Arrival

Well, after months of excitement and planning, we have finally made it to Canada. After arriving yesterday in a light sprinkling of snow, our first 24 hours in Toronto have been a flurry of activity: we’ve obtained temporary work permits, gained the keys to our new condo, unpacked all five suitcases, acquired our social insurance numbers, applied for provincial healthcare, opened bank accounts, taken out cellphone contracts, joined the public library, found our way around our local supermarket, and traversed the length (if not yet the width) of downtown Toronto in search of some delightful homeware.

All of which is not to say that our arrival in Toronto has been entirely challenge-free. We quickly discovered the Canadian love of queuing, and have spent several of the last 24 hours standing in line to submit the next form. We’ve also been perplexed by the rich variety of sheets which North Americans use to adorn their beds: our bleary-eyed visit to Homesense at about 1am GMT involved a host of unanswered questions about the differences between a comforter and a duvet. And we’ve suffered the occasional geographical mishap, such as not realising the difference between City Hall and Old City Hall and so accidentally stumbling into Toronto’s courthouse (for which there was, inevitably, a queue).

These mishaps aside, our first day in this beautiful city has been full of delights. In the icy sunshine that greeted us this morning it’s been difficult to avoid staring at everything and everyone with a Christmas-like wonder – in part because all the festive lights and decorations are still in place around the city. We find ourselves living in a fascinating area, full of tantalising restaurants and striking architecture. We can even see the CN Tower from our bedroom (at least if we crane our necks a little). Our first meals here were delicious – especially the breakfast at Dineen’s coffeehouse on Yonge Street, which is likely to become a firm favourite – and the range of amazing shops was almost overwhelming. Most of all, we’ve been touched by the generous welcome extended by everyone we’ve met, in a city where on their first day immigrants can apply for healthcare or a library card and be greeted with the words: “we hope you’ll stay in Canada a long time”.