The Canadiana, voted best hostel in Canada
Thiago is from Brazil. He came back to the hostel today after leaving a month ago for a job in Timmins, Ontario. It’s Shania Twain’s hometown and it’s in the middle of nowhere. He and an Aussie named Matt got jobs working for a mining operation. Matt is still up there in the frozen wilds but Thiago is back - on crutches!
The job is a tough one and they work seven days a week all through northern Ontario and Quebec. Days vary from 10 hours (maximum) to as little as three hours. The daily rate is $120 per day. On top of that your housing is provided and you receive $40 per day for meals. Not bad actually. All you have to contend with is a 45kg pack while on snowshoes and -45C temperatures! I highly doubt that either Matt or Thiago ever saw a pair of snowshoes before.
The work is solitary (something to do with ground mapping); but, fortunately, they are all equipped with radios. I say fortunately because Tiago wrenched his ankle while on snowshoes with a heavy pack deep in the bush. He was picked up by a snowmobile sent out to retrieve him.
The Doctor told Thiago that he would have to take off one month to recover. “Impossible!” said Thiago. He needs to save money to complete his Masters’ Degree in Industrial Design in Europe next year. “You’ll be compensated,” he was told. “I will? he asked. “How much?” Eighty percent of your salary. Eighty percent! Thiago is learning that there really are advantages to living and working in the frozen north!
Thiago with Teresa (our head of house-cleaning).