My First job in Canada

Now im all ready to work/ train to become a North American Truck driver,the company's theory is for you to help in the shop (in which you get Paid)to help you get acqainted to their trucks etc in which will help you pass your Air Brake test then road driving test.So here i was ready to help and learn,unfortunately there isn't much for me to do one Fitter was working on a roof of a trailer which had scimmed a bridge and one was doing a service on a tractor, so it was off to my desk to study.If at anytime i had any questions to ask the guys would take time out to answer them, some of the questions must of sounded really stupid, sorry guys for sounding dumb.Back to my desk dinner time came and went then i got asked do i want a job to do? "YOU Bet i do", i said,Yep my first job in Canada was to brush up the shop floor due to the fitter fixing the roof there was rubbish everywhere,so off i went happily brushing up,what it did do was break the ice properly with the guys, it wasn't long after i was ask to help with other stuff now i felt i was fitting in.After a bit of a chat with them they explained how they would help me in the coming days etc,they certainly stuck to there words.
Friday came the job off the day was to replace the full skin of the trailer roof which had scimmed a bridge.4 off us worked on this all day drilling, gluing, rivitting, cutting etc.By the end of the day the trailer was ready to roll.Working/training like this certainly helps you settle into a company and you start to get to know how these guys operate.Cheers lads.

Canadian Immigration

My appointment was 9.30 on weds 16th at Charlottetown to try and sort out my problem,to recap when i came into canada they wouldn't give me a Twp so i couldn't start work.we arrived and informed the receptionist we had an appointment,the guy who we were meeting was actually waiting in the lobby i couldn't believe it how many times have we waited to see someone for ages back home.
Off we went to Pauls office (the immigration guy)and after a brief and constructive chat off he went to see what he could,after 10mins he was back i couldn't have a Twp because as stated i haven't got the correct licence (full truck licence)but the way we can get round this was as follows,If i issue you with a temporary resident visa for lets say 2 years to coincide with the work contract then i could issue you with yep a T w p, and i don't have to leave Canada to gain this either.So after parting with my $150.00 i came out with 2 shiny visa's to say i was relieved well it was an understatement.Many thanx to Paul (service Canada) for such an efficent conclusion to this dilema.Now i can get my social security number thats under the same roof, 15 min later i have a social security number,then off to the bank to deposit some cash and open an account.All this form filling etc took its toll what do the canadians do when this happens yep go to Tim Hortons for a coffee these are an institution in canada they are everywhere.Back to the shop i can offically work now so i ask the guys if they wanted me to do anything,there wasn't much i could muck in with so it was off to my desk to study and thats where i stayed till my lift arrived to take me back to my motel.

Merry Christmas

Christmas time is for giving and sharing,its time for familys and good will to all men,Unfortunately i am unable to share this occasion with my family due to me being in Canada and my family back in England,never in a million years did i think it would be this tough to be away from them,it certainly allows you time for refelection,plenty of time.I can truly understand why its so easy to give up and get the heck out of here,my wife is is also my very best friend shes the best thing that has happened to me and i love her with all my heart and i wish i could just feel her touch, babes Feb can't come quick enough at least i have goals to reach because i couldn't imagine not have any secure plans.
Take time out this christmas for a little thought for people who are less fortunate than yourself,people who have lost loves ones,our soldiers who are in war torn countrys and there familys never knowing from one day to the next whether there love one will come home,my problem now seems insignificant i will be thinking off them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS XXX

A Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Happy christmas and a prosperous New year to all

A Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Happy christmas and a prosperous New year to all

So what does Tuesday bring

My first full day on canadian soil started when i woke with a jump,the telly was blarring out i was still fully dressed how long had i been to sleep yep 3 bloody hours its still silly o clock, more shut eye needed.Thats better 9.30 i reawoke a nice shower and a phone call to my new employer to let them know im alive we arranged a time for me to be collected then i wait.How nice it is to meet up with somone you have had so much contact with phone, emails etc but never met in person, a short journey later there i was a my new employment place how strange that felt to actually see the place with your own eyes and not through pictures etc.As you were aware i couldn't get my TWP (due to a very nice immigration Lady whos only answer to my questions were thats not my problem sir)now this becomes a problem when i was due to start work straight away part of your training was to work in the shop with the guys to help with your airbrake test and help you get to know the trucks etc,no work permit, yep you got it no work.Now the guy who sorts all the companys recruitment comes into his own he works very close with Service Canada and is on the phone his email is going ten to the dozen trying to sort this out.While we wait for some answer i was passed the famous airbrake course book and told to study this so off i go into the shop and shown to a nice place at the top where there is a desk etc over the next few days i get very accustomed to being up there god i hate studying.This was the veiw from my desk yep thats a big snow shoveller, as the day was coming to a close a big shout across the shop we've got an interview at immigration 9.30 tomorrow morning in Charlottetown hopefully my little problem can be drawn to a close,Fingers crossed.

As soon as meetest i must depart

Unfortunately my time with my new best mate was short lived,i had to depart Halifax for my final destination (not my final destination ever).Charlottetown is where im heading on the beautiful island of Prince Edward,so i boarded a dash 8 propeller aircraft i know these aircraft well as it happens,many years ago i started working at manchester airport loading and unloading the planes with the catering and stores etc,you worked with a partner one would drive the other would open the doors etc i had only been there a couple of weeks when we got the job of servicing one of these dash 8 planes, me being new and not knowing anything and my partner Horsey a long timer with loads of experience i would leave the decision to him what door to open,WRONG WRONG WRONG he opened the rear door, yep the emergency exit door and it fell to the tarmac with a right thud have you ever tried to pick one of these doors up i suppose you haven't really, let me tell you they are heavy unfortunately we couldn't cover our tracks due the the massive dint in it,so if you were flying out from manchester a few years ago on a brymon airways flight and it was cancelled sorry it was our fault,anyway back to my flight i am now seated next to this door rembering how easliy it came away, i think i will close my eyes and go to sleep.On returning from the land of nod we touch down at Charlottetown terminal 1 as you can see its not he biggest airport in the world but its nice,i gather my bags after a little chuckle to myself and grabbed a cab to my new home for the next few months.Shown to my room by Brian the caretaker/handyman he didn't have to walk far it was next door to his,how lucky am i "anything you want give us a shout"he said "i've always got beer in the fridge"he said "Well" i said "it would be rude not to have one" so there i was with yet another new best friend, a couple of beers later it was time to say my goodbyes and get some sleep 22hours after leaving manchester ive finally manged to get to bed.

