Ok so latley i've been doing some thinking and it seems like there is nothing here for me in my home town anymore and i should think about making a change. I don't mean a pissy little change like get a new job or move a couple of towns over but to go somewhere completley new where i don't know anyone, somewhere i've never been before, an adventure ya know? I stumbled across global work and travel co and have been getting really keen on a working holiday. Now i'll admit that the first place i would have wanted to go would be the states but you guys are really strict on who you give greencards to from what i hear so that may be out, but someone has suggested to me that canada would be worth thinking about. I've never been very familiar with canada so thought i might ask you guys who either live or have experienced canada what you thought. Is it covered in snow all year round or are there places where it's seasonal? What cities/towns would be worth visiting or staying in? What do canadians do for fun? Would it be a good place to go for a young, active, outdoorsy type guy? I've been doing a bit of my own rsearch and some of the pictures of the canadian wilderness i've seen are [censored] phenomenal but i'm a little worried because if it's cold all year round i might not be able to get out and enjoy it that much. Being from Australia i'm kinda used to warmish weather but i don't mind some snow and cold as long as there are periods of sunshine in there somewhere. So what do you guys think? any thoughts or advice?

While I have never personally been all but a few miles inside the Canadian Border, there are a few things I feel I can answer to some degree of accuracy. First off, no. It's not cold there year round. It can be very seasonal depending on where you decide to go, and on quite a few occasions I've taken note that it was indeed hotter in some parts of Canada during the summer than it is here in N.J. at times. And yes, Canada has huge expanses of wilderness suited for the most aggressive of outdoors types. Just about any kind of "outdoorsy" types of things are readily available to those who wish to do such things. I've always wanted to take a long vacation to our friends from the North, and I know the very first thing I'd be doing is hopping on a boat in search of a record Muskie.

There are LOTS of Aussies in Calgary. I don't know why but I see them all the time.

To me, Western Canada is the most beautiful area and the most likely you'd find work. Plus, the Rockies are on your doorstep. If it's wilderness you want, you'd get it.

I live in a temporal climate. Meaning cold winters and hot summers. Honestly, Alberta is the best place to live on earth probably. I love it here.

Ok cool sounding good so far. Hey are canadians big drinkers? I can't drink because of medical reasons and here in Aus that means you're pretty well [censored] socially because everything seems to be about getting drunk and i'm starting to wonder if it's a cultural thing or everyone is like that in their 20's. It'd be a pain in the ass if everyone i travel to canada and everyone has the same "I'm bored what should we do? I know! let's get drunk!" attitude

1) Most people, including immigrants settle down in populated -- urbanized areas. I live in Ontario and the province only sees snow during winter. Other than that, its usually green.

2) By the sound of it, I think you'd either like to go to western or centeral Canada. I think its got that wild scenic route your looking for. My only concern is that if you're a people person, you might find the low populated communities to be rather lonesome.

3)Canadians do what everyone else does for fun. I like to think of us as Americans with about 1 year window in technology difference.


I've personally been living in Canada my whole life, though I've never been to another province. Unlike you, I have no desire to see those mountains and greeneries as my cottage in northern Ontario offers enough recreation that my little urban heart desires. That could always be an alternative too. Settle down somewhere urbanized and rent a cottage?

Wouldn't be a problem. I actually like a little balance between people and solitude... As long as there are enough people around that i don't feel like a hermit or something. But i actually enjoy going off by myself and doing my own thing from time to time

So do i, but I have no problem doing that in the suburbs, in the city, and at my cottage. Why not take a vacation here during the summer? I wouldn't want to come here now. Its freezing.

Honestly though, i can't be much help in terms of Central and western Canada. I suppose your going to have to wait for other Canadian forumites (like Galuf) to come on and give you their two cents.

Yeah i wasn't going to come over any time in the near future. This is something i was thinking of doing maybe end of this/start of next year after i sort out a few things. What's this cottage you've mentioned? I can't picture a cottage in an urban setting

I live in Toronto, its in sourthern Ontario. The further north you go the less dense the population becomes. About 3 hours north and the population has dropped to around 10,000 people.

My cottage is on a http://farm1.static.flickr.com/84/240074221_3bfc18c4f0.jpg?v=0 up north. Its very quiet, the sky is littered with stars...even shooting stars are something of the norm.

I spend a lot of time bass fishing.

If you settle in a smaller town, drinking is pretty much what everyone does, of course, in the city you have more options.