The Context Machine

After 6 weeks in Canada and the finality that we were no longer on vacation hit with a thud - we weren’t going “home”.

I’d served 16 years in the Royal Air Force (RAF), so saying goodbye to a “safe” job seemed surreal. The final Christmas and New Year, the emotional family farewell, even the one way flight - it all seemed totally unreal! We found it hard to believe that over 2 years of planning had actually come to fruition and we were starting our new life near Calgary. Well, it was true. I was starting my new job the next day and the temperature was a cool - 25C !

We had discussed living in Canada in great length after my wife’s sister had moved to Edmonton with her Canadian husband and were enjoying a lifestyle we could only dream of. We tried a few DIY assessments to see if we would qualify but found ourselves 1 point short of the “pass mark” which was 70 at that time.

We decided that we’d have to hire an immigration professional. When we opened up the Immigration Newspaper “Canada News”, the first advert we saw was Access Migration Services who offered a free assessment. We spoke to Kerry Martin and discussed our thoughts. We received the assessment in the post, filled it in and returned it the next day. Kerry decided that we had a good chance of qualifying and so offered us a no visa no fee contract and so the process began.

We were inundated with forms and questionnaires and set to researching thoroughly what it all entailed. I assembled my qualifications and sent them to IQAS in Edmonton for a Canadian equivalency. Then I contacted Transport Canada to see if my aircraft maintenance licenses were valid. They weren’t, but I would be able to sit some exams, provide my full career history and work for a minimum of 6 months in Canadian Aviation. It didn’t seem too bad considering I was hoping to move continents! We had to send off for police checks from Germany, the UK police and the RAF police to prove we had no criminal records, once they were back we could submit our application.

It was announced that the Canadian Immigration visa system was changing; no-one knew what would happen or when it would come into effect. Kerry kept us informed and was very reassuring during a troublesome time. I had to put in my 18 months notice to leave as the Immigration authorities required an exit date from the RAF - 17th Feb 2003 was the date we chose.

We watched the horror of September 11th unfold; the aviation world collapsed and with the rest of the RAF, I became involved in the Afghan War and the unstable world climate that followed.

We managed to spend two weeks at Andie’s sisters in Calgary during October 2001, fitting in quad biking, hiking, trips to Banff, and also viewing show homes. We were getting a feel for southern Alberta and its opportunities. On our way home the airline (Canada 3000) went bankrupt as we flew into Gatwick on it - another bad sign for my future employment.

With the police checks complete, we sent the application off to Kerry, who returned professionally presented paperwork with supporting documents for us to sign and return with the High Commission fees. The new Canadian Immigration system was finally announced with stricter point scoring that was back dated to all applications received after December 18th 2001. Ours had arrived there on 19th December!!!! We wouldn’t qualify under the new rules; Kerry reassured us that as the new system hadn’t been ratified by parliament it wasn’t set in stone.

The authorities backed down after threats of legal action by several Canadian Immigration Lawyers, the cutoff date was set as June 1st 2002. All applications processed before then would be under the old rules - we were back in with a chance. In Feb. 2002 our file number arrived - we were being processed; we waited to see if we were to be called for an interview, accepted or declined. The wait was crazy - Kerry kept us busy with regular information mailings on Canada, the reassuring voice on the end of the phone was worth the fee in itself. Andie’s sister was also busy in Calgary phoning around to establish points of contact for me. I had started to look at other employment and began some project management courses. As with my aircraft maintenance licenses I soon realized that UK qualifications wouldn’t readily move to the Canadian system. I contacted the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and found they had an impressive curriculum of courses including several Project Management offerings and some great technical pre-employment courses that had a good history of the candidates finding employment in the field of choice.

The call came out of the blue: we had been accepted subject to Medicals and were not being called for an interview! The nearest approved clinic was in Oxford, Andie phoned immediately, the first appointment was eight weeks. We put the house on the market - we needed to know it was sold before we could plan on moving. If we failed the medicals we decided I would still leave the RAF and we would move away from the area. Andie’s parents would let us stay with them if we sold the house.

We put the house on the market at the end of June 2002 - and had a buyer in 3 days. The date of sale was set for the 31st August and we would move out on the 29th. We couldn’t believe our luck, but it wasn’t to be all plain sailing! The clinic phoned first, they had double booked us and we’d have to wait an extra two months. Andie had “a bit of a chat” with them and they finally agreed to squeeze us in as an extra appointment after a heated debate!

