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Coming Soon
I started The Globe Diary in 2017 while I was adjusting to, and settling into, my new life in Canada. Craig and I moved from Cape Town, South Africa, to a small town just outside Edmonton, Alberta, for his job. At the time, I had just completed my second degree, this time in Law, and had way too much time on my hands. I knew I wanted to use my creative energy so I finally started the blog I had been putting off for years.
Back then, I used it as a sort of diary, documenting our weekend activities in our new city as well as the vacations we would take. Slowly but surely, the blog picked up and several people started messaging me with questions about travel, our immigration process and my recommendations. I loved being able to help people get out and explore more.
We're so excited to share our new guide with in-depth step by step process. It will go live on the 10th of June, but in the meantime, I've linked some of our expat posts below.
AN IN-DEPTH IMMIGRATION GUIDE ON HOW WE MOVED TO CANADA IS COMING SOON!
@theglobediary
Posts You Might Like:
expat life
10 Things *Almost* All Expats Struggle With (You’re Not Alone!)
CAREER & MONEY
How 10 Badass Expats Pivoted in Their Career Post-Move to Canada
LIVING IN CALGARY
Our City Guide to Living or Visiting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
WINTER HACKS
Our Trick To Surviving Winter in Canada: A Sunny Getaway!
SETTLING IN CANADA
The Things You Should Know About Buying A House in Canada
CAREER & MONEY
Budgeting in Canada: Tips & Tricks I've Learned After 5 Years in Canada
EXPAT LIFE
Making Friends After You Move Abroad — How Do You Even Do It?!
PREGNANCY
Our Guide to Having A Baby in Canada (We're Sharing it All!)
TRAVEL
A Guide to Visiting Abbotsford, British Columbia
CAREER & MONEY
How 10 Badass Expats Pivoted in Their Career Post-Move to Canada
LOCAL LOVE
My Favourite Local Finds for Mother's Day (A Gift Guide for Locals)
PREGNANCY
My Pregnancy Must-Haves, and Must-Have-Nots.
SETTLING IN CANADA
The Things You Should Know About Buying A House in Canada
CAREER & MONEY
Budgeting in Canada: Tips & Tricks I've Learned After 5 Years in Canada
EXPAT LIFE
Making Friends After You Move Abroad — How Do You Even Do It?!
PREGNANCY
Our Guide to Having A Baby in Canada (We're Sharing it All!)
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The Things I Get DMs about:
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HOW DID YOU IMMIGRATE TO CANADA?
Initially, Craig arrived on a work visa (he had a job offer) & I arrived on a visitor’s visa. Now, we are both Permanent Residents (PRs), but we could have (and maybe should have) immigrated through Express Entry & landed in Canada as PRs. Learn more about Express Entry here.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO MOVE?
It took us a full two years from the date we decided to move and start the process (including researching, completing exams, waiting on documents etc) to getting to Canada. Bear in mind though, we had a few delays in terms of job offers and waiting on documents.
DID YOU USE AN IMMIGRATION AGENT?
For Craig’s initial work visa and my visitor’s visa, we did it all on our own through CIC. When we applied for Permanent Residency, we used an immigration lawyer in Canada. We felt like there was too much at stake at that point to mess it up and were willing to pay for it.
WHAT TAKES THE LONGEST?
Waiting on documents delayed us a few months so if you’re even thinking of it, I would start getting these documents lined up at least.
WOULD YOU RECOMMEND USING AN AGENT?
Many online agencies have scammed people, so I would make sure the agent, if a consultant, is authorized and registered with the ICCRC and read these tips about preventing fraud. If you are using a lawyer, they should be registered with their specific provincial law society. See here.
WHAT SHOCKED YOU ABOUT IMMIGRATION?
So many things. The expense. The waiting game. The huge emotional strain. The struggle of saying goodbye. The guilt.
WHERE IN CANADA DID YOU MOVE?
We first moved to a small rural town North of Edmonton because that is where Craig received a job offer. We have recently moved to Calgary, Alberta, for a job opportunity and we feel like it's a better fit for our lifestyle.
HOW DO YOU GET TO EDMONTON?
If you’re arriving by air, you’ll be flying into Edmonton International Airport (YEG), located in Leduc just 30 minutes from Downtown Edmonton. You can book transport with SkyShuttle into Downtown Edmonton for $18 per adult and $10 per child or use Uber, estimated $40-50 per trip.
HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHERE TO MOVE?
Since our move was dependent on a work visa, where we lived was determined by where we received a job offer.
HOW EASY IS IT TO GET AROUND?
If walking isn't your thing, you can use the Edmonton Transit (bus and LRT) or Uber. The light rail transit (LRT) provides fast and convenient service to 15 stops around the city. You can pay per trip or get a day pass.
WHICH IS THE BEST CITY TO LIVE IN?
Edmonton's food scene is killing it right now and everyone's noticing, so you must make time to try out some of our local favourites. We've started off by ranking our top 5 for each meal of the day, but we also share our favourites according to area and budget. Just click the filters accordingly.
IS THE CITY WALKABLE?
Once Downtown, most things are within walking distance. A current popular form of getting around the city is the electric scooter rentals, which you can book through the Lime or Bird apps. You can also rent a bike or take a segway tour with River Valley Adventure Company.
Some of the Most Popular Posts:
expat life
10 Things *Almost* All Expats Struggle With (You’re Not Alone!)
LIVING IN EDMONTON
The Best Coffee Shops in Edmonton, Alberta
expat life
10 Things *Almost* All Expats Struggle With (You’re Not Alone!)
LIVING IN EDMONTON
The Best Coffee Shops in Edmonton, Alberta
The Most Instagrammable Spots in Edmonton, Alberta
travel
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07. 29. 2019
Do you know how Instagrammable Edmonton really is? Have you explored all the Instagrammable Spots in Edmonton? If not, here’s a list of locations to take a photo and up your Instagram Gam.
expat life
10 Things *Almost* All Expats Struggle With (You’re Not Alone!)
CAREER & MONEY
How 10 Badass Expats Pivoted in Their Career Post-Move to Canada
LIVING IN CALGARY
Our City Guide to Living or Visiting Calgary, Alberta, Canada
WINTER HACKS
Our Trick To Surviving Winter in Canada: A Sunny Getaway!
SETTLING IN CANADA
The Things You Should Know About Buying A House in Canada
CAREER & MONEY
Budgeting in Canada: Tips & Tricks I've Learned After 5 Years in Canada
