| Kristjan's job as a computer game animator is what brought him from England to the Canadian city of Montreal, a place that he describes as "dynamic." His ability to speak French makes getting around easier and his job makes his stay in Canada even more exciting. |
 Kristjan Zadziuk |
August 21 2006
-Where were you born?
Liverpool, England. But I spent most of my life in Southport.
-In which country and city are you living now?
I'm currently living in Montreal, Canada.
-Are you living alone or with your family?
I'm living alone, but I speak to my family on a regular basis.
-How long have you been living in Canada?
About one year and three months.
-What is your age?
28 years young
-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?
My job allows me to work all over the world and I wanted a new challenge. The studio I work in is recognized as one of the best in the world, and being naturally ambitious, I aimed high. I was lucky enough to be offered a position within two months of first hearing of the opportunity.
-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Ubisoft, the company I work for, arranged all this for me before I even entered the country. How nice of them is that!
-How do you make your living in Canada? Do you have any type of income generated?
As I mentioned before, Ubisoft Montreal is a hugely successful games studio. The quality of the games made here made me notice them, and I was eager to become a part of that success. I am an animator on Ubisoft's next big franchise, "Assassins Creed," which is really exciting!
I found the job online on their Web site (www.ubi.com) and completed a portfolio with the aim of moving to Montreal; it seemed as good a place as any to continue my career. From the moment I applied to the moment I set foot in the country took two months in total. That's not a long time, considering I had to choose two suitcases' worth of stuff to start my new life with.
-Do you speak the local language and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Montreal's first language, no matter what anyone says, is French. My father spoke fluent French and English from a young age, and I must have picked up more than I first realized because I've picked up quite a bit from daily comings and goings.
But pretty much everyone here is bilingual, so you never really have problems getting what you need. But I try and speak French whenever I can, e.g. at restaurants, taxis, bars. I've found that as long as you make some sort of effort, the people of Montreal appreciate that you're trying and help you out when you start to struggle.
-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Do I miss home? You bet! I love Montreal, but I'm extremely close to friends and family, and unless they all move out here I think that I'll find it hard to resist moving back to England at some point. Although Montreal IS a great place to meet new and interesting people, and it seems like there is so much to do here, especially in the summer - festivals almost every summer weekend.
For recreation I tend to go to the gym, play basketball, meet with friends. Recently some friends of mine found a quiet place just outside of Montreal that has a 40-foot cliff that we can jump off from into the water. A very cheap and fun way of spending a sunny Sunday, I can tell you.
-Do you have other plans for the future?
Stay here for at least another year and then we will have to see what happens. But it would be a shame not to take advantage of the fact that my job can take me to places such as Australia, Asia, the States, and Europe - so I'm not ruling that out. But a stint back in England to recharge will be before that, I think.
-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I live about a 20-minute walk away from work, which was the biggest factor for me when I found this place. I rent in an area called The Plateau. It's a really nice area and the apartment is just about the right size for just me. In Montreal it would be called a 3-and-a-half, which means that it has a living room, main bedroom, kitchen and a bathroom (that's the half). I have it just how I like it; everything is set up. Ubisoft helped out with a relocation fee to get me started, so I own everything in my apartment, which is also a first, as I didn't have that in England.
-What is the cost of living in Canada?
Rent is cheaper, as is general getting about. But the price of alcohol is very similar to that in England; only the other day I was charged $10 for a pint of Guinness! Cheese and chicken breasts also seem quite expensive for some reason; but everything else seems to be a little cheaper. I was told that the price of living would be almost half of that in England, but that is a slight embellishment, I think.
-What do you think about the Canadians?
Everyone here is great, you feel extremely safe in Montreal. I haven't felt threatened even once here, it is a very European mentality. I've been to Toronto on occasion, and that city feels a lot more 'North American' than Montreal. The French/English divide isn't anywhere near as bad as I had thought it would be, but the line is pretty blurred.
-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?
The positives would be the North American choice and size and European style. The people are great here, very friendly. Montreal is very dynamic and definitely a party city. Schwartz's smoked meat!
Negative aspects would come if you don't understand any French as all signs by law have to be in French first. The fact that I am so far from my family and friends also.
-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?
Well, if you want to know anything about my time in Montreal, check my blog, Kristjan On Tour…, and that will give you an insight into how I am coping. But it definitely helps to have a job to go to first, as it will be hard to get a work permit if you don't have somewhere to go to first. Get a credit check at home first if you want to get a credit card. Be open to meeting people. I bought a pocket guide to Montreal, which helped a lot when I first got here. Enjoy your time here; check out as many restaurants as you can on Mont Royal, café culture on Saint Denis. Spend some time at the Tam Tam on Parc at the bottom of the mount. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?
As I said before, there is my blog (Kristjan On Tour). I have a lot of related links there, which would help you if you wanted to come here.
Metroblogging Montréal is also a good site with links.