All 4 of us had to have medicals - the kids didn’t have x-rays or blood tests but we each had 40 minutes with the doctor, hearing and blood pressure tests. Even though there were no health issues as far as we knew I managed to stress about the whole deal and ended up failing the blood pressure test. Apart from the embarrassment, I had to have a cardiograph to make sure I was ok. This delayed the medicals being sent back by a week as the cardiograph had to be analyzed by a cardiologist. I didn’t feel too clever!

We checked out the different shipping agencies. Kerry recommended PSS shipping - a family run business with a good reputation and a good quote. When we called to book we had almost left it too late. They managed to fit us in as we only had a relatively small load to ship. We agreed on a shared container for the shipping on a door to door service. They would arrive to pack everything on the 28th August. We just hoped the Medicals were OK!

While I was deployed away with the Air force, the house sale had stalled due to an argument between the lawyers! We couldn’t sack them as then the whole process would have to start again and there would be no chance of us making a deadline for a currency transfer we had booked. There were large penalties for missing the date. We couldn’t cancel the removals at such short notice either, as it too would incur large penalties. So we were facing moving out to Andie’s parents and leaving the house empty whilst still paying the mortgage, taxes and bills. On top of that the insurance was only valid for 30 days once it was empty and we were booked on flights to Calgary to go house hunting!

Eventually, Kerry phoned with the news that we were accepted and just had to sign some documents and send in our passports and photo’s to claim our visas. At last the relief of knowing took away the house nightmare for a day or two. The date was set - January 11th 2003. There is only a 3 month window where the forms were valid so we decided to send the paperwork off once we had returned from Canada as the house drama was starting to become serious. We were about to set off to Canada for a month with the house sale still in limbo. We managed to gain assurances that things were moving behind the scenes and that all would be completed in time for our money transfer, all we could do was board the plane and hope for the best!

In Canada, we were recommended a local realtor (Estate Agent). He helped us find a plot of land and reputable builder to build the house of our dreams. We arranged a mortgage (with 35% down you don’t need to have a job for approval) and agreed on the deal - all that was missing was the cash! Eventually, the house sale went through, the money arrived into our Canadian bank in 72 hours. I was astonished (and thankful) at how the transfer went like clockwork. It was time to spend!!!! We went in to sign the house deal with the realtor and wrote out the house purchase agreement. The realtor handled all the negotiations on our behalf but always made sure we agreed to everything. We put down the 10% deposit needed to secure the deal (the rest is paid at possession) and put the house building process into gear.

The day after we returned, we gathered up our documents and photo’s and sent them recorded delivery to the High Commission in London. It would take approximately 3 weeks to process and then we’d be on our way.

We researched and chose the shipping company for our Golden Retriever which would cost us more to ship than our one way tickets! These one way flights were booked for the 11th January 2003 and it seemed strange paying more to ship a dog than a family of four! The rest they say, is history!

We’ve been here 18 months now and can honestly say it has worked out better than we had ever imagined. The first 8 months or so had more stress than I have ever had before and times were extremely hard but now we are settled it’s hard to imagine being back in the UK. The air is clean, scenery amazing and there is so much to do there’s no spare time! The beer isn’t too clever but you can’t have everything!

I hope this will give you an insight into Canadian Immigration and inspire rather than disturb!! If you decide to give it a go - good luck!

The author immigrated to Canada in 2003 and has constructed a free information website www.onestopimmigration-canada.com about Canadian Immigration and life in Canada based on his family’s experiences.

Hey you, where you going on holiday this summer? Kayaking in the Andes, golfing in Russia or sunbathing in Thailand? Is this going to result in a washout drinking spree, a fall-in-love with local girl heartache story or a thief stole my purse anecdote?

How many times do people utter “where shall we go this year”? Is it to be hot or cold, adventure or boring, sun, sex, sand or shopping? A bit of one and a bit of another might be good, or two of one and three of another might be even better, but not sand and no shopping although I might need some new shoes! Mum wants the shopping, dad wants the golf and all the wee bairns want something that the parents do not - help!

A holiday is not an easy task to have. In actual fact it is more probable that the actual organizing and the dreams before hand are far more fun than the holiday eventually turns out to be. If by chance two like minded people plan and go on a holiday then the chances are that it will be a good one. But getting two like minded people together is quite impossible these days, so most holidays thus end in disaster.

