September 22 is the day when summer ends and the leaves begin to change colour and fall. Therefore, this is more aptly called the season of Fall. With the colder and dreary nights approaching it can be a depressing time for all. This pretty much means an end to all the outdoor activity of the summer and more time spent indoors. Fall is also a time when the television networks cash in and premiere their new seasons.
Every weeknight all off this week has shows premiering and they are expected to go through to the first week of October. So it is a new season of Prison Break, Heroes, Desperate Housewives, Criminal Minds, Grey's Anatomy, Dancing with the Stars and Deal or No Deal to name a few. Plus, there are new shows like Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money. Although the weather is expected to turn colder, it hasn't done so. The lack of rain this year has been the cause for the warm weather and the leaves have actually changed colour faster than they used to.
There are several explanations to why leaves changes colour and the most popular one is when the plants stop the process of photosynthesis and the lack of chlorophyll drains the green colour from the leaves. This makes the leaves yellow and they fall off as the days get colder. Currently there is a debate going on in North America about the reason for the orange and red coloured leaves on trees. Expert opinions suggest the stop in photosynthesis explains the yellow colour in leaves, however, the orange and red coloured leaves are generated due to other changes in nature.
I won't go into the details of the debate, however, the colours are absolutely beautiful. It is going to get colder and then all of them will be gone. I am enjoying the sights and the season premieres and I totally understand the logic behind the shows starting at a time when more people are at home. It makes perfect sense!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Reading a Home Listing!
There are several places where you read home listings and for people who are new to the country, this is not the easiest thing to get around. While browsing through the newspapers, home magazines or on the Internet, you will come across several listings with fancy terms which I try to explain in this piece. I hope it will help in understanding the listings better.
1. Lot Size - This tells you the size of the plot of land that the house is built on
2. Storeys - The number of levels of the house. These are normally not more than three, though, there could be a few that are more than three storeys.
3. Back Split - Here again, as the name suggests, the back of the house has split levels and the front of the house has a single level. Therefore you can have up to a five level back split house.
4. Basement - All houses in Canada have basements. Basements can have finished walls and floors or unfinished walls and floors. Basements can also be used as apartments if they have separate entrances and work as source of income. Some people also use their basements as game rooms. It is always good to buy a house with a finished basement as this can save money.
5. All Elfs - This is an acronym for All Electric Light Fixtures
6. Shingles - This relates to the roof of the house
7. Broadloom - Carpeted flooring in that particular room
8. Hardwood - Refers to hardwood flooring
9. Bathrooms - These can be 2pc, 3pc, 4pc or 5pc and they can also be en suite. An en suite bathroom means that it is within a room. A 2pc has a toilet and washbasin, a 3pc has a shower stall, a 4pc has a bathtub and shower while a 5pc also has a bidet
10. Appliances - Most houses come with fridges, stoves, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers. These are the basic appliances that are available to all. In some houses, you may get additional appliances too.
11. Garages and Parking - Parking spaces could be on the driveway or in the garage. Normally a two garage parking can accommodate up to four cars. Two in the garage and two out on the drive way.
12. Backyard - Depending on the size of the lot, the backyard may have a garden or a plain lawn with patio furniture.
1. Lot Size - This tells you the size of the plot of land that the house is built on
2. Storeys - The number of levels of the house. These are normally not more than three, though, there could be a few that are more than three storeys.
3. Back Split - Here again, as the name suggests, the back of the house has split levels and the front of the house has a single level. Therefore you can have up to a five level back split house.
4. Basement - All houses in Canada have basements. Basements can have finished walls and floors or unfinished walls and floors. Basements can also be used as apartments if they have separate entrances and work as source of income. Some people also use their basements as game rooms. It is always good to buy a house with a finished basement as this can save money.
5. All Elfs - This is an acronym for All Electric Light Fixtures
6. Shingles - This relates to the roof of the house
7. Broadloom - Carpeted flooring in that particular room
8. Hardwood - Refers to hardwood flooring
9. Bathrooms - These can be 2pc, 3pc, 4pc or 5pc and they can also be en suite. An en suite bathroom means that it is within a room. A 2pc has a toilet and washbasin, a 3pc has a shower stall, a 4pc has a bathtub and shower while a 5pc also has a bidet
10. Appliances - Most houses come with fridges, stoves, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers. These are the basic appliances that are available to all. In some houses, you may get additional appliances too.
