My bf and I have been checking Canada for a while, specially more isolated places like Saskatchewan. We’re way more familiarized by now with how the process for Canada would be, but as the sucker I am for wildlife, I really want to give Australia a try.
I’m Mexican, have lived in both countries a couple years each.
Canada -I couldn’t get used to the harsh weather and daylight changes during winter. Snow is fun, until it’s end of April and it keeps snowing (East coast). The real deal breaker for me was sun setting at 4 pm.payoff during summer time when its 9 pm and there’s still light, but it’s only for a brief time. -By law I had access to public healthcare, which is better than in Mexico but not what you often hear about “first world health systems”. -Paths to residence and citizenship are relatively easy, depending on the industry you work for. -Larger cities are multicultural but smaller towns and provinces might be different, and therefore harder (yet not impossible) to find a network of people. -Locals are nice and open to new people, at least in the city. However, consider people would likely have their lives already set and will keep to themselves most of the time. -Many decent Latino shops and restaurants and events -Flight back to Mexico is short, cheap-ish and plenty available
Australia -New South Wales weather is a lot like Mexico City. A bit hotter during summer and slightly more humid, or at least it feels like it. -i don’t have access to public healthcare, and in Australia is partly private too. So I have to pay a good sum when going to the doctor, or dentist. And you need to have private insurance as part of visa requirements. -Many visa options but not the friendliest process to become a PR. -Same as Canada, depending on the area people might be more open to other cultures in larger cities than in smaller towns. With the difference that maybe smaller towns in Oz could get harder to socialise with foreigners. As always, everyone gets a different experience. -Not many Latino/Mexican shops or events -Going back to Mexico is a pilgrimage. Expensive AF, and expect at least 24 hrs trips, to the western world. -Cost of living is expeeeensive. -In the long run, there’s a lot of room for new businesses and a good way of living. But don’t think it’s going to be easy.
Overall, I’ve improved my way of living in both countries, but I feel I could’ve also done it in Mexico. What has been the difference and the reasons why I’d stay abroad is feeling of security, better work culture and life balance.
Sun sets at 6pm here in Mexico now that they don’t recognize DST anymore. Not saying it’s the same at 4pm but oof, it’s not that far off anymore.
Canadian winters are dark and harsh. But Canadian summers are beautiful and amazing! The darkness is tough, but as someone from Latin America myself, I think it’s something you can get used to.
Just picking random cities for comparison, though, Mexico City has more than 2h/day more daylight than Montreal in the darkest part of the year. Not only is the total daylight short but for most people working normal hours, it also means for three months of the year that it’s already pitch black out when you get off work. It also tends to be cloudy in the winter, so even when it’s “daylight” it isn’t unusual to go a whole week without actually seeing the sun.
I finally broke down and bought a full spectrum lamp that I sit in the bask of during winter mornings. It helps a bit loo
Lots of people in Mexico don’t see daylight either. Their normal working hours are much longer than Canada’s.
You’ll get used to it, eventually :)
Source: Latino living in Canada for 20+ years.
Yeah, and in my case I was working around 12 hr days in Montréal, literally lived in the darkness in that time. I’m sure I had SAD but never got it “diagnosed” so I didn’t do anything about it, out of ignorance.
And winter sun, though it’s better than cloudy day still feels a bit fake doesn’t it? I found it very funny when people sat down on Sunday afternoon, in their porch, wearing the tiniest of clothes just to catch the sun leaking between corners in the Plateau as soon as the temperature was in the positive side.
Hope that lamp is helping you, don’t forget to get your Vitamin D supplements too!
En cual lugar decidiste quedarte?
Por ahora Australia está cómodo, pero al estar tan lejos del resto del mundo no tengo tantas opciones de trabajo y no me gusta depender de una sola compañía. Así que le daré una oportunidad al siguente año y si no me convence intentaré ir a Alemania u otro país en Europa.