It’s Peaceful dammit- By Charles Clayton
I’m almost two years into my life in Canada now. Two years of what I will probably look back on and describe as “interesting”! Two years of still grappling with the vast cultural difference that I really didn’t realize existed in my original naivety. Ah well at least it makes for some interesting discussions on occasions. Thank goodness I’m fairly large sometimes!
Stumbling through the mobile networks in Canada.
Mobile networks and their numerous packages are a minefield at the best of times. Here is a thread I thought I would start so we can help people looking for a mobile phone or people upgrading their mobile phones.
As a South African we are used to paying only for outgoing calls and sms’s (Texts). Not so in Canada and the USA depending on your package but most networks, you pay for incoming and outgoing.
We live just outside the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and as such finding a suitable mobile phone package has been difficult to say the least. If you live within the GTA it is still a problem because if you travel in your car, you run the risk of being in an area that falls outside the GTA and you get a surprise when you get your bill.
So after changing providers a few times trying to settle on a service provider that does it for me we settled with “Bell”. The service was good because you can list 10 of your friends and family to call without charge. Now that business is picking up and we need to do more traveling we are all too often falling into that trap of calling outside the GTA calls are then at 50 cents R4.50 a minute.
Reading through all the providers current packages I have found nothing that even comes close to what I need. You get lots of minutes and no data or lots of data and local minutes and so the matrix unfolds.
So I decide to go into the store and ask Bell my current provider for assistance. Lo and behold I can upgrade my package (300 shared local minutes , no voice mail, no calling line id, unlimited text and 1Gb data for $65) to Unlimited “Canada wide” minutes , 2Gb of data, voice mail , Calling line id and unlimited text for $5 cheaper.
Who knew! I guess the thing I am learning is, you have to ask and then go back and ask every few months because you can sometimes get a better deal they do not advertise.
I wonder how many people “Churn” through the providers instead of asking and getting those unadvertised deals.
Welcome
Welcome to Canada Newbies,
As relative newbie’s ourselves, we understand that we are by no means experts in any area of living here in Canada, however what we can share is our experience, our up’s and our down”s- (and there have been many of them).
We can tell you that it has taken us a fair amount of time to settle and that the winters in Toronto ain’t that bad and that summer is the best kept Canadian secret EVER!
We love winter just as much as we love the summer and by the time the end of summer rolls round, the cold weather is almost a welcome reprieve from long sticky summer days. Of course the snow that arrives in January probably has something to do with it as my boys have dived in it, build forts and maizes in it. We have of course had a broken arm to show for it, from the snow boarding accident.
This year my boys will get to participate in Rugby, a fairly unknown sport here, however it is well supported by those in “the know” and all the games are broadcast here on the TV networks, so you won’t be missing out on the coming and the going of the Sharks and the Blue bulls- the rivalry is “sterk” in my home!
There is a lot to be said about food, wine and good old “Nando’s” which we can of course is readily available at 4 locations in and around Toronto. I can’t wait to see them expand and our regular Wednesday evening meal return- however my own “flatties” ain’t to bad either!
We do hope that as more and more ex South Africans hear about Canadanewbies, that you will share your stories with us all, no matter how long ago it was or how many winters you have “survived” we want all the details.
We newbies are inspired by you, motivated by your stories and in awe of your achievements and accomplishments. You give us hope that Canada will one day translate into Home.
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