4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Apr 6th 2015, 8:28 pm
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Sally ...........
I discovered just how fast England can change very early.
My father died very suddenly in 1970, and I went back for 2 weeks.
I had been away 3 years ................. and I quite literally got lost in the centre of my home town because a massive development had taken place, buildings knocked down, new ones built AND major roads changed
Yes, the reasons I give are MY reasons ................. a counterpoint to all those who are posting about why they cannot stay in Canada, and must return to England.
I haven't often seen my viewpoint posted on this forum, at least in the last little while .............. all too often it is complaining about how bad Canada is, and how green England is.
We left because OH got a job, not because of immigrants ................. but also the 1960s was a time when a lot of people moved. 3 out of 4 in my OH's PhD group left the UK, about half of our undergrad groups emigrated, 5 of my cousins (sisters) emigrated to Australia between 1959 and 1968. It was just a time of great excitement and wanderlust.
Something you probably will never understand if you were not a young adult at that time.
I discovered just how fast England can change very early.
My father died very suddenly in 1970, and I went back for 2 weeks.
I had been away 3 years ................. and I quite literally got lost in the centre of my home town because a massive development had taken place, buildings knocked down, new ones built AND major roads changed
Yes, the reasons I give are MY reasons ................. a counterpoint to all those who are posting about why they cannot stay in Canada, and must return to England.
I haven't often seen my viewpoint posted on this forum, at least in the last little while .............. all too often it is complaining about how bad Canada is, and how green England is.
We left because OH got a job, not because of immigrants ................. but also the 1960s was a time when a lot of people moved. 3 out of 4 in my OH's PhD group left the UK, about half of our undergrad groups emigrated, 5 of my cousins (sisters) emigrated to Australia between 1959 and 1968. It was just a time of great excitement and wanderlust.
Something you probably will never understand if you were not a young adult at that time.
I had not been back for at least 25 years before a recent visit to my home town of Chelmsford. It has been redeveloped -fantastic! It needed it and works far better now. (I mean 25 years away from that town - I was only 9 years out of the UK).
It's great that you emigrated and enjoyed it. No problem with that at all. But I am not seeing valid reasons why OP should be put off a return to the UK.
Last edited by Sally Redux; Apr 6th 2015 at 8:46 pm.
Apr 6th 2015, 8:43 pm
#32
Happy
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 2,942
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
I went back to the UK after almost 3 years away due to my stepmother being terminally ill. I was dreading it, I had moved to Canada because it had always been a dream and because i "hated" the UK! It was going to the dogs. It had no national pride etc etc etc.
when I landed at Heathrow and was picked up by my friend in my old car, she had bought it from us the first thing I noticed was how bright and distinct the road markings were....
I had a good week there, I enjoyed it. It was amazingly warm in February to me. It was as comfortable as putting on an older of slippers. The countryside, which is always loved anyway, was beautiful...very wet as it has rained ALOT... It was hard to find a drive through coffee that I liked...
I re-found my love of England. I returned to Canada happy to come home to my new homeland. Happy to be here but no longer with the hate on for the UK.
It's nice to know that I love it there.
when I landed at Heathrow and was picked up by my friend in my old car, she had bought it from us the first thing I noticed was how bright and distinct the road markings were....
I had a good week there, I enjoyed it. It was amazingly warm in February to me. It was as comfortable as putting on an older of slippers. The countryside, which is always loved anyway, was beautiful...very wet as it has rained ALOT... It was hard to find a drive through coffee that I liked...
I re-found my love of England. I returned to Canada happy to come home to my new homeland. Happy to be here but no longer with the hate on for the UK.
It's nice to know that I love it there.
Apr 6th 2015, 8:50 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Sally
I am NOT trying to put the OP off a return to the UK ............... you're mis-interpreting what I say.
a fault of most forums, I find, where eveything depends on the written word
Do I want to go back to England to live? NO
Do I go back for visits? YES
We went back for visits in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008 ............... and those were the shortest intervals between any previous visit.
