Canada Experiences

As I promised here are some more things Ive learned during my first days here in Vancouver (it might be that I repeat some, cause i don't know anymore what ive already mentioned and what not xD).

- if you considered about taking a hairdryer with, dont do it. The energy power of German hairdryers dont match with the one here in Canada. So the normal air power will be shortened to about a quaver. I am really thinking about buying a Canadian one or to cut my hair....
- there are somehow a lot of German people here, so sometimes youll speak more German than English if you are unlucky
- i recommend to book a hostel for about a week when you are still in Germany, in order to have a fixed accommodation for the first while in Vancouver. In this way you can settle down and arrive in no hurry. Otherwise you have to think about a place to stay as soon as you arrive in Vancouver which might be a bit stressful, espcially when every hostel is full.
- many applications work only via the internet. if you are intrested in jobs like selling at Starbucks you actually can fill in the forms online when you are still in Germany. So you wont have to do that in vancouver anymore.
- At first glance, Canadian bus drivers seem to be the same assholes as German ones are xD =P

i cannot think of anything else right now, but there is definitely more that i could tell you. as soon as i have more things in mind, ill let you now ;)

Sunday, Aug 31:

I got up at 8 am. Unfortunately my roommate Veronica has too leave today, as she has booked a bustrip to Whistler for about 3 days.
Tanja slept that night as well at my hostel, for she didnt find any other place yet (meanwhile she is in an other hostel downtown for the next 3 nights).
Actually I wanted to enjoy again free-brekfast, but i couldnt get there in time. So we met other Germans in front of the Samesun at aroun 11 am and together we walked to Denmanstreet, where the Gay Parade should take place.
We got a quite glood place to watch what was going on and from noon till 03.00 pm the parade strode past us. To describe what I could see would be too complicated and would take too much time, so I just show you some pictures when I am back ;) =) For now I can tell you that it was awesome and quite funny-dressed people passed us.
This weekend quite a lot was going on in Vancouver, as it is the "long-August-weekend". Tomorrow (Aug 1) is namely a holiday. Of course, the shops will be open, though.
As I told you, yesteray was a firework. It was organized by Asian people. There will be another one on Wednesday (by Spain) and one on Saturday (by Canada) next week. It is like a competition. That is why it might me a bit difficult to find an accommodation right now. I am glad that i booked my hostel already when I was still in Germany... =)

After the parade I walked with Tanja a little through the city, accompanied her when buying a cell phone for her, and then we decided to visit Steffi in her area (West Van). We had to take the bus and crossed a bridge in order to get there. Youve got a nice view on Vancouver and the sea, then.
It was about 5 pm when we met there, we talked a little bit and exchanged experiences (unfortunately in German... we really should talk in English!!! I already tried that with Tanja and it worked).
I learned that many applications only work via Internet... so I am going to do that tomorrow probably. Tomorrow or the day after that I will try out the walk-in-method and attempt to find a job in metropolis shopping centre where about 470 shops are located... I definetely hope that I find work amongst this amount of shops.
I got home at about 8 pm, after getting to know some Canadian (one again with German background somehow) guys in my age. Perhaps I can go out with them tomorrow night. I dunno yet.
Well I just got a shower and washed my clothes for the first time here in Canada... they are getting dried in the drier right now and I really hope that they wont shrink xD =D otherwise Ill have to do some shopping the next days in Vancouver... would be quite expensive...
In my next entry which ill probably write now, youll find again some hints if you also wanna go backpacking here in Vancouver/Canada.

A lot of things happened on Saturday, July 30:

It was my first night in the new hostel and i could sleep pretty well, for it is located in a rather quiet area. My first location at that day was my old hoste, the Samesun. I hope, no false will read that, but it is possible to get there breakfast for free xD =P well, i grabbed this cance of course.
After breakfast, I met again that guy from New Zealand and three other Germanss joined us. Altogehter we joined a free walking-tour through Granville and Gastown.
A few things I learned during that tour:
- the biggest Zombie walk takes place in Vancouver and it seems as if the city is invaded my Zombies...
- there are some neon lights in the city. The reason: Vancouver is a quite rainy city (I cannot confirm that, though - till now it so sunny, I even have got a sunburn =/ ). On 200 days a year it is raining in Van. Together with the huge buildings and skyscrapers, the citiy would look rather grey and triste; that should be not the case with neon lights xD
- there is an alley called "Blood Street". In contrast to many beliefs about slaughter or a butcher shop or anything, the street is only named like this to attract tourist. I can confirm that it worked ;)
- In Gastown there are some old railways and a clock which is powered by steam (the only one in the world); there is as well steam issuing from the clock - but that is just show ^^ again to attract tourists....
- only approx. 60 % of the people living in Van are born and raised there. The main part is from Canada, indeed, but from other cities like Monteal. An other huge part is from a completealy different part of the world, particulary Asia.

After the tour, one other German of the organisation Stepin (Steffi) and I walked along the Seawall, up to Stanley park. Stanley park is very, very huge (about 10 square kilometers...). We just visited a very small part with a lake and Indian Totems. Additionally we both were very tired at aroun 4 pm (cause it is 1 am in Germany), so we walked back and seperated at the bus station.
I walked a little around alone, till I met Tanja (again "from" Stepin), Veronica (the German girl from my new hostel) and the couple from my new hostel.
About this couple i had a little confusion for a while, concerning their nationality. I figured that out now: Sophie is from Wallington, New Zealand and her boyfriend Tom From the Netherlands (having as well Austrian background). Nico, again a German and living at the new hostel, joined us as well.
Together we went down to the beach (at around 7 pm) in order to get a good place to see the firework.
We ate and chatted the next 3 hours, till the firework started at 10 pm and lasted for 25 minutes!!
The firework was fired at the board of a ship and partly exploded directly from the water. It was amazing.
Afterwards Tanja and Nico went home. The remaining four of us headed for a good pub; we finally found one and drank there Canadian beer =D It is quite good in my opinion, very soft, almost like silk. No idea how to describe it ;) We ate some chicken wings and fries there (me only the fries xD).
At around 00.30 a.m. we made our way home.
And then I realsied how bad my skin is burned... -.- I hoped Canada would be the last place where I get a sunburn... but well ;) =)