In days gone by……people used to be satisfied with the annual trip to Blackpool (for those in Scotland to Portobello: always take a wooly jumper and mitts). There was no need to disguise “home away from home” in these sea-side beach towns, it was home. Nothing was different, the weather was constantly miserable, the food fully fat and glutinous with no health aspect involved and the people whose paths crossed could have been the next door neighbor. So those holidays were not quite the trails that they have become, since planes started to herd so-called tourists around the world.

After the local seaside town ……. came the search for sex, sweat and coca cola in hot places. Places like Spain, the Canary Islands and Malta opened their doors to white and unhealthy Brits by the thousands. Then sent them back home after two weeks, out of pocket, looking like beetroots and without them ever having met a local of the country. This was probably a wise decision by the host countries as nothing is more embarrassing than seeing an extra large family (size not quantity) with the remains of a steak dinner, some HP sauce and a milk shake splurged and streaked across the embarrassingly and alternate pale white and red colored skins that typically adorn the British like a national flag. The similarity between a quite spoken group of Spaniards playing chess in a Tapas Bar and a family of loud, obnoxious, skimpily dressed and drunk Brits is like an ant hill and Mount Everest. There isn’t any.

Then along came the organized tour! As suntan lotion and insect repellant firms, overjoyed at such good business from this new and lucrative search for sun and sand, considered opening up some hotels of their own in mosquito infested jungles, along came the organized tour. The mass collection of supposedly similarly minded holiday goers into collective bunches to be shepherded around to the economics that they had previously prescribed. Lonesome and desperate teenagers, middle aged work-alcoholics or old aged pensioners who had minimal choice in the matter found themselves squashed onto planes and buses, packed four thick into single hotel rooms and shouted at in different languages before being returned home: well shaken and stirred.

This idea of the organized tour soon expanded to encompass the rest of the world. Large collections and arrangements of those searching for the exotic (foreign ladies of Asian mystery, Greek hunks with slippery voices), those who like to shop or undergo warp speed adventures that normal humans run miles to avoid became popular. New centers of fascination sprung up where swamps used to be, uninhabited Islands suddenly became pearls of the orient and hotel chains pre-empted all with hurriedly built square boxes and fish and chip restaurants whilst Tenants or Guinness rapidly overtook the local drink as that most consumed.

More recently the organized tour has paled……… there are still many available, more choices than ever before and millions of tourists return home irate or emotionally drained but more travel makers are opting for cheap tickets and un-organized tours. Families are now traveling at rock-bottom prices to far-flung destinations with nothing but the guarantee of hotel room at the other end. Recently wed couples, professional couples or just plain old couples travel lightly to Islands, to find the sun and romance, fathers and mothers take children on trips that span the world for educational purposes and single men search for love with money. Shopping paradises reward those with cash to spend, beaches get professionally cleaned during nights and ready for the mornings influx of crazed sun addicts and bungee ropes get worn out.

And now! Money can be spent, plans intricately arranged and preparations detailed to the minute but still the dream of an impending holiday tends to surpass the end result.

As I sit on my rickety little wooden sun lounger …….. watching the incy bit of sun that has managed to force its way through the dense cloud above shine on the still waters of the Channel. As I sit watching the Ferris wheel spin with its one customer and as I sit here sucking happily on my stick of Blackpool Rock I wander why anybody would want to go so far to get so little. Why would anybody want to spend so much money to travel so far away when right on their doorstep is the perfect answer?

One day, all these tourists and tours will return. One day places like Alton Towers, Brighton beach, Portobello and the Yorkshire dales will become the dreams of holidaymakers and I will have to pack my bags and travel far and wide to find the peace and tranquility (albeit with a shiver) that the old British holiday towns now have. One day the cleaners of British beaches will have to cope with piles of discarded coke cans, dropped crisp packets and broken glass bottles: one day they will have to fight to see the sand beneath. And one day in the future I will be able to travel to Thailand and not find an empty coke can on the beach, I will be able to walk in the Himalayas without tripping over discarded crisp packets and one day I will not see broken glass bottles in the Wild Life sanctuaries of Africa.

One day when the tourists come to their senses and see the value of their own country I will have to leave. But until that time I will sit here under my umbrella that is ready for the sun should it appear and enjoy the peace and tranquility of my surrounds.

