{"id":685,"date":"2011-12-12T04:11:11","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T04:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/?p=685"},"modified":"2012-10-02T12:08:10","modified_gmt":"2012-10-02T20:08:10","slug":"vancouver-here-i-am","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/vancouver-here-i-am\/","title":{"rendered":"Vancouver! Here I am"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello everyone, what\u2019s up? A few weeks later and here I am again, but now FINALLY in Vancouver, this Cold Heaven. I’ve been here 6 days now, loving the city and everything that I’ve seen so far. For Video Games addicts, here we can find all kind of Game Collector\u2019s Edition and everything else not available in Brazil. I\u2019m going crazy here and controlling myself so that I don’t spend so much money on Games and Electronics!<\/p>\n

Anyway, this post is mostly to explain what my first steps were<\/strong> here in Vancouver, my first impressions, and of course, how it was when I left the airplane and I was invited to the immigration process<\/strong>. So take a seat, a piece of paper and take notes about that.<\/p>\n

To get to my destination I ended up opting for a flight leaving out from Brazil, in Guarulhos, and made a connection in Chicago, United States, to finally arrive in Vancouver. So, because I ended up passing by the U.S., I was granted my Visas and my main documents two times altogether. In U.S. I felt that the treatment was somewhat more raw and direct, but there is no reason to worry, since at the time that I showed my Study Permit from Canada, and the Visa, they realized that my intentions were not to move to their country. I then picked up the luggage and took it back to the next flight, which was another 5 hour trip to Vancouver. Altogether it took about 24 hours – counting the waiting time in each city and connection – to finally arrive at my destination.<\/p>\n

Upon landing in Canada I felt a totally different treatment compared to the previous one. Although the the processes were the same as in the U.S., Canadians seemed to be more polite and patient. When getting off the plane and collecting my luggage, I had a fantastic first impression. It is impossible not to feel dazzled by the beauty of the Vancouver International Airport and all the creativity and decoration of the place that does everything to really expose you to the culture of the city. Corridors are decorated with environments and artificial nature, animal sounds and waterfalls, to the famous city of totems and symbols. It’s amazing!<\/p>\n

After getting my luggages again, I was directed to the Immigration Area<\/strong>. There were queues with different functions, while the Study Permit and Work Permit were the same queue. Luckily there weren’t many people waiting at the moment, so this whole process took about 10 minutes. The Immigration Officer checked my documents, asked for my Canadian Student Visa, Letter of my Study Permit – perhaps the most important document to be accepted in the Country, so DON’T MISS IT<\/strong> – my acceptance letter of Game Design Program at Vancouver Film School and, finally, an address where I would be living here in Vancouver<\/em>. Luckily I had an address and this greatly\u00a0expedited\u00a0the process, despite the Official asking me how I had an address to live and whether it was the first time I was entering in Canada. I explained about the Housing Service that VFS offers to students and that is how I got the lease for the apartment.<\/p>\n

After reviewing all the documents, the Immigration Officer changes your Letter of Permission to Study for another document that is actually the original Study Permit. Remember that it is good to check it out to ensure all of your data is included in the document, since this is one of the most important documents for you during this time of stay in Canada. Finally, all my documents were returned to me and I could finally leave the airport and go to my apartment in Downtown.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of it, I feel more in love every day I go out and I get back to my apartment. I was amazed at how much I loved the location and the apartment itself. Everything is beautiful, organized and modern inside. The VFS Housing Service and Blair Robertson himself are to be congratulated. The location is very favourable, considering that I live just four blocks from the Game Design Campus.<\/p>\n

During the other days of my first week I completed some other tasks such as opening a bank account here in Canada, signing a mobile plan – and, consequently, earning a super discount on my new iPhone 4S – signing an Internet and television plan for the apartment, buying my monthly public transportation card so I could move through Vancouver etc. All of the main telephone companies, Internet companies and even how it works and what the rates of public transportation are here, I’ll mention in future posts. Remember that Canadian students have great discounts on most things. An example of this was that I got a super discount on a Macbook Pro at the Apple Store, as well as on a monthly public transport card. So it’s worth keeping an eye, or read here on my site that I’ll be citing all this soon.<\/p>\n

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Last Friday night, December 9th, was the Student Winter Party<\/strong> by VFS. All students could participate and the party had a theme of fictional characters from books, movies and games. \u00a0Students from all programs were in attendance. The school closed a night club called Venue Post Modern<\/em> in Gastown<\/em>, and decorated the place, offered food, raffled prizes etc. Although I was a little lost at the party, it was fun to see the animation of the crowd as there were students from all around the World.<\/p>\n

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Well, that’s it for now folks! I am enjoying everything I’ve been experiencing here in Vancouver. I like the weather, people, city, education, clothes, shopping, electronics, nature. I really can’t remember anything to complain about for now, not even the fact that at 4PM the sky is dark and the feeling is already of 10PM. Vancouver is awesome! And I hope everyone feels the same sense of anticipation fulfilled when they move out here too.<\/p>\n

