got. Its through Zoom airline so its kind of like a transatlantic Ryan Air. I get food, etc so its not like I'm being starved for a cheeper price.

The Canadian Dollar
Last time I blogged the dollar had dropped from a great $2.25 to $2.08. Since then it dropped and dropped to $1.90. Thankfully, in the last month it has risen again to $2.05 and hopefully it should rise even further thanks to Christmas. Lets see.