About the Author

Ieuan Dolby is the Author and Webmaster of Seamania . As a Chief Engineer in the Merchant Navy he has sailed the world for fifteen years. Now living in Taiwan he writes about cultures across the globe and life as he sees it.

Argentina is on the way back from the economic crisis of the last few years. If you are looking for a travel destination, Argentina is amazing and cheap.

Economic Woes

While Argentina has unlimited beauty, it also has unlimited corruption. The massive corruption finally lead to an economic crisis at the turn of the century. With the currency devalued and jobs hard to find, Argentina was a decidedly dangerous place for travelers. At one point, the country was going through Presidents faster than I go through coffee. At one point, the country went through five of them in a month! Wait, that might not be such a bad idea. Regardless, things appear to have stabilized and the country is back on the travel map. So, what’s to see?

Buenos Aires

Prior to landing in Buenos Aires, you are strongly encouraged to glue your jaw shut. Buenos Aires is a city of jaw-dropping beauty. In many ways, you will feel as though you have magically been transported to Vienna. The European impression is overwhelming. The city is elegance itself. If you’re a meat eater, make sure you experience one of the steak houses. You won’t be disappointed.

Mar del Plata

You’ve been doing sit ups, right? The Mar de Plata is the hot beach area. Literally. Damn hot, sometimes. If you wish to pursue a little melanoma research, this is the place. If you prefer to pass on the cancer research, you can hit the Mar de Plata Aquarium, play golf on five different courses. The area is also rife with discos. Try the ones on the “Noisy Avenue”, but don’t mention my name. There were…problems last time I was there.

Iguaz Falls

If you like waterfalls, this is the place for you. The Iquaza Falls are twice as wide and taller than Niagara Falls. The Falls actually consist of over 250 cascades that came into existence due to a volcanic eruption. If you can, try to visit the falls in the spring or fall as it is ungodly hot and humid in the summer.

Tierra del Fuego

Welcome to the end of the world. At least, that’s the hook for Tierra del Fuego. Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego, is the southernmost city in the world. From the city, you can take the “end of the world” train to see incredible snow covered mountain ranges in the Tierra del Fuego National Park. Words fail me, but the area is definitely worth visiting. Come on, you rode the elephants in Thailand, didn’t you? Patagonia

No, we are not talking about the clothing line. Patagonia is located in a vast area below Buenos Aires and is famous for uncompromised beauty. Greater Patagonia is actually split between Chile and Argentina. The section in Argentina is filled with glaciers, national parks and so on. I can’t possibly describe it, so I’m not even going to try. Just know that you will not be disappointed.

Argentina

From glaciers to beaches, from elegant cities to friendly little towns, Argentina is a top travel destination. With the economy stabilizing, now is the time to go.

Rick Chapo is with www.nomadjournals.com - preserve the experience with a written journal. Visit www.nomadjournaltrips.com to read more travelogues and articles.

Hampton Court Palace is placed to the south-west of the Capital, on the banks of the River Thames, encircled by park & dazzling private gardens. Hampton Court Palace, Henry 8th’s astounding riverbank house is set in well over six hundred acres of park and gardens.

Bringing the sensations of more than 450 years of heritage, fancy dressed actors can be glimpsed throughout Henry 8’s and King William 3’s outstanding State palaces. The sights, noise & unpleasant smells of the remarkable Tudor kitchens where royal occasions were prepared for Henry?s courtyard of over 700 folks can also be viewed.

Hampton Court Palace has been divided into 6 different routes or trips. The Maze at Hampton Court Palace which is located on the River Thames to the west of the City is perhaps the most esteemed hedge maze on this planet.

Hampton Court palace has a cruel legacy and is said to be possessed by more than a few phantoms, including 2 of Henry 8th’s wives & a nurse to his children. Hampton Court Palace custodians & staff will be at the ready to aid guests to their elected state quarter for a sparkling wine and canap?s welcome. Costumed employees will broadcast the evening dinner & guests will be called to locate their selected seats for a terrific 2 course dinner with hand-picked fine red and white wines. For a special family day out, visit Hampton Court Palace today.

Hampton Court Palace has 60 acres of official gardens as well as the five-hundred acres of royal plants. The royal gardens date back to the sixteenth Century, when the first Privy Garden was fitted between fifteen-thirty & 1538 for King Henry the 8th.

