Hi, I’m Devin. I’ve been in Canada for over two years now. I live in a small city in Alberta, work at a local plant on an open work permit. My wife is an accountant; our daughter just started Grade 1.
Before Canada, I spent years in residential construction — framing, flooring, drywall, finishing — and ran my own woodworking company for a while. Being handy is how I get by here: I fix my own car, renovate my own house, and film my solo camping trips. This blog is where I write it all down. No big theories — just the actual process, the actual bills, and the mistakes.
What I write about
- Newcomer Life: the paperwork of work-permit life, AAIP/RRS, finding a family doctor, school and RESP for the kid — written the way I actually did it;
- DIY & Car Care: renovation tutorials and used-car maintenance logs, so you can keep the shop and contractor money;
- Gear Reviews: my Milwaukee tools, diagnostic gear and camping kit, reviewed after long-term use — the good and the bad.
One thing up front: this site is my personal experience, not immigration, legal, financial or medical advice. Policies change all the time — for anything that matters, check the official sources and talk to a professional.
Questions, or a topic you’d like to see covered? Leave a comment under any post — I read them all.