So they have let me into Canada, with a working visa for up to a year. After leaving the airport I hoped on the skytrain and took me straight into downtown. My hostel that my work is putting me up in is very nice with two access codes to get to my locked room and free breakfast. I went and got a cheap bad haircut, should have spent more. I had a quick look around the city before going and hanging out at the hostel. My real birthday was the next day, but t didnt feel like it all day, i already felt 21 thanks to my party back home before leaving. I had a meeting talk thing to get to, so I walked through the rain to find the door locked I had the wrong day - w***. So yesterday I went to pay for another night cause work had only arranged 2nights for me. And they were full all 200 beds. So i headed out to try and find another place, but all the cheap ones were full, and I only had 20cash and no way of getting more because it was Sunday and the ATM wouldnt accept my card. I learnt in los Angeles that the cheap ones will be in the rough parts of town. So as im walking there are alot of homeless and drug addicts, and it just keeps getting worse and worse. I have a massive smile on my face, i think because of the amazement, and am wearing all my best clothes, cause thats what I put on when I woke up. So I found a place $14 a night. Its not too bad, there are no locks, holes in the walls and every window. The kitchen and toilet are worse than anything my flat ever looked like back home. Everybody smokes, but they are all friendlier people than at the previous hostel. It was a good thing I was tired because its not the quietish area. Very interesting talk today but they didnt provide lunch. I have an appointment for a bank account tonight and will have a phone number and postal address by Friday. I like Canada, its surprising for me how much everything is different than the US. Vancouver is very much like Christchurch, the beaches and then the mountains really close and they love there water features here, which I love. Its a shame my camera is broken cause there would be some good pictures.