I guess we have been back about 8 times in over 40 years.
Do I enjoy it?
usually ............... but mainly as a tourist would enjoy going back to England!
My home town, a cotton mill town, has been majorly redeveloped at least twice more since that visit in 1970. Even my old high school, only 60 years old, has been developed although the council doesn't seem to know what they are going to do with the empty space. It's still grimy, with a lack of jobs. The saving grace is that the moors are just outside town.
OH's home town is a major tourist town, and the centre of it will never change ........... many of the outer parts have been redeveloped.
On the last trip, we went to Macclesfield .............. the streets were so grimy that the side walks were sticky, and the people looked really unhappy. But, on the same trip, we went to York, Scarborough, into Westmorland and Cumbria ............... lovely lovely places!
so ............... should we be encouraging the OP to leave, or giving her reasons why we enjoy Canada, and why it might possibly be worth re-thinking?
I am NOT trying to put the OP off a return to the UK ............... you're mis-interpreting what I say.
a fault of most forums, I find, where eveything depends on the written word
Do I want to go back to England to live? NO
Do I go back for visits? YES
We went back for visits in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008 ............... and those were the shortest intervals between any previous visit.
I guess we have been back about 8 times in over 40 years.
Do I enjoy it?
usually ............... but mainly as a tourist would enjoy going back to England!
My home town, a cotton mill town, has been majorly redeveloped at least twice more since that visit in 1970. Even my old high school, only 60 years old, has been developed although the council doesn't seem to know what they are going to do with the empty space. It's still grimy, with a lack of jobs. The saving grace is that the moors are just outside town.
OH's home town is a major tourist town, and the centre of it will never change ........... many of the outer parts have been redeveloped.
On the last trip, we went to Macclesfield .............. the streets were so grimy that the side walks were sticky, and the people looked really unhappy. But, on the same trip, we went to York, Scarborough, into Westmorland and Cumbria ............... lovely lovely places!
so ............... should we be encouraging the OP to leave, or giving her reasons why we enjoy Canada, and why it might possibly be worth re-thinking?
Apr 6th 2015, 9:11 pm
#34
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Europe (to be specified).
Posts: 30,259
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Oh, I will vote, I assure you. But from abroad. I'm sorry but the damage wreaked on Canada by Harper would take a generation to reverse. We'll try our luck elsewhere.
Apr 6th 2015, 9:29 pm
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Sally
I am NOT trying to put the OP off a return to the UK ............... you're mis-interpreting what I say.
a fault of most forums, I find, where eveything depends on the written word
Do I want to go back to England to live? NO
Do I go back for visits? YES
We went back for visits in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008 ............... and those were the shortest intervals between any previous visit.
I guess we have been back about 8 times in over 40 years.
Do I enjoy it?
usually ............... but mainly as a tourist would enjoy going back to England!
My home town, a cotton mill town, has been majorly redeveloped at least twice more since that visit in 1970. Even my old high school, only 60 years old, has been developed although the council doesn't seem to know what they are going to do with the empty space. It's still grimy, with a lack of jobs. The saving grace is that the moors are just outside town.
OH's home town is a major tourist town, and the centre of it will never change ........... many of the outer parts have been redeveloped.
On the last trip, we went to Macclesfield .............. the streets were so grimy that the side walks were sticky, and the people looked really unhappy. But, on the same trip, we went to York, Scarborough, into Westmorland and Cumbria ............... lovely lovely places!
so ............... should we be encouraging the OP to leave, or giving her reasons why we enjoy Canada, and why it might possibly be worth re-thinking?
I am NOT trying to put the OP off a return to the UK ............... you're mis-interpreting what I say.
a fault of most forums, I find, where eveything depends on the written word
Do I want to go back to England to live? NO
Do I go back for visits? YES
We went back for visits in 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2008 ............... and those were the shortest intervals between any previous visit.
I guess we have been back about 8 times in over 40 years.