Stay tuned on the site as my next post will be providing some recommendations that the Vancouver Film School gives to Students of Game Design Program. I will present the recommended books and websites, among other tips. Thank you for visiting and feel free to comment or ask questions. Thanks!<\/p>\n

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acompanhe esse texto em portugu\u00eas<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t

Ea\u00ed pessoal, como est\u00e3o as coisas? Algumas semanas depois e aqui estou eu de novo, mas agora FINALMENTE em Vancouver, esse Para\u00edso Gelado. \ud83d\ude00 Eu estou aqui h\u00e1 6 dias, amando a cidade e tudo que eu vi at\u00e9 ent\u00e3o. Para os viciados em Games, em Vancouver n\u00f3s podemos encontrar todo tipo de Edi\u00e7\u00f5es de Colecionadores e coisas semelhantes. Eu estou totalmente louco por aqui e me controlando para n\u00e3o sair gastando muito dinheiro com Games e Eletr\u00f4nicos.<\/p>\n

De qualquer forma, esse post \u00e9 principalmente para explicar como foram os meus primeiros passos<\/strong> aqui em Vancouver, minhas primeiras impress\u00f5es e, claro, como foi quando eu deixei o avi\u00e3o e fui chamado para o processo de imigra\u00e7\u00e3o<\/strong>. Ent\u00e3o pegue uma cadeira, um peda\u00e7o de papel e comece a tomar nota sobre isso.<\/p>\n

Para chegar ao meu destino eu acabei optando por um voo que saia do Brasil, em Guarulhos, e fazia conex\u00e3o em Chicago, nos Estados Unidos, para enfim chegar em Vancouver. Sendo assim, por acabar passando pelo EUA, foram conferidos meus vistos e documentos principais duas vezes ao todo. Nos Estados Unidos eu senti que o tratamento foi algo mais rude e direto, mas nao houveram motivos para me preocupar, j\u00e1 que no momento que conferiram que eu tinha a permiss\u00e3o de estudos do Canad\u00e1, e o visto de um ano, eles perceberam que minhas inten\u00e7\u00f5es n\u00e3o eram a de me mudar para o pa\u00eds deles. Em seguida, pegado a mala e levado de novo para o pr\u00f3ximo voo, foram mais 5 horas de viagem at\u00e9 Vancouver. Ao todo levaram-se aproximadamente 24 horas – contando o tempo de espera em cada cidade e conex\u00e3o – para enfim chegar no meu destino.<\/p>\n

Ao pousar no Canad\u00e1 eu senti um tratamento totalmente diferenciado ao anterior. Apesar de haver todo o mesmo processo que aconteceu nos EUA, os Canadenses pareciam me tratar de maneira mais educada e paciente. Ao descer do avi\u00e3o e ir buscar as minhas malas, eu tive uma primeira impress\u00e3o fant\u00e1stica. N\u00e3o tem como n\u00e3o se sentir deslumbrado com a beleza do Aeroporto de Vancouver e com toda a criatividade e decora\u00e7\u00e3o do lugar, que faz de tudo para voc\u00ea se sentir realmente na cultura da cidade. S\u00e3o corredores e ambientes decorados com natureza artificial, sons de animais e cachoeiras, at\u00e9 aos famosos totens da cidade e s\u00edmbolos. \u00c9 impressionante!<\/p>\n

Ap\u00f3s buscar as minhas malas, eu fui direcionado para a \u00c1rea de Imigra\u00e7\u00e3o<\/strong>. Existiam filas com fun\u00e7\u00f5es diferentes, enquanto a de Study Permit e Work Permit eram a mesma fila. Por sorte n\u00e3o haviam muitas pessoas esperando naquele momento, entao fui logo atendido e todo esse processo levou em torno de 10 minutos. O Oficial de Imigra\u00e7\u00e3o conferiu meus documentos, pediu meu visto estudantil canadense, a minha carta de permiss\u00e3o de estudos, – talvez o documento mais importante para ser aceito no pa\u00eds, portanto N\u00c3O PERCA<\/strong> – minha carta de aceita\u00e7\u00e3o no curso de Game Design da Vancouver Film School e, por fim, um endere\u00e7o no qual eu estaria vivendo por aqui em Vancouver.<\/em> Por sorte eu j\u00e1 tinha um endere\u00e7o e isso facilitou bastante, apesar do Oficial me perguntar como eu j\u00e1 tinha um endere\u00e7o para morar, se era a primeira vez que eu estava entrando no Canad\u00e1. Expliquei sobre o servi\u00e7o de habita\u00e7\u00e3o que a VFS oferece e que foi dessa maneira que consegui a loca\u00e7\u00e3o do apartamento.<\/p>\n

