After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
#61
Part Time Poster
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 4,219
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
I'm really sorry you feel the Canadian system failed your kids. For us, with kids in Grades 2 and 6, we couldn't be happier with their school. They love going in each morning. The free flow sort of approach seems to stimulate them rather than allow them to just goof off. I admit, as professional parents ourselves, we are reasonably pushy, but they seem to thrive on this. I would like to think they would have done well in the UK system too. I think school is what you make of it, both as kids and parents.
That's fixed now
As my wife was a high school teacher and very pushy, when they let us down it was brutally apparent what they do for those closer to what they feel is the bottom
#62
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
This one I have often struggled with, I just haven't seen it when working across Canada
maybe I'm biased in R&D but the calibre I have here in the UK drawn form across Europe (and south America) is much superior to what I had in interviews in Canada
maybe all the Talent does go south ?
But it does reflect where major internationals are building their centre's of excellence ?
maybe I'm biased in R&D but the calibre I have here in the UK drawn form across Europe (and south America) is much superior to what I had in interviews in Canada
maybe all the Talent does go south ?
But it does reflect where major internationals are building their centre's of excellence ?
Maybe it is a competition thing. Who knows?
#63
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Worcestershire
Posts: 4,219
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
I don't know... But working where I do now.. it not just Brits, the French, the Germans , the south Americans all see much more motivated
#64
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
I like the high school my kids are now in quite a lot better than the one my older daughter was in in the UK where they just seemed to get ridiculously over the top about stupid things like the wrong shoe colour etc. The older one moved into Grade 10 here, where was stressful for her, but the school handled it brilliantly I thought and she's done really well (in Grade 12 now so just about to leave). The curriculum is much broader here in the later years (Grades 10-12) which I like.
I wasn't that keen on the elementary school the other daughter went to for a couple of years. I think I did find that school a bit peculiar compared with what my daughter would have been doing in the UK.
And the universities are so much cheaper! Friends back in the UK have kids who are having to take out loans of at least £9,000 a year to even go!
Having said all this: I'm still very homesick. I miss London. Perhaps I feel worse as we're just exchanging on our UK house so this is it or it feels like that. But it was quite difficult renting it out from this distance and difficult to buy somewhere here without selling.
Has anybody experienced feeling unsettled at house selling point as well? I keep hoping the buyers will pull out! And I have no family in the UK to go back to so with the house gone, I feel a bit insecure. Can't go back though because everyone else loves it here. And I've got a Canadian cat now!
I wasn't that keen on the elementary school the other daughter went to for a couple of years. I think I did find that school a bit peculiar compared with what my daughter would have been doing in the UK.
And the universities are so much cheaper! Friends back in the UK have kids who are having to take out loans of at least £9,000 a year to even go!
Having said all this: I'm still very homesick. I miss London. Perhaps I feel worse as we're just exchanging on our UK house so this is it or it feels like that. But it was quite difficult renting it out from this distance and difficult to buy somewhere here without selling.
Has anybody experienced feeling unsettled at house selling point as well? I keep hoping the buyers will pull out! And I have no family in the UK to go back to so with the house gone, I feel a bit insecure. Can't go back though because everyone else loves it here. And I've got a Canadian cat now!
#65
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
I like the high school my kids are now in quite a lot better than the one my older daughter was in in the UK where they just seemed to get ridiculously over the top about stupid things like the wrong shoe colour etc. The older one moved into Grade 10 here, where was stressful for her, but the school handled it brilliantly I thought and she's done really well (in Grade 12 now so just about to leave). The curriculum is much broader here in the later years (Grades 10-12) which I like.
I wasn't that keen on the elementary school the other daughter went to for a couple of years. I think I did find that school a bit peculiar compared with what my daughter would have been doing in the UK.
And the universities are so much cheaper! Friends back in the UK have kids who are having to take out loans of at least £9,000 a year to even go!
Having said all this: I'm still very homesick. I miss London. Perhaps I feel worse as we're just exchanging on our UK house so this is it or it feels like that. But it was quite difficult renting it out from this distance and difficult to buy somewhere here without selling.
Has anybody experienced feeling unsettled at house selling point as well? I keep hoping the buyers will pull out! And I have no family in the UK to go back to so with the house gone, I feel a bit insecure. Can't go back though because everyone else loves it here. And I've got a Canadian cat now!
I wasn't that keen on the elementary school the other daughter went to for a couple of years. I think I did find that school a bit peculiar compared with what my daughter would have been doing in the UK.
And the universities are so much cheaper! Friends back in the UK have kids who are having to take out loans of at least £9,000 a year to even go!
Having said all this: I'm still very homesick. I miss London. Perhaps I feel worse as we're just exchanging on our UK house so this is it or it feels like that. But it was quite difficult renting it out from this distance and difficult to buy somewhere here without selling.
Has anybody experienced feeling unsettled at house selling point as well? I keep hoping the buyers will pull out! And I have no family in the UK to go back to so with the house gone, I feel a bit insecure. Can't go back though because everyone else loves it here. And I've got a Canadian cat now!
#66
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Thanks for asking. I've been here about 3 years. My husband has been here a bit longer as he came before the rest of us. It may be because I am older (than perhaps many people who immigrate) and have found it quite a struggle to get work. My husband has a job (but he works away some of the week) and the kids are in school so they make friends/contacts that way. I do work, but it's very bitty, and some of it's online.
S
S
#67
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
It's hard..I feel like I left part of me behind. It's also hard because everyone else is happy here- the others have gained here while I feel like I've lost... My job, my friends
#68
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Yes, it is hard. It probably hasn't helped not being able to get work in my field. have retrained, but it's still been a struggle. I have something (p/t) for six months now which is completely different, so we'll see how that goes.