Do I enjoy it?
usually ............... but mainly as a tourist would enjoy going back to England!
My home town, a cotton mill town, has been majorly redeveloped at least twice more since that visit in 1970. Even my old high school, only 60 years old, has been developed although the council doesn't seem to know what they are going to do with the empty space. It's still grimy, with a lack of jobs. The saving grace is that the moors are just outside town.
OH's home town is a major tourist town, and the centre of it will never change ........... many of the outer parts have been redeveloped.
On the last trip, we went to Macclesfield .............. the streets were so grimy that the side walks were sticky, and the people looked really unhappy. But, on the same trip, we went to York, Scarborough, into Westmorland and Cumbria ............... lovely lovely places!
so ............... should we be encouraging the OP to leave, or giving her reasons why we enjoy Canada, and why it might possibly be worth re-thinking?
Apr 7th 2015, 12:48 am
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,113
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
I went back to the UK after almost 3 years away due to my stepmother being terminally ill. I was dreading it, I had moved to Canada because it had always been a dream and because i "hated" the UK! It was going to the dogs. It had no national pride etc etc etc.
when I landed at Heathrow and was picked up by my friend in my old car, she had bought it from us the first thing I noticed was how bright and distinct the road markings were....
I had a good week there, I enjoyed it. It was amazingly warm in February to me. It was as comfortable as putting on an older of slippers. The countryside, which is always loved anyway, was beautiful...very wet as it has rained ALOT... It was hard to find a drive through coffee that I liked...
I re-found my love of England. I returned to Canada happy to come home to my new homeland. Happy to be here but no longer with the hate on for the UK.
It's nice to know that I love it there.
when I landed at Heathrow and was picked up by my friend in my old car, she had bought it from us the first thing I noticed was how bright and distinct the road markings were....
I had a good week there, I enjoyed it. It was amazingly warm in February to me. It was as comfortable as putting on an older of slippers. The countryside, which is always loved anyway, was beautiful...very wet as it has rained ALOT... It was hard to find a drive through coffee that I liked...
I re-found my love of England. I returned to Canada happy to come home to my new homeland. Happy to be here but no longer with the hate on for the UK.
It's nice to know that I love it there.
Nice post!! and that roughly sums up how I feel too. I will always love Blighty it were I was born, where I was brought up and lived for the first 38 years of my life, its where ALL my family live, and its still a great country, but more so for me to visit now, at this moment in my life Canada is giving me a lot more from life, but who knows what the future holds, but Canada is my home for my foreseeable future, and im proud to be citizen of both countries.
Apr 7th 2015, 9:39 am
#37
Happy
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 2,942
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Nice post!! and that roughly sums up how I feel too. I will always love Blighty it were I was born, where I was brought up and lived for the first 38 years of my life, its where ALL my family live, and its still a great country, but more so for me to visit now, at this moment in my life Canada is giving me a lot more from life, but who knows what the future holds, but Canada is my home for my foreseeable future, and im proud to be citizen of both countries.
Apr 7th 2015, 1:13 pm
#38
Muskoka, Ontario
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,045
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Sally ...........
I discovered just how fast England can change very early.
My father died very suddenly in 1970, and I went back for 2 weeks.
I had been away 3 years ................. and I quite literally got lost in the centre of my home town because a massive development had taken place, buildings knocked down, new ones built AND major roads changed
Yes, the reasons I give are MY reasons ................. a counterpoint to all those who are posting about why they cannot stay in Canada, and must return to England.
I haven't often seen my viewpoint posted on this forum, at least in the last little while .............. all too often it is complaining about how bad Canada is, and how green England is.
We left because OH got a job, not because of immigrants ................. but also the 1960s was a time when a lot of people moved. 3 out of 4 in my OH's PhD group left the UK, about half of our undergrad groups emigrated, 5 of my cousins (sisters) emigrated to Australia between 1959 and 1968. It was just a time of great excitement and wanderlust.
Something you probably will never understand if you were not a young adult at that time.
