Good morning Slovakia!
So here we are – today is the big day of my journey to Canada. I am unable to put my excitement into words as well as the level of tiredness I am feeling at the moment. I did not sleep last night as I had so many things to finish before my final goodbye.
I left my apartment at 5:15 a.m. to go to the airport in Austria, the country next door. I arrived at the airport around 6:30 a.m. I have never seen the airport so empty. Some people were wearing regular surgical masks, but many people were wearing respirators which are masks with higher protection with filters. The check-in took longer than expected, but I passed security in record time as I was the first and last in the line, which never happened before!
I jumped on a full airplane to Frankfurt, Germany, where I waited for my 2nd flight to Toronto. The airport in Germany is huge, and therefore busier. It finally started to feel normal, although I found it strange how you need to distance yourself when you want to eat a sandwich or blow your nose these days.
After 2.5 hours, I finally boarded the flight to Toronto. Flight attendants were handing wet wipes for hand disinfection and started serving food after take-off. I had to keep my mask on during the whole flight, with the exception of eating or drinking. I thought it would be unbearable to wear a mask for so many hours, but I actually got used to it and stopped caring after the first hour. The 9-hour flight felt quick to me. It was 4 p.m. local time and when we landed in Toronto. Wow, I can’t believe I made it!
I was little nervous before crossing all the checkpoints. First was the border control where you need to show your passport, pre-filled declaration form which you received from flight attendants and your ArriveCAN receipt. It took me about 1 hour to pass this line.
Then I was sent to the immigration office where 12 officers were processing Canadian newcomers. I waited for about 15 minutes, until I was called to a friendly immigration officer. He reviewed all my papers, which I prepared based on the ILAC Document Checklist. He asked me a few questions, printed my permit and kindly answered all my questions.
I then walked to the baggage claim area, got a luggage cart and picked up my bags. Before I left, I handed my declaration form to an officer and walked through a long hall. It did not take long, and I found another queue for a mandatory COVID test.
I had pre-registered online but lost my international SIM card somewhere along the way. Fortunately, Toronto airport has a little purple kiosk that offers mobile services called Chatr Mobile. I bought a pre-paid number which was activated right away – 1 month with 6GB data and unlimited calls in Canada for $50.
Waiting and the test itself took about an hour and the whole arrival process took 3 hours. I contacted my ILAC Airport Greeter when I landed, and he patiently waited and was ready to pick me up. The ride from the airport was approximately 30 minutes. Once I arrived at the Parkside Residence at Carlton Street in downtown Toronto the driver helped me with all my luggage and waved goodbye. The check-in the residence was pre-arranged, and the receptionist helped me fill out the forms.
This will be my home for the next two weeks. I was exhausted after the whole day of travelling and am ready to sleep. I will share more details with you tomorrow! Good night!