So, there it is. My final image/mashup. Hell, this was the worst brief ever. I’m fed up. I couldn’t think of anything, and I ended up with that. I guess I’m no good under deadlines. Better luck next time, Grantus!
Awesome! So my application was approved, and I received all my ‘need to fill’ forms in the mail. Visa Application, International Student Card, Flight/Insurance Booking, Yada Yada. So! I need to have all these filled out and sent with a whole host of other things (Passport Pictures, Photocopies of a million things and so on.) It’s all really exciting stuff. I’m so pleased that this has gone as smoothly as it has so far – Though I think I’ve hit my first hiccup. My plan was to work in a bar/club seen as I already had an abundance of experience in it – but I’ve found that I need to take a test to show I’m competent with the licensing laws and regulations in Canada, and more specifically Vancouver.
SIR is BC’s responsible beverage service program. It is designed to encourage a responsible, caring and professional approach to the service of alcohol.
SIR (Serving it Right) Is the company that helps regulate this whole debacle. So it’s these that I need to go to (for Vancouver) to get my license/proof. So! I’ve got to study and pay $40 to get a little card that says ‘Yep, hire this motherfucker! He knows the law!’. Fortunately I get to do this all online, so I’m not too concerned. The last course I went on cost £150 and that was a full day and allows me to apply for my own landlord license. Which rocks, but ultimately is completely null and void in the Canada land. No worries!
I also managed to get my Camera Gear and Laptop insured on my parents household insurance. £4,500 of kit that’s going to be lugged abroad, in and around hostels and left unattended – and they only asked for another £46. Awesome! I’ve been quoted elsewhere £180 for the Camera Gear alone, so I’m extremely, extremely chuffed that I got it this cheap.
So now all I have to do is fill in my Visa Application, collate all the documents/evidence that the Canadian Embassy needs (which includes a full CV!), wait for my Police Report to come back to me, which apparently is a 10 day wait – then I can mail it all off! Fantastic.
Stay tuned, peeplingtons.
Well, I figured ‘Bowling’ was a boring blog title.
It was staff night out! And we all went bowling. That was fun. Fun, except there was about as many regulars as there was staff, so it was like working, except in a different environment, haha. Awesome night though, really exhausted me.
I think we should start with the best bowl of the night
Obviously I’m kidding. Pictures time!
© Jon Rawlinson
So! I’ve submitted my BUNAC Work Canada application. It’s terrifying stuff. It was quite literally a week ago that I’d had that e-mail land in my inbox, yet here I am 7 days later – Submitting my initial application (that cost £205!) and my Police Check Certificate (£40!) for the June-September months I’ll be living struggling, working exploring and photographing Vancouver.
I know I haven’t really thought all this through, and I also know the cost of this whole trip is far too expensive for me. But I’ve committed now, and I’ve done it knowing I would’ve backed out otherwise. So here’s a run down of the minimum cost of all this. The cost of insurance for me is sure to be much more considering the equipment I’ll be taking.
| Membership | £5 |
| Registration Fee | £200 |
| Police Check | £40 |
| Working Visa | CAN$150 (Approx £85) |
| Other costs | |
| Insurance | Approx £115 |
| Return flights | Approx £600 |
| Support funds | £500 |
| Grand Total | £1680 |
So a Grand Total of £1680. Damn. Add another £100-150 for Premium Insurance, another £100 or so for the necessities I don’t have, but will need, and this turns out to be a pretty expensive investment for someone who doesn’t have a penny to his name. So I’m selling off a few things, and hoping my Bursary and University loan comes through in time. Those alone will take care of £1,500 of the trip. The rest of the money I plan to raise/save will go towards some more glass for my camera, and also something to shit into. Because I am shitting into my pants at the moment, and that ain’t right.
On top of all this, I’m still absolutely hoping to hell that my girlfriend can take the trip too. It’s hard enough spending a week without her, let alone 3 months. So here’s hoping! Anyways, I’m not used to typing out all this emotional mush – pictures do a far grander job.
Alas, I have none. I can’t take pictures of an entirely paper-work based process. So given a shit load of luck, I’ll start posting pictures of the journey come June 17th. Which reminds me, I need to get some clarity from University! I think I’ll be missing out on the latter end and early beginning of my semesters, which ain’t such a big deal to me, but to my degree it is!
Stay tuned, god speed!