Coming up for 7 years!
Jun 13th 2016, 3:31 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Brampton, Ontario
Posts: 142
Coming up for 7 years!
We started this journey so long ago now, and when we landed in July 2009 we were filled with excitement, hope and a whole lot of FEAR! But now nearly 7 years on that is a distant memory.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly of it all.......
We were financially sound enough that we kept our house in the UK, and bought a house in Canada, having decided we would not sell up in the UK until we were in Canada 2 years and sure of our move. We had heard too many stories of people selling up in the UK and then having to reenter the housing market and what a struggle it was for them.
OH (time served carpenter) was working within 3 weeks of us arriving with all our possessions from the UK which we had shipped via container.
I on the other hand took nearly 12 months to find a permanent job, 11 months and 3 weeks to be precise. I sent out thousands of resume's, I got one job in a call centre from hell just to keep me sane for a couple of months. I had interview after interview, and the constant feedback was either over qualified or no Canadian experience. My old boss was emailing me constantly telling me if I ever came back my job was there in the UK for me. He meant well but it didn't help when I was bored out of my tree, the house was gleaming and I couldn't catch a break. On the 7th of July 2010 I started my new job, 6 years on, I have had 2 promotions and love it!
We have only been back to the UK once, in 2010 for a wedding, I loved seeing friends and family but I just wanted to get back to Canada!
We live in the house we bought when we first landed, we have gone through various vehicles, and have been renovating a room pretty much each year.
The car/truck insurance is expensive, they drive like nutters here, I still can't get my head around having to go to a LCBO for wine/beer/spirits, jobs are there but trying to get your foot in the door can be a challenge, and there is a big difference between English English and Canadian English, but would I go back to the UK, no, we have made some wonderful friends, we are settled in our life style, we like our jobs, and most of all our quality of life has improved.
How has it improved? well we feel less stressed, the move made us look at what we really wanted out of life, and it has allowed us to do many things we said would do one day but had never got round to it, we both have good jobs with good benefits, and we appreciate how very very very lucky we are.
To anyone reading this is thinking of doing it, do it, but do your homework! Save your money, know the area you are moving to, understand that food, clothing, cars, culture and the people are all going to be different to what you currently know. You will have those moments of 'what have I done' but it is how your react to those moments that will decide if moving to Canada is a success for you or not.
It is the best thing we ever did,but that is based on our family, financial status, work abilities and experience.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly of it all.......
We were financially sound enough that we kept our house in the UK, and bought a house in Canada, having decided we would not sell up in the UK until we were in Canada 2 years and sure of our move. We had heard too many stories of people selling up in the UK and then having to reenter the housing market and what a struggle it was for them.
OH (time served carpenter) was working within 3 weeks of us arriving with all our possessions from the UK which we had shipped via container.
I on the other hand took nearly 12 months to find a permanent job, 11 months and 3 weeks to be precise. I sent out thousands of resume's, I got one job in a call centre from hell just to keep me sane for a couple of months. I had interview after interview, and the constant feedback was either over qualified or no Canadian experience. My old boss was emailing me constantly telling me if I ever came back my job was there in the UK for me. He meant well but it didn't help when I was bored out of my tree, the house was gleaming and I couldn't catch a break. On the 7th of July 2010 I started my new job, 6 years on, I have had 2 promotions and love it!
We have only been back to the UK once, in 2010 for a wedding, I loved seeing friends and family but I just wanted to get back to Canada!
We live in the house we bought when we first landed, we have gone through various vehicles, and have been renovating a room pretty much each year.
The car/truck insurance is expensive, they drive like nutters here, I still can't get my head around having to go to a LCBO for wine/beer/spirits, jobs are there but trying to get your foot in the door can be a challenge, and there is a big difference between English English and Canadian English, but would I go back to the UK, no, we have made some wonderful friends, we are settled in our life style, we like our jobs, and most of all our quality of life has improved.
How has it improved? well we feel less stressed, the move made us look at what we really wanted out of life, and it has allowed us to do many things we said would do one day but had never got round to it, we both have good jobs with good benefits, and we appreciate how very very very lucky we are.
To anyone reading this is thinking of doing it, do it, but do your homework! Save your money, know the area you are moving to, understand that food, clothing, cars, culture and the people are all going to be different to what you currently know. You will have those moments of 'what have I done' but it is how your react to those moments that will decide if moving to Canada is a success for you or not.
It is the best thing we ever did,but that is based on our family, financial status, work abilities and experience.
Jun 14th 2016, 12:12 pm
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Coming up for 7 years!
Really nice to read another positive experience. Thanks for sharing, best of luck with the future 
Jun 14th 2016, 5:06 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,113
Re: Coming up for 7 years!
