SELECTIVE PURCHASING

You can get almost everything in Canada. However you need to purchase a few things, to tide you over the settling down phase. There are also quite a few items that might be much cheaper in India. Plan your purchases judiciously, or you might pay what you save to the airlines for excess baggage.

GROCERIES

You need not carry spices from home with you, because they will be easily available in Canada at various Indian Food Stores because there is quite a big population of Indians that live there.

If you are keen on cooking, and you want to save some money, the things to carry would be Sambar powder, Rasam powder, Dal powder, Chilli powder, Garam masala and any other masala powders you may require. This is just in case your project is in some remote place with no friendly Indian 'kirana' shop around.

SANITARY/PERSONAL CARE

Most sanitary items are available at convenience stores that will be located near you. However, carry the following:

• Carry what you need during your journey and your first couple of weeks.
• Along with your regular toiletry items, carry a good deodorant and a mouthwash like 'Listerine'. (Bad breath and body odor are not looked upon kindly.)
• There's no need to carry Washing Powder, brushes or other washing equipment. There are Laundromats; the place you stay will probably have one too, which are convenient and cheap.

UTENSILS AND APPLIANCES

You can get appliances and utensils reasonably priced at any of the big departmental stores, so there's no need to carry too many items, other than the ones mentioned here:

• Pressure Cookers may be expensive in Canada, so you should get one if you plan to cook rice and dal. Carry extra gaskets, safety valves and weights because it may be hard to find them.
• Once you've settled down, find a large departmental store for a set of utensils, which shouldn't be too expensive.
• Don't carry steel spoons, ladles, etc., because most utensils are non-stick.
• At the departmental stores, you'll also find drinking glasses that are pretty cheap.

LUGGAGE

When you buy luggage, you can either buy hard-top or soft-top ones. Considering the way most airlines handle luggage, you will be better off with hard top pieces than soft-top ones even if you consider the extra weight.

CLOTHES

The information on Geography and Climate (especially, the temperature chart for major cities) provided earlier, should help you in preparing your personal clothing requirements. Find out About Canada the weather at your destination and buy your clothes.

Most Canadians wear the same fashions as Western Europeans or Americans, but you can usually wear whatever style of clothes you wish. Most people require different types of clothing for each season. This is especially true for winter and summer.

To keep warm and safe in winter, Canadians wear special clothes. Proper winter clothing is very important whenever you are outside. Winter clothes include:

• warm boots
• a thick, windproof coat
• a scarf around the neck and/or across the face
• lined gloves
• warm undergarments
• A hat covering the ears is an important part of dressing for winter because people lose a lot of body heat from their heads. Severe cold weather (below -15 degrees Celsius) can cause frostbite to your fingers, toes, nose and ears.

From June through August, most areas of Canada are very warm. To keep cool in summer, most Canadians wear lightweight clothes. In casual situations, both men and women often wear shorts, lightweight shirts and sandals. But be aware that most shops and restaurants will not let anyone in who is not wearing a shirt or shoes.

The cool weather of spring and autumn requires light clothing that will keep you dry and warm. Many people wear sweaters with jackets that keep out wind and rain.

Work Clothes

Canadians wear western dress when they are at work. For the first few days dress formally (the dark business suit would be best) but after that play it by ear.

• Shirts: Even if you aren't working in a formal environment, carry at least 5 formal shirts that should be light colored.
• Trousers: Carry at least 4 pairs of good trousers in solid colors like black, blue or gray.
• Jeans: Jeans are pretty cheap in Canada, and you can buy yours there, but carry at least a couple of pairs to wear before you buy new ones.
• Suits: Definitely carry at least one good suit with you, even if you won't need to wear it to work. You might need it for other occasions. If your work attire is formal, then you'll need to carry at least three. Make sure that they are dark, blue, black or gray.
• Leather Jacket: A leather jacket is one of the best protections against the weather in winter. Take it with you from India, because as mentioned earlier, leather is very expensive in Canada.

FOOTWEAR

You ought to get as many pairs of leather shoes with you as you can because these are expensive in Canada. Buy a good pair of black and brown formal shoes. You can buy your Nikes and Reeboks in Canada. They cost About Canada the same as they do in India. If you are used to walking around in Hawaii chappals, take a pair with you.

For regular casual shoes, having a pair of sandals or slip-ons is fine. There are some good discount shoe stores in Canada and some of the Supermarkets have a reasonably priced selection of shoes.

ACCESSORIES

Accessories are important, and it would be a good idea to take the following with you.

• Socks: Buy as many pairs of socks as you will need, although they are available in Canada. Have a range of colors, especially to go with your trousers.
• Belts: Leather is expensive in Canada so make sure to carry your own.
• Wallet: Get a good leather wallet, with lots of place for cards.
• Ties: Buy a few good ties, and these should be sober and dark colored.
• Gloves: It would be a good idea to carry one good pair of leather gloves.
• Handkerchiefs: Carry enough of these with you.
• Inner garments: Have your supply of these. They are available in Canada as well, and are not that expensive.

DRIVING LICENSE

Driving in Canada is hard at first, but not impossible. It is very orderly, and people generally follow traffic rules.

• Get yourself an International Driver's Permit from India. You can get a Canadian License once you're there, but that could take some time. The rules for getting a license in different provinces of Canada differ. For more information, click here.
• The driving rules and methods are very different from those in India, and you will not be spared for making mistakes. You'll need to take some lessons and familiarize yourself with the rules and speeds at which people drive. Also, don't forget to take out some auto insurance if you plan to drive.
• If you don't know how to drive, yet want to drive in Canada, it'll be a better idea of you take lessons in India, and that would make it easier for you to learn there.
• Penalties are high if caught drinking and driving; cancellation of license for one year, jail time, high fines.

Note: In order to get an International Driver's Permit, you have to go to your local RTO with your Passport, and apply for one. It doesn't take that long, nor is it too expensive. It is normally valid for a year, which is enough time to get a Canadian license, and be able to drive reasonably well.

MEDICAL RECORDS

Canada has one of the finest health care systems in the world. Excellent hospitals, clinics or doctors' offices are located in most communities. Pharmaceuticals are available from numerous outlets including supermarkets, department stores, hotels and shopping centers.

• It is advisable to take out a medical insurance before coming to Canada because costs can be extremely high
• If you or any family members have suffered from any serious medical problems in the past, are allergic to any medications, or have any medical condition that a new doctor should know About Canada, ask your current doctor to prepare a detailed medical report that you can take with you.
• Also ask your doctor to give you the generic names of any medicines that you or family members need or are currently using since brand names for medicines may be different in Canada.
• It is a good idea to carry past diagnoses and treatment records for you or any children that may be traveling with you.
• There are a lot of medicines available in India that you can't get without a prescription in Canada and the pharmacies do not accept prescriptions written outside Canada. Carry enough supply of any medication that you are using to allow enough time for your insurance to be activated, and a new doctor to prescribe any medicines you might need.
• All medication that you carry should be clearly labeled and have a valid prescription accompanying it.
• There are some medicines available in India are banned in Canada and carrying a prescription will guard you against any suspicion of smuggling. This applies especially to homeopathic medicines that may be mistaken for illegal drugs at Customs.
• Finally, carry a small kit of medicines for common ailments (headaches, stomach problems, muscle aches, cuts and bruises) with you.