11. Garages and Parking - Parking spaces could be on the driveway or in the garage. Normally a two garage parking can accommodate up to four cars. Two in the garage and two out on the drive way.
12. Backyard - Depending on the size of the lot, the backyard may have a garden or a plain lawn with patio furniture.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Home Shopping!
As you settle into the country, one of the most important things that you will buy, is your home. While you may choose to rent as you start off, eventually you will look for the security and want to buy a house. I am no expert at this, however, I would like to share some basics through the research that I have done so far.
In Canada, you can either live in an apartment or in a house. While you can also live in penthouses, mansions, suites and fancy manors, I am talking about middle class housing and therefore all my reference work is related to the common man.
Apartments
Apartments can either be condominium apartments or community apartments. Condo Apartments require you to pay maintenance fees which are used for all the exterior up keep of the building. In community apartments residents volunteer to do the maintenance work in the building and therefore the prices of these apartments are lower.
Townhouses
Townhouses as the name suggests are houses in small townships and these can either be freehold or leasehold. In freehold townhouses you own the land that the house is built on while with the leasehold houses the land is leased to you. It is all simple stuff and what they are called often explains what they mean. There are condo townhouses too and they have condo fees which are used for the exterior maintenance of the house. In townhouses you share walls with your neighbours.
Semi Detached
In Semi Detached houses as the name suggests one wall is detached while the other is attached to another house. So normally there are two houses attached to each other in semi detached homes. Semi detached houses are slightly more expensive than townhouses in a particular location.
Detached
Detached homes again as the name suggests are detached from each other and are independent. These are the most ideal types of homes as you do not share walls with the neighbours and therefore you enjoy the most privacy in these type of homes.
Bungalows
These are the most expensive type of houses as they are all on one level and therefore are on larger pieces of land. Since they have a single level, they are extremely popular with older people as these houses are a lot easier on the knees. Bungalows can fetch you a premium price.
In Canada, you can either live in an apartment or in a house. While you can also live in penthouses, mansions, suites and fancy manors, I am talking about middle class housing and therefore all my reference work is related to the common man.
Apartments
Apartments can either be condominium apartments or community apartments. Condo Apartments require you to pay maintenance fees which are used for all the exterior up keep of the building. In community apartments residents volunteer to do the maintenance work in the building and therefore the prices of these apartments are lower.
Townhouses
Townhouses as the name suggests are houses in small townships and these can either be freehold or leasehold. In freehold townhouses you own the land that the house is built on while with the leasehold houses the land is leased to you. It is all simple stuff and what they are called often explains what they mean. There are condo townhouses too and they have condo fees which are used for the exterior maintenance of the house. In townhouses you share walls with your neighbours.
Semi Detached
In Semi Detached houses as the name suggests one wall is detached while the other is attached to another house. So normally there are two houses attached to each other in semi detached homes. Semi detached houses are slightly more expensive than townhouses in a particular location.
Detached
Detached homes again as the name suggests are detached from each other and are independent. These are the most ideal types of homes as you do not share walls with the neighbours and therefore you enjoy the most privacy in these type of homes.
Bungalows
These are the most expensive type of houses as they are all on one level and therefore are on larger pieces of land. Since they have a single level, they are extremely popular with older people as these houses are a lot easier on the knees. Bungalows can fetch you a premium price.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Driving School - Completed the In Class Lessons!
Continuing from my series on Driving Licenses in Ontario, you need to enroll into a driving school to help you pass your road test. You can enrol into a Driving School after passing the knowledge test. However, you can also choose to complete the In Class sessions before attempting your knowledge test. There are different driving schools and therefore you need to shop for the best one that gives you value for your dollar. All schools have a manadate to teach the same curriculum.
The Driving School has two parts to it - In Class lessons and In Car lessons. In Class lessons run for 25 hours and these can be broken down into four eight hour weekend sessions or eight four hour weekday sessions. During the summer holidays and winter breaks, they do have classes that run for four days in a row. The In Class lessons help you tremendously as they impart the vital theory knowledge to what you put in practice while in the car.