I discovered just how fast England can change very early.
My father died very suddenly in 1970, and I went back for 2 weeks.
I had been away 3 years ................. and I quite literally got lost in the centre of my home town because a massive development had taken place, buildings knocked down, new ones built AND major roads changed
Yes, the reasons I give are MY reasons ................. a counterpoint to all those who are posting about why they cannot stay in Canada, and must return to England.
I haven't often seen my viewpoint posted on this forum, at least in the last little while .............. all too often it is complaining about how bad Canada is, and how green England is.
We left because OH got a job, not because of immigrants ................. but also the 1960s was a time when a lot of people moved. 3 out of 4 in my OH's PhD group left the UK, about half of our undergrad groups emigrated, 5 of my cousins (sisters) emigrated to Australia between 1959 and 1968. It was just a time of great excitement and wanderlust.
Something you probably will never understand if you were not a young adult at that time.
Btw the UK isn't failing either nationally or internationally... I take it your family and friends (who haven't changed) also avail themselves with the latest right wing propaganda which passes as newspaper reporting..
Apr 7th 2015, 3:59 pm
#39
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1,497
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
So a quick look at the OPs previous posts and it seems that they've had a load of hassles coming on a TWP then getting PR and now similar stuff with forms and papers applying for citizenship. All that stuff doesnt help you feel settled here. Sorting out documents to prove you can live here, seeing links back to your old addresses etc.
I was pretty unsettled here for several years in spite of desperately wanting to move here. I only really started to feel I belonged once we got citizenship.
I was pretty unsettled here for several years in spite of desperately wanting to move here. I only really started to feel I belonged once we got citizenship.
We are currently going through the (what feels like extremely torturous) PR process and I'm finding it almost impossible to even let myself feel settled until it is decided either way. We have just received paperwork for renewing our lease on our house - can't renew it because we have no idea where we might end up in 6 months time. Going to have to try find a month by month lease now.
Having your fate rest in someone elses hands is enough to make you feel homesick IMO even if your reasons for leaving are still valid.
I imagine it would feel similar (if maybe slightly less so) when waiting for Canadian citizenship (certainly did when we were going through the process in Australia).
The residency requirements here are almost as if you are constantly on parole, if for any reason circumstances change and you had to move elsewhere for work (or perhaps to look after a sick relative?) for a substantial period of time i.e. not through your choice then tough luck you are out despite your heart being here and wanting to return.
I understand the reasons for having the requirements in place but still...
Apr 7th 2015, 4:02 pm
#40
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Winnipeg
Posts: 1,497
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Perhaps neither - maybe just empathising and letting her know she is not alone, or that there is light at the end of the tunnel sometimes is enough...
Apr 7th 2015, 5:32 pm
#41
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 516
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
Where, exactly, are you located?
The snow has been gone for a bit and I've gotten a head start on spring yard work by raking my backyard already.
Upon seeing your post I stepped outside for a minute and snapped a couple of photos up and down my street. They are crappy cell phone pictures but still show the street well enough to demonstrate that there is no snow here (and this despite the fact that it snowed a little overnight).
Here they are:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskknehglp.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/a...psl7h5szpf.jpg
So as I said, there is no snow here.
The snow has been gone for a bit and I've gotten a head start on spring yard work by raking my backyard already.
Upon seeing your post I stepped outside for a minute and snapped a couple of photos up and down my street. They are crappy cell phone pictures but still show the street well enough to demonstrate that there is no snow here (and this despite the fact that it snowed a little overnight).
Here they are:
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskknehglp.jpg
http://i917.photobucket.com/albums/a...psl7h5szpf.jpg
So as I said, there is no snow here.
Apr 7th 2015, 7:36 pm
#42
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
You have a really condescending tone in a few of your posts... As if someone who has tried and found Canada doesn't fit has failed somehow and you've done it all so much better which probably owes itself to luck as well as a combination of ther factors including your age (29 is not even remotely old) and the stage of life and careers you were at when you moved.
