27m first time moving out and also abroad. Tips to deal with the anxiety and settling into a new life
Posted by confuseddotcom12@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 10 comments
I’m 27 and my partner and I are moving to Canada in the first week of June on a working holiday visa. We are moving to the Rockies from the UK. My partner has lived away from home before for uni however I haven’t due to doing an apprenticeship. This is a massive moment for both of us as we are temporarily putting our careers on pause to pursue a lifelong dream but the anxiety of moving away from home and everyone to another country is at the back of my mind no matter how excited I am. Any tips to deal with it and how to get the most out of moving to a new place?
Thanks in advance.
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Where in the Rockies are you moving to?
confuseddotcom12@reddit (OP)
Revelstoke. Went there at the start of the year and just liked the vibe of it. Something we both haven’t felt about a place before
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Revelstoke is a really nice town, I like it there. A relative of mine used to live there, so I've spent a fair bit of time there.
My recommendation to you for tips about settling into your life there is to focus on your plan for meeting all your needs in an isolated area like that. Make sure everything you need can be found in Revelstoke. There's only one main grocery store (small by Canadian standards), and a few boutique stores.
As you're probably aware, the place you're moving to is a 2.5 hour drive to the nearest city (Kamloops), and a 4.5 hour drive to the nearest major city (Calgary). Calgary is unfortunately one of the few major cities in North America to lack inter-city train access, but there are daily buses to and from both cities.
So you're going to need to get accustomed to doing regular long drives when you can't find something at the local hardware store, or if you need a bigger store for something. My relative who lived there complained often about having to do 5 hour round-trips to get to another pharmacy when hers couldn't fill a prescription.
You should plan on getting onto the waiting list for a family doctor as soon as you get your BC ID. Rural BC has a reputation for having family doctor shortages.
confuseddotcom12@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the response. We’ve got a few days in Calgary getting all our SIN code, bank account and drivers license swapped over. Plus we will be buying the little bits we need to get ourselves set up there.
We aren’t getting a car straight away so will use the busses and as we settle in get the car sorted. Had an experience of the drives you’re on about when we were leaving revvy to go to Banff highway 1 got shut due to an avalanche we had to make a 9 hour detour. But got to see different parts of the country we wouldn’t have originally which was cool.
The BC ID you mentioned is that a drivers license or another form of ID. Is that an issue getting it sorted in Calgary as there Alberta?
Thanks again
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
You can't get a drivers license (BC ID) in Calgary. Drivers licenses are issued by each province in Canada, and Calgary is in Alberta. You need to visit the province where you reside to get your licence. I believe your UK license is good for something like 90 days, so you have some time.
If you want to get your drivers license sorted as soon as you arrive, make sure you have a lease agreement or something ahead of time to prove your residency. They won't issue you a BC ID until you have a document to prove your residency like a utility bill or lease.
Any time you need to do some kind of official business that pertains to the provincial government, you will either be doing it inside Revelstoke when possible, or driving to Kamloops (not Calgary). Things like drivers license, car insurance, getting a safety inspection for your car, marriage certificates, name change, etc.
Also, most things related to health care are likely going to remain inside BC too, not Alberta. Like if your doctor refers you to a specialist (which likely won't be in a town a small as Revelstoke), you will likely be going somewhere like Kamloops, Kelowna, or maybe even Vancouver. But the BC government provides you with transportation in many of those cases.
Yes, in BC they have a combined ID card that people call a "BC ID". It serves as a government issued photo ID, drivers license (if you're licensed to drive), and also a health card.
Canada's universal health care is operated by each province separately, and provincial governments issue Health cards to prove that you're covered, you need them to get coverage at a hospital or clinic. But BC is a bit ahead of the curve in this regard because they integrate it into their provincial ID card.
confuseddotcom12@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much. Just done more research and that all makes sense now. Might sound like a stupid question. What’s the best way to get in and integrate into the local community. Are there events where it will be easy to meet people?
Thanks again
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
I'm not familiar with Revelstoke enough to know what the best ways are to socialize there.
My preferred way to socialize and meet people whenever I move somewhere new is to join cycling club, or any kind of sports activity. I find cycling to be a very social activity, I've always made friends that way.
As a suggestion for rural Canadian towns in general, many Canadian towns have a Curling club (which is to say an indoor rink facility, not an actual members club). They tend to be some of the best ways to socialize in some small towns in Canada. Often they'll have a beginners league which is fairly casual. The equipment needed to play is less than $100. Many of them have a restaurant/bar, but there might be more popular bars in town.
Whenever I'm visiting a town in Canada, I usually go to the curling club and get a drink from the bar and watch whatever games are happening.
confuseddotcom12@reddit (OP)
Thanks a lot for your help. Really appreciate it
FlippinHeckles@reddit
I did that at your age, went to Vancouver. Met some of my best friends ever to this day, 30 years later.
Take every day as it comes, talk with as many locals as you can. Canadian’s are a friendly mob, you have language so there is no major barriers.
For seasonal manual work the Okanagan is a good healthy place to be.
confuseddotcom12@reddit (OP)
Thank you. I’ll have to find where the locals hang out. We’re off to Revelstoke nice local feel to it or that’s the way we saw it.