Tag Archives: Wednesday’s Weekly Update

These posts were written and shared during the summer of 2020 when we were meant to be in Canada but were unable to be there because of the travel restrictions in place due to the Covid-19 global Pandemic. As you will see from reading them, we had know idea if we would be able to get to Canada and these post were a way to keep people up to date with out attempts and failures. They were also an immensely cathartic exercise during the chaos.

I hope you won’t find much here to help you move to Canada, because I hope you won’t find yourself moving in similar circumstances. But you will find a unique story and one which, as it was written, we had no idea how it would end!

Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.7

I have good news and bad news to share this week! The IRCC (Canadian Consular in London) finally replied to my email. You can find out about my previous communication with the IRCC here: Part two: How Coronavirus derailed our plans for moving to Canada (scroll to May/June) and check out Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.5, which explains why I got back in touch with them three weeks ago

1. The bad news. For the fifth time Canada have extended their border closure with the USA. We’ve been here before, ya’ll know the score: we wait until the end of the month for the news that they are remaining closed to the rest of the world and the game goes on…

2. The good news. I have an interview with District 57 to be a Teacher Teaching On Call, basically a Supply Teacher. Good news indeed, as with a job I can enter Canada right now, but we mustn’t get too ahead of ourselves; this isn’t going to be a golden ticket into Canada. Assuming they want to employ me, I won’t have a formal job offer for weeks yet. It also may not lead to work for months because I have to have the BC Teaching Certificate in place before I can work as a TTOC. And as I explained in Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.3, getting certified can take months and months . But it is a foot in the door of District 57. And it is, finally, some positive news to share with you.

3. The IRCC’s reply. Frustratingly, the IRCC’s response was very similar to what they said in June. In short, they can only confirm that I can to ‘proceed’ to Canada, but my entry will depend on the decision of the boarder agent who processes me on arrival. Additionally, they issued another exemption letter. Let me remind you of our previous experience with one of their so called ‘exemption letters’: Part two: How Coronavirus derailed our plans for moving to Canada (scroll down to May for the unpleasant tale of how I was denied boarding!). The bright sparks among you may have noticed something about this game of Snakes and Ladders we’re unwittingly playing: we are right back with the same dilemma we were trying to figure out in my very first blog written in June: A little less arrogant about how far a British passport and a smile can get you.

Only this time it’s…

Option one: Attempt to fly.

Option Two: Give up.

What’s Bothering Babs?

Babs’ Question: “What are you going to do now?”

We’re not ready to give up yet. But believe me, we’re nearly at that point. Which means we’re going to throw everything we have at it, before accepting that 2020 has beaten us.

Step one: On Monday I emailed the IRCC back to get some confirmation on a few things, including… What does ‘proceed to Canada’ actually mean? I’ll keep you posted on their response.

Step two: Prepare for my interview.

Step three: As it really helps prove that our travel is non-discretionary, we are going to continue renting our house in Prince George for one final month.

Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.4

I skipped writing an update last week because there was nothing new to report since Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.3.

1. Canada’s Boarder Closure. As expected, Canada and the USA have extended their boarder closure until ‘at least the 21st August’. This is the fourth time the US/Canada boarder closure has been extended and each time the news that the Canadian boarder will remained closed to the rest of the world has been added on at the end of the month as a side note! There is currently nothing official regarding Canada extending its boarder closure with the rest of the world. But I’m not hopeful as it seems likely that the now familiar pattern will be repeated. And so once again we wait to see if Canada will make some exemptions to which foreign workers are allowed to enter the country.

2. Our wander around the U.K. continues After 3 months at my Mum’s house in Wiltshire, we’re now nearly back where we started in the South East! We’ll be here for the next two weeks, staying at a friend’s house while they are on holiday. It has been seven months since we moved out and during that entire time we’ve lived with friends and family or in their houses! Although the sight of a packing cube no longer fills me with the joy and excitement it once did, I am immensely grateful to have had so much help this year.

What’s Bothering Babs?

Babs’ question: Why don’t you try and go?

Partly Bally, our Greyhound. Much as I’m sure he’d like to be turned free to hunt squirrels, he’d be useless. Plus, we rather like him. But seriously, the main reason is that I could be refused entry and made to return to the UK. Meanwhile, Jacob would have to remain in/enter Canada. Since, there is no clear end to the boarder closer in sight we would be separated without knowing how long for. In short, the financial and emotional implications are great.

Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.3

This week’s update is a day late, partly because I had hoped that waiting until the 16th would mean there was more concrete information to share on whether Canada will be opening their boarders. Here is last week’s update Wednesday’s Weekly Update No.2 if you need to catch up!

1. Update on Canada opening. To be frank, it’s not looking good. No official announcements have been made yet about the Canada/USA boarder which is currently closed until ‘at least the 21st July’. On Monday it was announced that talks were ‘ongoing’. Every news outlet google offers me, starts with a discouraging headline like ‘Reopen the Canada-U.S. border? Canadians say sorry, but no thanks’ and goes on to claim that their ‘sources’ tell them the border will be closed for a while yet. This, of course, does not mean the same will apply to Europe. But, as before, it seems fairly likely. When the boarder closure was extended last time I was in utter disbelief, now it’s like I’m in a nightmare I can’t wake up from. You know the sort where you’re running but never make it to your destination. So once again, I’m keeping everything crossed that some concessions will be made and we’ll be able to go.

2. Becoming a teacher in Canada. Do a PGCE they said, you’ll be able to teach anywhere in the world they said. Ha! Getting certified as a teacher in British Columbia is proving to be tough! Thankfully, other than cross stitching and crocheting I don’t have anything else to do, so collecting and sending evidence is now my full time job. And what a lot of evidence I’m having to collect to prove I am who I say I am, have the degrees I say I have and have been teaching for five years! 18 separate pieces in total. Most of which they are happy for me to send, but getting universities – that are out of office due to coronavirus – to send in my transcripts is proving impossible. So watch the space, I’m expecting to be certified to teach in BC around 2040.

3. We have a house in Canada! Who knows when we’ll be able to get there but we have signed a contract and we now have a house in Prince George!

What’s Bothering Babs?

Babs’ questions: What’s the house like?

It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a garage, lovely kitchen ect ect. So plenty of space for friends and family to come and have a Canadian adventure with us. But the best thing is it has a laundry shoot!