Btw the UK isn't failing either nationally or internationally... I take it your family and friends (who haven't changed) also avail themselves with the latest right wing propaganda which passes as newspaper reporting..
Btw the UK isn't failing either nationally or internationally... I take it your family and friends (who haven't changed) also avail themselves with the latest right wing propaganda which passes as newspaper reporting..
OUCH
I do not intend to sound condescending ................ as I said earlier to Sally, one of the problems of internet forums is misreading and misunderstanding of posts ........... largely because of the lack of physical cues such as gestures and facial expressions.
FYI ............... I am about as far from being right wing as you could imagine ............ see my posts above about Harper
Secondly ................ I have very little family now left in the UK apart from a demented very elderly s-i-l, a couple of nieces and a couple of cousins. We never ever discuss politics, there are many more much more important things to discuss than UK politics ............. although I would dare to say that most of them would be middle-of-the-road.
Never ever assume that anyone's politics fits into any spectrum
I actually am deeply insulted that you accuse me of being right wing
Apr 7th 2015, 9:36 pm
#43
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 79
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
While weather can be an issue, the weather the OP is experiencing isn't rubbish - I live about 30 minutes away so am experiencing the same weather. It has been a little cooler than normal but it is not cold -and it was 18 degrees on Thursday. The snow is gone, birds are out, and the ground is drying out a bit. We are expected to get a small snowfall Sunday night but it won't stay on the ground more than a few hours on Monday as it is expected to rain which will get rid of the snow quickly.
So while it might not be particularly warm, spring has definitely arrived.
So while it might not be particularly warm, spring has definitely arrived.
Apr 7th 2015, 9:41 pm
#44
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 79
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
As we all know there is never the perfect place, we have all lead a mostly British life and now were trying a new life in another country, never going to be easy, many Brits want to somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic with the best of both worlds!
Obviously there is no such thing, so it comes down to the set of scales factor, one of the options is going to offer you more, and you just have to put the other out of your mind, or it will drive you insane.
Incidently how did you end up in Canada? was it like some people and move for a job? or was it a personal choice to move here? As it doesn't sound like your heart was ever in the move in the first place? which may be why your wanting to move back to the UK?
Obviously there is no such thing, so it comes down to the set of scales factor, one of the options is going to offer you more, and you just have to put the other out of your mind, or it will drive you insane.
Incidently how did you end up in Canada? was it like some people and move for a job? or was it a personal choice to move here? As it doesn't sound like your heart was ever in the move in the first place? which may be why your wanting to move back to the UK?
Apr 7th 2015, 9:42 pm
#45
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: 4 1/2 years and I want to go home more than ever!
OUCH
I do not intend to sound condescending ................ as I said earlier to Sally, one of the problems of internet forums is misreading and misunderstanding of posts ........... largely because of the lack of physical cues such as gestures and facial expressions.
FYI ............... I am about as far from being right wing as you could imagine ............ see my posts above about Harper
Secondly ................ I have very little family now left in the UK apart from a demented very elderly s-i-l, a couple of nieces and a couple of cousins. We never ever discuss politics, there are many more much more important things to discuss than UK politics ............. although I would dare to say that most of them would be middle-of-the-road.
Never ever assume that anyone's politics fits into any spectrum
I actually am deeply insulted that you accuse me of being right wing
I do not intend to sound condescending ................ as I said earlier to Sally, one of the problems of internet forums is misreading and misunderstanding of posts ........... largely because of the lack of physical cues such as gestures and facial expressions.
FYI ............... I am about as far from being right wing as you could imagine ............ see my posts above about Harper
Secondly ................ I have very little family now left in the UK apart from a demented very elderly s-i-l, a couple of nieces and a couple of cousins. We never ever discuss politics, there are many more much more important things to discuss than UK politics ............. although I would dare to say that most of them would be middle-of-the-road.
Never ever assume that anyone's politics fits into any spectrum
I actually am deeply insulted that you accuse me of being right wing