Ao analisar todos documentos, o Oficial de Imigra\u00e7\u00e3o troca sua carta de permiss\u00e3o de estudos por um outro documento que, na verdade, \u00e9 a pr\u00f3pria permiss\u00e3o de estudos original. Vale lembrar que \u00e9 bom dar uma conferida se todos os seus dados batem realmente com o documento, j\u00e1 que esse \u00e9 um dos documentos mais importantes para voc\u00ea durante esse tempo de estadia no Canad\u00e1. Por fim, todos meus documentos foram devolvidos pra mim e eu pude enfim deixar o aeroporto e partir em dire\u00e7\u00e3o do meu apartamento em Downtown.<\/p>\n

Falando nisso, eu me sinto apaixonado a cada dia que eu saio e entro de novo no meu apartamento. Fiquei espantado com o quanto eu adorei a localiza\u00e7\u00e3o e o pr\u00f3prio apartamento em si. Tudo \u00e9 muito bonito, organizado e moderno aqui dentro. O Servi\u00e7o de Habita\u00e7\u00e3o da VFS e o pr\u00f3prio Blair Robertson est\u00e3o de parab\u00e9ns. S\u00f3 tenho a agradecer. A localiza\u00e7\u00e3o \u00e9 bem favor\u00e1vel, levando em conta que estou morando h\u00e1 apenas quatro quadras do Campus de Game Design.<\/p>\n

Durante os outros dias que estive aqui nessa semana eu corri atr\u00e1s de resolver coisas como abrir uma conta de banco aqui do Canad\u00e1, assinar um plano p\u00f3s pago de celular e, como consequ\u00eancia, ganhar um super desconto para comprar meu Iphone 4S, assinar um plano de Internet e televis\u00e3o para o apartamento, comprar meu cart\u00e3o de transporte p\u00fablico mensal para poder me locomover por Vancouver etc. Todos esses detalhes de empresas telef\u00f4nicas, empresas de Internet e at\u00e9 mesmo como funciona e quais s\u00e3o as taxas do transporte p\u00fablico daqui, eu irei citar em pr\u00f3ximos posts. Vale lembrar que no Canad\u00e1 os estudantes possuem descontos na grande maioria das coisas. Exemplo disso foi um super desconto que consegui para comprar meu Macbook Pro na loja da Apple Store, como tamb\u00e9m os pr\u00f3prios cart\u00f5es mensais de transporte p\u00fablico. Ent\u00e3o vale a pena ficar de olho, ou ler aqui no meu site que eu estarei citando tudo isso em breve.<\/p>\n

Na \u00fatima sexta-feira que passou, dia 09 de Dezembro, rolou a Student Winter Party<\/strong> da VFS. Todos os alunos da escola puderam participar e a festa tinha como tema personagens de fic\u00e7\u00e3o, tanto de livros, como cinema e games. Estavam na festa alunos de todos os cursos que pud\u00e9ssemos imaginar. A escola fechou uma balada chamada Venue Post Modern, em Gastown<\/em>, e decorou o lugar, ofereceu comida, sorteou pr\u00eamios etc. Apesar de eu ter ficado um pouco perdido na festa, foi bem divertido ver a anima\u00e7\u00e3o da galera e como existem alunos de todos os lados do Mundo.<\/p>\n

Bom, por enquanto \u00e9 isso pessoal! Eu estou adorando tudo que ando vivendo aqui em Vancouver. Gosto do clima, das pessoas, da cidade, da educa\u00e7\u00e3o, das roupas, lojas, eletr\u00f4nicos, da natureza. Eu realmente n\u00e3o consigo me lembrar de algo a reclamar por enquanto, nem mesmo do fato de que as 16h00 o c\u00e9u j\u00e1 est\u00e1 escuro e a sensa\u00e7\u00e3o \u00e9 de que j\u00e1 s\u00e3o 22h00. Vancouver \u00e9 sensacional! E espero que todos sintam a mesma sensa\u00e7\u00e3o de expectativa cumprida, quando se mudarem pra c\u00e1 tamb\u00e9m.<\/p>\n

Fiquem ligados no site que meu pr\u00f3ximo post ser\u00e1 voltado para algumas recomenda\u00e7\u00f5es que a Vancouver Film School d\u00e1 para alunos do Curso de Game Design. Vou apresentar os livros e sites recomendados, entre outras dicas. Obrigado por visitar o site e sinta-se a vontade para comentar ou tirar d\u00favidas. Valeu!<\/p>\n

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Hello everyone, what\u2019s up? A few weeks later and here I am again, but now FINALLY in Vancouver, this Cold Heaven. I’ve been here 6 days now, loving the city and everything that I’ve seen so far. For Video Games addicts, here we can find all kind of Game Collector\u2019s Edition and everything else not […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[30,67,64,63,23,65,39,8,46,66,9,50,29],"class_list":["post-685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life-at-vfs","tag-canada","tag-gastown","tag-immigration","tag-international-airport","tag-matheus-pitillo","tag-student-winter-party","tag-study-permit","tag-vancouver","tag-vancouver-film-school","tag-venue-post-modern","tag-vfs","tag-vfs-housing-service","tag-visa"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1VrXU-b3","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=685"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":690,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685\/revisions\/690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.matheuspitillo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}