Canada

Canada is a really popular destination for career breakers. Many people go in the winter for a ski season to train or work as an instructor, learn to ski or snowboard, or work in the resorts. It has a lot to offer outside snowsports though, and is easy to take in on a round-the-world trip.

For more about the land of maple syrup and snow, get Lonely Planet's Canada guidebook from www.lonelyplanet.com.

What?
Why?
How and when?
Facts for the career breaker
Top Canada tip

What?

Canada is the world's second-largest country (by area, after Russia) with half the population of Britain. Its ski and snowboard resorts have been voted the best in the world for years. It has a strong outdoors culture, but also has a number of arts festivals and events. National sports are hockey and lacrosse. Much of it is in the Arctic, but the areas further south have hot summers.

Why?

Apart from the skiing? Canada has well-developed cities, beautiful countryside and friendly people. If you want to work there, you can get a working holiday visa, and employment opportunities are diverse (many travellers work in city offices if they find the winter sports lifestyle is not for them).

Canada is a relatively safe country, even with the bears and mountain lions. Activities range from extreme sports, like white-water rafting, to festivals of jazz, comedy and film.

How and when?

Getting a flight to any of the big Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Ottowa, Vancouver or Winnipeg is easy; even if you don't have a direct flight, connecting flights are frequent.

You can get around easily by plane (Tango is the national budget airline), train or bus - train is one of the most popular options for long distances. If you want to drive, you can use your British licence, but do remember to drive on the other side of the road.

The ski season starts in December, so start planning early if you want to be there for it.

Facts for the career breaker

• Canadians don't take kindly to being confused with, or adversely compared to, Americans.
• Quebec is French-speaking, so visiting it will give you a chance to brush up on your language skills. Don't worry if you don't speak French though, as English is also spoken there.
• Canada Day is the 1st of July. It's a national holiday.
• If you want to work a ski season there, but don't want to be an instructor, prepare to be flexible about what kind of work you'll do. Most season workers are there for the fun and social life, not to climb the corporate ladder.

Top Canada tip

• If you're going for the ski season, buy your clothes there. They'll have what you need and it'll probably be cheaper too.

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