I do miss UK friends, but it's hard to know how much of it is the "grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. And I worry about stuff like getting older here etc. I also find things have become far more complicated due to being here. Like having to file taxes both in the UK and here, whereas before, I didn't have to file any (does anyone else find this stressful?!).
Actually coming on this forum has helped because you see people are going through the same stuff as you. And thank you for taking the time out to write a reply when I see from your other thread you have extreme issues going on with your application (which I hope gets resolved positively).
S
I do miss UK friends, but it's hard to know how much of it is the "grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. And I worry about stuff like getting older here etc. I also find things have become far more complicated due to being here. Like having to file taxes both in the UK and here, whereas before, I didn't have to file any (does anyone else find this stressful?!).
Actually coming on this forum has helped because you see people are going through the same stuff as you. And thank you for taking the time out to write a reply when I see from your other thread you have extreme issues going on with your application (which I hope gets resolved positively).
S
#69
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
ach I think the older you are when you come to Canada the worse it is to make friends again we were in our late 40s ,the OHs parents had passed yrs before my parents were all for us going for it!.
As for friends we had lost a number of real 25+yr friends to illness ( one when he was a week away from moving to OZ for a life changing job for life), and being from rural Scotland the choice to jump was made for us.
My OH was a NHS worker for 26yrs and decided not to jump through all the hoops again when in Canada(didn't have a degree etc) so she started work in the local hotel/bar and made some good friends so far,,,,,myself though I am a truck driver (local now) and found it hard to start again to make friends but through work/neighbours/and new Canadians (some from this site) I feel I have some real friends again .. it is hard and at the start very lonely and now if I make a new friend from here or another forum I will make the effort to visit and help them if we can .......jimmy rambling on again
As for friends we had lost a number of real 25+yr friends to illness ( one when he was a week away from moving to OZ for a life changing job for life), and being from rural Scotland the choice to jump was made for us.
My OH was a NHS worker for 26yrs and decided not to jump through all the hoops again when in Canada(didn't have a degree etc) so she started work in the local hotel/bar and made some good friends so far,,,,,myself though I am a truck driver (local now) and found it hard to start again to make friends but through work/neighbours/and new Canadians (some from this site) I feel I have some real friends again .. it is hard and at the start very lonely and now if I make a new friend from here or another forum I will make the effort to visit and help them if we can .......jimmy rambling on again
#70
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Yes, it is hard. It probably hasn't helped not being able to get work in my field. have retrained, but it's still been a struggle. I have something (p/t) for six months now which is completely different, so we'll see how that goes.
I do miss UK friends, but it's hard to know how much of it is the "grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. And I worry about stuff like getting older here etc. I also find things have become far more complicated due to being here. Like having to file taxes both in the UK and here, whereas before, I didn't have to file any (does anyone else find this stressful?!).
Actually coming on this forum has helped because you see people are going through the same stuff as you. And thank you for taking the time out to write a reply when I see from your other thread you have extreme issues going on with your application (which I hope gets resolved positively).
S
I do miss UK friends, but it's hard to know how much of it is the "grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. And I worry about stuff like getting older here etc. I also find things have become far more complicated due to being here. Like having to file taxes both in the UK and here, whereas before, I didn't have to file any (does anyone else find this stressful?!).
Actually coming on this forum has helped because you see people are going through the same stuff as you. And thank you for taking the time out to write a reply when I see from your other thread you have extreme issues going on with your application (which I hope gets resolved positively).
S
Thank you..it will all work out in the wash. I had to do the two tax return thing, I procrastinate enough over one! I find things are more complicated..I worry that I can't support us if something happened to my husband- he's self employed. There's no pension and I don't think the system helps much if things go belly up for you.
And this forum can be great for knowing people are in the same boat. Sometimes maybe too much. It can make me question too much I think..
#71
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Thanks again. I have the same worries as you if something happened to my husband and have not much pension either. Maybe life insurance is a good idea ...
And yes, I think the older you, the more difficult it is to make friends, get a job, all of that.
S
Sorry it's life assurance isn't it?!
And yes, I think the older you, the more difficult it is to make friends, get a job, all of that.
S
Sorry it's life assurance isn't it?!
Last edited by Snowy560; May 3rd 2015 at 1:56 am.
#72
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Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 365
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Thanks for posting this.
Very interesting as I am in Europe and would like to move to Canada.
Very interesting as I am in Europe and would like to move to Canada.
#73
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Surrey, BC
Posts: 121
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
Our first experience when kids started school here in September last year - schools on strike - not for day, not for a week - for pretty much the whole of September - and strike had started back in June I believe. The kids love it of course - no uniform, hardly any homework, lots of field trips/school discos/statutory holidays/strikes every 4 years - but I would take them back to the UK tomorrow if I could and I feel bad for my daughter, in G9 - she will finish her schooling here and get a High School diploma (she's on course for an honours diploma) but it won't be worth 10 GCSEs and 3 A levels when we go back. We'll end up paying for her to go to college to make up GCSEs and A levels
#74
Just Joined
Joined: Aug 2015
Location: London
Posts: 7
Re: After 10yrs in Canada-> 1 yr back in the UK
I don't know where you live and if it's an option or not where you are, but don't forget some schools / districts offer the IB program. I'd say it was easily as good as gcses and a levels. Many universities in n. america will count it as a year (ie: only need a 3 year course, not a 4 year course).
the system was way different when i went to school aged 14 in NZ as well and I missed a lot of the subjects but looking back there was a lot of good. Its changing here again back to a 2 year course and exam only and less subjects, first year this year so my son is the test year... hey ho...