It’s the weekend and so I felt quite lazy to get up. I took my time today as I had no alarm set up. What a life! The sun is shining, warming up my room and it actually looks like the spring is coming, although outside it is still a bit chilly. Canada has four distinct seasons and each one is worth experiencing. Â
This morning, I found myself peaceful and relaxed about staying in self-isolation. Breakfast was left right at my doorstep again and I started my day with a piece of fruit, yogurt and a bagel. Following my morning routine, I sat behind my laptop and started looking at places to live after my quarantine. This is going to be fun!
Finding accommodation in a foreign country might seem difficult at first, especially if it is your first time and you have no family members there who can give you a hand. If you are coming as a single student, it is recommended to explore what kind of services your school may help you with. Accommodation services are the most common, as numerous Canadian schools usually have comfortable living options such as student residences or homestays for reasonable prices. ILAC has numerous accommodations options for students to choose from, including Homestay, Residences, Dream House Apartments and more.
I am staying at an ILAC residence for my quarantine and then afterwards will move to an ILAC apartment, because that was the easiest for me. But I also looked at single rooms and apartments from short term up to 12 months on airbnb, as it is one of the safest options.
International student should start looking for other long-term options when they are still at home to get a feel of the market and prices. If going through the internet, never make a commitment or pay a deposit before seeing the place, because sometimes the images listed on the websites do not reflect the reality and might be scam. It is always better to go through ILAC, a friend or family member you trust when setting up accommodations in Canada.
I started my search on Craigslist and Kijiji, both common websites used by many newcomers in Canada for real estate, but also for selling and buying anything imaginable. After a while, I found 12 apartments that caught my attention, 2 of them were gorgeous for an incredible price. The amount of available apartments is unusual, as normally there are not so many vacancies in Toronto. But due to the Covid-19 outbreak, many apartments are empty and less expensive. That’s why it is a good idea to come to Canada now.
Finding an apartment takes time and today just flew by. I will talk to you tomorrow! Good night!