I moved here on the 16th June 2011, after being made redundant in the UK. I took the biggest gamble of my life to pursue a long time childhood dream of moving to Canada. My thinking for moving here was I had always wanted to move somewhere else in the world. I never wanted to grow old regretting not moving to another place in the world.

I have been here now just over six months. In that time I have been through a amazing journey emotionally. I arrived, due to bad research and planning, to a hovel of a rooming house. I just about managed to stay the night, in some house that needed to be condemned. I then moved to a guesthouse downtown for couple of weeks on College Street. From day one I was on the job trail and accessed a centre providing support in resume writing. I took the class and then started firing out my resume. After eighteen days I secured a job with a private property management firm, and then I was kindly taken in by my best friends uncle from England. Who has been here over twenty years and has a tremendous network of contacts.

This is not to say that I did not have to network myself because I did. I have spent the last six months attending various events in order to network. For us Brits a very tiring experience as we are not used to this. It was certainly tiring for me.

After securing employment within about two months of working there, I started to feel that I had made the biggest mistake of my life in moving here, as the job was not as described, and I found myself working 24-7 in a job which I didn't like. Even though I knew I could provide suggestions to improve the way business was conducted, I refrained from doing so as canadian culture advises newcomers against this in the first twelve months of starting a job.

I made a deal with myself that if I could not get a job in my field (social/affordable housing) by Christmas I was going home.

I applied for a municipal job and was advised I came second, despite lack of canadian experience. I then applied for a job as a VP of Housing for a affordable housing provider, who values the experience a UK housing professional can bring to the sector.

This was a real turning point in my roller coaster journey. As I was able to look for a place of my own. which I moved in last week. I started my new job on January 3rd, 2012.

I had a ticket booked for December 23rd to go home, I decided to stay here in Toronto for Xmas and whilst I was homesick I knew this was a right decision as when I do go home, I will be going home just for a vacation and not because things are not secure here.

Adjusting to life in Canada can be difficult but I am supporting a couple of British Expats small business who provide us with our creature comforts from home. Like Yorkshire Pudding Mix, biscuits and the like.

I am getting used to the diverse range of food products available and trying new culinary delights. Who would have thought steak and eggs would become a sunday breakfast meal in replace of a traditional fry up.

Over the Christmas period I even took my first trips outside the Toronto and nearby suburbs.

The point I want to share with others is, moving to Canada is not for the faint hearted, and does test your sanity and resolve. It is not a easy move and there will be things along the way that will make you want to go home. This forum is the font of all knowledge to Brits already here and Brits seeking to come here, because each journey for each individual on the forum is going to be different. However I just wanted to share a vision of hope to others on BE who might be struggling. There is hope!