It is extremely important to pay attention to these lessons as they give you some really valuable tips and simplify some very complicated rules to driving in Canada. While most people view these lessons as a waste of time, I personally drew a lot of knowledge from the sessions. I feel a lot more confident in the car now and the explanation of the concepts helped me get better on the road. The most important part of these lessons is that they equip you with the right knowledge to deal with difficult situations. Sadly, most young Canadian drivers don't take these classes seriously and they can pose a great risk to each and every one of us on the road.
I will soon finish my In Car lessons as well and I hope to pass my G1 Exit on the first attempt. Enrolling into a Driving School saves you time in acquiring a full G Class licenese as it cuts off about four months of the wait to the G1 exit test and it also gives you a discount on your car insurance till the age of 65. Therefore, the certificate that the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario provides you after completing the required 25 hours In Class and the ten hour In Car lessons will help you save money for several years to come.
The Driving School has two parts to it - In Class lessons and In Car lessons. In Class lessons run for 25 hours and these can be broken down into four eight hour weekend sessions or eight four hour weekday sessions. During the summer holidays and winter breaks, they do have classes that run for four days in a row. The In Class lessons help you tremendously as they impart the vital theory knowledge to what you put in practice while in the car.
It is extremely important to pay attention to these lessons as they give you some really valuable tips and simplify some very complicated rules to driving in Canada. While most people view these lessons as a waste of time, I personally drew a lot of knowledge from the sessions. I feel a lot more confident in the car now and the explanation of the concepts helped me get better on the road. The most important part of these lessons is that they equip you with the right knowledge to deal with difficult situations. Sadly, most young Canadian drivers don't take these classes seriously and they can pose a great risk to each and every one of us on the road.
I will soon finish my In Car lessons as well and I hope to pass my G1 Exit on the first attempt. Enrolling into a Driving School saves you time in acquiring a full G Class licenese as it cuts off about four months of the wait to the G1 exit test and it also gives you a discount on your car insurance till the age of 65. Therefore, the certificate that the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario provides you after completing the required 25 hours In Class and the ten hour In Car lessons will help you save money for several years to come.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
It's been a week at work!
The week has flown by. It was only last Monday that I was going into the office to pick up my letter of appointment. I started off immediately and have been in training the whole week. This will continue for a month and in that time I should be ready to start performing the roles that I have been hired for.
The work culture is similar to what I have been exposed to in India. The kind of work, the challenges, the objectives and the people are similar. You have got to perform to the fullest and everybody wants to be successful. There is a busy rush hour that you have to deal with each morning, on the roads, in buses, trains and public transit. Now, that schools have started, it adds to your traffic congestion.
The weather is changing too and in the next couple of weeks, it is going to get colder and colder. The winter is going to be a testing one for us since we both haven't seen snow.
The work culture is similar to what I have been exposed to in India. The kind of work, the challenges, the objectives and the people are similar. You have got to perform to the fullest and everybody wants to be successful. There is a busy rush hour that you have to deal with each morning, on the roads, in buses, trains and public transit. Now, that schools have started, it adds to your traffic congestion.
The weather is changing too and in the next couple of weeks, it is going to get colder and colder. The winter is going to be a testing one for us since we both haven't seen snow.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Two Months after 07/07/07
Exactly two months after entering Canada, I got a call from a company confirming my employment with them. Wow! That is a load of my chest. Believe me, all the preparation that you do before you come here, does pay rich dividends. Even though when you set out from your home country preparing to do anything in the new country, when you have to wait for a job, it kind of gets to you.
I am extremely lucky to get work in my field so soon and at a level almost equal to one that I was performing back home. My wife has a job too and we are happy that things have started off for us on the right foot. So for all those that are looking to find work here, it is important that you come completely prepared and although you may get advice that tells you that it is tough to find work in your own field at the start, it may not always be true. Please continue to search for the jobs that you really want and don't just settle for anything that comes your way.
I am extremely lucky to get work in my field so soon and at a level almost equal to one that I was performing back home. My wife has a job too and we are happy that things have started off for us on the right foot. So for all those that are looking to find work here, it is important that you come completely prepared and although you may get advice that tells you that it is tough to find work in your own field at the start, it may not always be true. Please continue to search for the jobs that you really want and don't just settle for anything that comes your way.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Cottage Trip!
