I am now in Whitehorse, didn't really expect to be here this weekend due to expensive plane tickets, but after I told the company that the government offered me a contract extension they told me to come up ASAP as originally planned.
Anyways, Andrea and I flew in with Air Canada Friday night after a 90min delay due to an oil leak in one of the engines. We ended up changing planes and landed in Whitehorse around 8pm.
Interesting town so far... very small with a population of 24,000, much smaller than Anchorage which is now at 270,000. Now we're getting ready to head out for breakfast and will touring around the town... need to get a feel for the town and see how much cost of living will be.
Pictures to come after I return to Vancouver Monday night.
Just a quick update while I have a minute:
Andrea and I had our engagement party this past weekend for our Vancouver friends who most likely will not be able to make our wedding in Halifax. Andrea's parents are also in town so it has been nice having them around. Also at the engagement party we made 2 announcements: 1) we are moving to Whitehorse and 2) our wedding will be on July 18, 2009 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
As for Whitehorse, I passed the formal interview and the company wants Andrea and I to fly up ASAP to visit the town. Still arranging that right now - so much going on with her parents in town and me busy finishing everything up in Victoria since I probably won't extend my government contract.
It may just turn out I fly up myself to visit without Andrea. We are both flexible and have traveled enough to feel comfortable with making a big move up north - right now we are in the middle of looking for brand-new cars to drive up there. It has to have AWD so we are looking at the Matrix, RAV4, CRV, Rogue or a Subaru of some sort.
Luckily the Vancouver International Auto Show is this Saturday and both our parents are going with us to check out some cars.
If I have time I'll try to post pictures from the engagement party.
My current contract with the government expires March 31st, and I am hearing rumours it will be extended till when I go to graduate school in September.
And today I just got off the phone with a consulting firm and they are interested in hiring me to work in their Whitehorse, Yukon office (unfortunately not for Vancouver office). They're also making it very attractive, more than $50,000 and financially supportive of me returning to school when the time comes.
You know me, I love the north - enjoyed living in Alaska and sad to leave Prince George two years ago - and this will be a great adventure. Great career experience too.
So a lot can change in the next 2 weeks... excited and nervous at the same time. A formal interivew will take place tomorrow and if both parties are interested, they are flying me and Andrea up north to spend a couple of days there.