Each time you go for shopping, traveling or out for dining you have to queue up in a line waiting for your turn spending up lot of time and money for the purchase of an item. You might have observed some people holding coupons for any of the item they purchase. It would have aroused in your mind as to how these coupons serve the purpose of buying any item? What is the benefit of having one?

These discount coupons save a good amount on your purchases and traveling. These usually come within Coupon Books which can be used as and when required. For any of the products you require you should always check the availability for these coupons. You can have all the entertainment while you shop, dine or travel with the help of these discount coupons. Here you get the best services at most discounted rates.

If you could get Entertainment Coupon Book 2006 you can find great savings of 15% to 20% on entertainment business like the hotel tickets, movie tickets, casinos and lots more. Some of these books can also be used for noble causes as there is an entertainment book fundraiser register along with it. The money thus raised is used by charitable organizations. Also the coupons in a discount book are not paid advertisements they are listed on basis of awards, reviews and personal recommendations.

When needed these discount coupons could be bought, borrowed or printed directly from internet to your printer. There are sites offering free printable coupons directly from the internet to the personal computer. These coupons could be organized with the help of coupon organizer whereby they are sorted by generic classification or expiration date. Always remember if you have some expired coupons never throw them off instead you can send them to military overseas as commissaries or use later for buying those products at the time of sale or clearance.

To know further details you can visit our recommended website entertainment-coupon-book-2006.info

Olivia Andrews is a freelance journalist and has written many reviews on subjects such as finance, education, entertainment, music, apparels and mobile phones.

1. Keep a stack of directions TO your place for people who need to know how to get to your home or office. This prevents you from having to write them out every time you are asked. Type the directions and save them on your computer. This way you can email, fax, or mail them the directions. Make copies and keep them accessible. It is also helpful to keep directions FROM your place for future visits you need to make.

2. Rather than add to someone else’s clutter with a gift you are not sure they would like, give ‘consumable’ items for Christmas such as: special coffees or teas, cookies, or gift certificates.

3. Keep a Christmas idea file. Keep a folder and insert recipes, magazine clippings, gift ideas, and other ideas you might like to use for the holiday.

4. A COUNTDOWN is super effective for any event such as weddings, holidays, and parties. Start by creating a master to-do list of everything that needs to be done for your special event. Then, transfer a couple of to-dos onto each day preceding your event. Cross off items when finished!

5. AVOID shopping during busy times like the weekend and after-work. Shop online, by catalog, or in an area with several stores-in order to consolidate your shopping trips. Ask for gift-wrapping!

6. Spend your time on what you LOVE to do. If you love socializing, why waste your time cooking? Order from your favorite restaurant. If you hate decorating, hire an interior decorator or an art student. Exchange tasks with friends.

7. Pack your decorations away with care. Do not throw everything in a box. Take time to pack fragile items carefully. Store your decorations and lights in proper containers. Inventory what you have with a list and a list for what you need next year. LABEL all of your boxes!

Rebekah Slatkin is a professional organizer dedicated to getting people organized through hands-on decluttering sessions, teleconferencing, coaching, and her website http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com Visit http://www.best-organizing-products-superstore.com and subscribe to Organewz, her ezine dedicated to organized living and get organizing tips- free.

England?s exciting and frequently awful past is beyond a shadow of a doubt most reflected in it’s historic buildings & nowhere is this more perceptible than in those properties owned by the Royal Family and their festivities. For details of Buckingham Palace address, visit the Enjoy England website.

For a prolonged time now the English Monarchy has been perceived as being crucial to the success of the UK. They have enthralled holiday-makers for years & maintain to rouse the appeal of foreign people of all age groups. Buckingham Place has been labelled the Capital’s home of the British monarchy from the time when Queen Victoria became queen in eighteen thirty seven. its one of a small amount of operational royal palaces enduring in in Great Britain today.

Buckingham Palace is used for the most part as an office, but can also be transformed into a social events venue for the 50,000 people asked to the Palace every single year. There are over six-hundred housings, including 19 state bedrooms, fifty two royal & visitor bedrooms, seventy-eight bathrooms, ninety-two offices, but more extraordinarily an in-house cinema & swimming pool.

All over the spring and summer, foreign day-trippers can tour around the colourful state rooms, which help to make the heart of the Palace. These grand digs are improved with a selection of the top treasures from the Royal collection, including sculptures by Canova as well as paintings by the many well-regarded painters for instance Rembrandt, Rubens & Canaletto.