The Labor Day weekend was another first for us in Canada. This was a cottage trip to the Bay View Resort located in Lakefield, Ontario in the lake region of Peterborough. The drive is about 185 km (115 miles) away and it takes about two and half hours to get there. However, since it was the holiday weekend, the traffic congestion took us about an extra hour to get there. It was worth the wait because when we got there it was an absolutely breathtaking sight. All the cottages were on the banks of the lake and the weather was just right for a pleasurable holiday away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Deer Bay is well known for its consistent Muskie, Pickerel, Panfish and Bass Fishing. You can explore the lake by hiring a speed boat, canoe, paddle boat or a pedal boat. We visited the cottage with a group of families and we were about 200 people in total including kids and infants. It was a planned weekend with all sorts of fun games and events planned over the next couple of days interspersed with time out for relaxation, recreation, drinking or just making a pig out yourself. It was weekend filled with indulgence and never before from what I can remember have I been cut off from all means of communication.
As I said before, the lake view was extremely picturesque and the weather was just perfect. A lot of bass was caught over the weekend and there was a lot of activity in the lake for kids and adults. I went into the water too although I don't know to swim and in the first few minutes, I lost all feeling below the waist. Now, that is scary :-) I was fine after that as I got accustomed to the cold water.
During the weekend, we made a lot of new friends and spent some quality time playing some fun games. I even got to play some cricket after many months and I was extremely excited about it. I was also very pleased that I could contribute to my team's victory in the Cricket Cup. It was soft ball cricket, however, it was full off fun, fighting and arguing about petty things just like we did back home in the gullies of Mumbai.
The weekend was well planned out, with four teams created out of all the participants with funny Indian names. We were divided into groups called the Bombils (Bombay Duck), Pamplet (Pomfrets), Gadhas (Donkeys) and the Popats (Parrots) as we contested various games and events during the weekend. The highlight of the weekend was the Amazing Race that required each of the groups to run all around the cottages in a chase for clues that would win them the big przie. The best part about this event was that it involved everybody from kids to the oldest members on thr trip. I was in the Bombil group and we were the winners of the Weekend Trophy.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience and it gave us the opportunity to witness some of the beauty this country has to offer. The lake was just one of the several thousand in Canada and there are several more that are far more beautiful than this one. Till our next cottage trip this will be the most beautiful place that I have visited thus far and I will continue to write about the other ones as I go along.
Deer Bay is well known for its consistent Muskie, Pickerel, Panfish and Bass Fishing. You can explore the lake by hiring a speed boat, canoe, paddle boat or a pedal boat. We visited the cottage with a group of families and we were about 200 people in total including kids and infants. It was a planned weekend with all sorts of fun games and events planned over the next couple of days interspersed with time out for relaxation, recreation, drinking or just making a pig out yourself. It was weekend filled with indulgence and never before from what I can remember have I been cut off from all means of communication.
As I said before, the lake view was extremely picturesque and the weather was just perfect. A lot of bass was caught over the weekend and there was a lot of activity in the lake for kids and adults. I went into the water too although I don't know to swim and in the first few minutes, I lost all feeling below the waist. Now, that is scary :-) I was fine after that as I got accustomed to the cold water.
During the weekend, we made a lot of new friends and spent some quality time playing some fun games. I even got to play some cricket after many months and I was extremely excited about it. I was also very pleased that I could contribute to my team's victory in the Cricket Cup. It was soft ball cricket, however, it was full off fun, fighting and arguing about petty things just like we did back home in the gullies of Mumbai.
The weekend was well planned out, with four teams created out of all the participants with funny Indian names. We were divided into groups called the Bombils (Bombay Duck), Pamplet (Pomfrets), Gadhas (Donkeys) and the Popats (Parrots) as we contested various games and events during the weekend. The highlight of the weekend was the Amazing Race that required each of the groups to run all around the cottages in a chase for clues that would win them the big przie. The best part about this event was that it involved everybody from kids to the oldest members on thr trip. I was in the Bombil group and we were the winners of the Weekend Trophy.
Overall, it was a wonderful experience and it gave us the opportunity to witness some of the beauty this country has to offer. The lake was just one of the several thousand in Canada and there are several more that are far more beautiful than this one. Till our next cottage trip this will be the most beautiful place that I have visited thus far and I will continue to write about the other ones as I go along.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)