Re: Canada in the Winter
redirects never help. They attach a stigma which can never be removed.
Re: Canada in the Winter
Mehnaz!!! Stop being mean to Catty!!! Otherwise there will be consequences… I’ll start calling you Mehnaz Baji, or even Mehnaz Aunty 
Re: Canada in the Winter
My media studies teacher is Canadian. She was a TV producer back home and ya you just have to look at her and say she is from that pert of the world where cracks live. Nah jus jooking.
Re: Canada in the Winter
was that a threat? I’m sure Mehnaz is cowering in fear.
Re: Canada in the Winter
For you, I’m not getting any meaner than that 
Re: Canada in the Winter
wimp.
Re: Canada in the Winter
There really aren’t any highlights, other than the fact that you get to wear great turtle necks and stylish sweaters/jumpers and funky boots that go all the way up to your knees which will keep your legs toasty warm (underneath trousers 
) … and all the boots are made with ridiculous heels that just aren’t practical for the snow, but people like myself still wear them AND run to the train across an entire parking lot covered with ice, so it can’t be that bad, right? Hot drinks from Second Cup, chai lattes, hot chocolate with whipped cream, skiing, tabogonning in Toronto’s High Park, skating downtown at City Hall …
starting your car 15 minutes before you leave the house so that the engine is hot enough to handle the cold and your car can warm up so that you don’t freeze to death, bundling up in big coats and scarves to keep yourself warm, slipping on the ice, seeing depressed faces all around you, black slush all over the place once the pretty white snow has been destroyed by cars on the street, having to drive super carefully to avoid your car skidding on black ice causing an accident, people complaining about the weather and then going to Cuba/Mexico/Caribbean on holiday for one or two weeks, usually in January/February, and coming back nice and tanned to the miserable Canadian winter 
On the plus side, it only really lasts for three or four months. It’s not that bad once you get used to it.
Re: Canada in the Winter
You should be very clear about about your plans. Grab life by the horns as they say.
Are you going to make your education useful or was Japan just an excuse to travel 
Re: Canada in the Winter
hehe.. aww its really not that bad once u get used to it. mehnaz has highlighted most of things. just to add that public transport is pretty good if u r close to downtown, however, if u live in suburbs u’ll probably need a car to get around the city. the public transport is fully heated (trains and busses) and most of them have a direct entrance to all the malls, so its not that bad 
Re: Canada in the Winter
c'mon its not that bad....after you slip once or twice on the sidewalk catching the bus u will be fine or will atlease get a car....just kidding.
Re: Canada in the Winter
yikes catz, move to the west coast. things get better. even though, it's really dull and grey, and rains and snows (on mountains) relentlessly; not as cold as the eastern part. it does not get bright until about 9 am and it's pitch dark around 3:30 - 4 if it's raining. the plus side is that there is tons of stuff you can do.
come home and go for a guided snow shoeing tour at night, or you can go skiing on one of the three resorts in town - open late :P..if you want to party, then go to whistler and spend a weekend there.....the place just rocks in winters..
lots of people do get depressed though, mostly the inactive ones..make sure to find some fun-filled activity to keep you thrilled during winters...
Re: Canada in the Winter
nahi Faizy jee, we are preparing her. :)
Re: Canada in the Winter
catty, if you ever feel too cold, just cross the border, we have places like FL and cousins like Faisal Bhai who would love to give up their couch for you to crash in. :D
Re: Canada in the Winter
wow. hmm thanks guys. Mehnaz, considering how cold i get I think i will be venturing out wrapped in a blanket. I agree about the hot chocolate in winter - but its really fattening stuff. So do you wear thermals and thick stockings underneath your trousers? How is September usually?
Suroor, thanks, thats good to know ... I may be out in the suburbs, not sure yet.
bkb, yes I think I'll try ice skating as well - havent done that since age 15.
fayz, haha yes I primarily went there to get a break from everything. But worry not, I have high aspirations and will make you very proud one day of all my achievements.
Abdullah, yes Ive heard its much much nicer where you are. I will try to keep those handy tips in mind. TY. Just pray I dont end up in Ottawa!
I do feel a bit better, will try and enjoy it to the best of my ability.
Re: Canada in the Winter
September is fine and you will probably still be able to wear your sandals till mid-September. It only really starts to get freezing cold in January.
Yes, winter is fattening, everything about winter.
I have worn long socks to sleep in during extra cold nights, but that is rare. The heating here is excellent. Don’t worry. 
Re: Canada in the Winter
i used to stay out in -27(C) temperatures outside my gf’s house till her mom used to yell at both of us to come in 
so dont worry.. its all good.. u get used to of cold, and then u find things to make it fun..
(snowball fights, making snowmen, skiing, icehockey my favourite).. u knoww.. its part of life here..
Re: Canada in the Winter
oh mann u guys r just scaring the hell out of her ... well u know kia let me be pretty honest with u...
hmm its not as bad as u think... my parents were like just so strict at the time we left pak which was like back in 94...they were just diong all sorta research as u r and just worrying for no reason. lakin at that time i remember i was like around 12 and my parents just went crazy .... they bought god knows kia kuchhhhhhhhhh and just about when we landed which was like in late december loll we were forced to wear like couple sweaters, a huge crazy looking winter jacket, gloves, i dont nkow kia kuch and i could hardly walk lol...
anyways lets get to the point, so its not as bad as u think, even taking public transport wont be big prob, we used to walk down to our school which was like really far i mean if i do tell here ppl will think i was crazy but it was just fun at times u know u r with ur friends lol.... like from markham/ellesmere to neilson and tapscot lolllllll i konw thats crazy but wot the heckk but really we did find some short cuts so it wasnt that bad.....
i was pretty used to the conditions, i acutally luved snow, luved the winter each time it appeared i mean i didnt take any negatives out of so it was easy to tackle. we played alot of soccer, football, went for skating, snowboarding, we used to like have proper snowball fights lol hmm which at times last for like hrs etc... walked down million times to Scarboro town center but only when it was snowing, hmm i dont know wot else to tell u lol
im sure u will luv it once u spend some time there. its just total fun. i really miss being in TO its been over a yr since i moved back to pak and i just simply hate it here!
Re: Canada in the Winter
Mohsin’s right. Don’t get too scared. My family and I had moved to Canada waaaaay back in December 1989 and moved back to the UK after a few weeks partly because of the weather. But it meant that my experience of Canada was just my memories from when I was 8 years old - and what i remembered was just being colder than ever before.
So before I moved here I bought a huge extremely expensive and extremely thick and warm arctic jacket.
I ended up wearing it just once in winter here, my trusty leather jacket was otherwise enough when worn with a thick fleece lining. Such a waste of money 
Re: Canada in the Winter
i know maddy...its just funny about the winter jacket ..... anyone hardly wears it .... i still remember buying my jacket from winners down at makrham/lawrence and i dont remember wearing it at all lol........it was there to just let u know kay ya u do have a winter jacket but who the hell cared... :)
to be honest i did have prob with my ears they used to getttttttttttt so redd but it was at times my own fault bcz like u really have to take account the windchill factor lol i mean at times i would just walk out for subway along friends and then find kay its around -30 or bla bla lol but these were the things that made me alot tougher to deal with such weather.
remembering subway oh mann memories Tuna just simply rocked lolll