Hello, Vancouver!
Ever since Bri and I decided to travel to Canada, I told her and everyone, for that matter, that I have a good feeling about this move. For some reason, my gut was telling me that something great is coming our way. Yes, I know we've only been in Canada for about... not even two months, but it really feels like that "the good stuff" is already brewing.
I think we're on the right path...I think. Anyways, here's a bit of an update for you about what's been happening here in Vancouver, ever since we've landed.
Bobby McFerrin.
Okay, but just before we begin, one point I'd like to make that's related my previous blog, where I wrote about embracing the change in life. Honestly man, I can say that I've embraced the shit out of this change/challenge, whatever you want to call it. Not for a second, was I afraid of this next step, even though there were plenty of things to worry & stress about. Not only did we have to deal with the tiny, yet time-consuming/annoying life stuff, like bank accounts, phone numbers, SIN numbers, transportation, etc., but also the main-main things like housing and jobs! Stressful? You bet! But even when I would get a bit panicky, I'd simply remind myself that with time, all things will fall into places and we will be just fine. We've been here before. As cheesy as it sounds, but Bobby McFerrin wrote it best, "Don't Worry, Be Happy" . So worry less!
Last but not least, why Vancouver? For me, Vancouver is all about finding the right fit (socially, culturally, creatively) and doing the things I really enjoy. Simple.
-- ! SPOILER ALERT ! --
I think I'm getting there.
STRESSFUL TIMES: JOB HUNTING.
The Beginning.
I have to admit, it wasn't easy, it never really is, but as far as Vancouver goes, I knew that this time I wanted to try and hit the ground running. I've sent out dozens of CV's, while I was still in Lithuania. I actually managed to get an interview with Red Bull, a company that I've been babbling about for years, how cool?! (They didn't hire me tho lol).
Long-story-short, I couldn't get a job before landing, but at least I had the right idea. Effort still counts, right?!
"Normal" Job.
First week was mostly dedicated to sending out as many CV's as humanly possible, preferably to the places/companies/industries that we could see ourselves working in/at. Honestly, CV's were flying left and right and we were really keen on finding new jobs (having not worked for the last 6+ months!!!). Although, we didn't want any-old job (pfff), we wanted a "normal" job. In my books, a "Normal" job, would be defined as
(preferably) an office job, Mon-Fri/9-5-ish, creative & mostly brain-powered job. Not the usual "new-emigrant" kind of jobs in hospitality and/or retail (not that there's anything wrong with these industries, as I've worked in retail & hospitality for a few years myself). We knew what we wanted and we went for it.
The Opportunity.
Personally, I think I'm pretty good and going all-in on things. Of course, I usually try to weigh all of the possible pros & cons (not really), but this time I knew that, if only, someone would give me an opportunity, heck, an interview, then I'd be able to get pretty damn close to landing that job. Sometimes you just have to let Vinny The Guy do his thing. Opportunities are everywhere!
A Golden Ticket.
Alright, so CV's are being sent, days are going by... Fast forward a couple of weeks and Whoomp! (There It Is) , your boy Vinny gets that opportunity. Not any opportunity. A Golden Ticket (if I may) and let me tell you why.
I'm sure we can all agree that having great colleagues is a must. It's like having great teammates on the basketball court. If you're all getting along nicely, having fun, working towards the same goals and treating each other with respect, then good things will happen.
I feel like my workplace is exactly that! People are super friendly and really easy going, which already makes you feel like you belong there. On top of that, the talent in this place is crazy, you'll rarely find so many smart, kind and creative people under the same roof. It's really inspiring! I think it's fair to say I somehow managed to get that Golden Ticket. I'm really stoked to see what the future brings!
Only A Couple of Weeks.
Yes, it's only been a couple of weeks, but I feel like I've been working there for way longer. I like that each day here is slightly different, there's not too much monotony, at least so far haha You get shit done, but you have fun doing it. I like that approach. Let's try and not get fired now, okay?! Up up and away!
One down. One to go.
So now that we got this whole work situation figured out, it's time to find a place we could call home. Preferably something that's new-ish, cozy, reasonably priced, in a good neighbourhood and furnished, and also cute... I think that's it, is that too much to ask for?!
First of all, the prices here are ridiculous. I know, people keep saying how expensive Vancouver is, and it's true, but housing here is stupid-expensive. We saw so many below-average, and I mean BELOW-average places for like $2200 - $3000 a month! Crazy? You tell me.
You go here, you go there.
You know what's funny?! The fact that finding the "right" place online wasn't even the hardest part. The worst part was arranging house viewings and then actually going to them. I went to some random properties tho. Some were crazy far, some were unfurnished, and overall often very "meh". You catch the bus 40 mins one way, check the place out, show them you're interested (even if you already know it's a no!), smile and then 10 minutes later you jump back on the bus for yet another, you guessed it, 40 minutes of commute. Awesome.
Too Good To Be True.
Those were my exact words when I first saw this one particular place. Not to bore you with too much detail, but the fact that it was fully furnished, reasonably priced AND in a good neighbourhood (aka "The Holy Trifecta", as some people call it) really got me buzzing. You don't find these rare gems that often. Anyways, I got in touch, agreed on the viewing and checked out the place. Next thing you know, they're sending us the lease agreement. Problem solved, happy days!
Two Out Of Two.
So here we are, our first month-and-a-half in Vancouver is officially in the books, and we already managed to tick two of our main-main things off our list. Not too shabby. I feel like the next step is to get into a bit of a rhythm. Go back to exercising (...no, seriously), build a bit of a routine, explore places, meet people, maybe even read a book (...this guy), save money, buy things and most importantly, do stuff that makes me happy! After all, who doesn't want to be happy? Be good out there.
Sincerely,
Vinny The Guy