This is a new website, and I am still learning how to do everything myself. This Q&A page is one of the things on the list. Members can ask questions by clicking here.
Training in Orillia (2)
Short term: Hotel rates are between $70 and $300 per night.
Current rates may be lower due to the pandemic. But I do not teach in person during pandemics.
There are Bed and Breakfast, and Couch-surfing options, through Couchsurfing.com
Restaurant meals can range from $15 to $50 per meal. When I eat out, I hardly ever pay more than $20.
Long term: The cost of living in Orillia, for a single person, is over $2,000 per month. But rentals are hard to come by. Vacancy is less than 1%. (As an interesting aside, social assistance in Ontario pays, I believe, a little over $700 dollars per month for basic needs and shelter.)
My dream is to build a full-time residential training facility where people can board and train. An alternate vision is to get myself installed at a nice resort where I can teach the guests all day. *sigh*
Question:
I would like to come to Canada to learn from you. Is that possible? What is your class schedule?
Response:
Since March of 2020, all in-person classes have been suspended due to the pandemic. I am hoping to resume regular classes after everyone get vaccinated. Covid-19 vaccinations will be a prerequisite for students attending classes.
I am hopeful that regular classes will resume by the end of 2021.
While I do normally offer regular local classes, most of my students come from out of town, or overseas. People come for a few days, a few weeks, or sometimes for months at a time. Some have moved here permanently to train. The cost varies depending on the number of hours per day or per week that they can attend.
I do not know what format my business will be using when the pandemic is over. Many of my friends have already closed their schools. I depend on income from donations to this website and revenue from online lessons.
– Ian Sinclair