When we were planning our trip to Canada, we figured we'd need somewhere to stay temporarily while we got our life sorted out. We couldn't easily lease an apartment from New Zealand, so we needed a short-term base. A comfortable
Life
Laneway House
The most common reaction to "we're moving to Vancouver", was "isn't it an expensive city to live in?". It is fair to say we were prepared to be shocked by the cost of renting a house.
Buying a Car - Part 2
Once we'd chosen a car, we discovered the fun had only just begun. This story follows on from Buying a Car, Part 1 Paying for big things in Canada is a little different from what we're used to in New
Buying a Car - Part 1
Everyone in Canada (and probably the USA too) wants a new car. If not a new car, then one maybe three or four years old. Everything you read online talks about financing or leasing. There's this obsession to own the
Bank Account Drama
Opening a bank account in a new country isn't quite as straightforward as you'd think, mainly due to the concept of credit history. As touched on in our story First Steps, your credit score needs to be built from scratch
Minor Successes
Spoiler: most of our problems are solved!