No T W P on a technicallity

So here we go Manchester to Heathrow, Heathrow to Halifax, Monday 14th i departed dear ole Blighty, passport, LMO and contract of employment in one hand, $150 in the other, i glide up to the immigration desk in Halifax and introduce myself to the lovely lady on the other side,i boldly ask her for my T W P in which her reply is sorry if you haven't got a full canadian truck licence you you can't have a TWP,now this isn't what was suppose to happen as i explained but no this is the way they do things here,so what can i do i asked in a manly voice (or maybe it was a whimper by this time)its not my problem i was told.Great just great can i use your phone to make a call i asked No i was politely told,ok after an agonising wait this is what happened i will issue you with a visitors visa which will expire in feb it allows you to pass your Hgv but you are not allowed to work or apply for a social security number, bank account or any thing else, im not actually sure if i was able to go into any shops to buy anything i didn't dare ask, im sure by this point i don't think i was as curtious as i was when we first met,you must leave canada when you pass this then when you re enter you can apply for you TWP then,oh i forgot to mention there was some good news that came out of this meeting it didn't cost a penny for my new lovely visitors visa, as i walked away like a wounded animal those famous words rang out HAVE A NICE DAY gee thanks i thought you AHHHHHHHHHHHH,so off i went to check in for my connecting flight there is only one thing you can do after situations like that yep you guessed it 1pint of your famous canadian lager please NOW, Barman Dave is now my new best mate do i have another or !!!!!! well i'll leave the end bit to you.

The week that was

How fast can a week actually go,when i handed my notice in it gave me just over a week to do what i thought i would need to do last bit of shopping, bit of the visiting people lark etc and plenty of time with family,well how wrong was i.If i had a month to do all that it still wouldn't of been long enough, so take heed don't leave it all till the last minute cos now im regretting not being able to get it all in.What it does do though while you are visiting friends family etc make you realise what a extremly hard decesion it is to walk away and start a fresh, i have some fantastic friends and we've shared some great times together, it would of been easy this week to say what the heck im staying putand believe me the thought did cross my mind more than once.Anyway a massive big thanks to everyone for all the well wishes i am trully touched by some of the letters ive recieved.

My last post was about what i would miss about Blighty i will carry that on as time goes by but as i arrived in Canada my first thought was £1.09 petrol price per litre (uk) 94 cents litre(Ca)

Thought of the week

If you want to be successfull,you need the courage to risk failing.Doing nothing means you'll avoid failure,but also means you'll avoid succes.

Leaving Blighty

Ive been thinking for a bit of what im going to miss when i leave good ole Blighty,if you have any suggestions please feel free to add also the things you were glad to get away from.This isn't about leaving family and friends etc,so here goes over the next few days i will add what i think will affect me.

1, Liverpool Football Club.
Since i can remember i have supported lfc and travelled all over europe to watch the mighty reds.Istanbul 25/05/05 was probably the best night off my short life never before (or since) have i witnessed what happened that night i was in the Attaturk stadium that night with my mates Colin,Kev,Dave,Deco.John, watching the dvds etc still bring great big ole tears to my eyes and yes i am on the dvd one night in may only for a second but it still counts.I also had to great fortune to be in Athens 2 years later unfortunately the result never went our way, hey you can't win them all.As a lfc fan we have graced many cup finals ive been lucky to get to these great stadiums over the years Old Wembley and the millennium stadium,not made it to new Wembley YET. YNWA

2,Welsh coast

One of my favorite pastimes is fishing, so not living to far away from wales i have sent alot of time there the place to sum it up in one word is Beautiful we have so many great times there whether it would be in porthmadoc,penmon,conway harlech or shell island, maybe this is the reason why we have eventually chosen Prince Edward Island as a place where we would like to settle.I would have liked to climb snowdon but never had the time maybe one day.

3,M6

Living so close this motorway has meant me travelling up and down this road most of the time if i never use it again it would be to soon to say i hate it is an understatement any person who has to use it regularly will know what i mean.

Another Giant Leap

This week has been the first time that i have had some regrets about moving on,I,ve been employed for the last 15 months by B C Transport my time there has been fantastic i have enjoyed working with everyone there my role has been varied driving, loading etc,so when i handed my notice in monday morning i felt as if i've just lost someone (god i sound like a right wuss don't i).What i would like to say is many many thanks to all at B C for everything and for all the words of support etc,here's a few that i would like to mention,

Chris Goodwin( M D),Rod, Paul ,lauren(office) Adam Chadwick,Leigh Upton (garage) Malcolm, Gordon (wharehouse)we've had some fun in the mornings and i will miss the tea you make Gordy, Graham Torr i will never forget the morning you really did make the earth move (and the wharehouse) also Rob nolan,Andy Stately (and your brother at woodford),maraius (i will be like you)also to everyone else a big thanks.

I have always loved this job and only been fustrated sometimes by the lack of work, if the company that im going to treat me half as good as ive been treated at B C then i will be happy.