We started this journey so long ago now, and when we landed in July 2009 we were filled with excitement, hope and a whole lot of FEAR! But now nearly 7 years on that is a distant memory.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly of it all.......
We were financially sound enough that we kept our house in the UK, and bought a house in Canada, having decided we would not sell up in the UK until we were in Canada 2 years and sure of our move. We had heard too many stories of people selling up in the UK and then having to reenter the housing market and what a struggle it was for them.
OH (time served carpenter) was working within 3 weeks of us arriving with all our possessions from the UK which we had shipped via container.
I on the other hand took nearly 12 months to find a permanent job, 11 months and 3 weeks to be precise. I sent out thousands of resume's, I got one job in a call centre from hell just to keep me sane for a couple of months. I had interview after interview, and the constant feedback was either over qualified or no Canadian experience. My old boss was emailing me constantly telling me if I ever came back my job was there in the UK for me. He meant well but it didn't help when I was bored out of my tree, the house was gleaming and I couldn't catch a break. On the 7th of July 2010 I started my new job, 6 years on, I have had 2 promotions and love it!
We have only been back to the UK once, in 2010 for a wedding, I loved seeing friends and family but I just wanted to get back to Canada!
We live in the house we bought when we first landed, we have gone through various vehicles, and have been renovating a room pretty much each year.
The car/truck insurance is expensive, they drive like nutters here, I still can't get my head around having to go to a LCBO for wine/beer/spirits, jobs are there but trying to get your foot in the door can be a challenge, and there is a big difference between English English and Canadian English, but would I go back to the UK, no, we have made some wonderful friends, we are settled in our life style, we like our jobs, and most of all our quality of life has improved.
How has it improved? well we feel less stressed, the move made us look at what we really wanted out of life, and it has allowed us to do many things we said would do one day but had never got round to it, we both have good jobs with good benefits, and we appreciate how very very very lucky we are.
To anyone reading this is thinking of doing it, do it, but do your homework! Save your money, know the area you are moving to, understand that food, clothing, cars, culture and the people are all going to be different to what you currently know. You will have those moments of 'what have I done' but it is how your react to those moments that will decide if moving to Canada is a success for you or not.
It is the best thing we ever did,but that is based on our family, financial status, work abilities and experience.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly of it all.......
We were financially sound enough that we kept our house in the UK, and bought a house in Canada, having decided we would not sell up in the UK until we were in Canada 2 years and sure of our move. We had heard too many stories of people selling up in the UK and then having to reenter the housing market and what a struggle it was for them.
OH (time served carpenter) was working within 3 weeks of us arriving with all our possessions from the UK which we had shipped via container.
I on the other hand took nearly 12 months to find a permanent job, 11 months and 3 weeks to be precise. I sent out thousands of resume's, I got one job in a call centre from hell just to keep me sane for a couple of months. I had interview after interview, and the constant feedback was either over qualified or no Canadian experience. My old boss was emailing me constantly telling me if I ever came back my job was there in the UK for me. He meant well but it didn't help when I was bored out of my tree, the house was gleaming and I couldn't catch a break. On the 7th of July 2010 I started my new job, 6 years on, I have had 2 promotions and love it!
We have only been back to the UK once, in 2010 for a wedding, I loved seeing friends and family but I just wanted to get back to Canada!
We live in the house we bought when we first landed, we have gone through various vehicles, and have been renovating a room pretty much each year.
The car/truck insurance is expensive, they drive like nutters here, I still can't get my head around having to go to a LCBO for wine/beer/spirits, jobs are there but trying to get your foot in the door can be a challenge, and there is a big difference between English English and Canadian English, but would I go back to the UK, no, we have made some wonderful friends, we are settled in our life style, we like our jobs, and most of all our quality of life has improved.
How has it improved? well we feel less stressed, the move made us look at what we really wanted out of life, and it has allowed us to do many things we said would do one day but had never got round to it, we both have good jobs with good benefits, and we appreciate how very very very lucky we are.
To anyone reading this is thinking of doing it, do it, but do your homework! Save your money, know the area you are moving to, understand that food, clothing, cars, culture and the people are all going to be different to what you currently know. You will have those moments of 'what have I done' but it is how your react to those moments that will decide if moving to Canada is a success for you or not.
It is the best thing we ever did,but that is based on our family, financial status, work abilities and experience.
I feel very much like yourselves, after 7 years settled and Canada feels like home ,i agree with the getting chance to do things that would never have got around to in the UK, and feeliing less stressed and a happier person for it.
Hope it continues to go well for you both.
Jun 15th 2016, 12:40 am
#4
BE user by choice
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: A Briton, married to a Canadian, now in Fredericton.
Posts: 4,854
Re: Coming up for 7 years!
I too really appreciated hearing about your experiences. It doesn't always seem perfect, but maybe we all need to give it all a bit more time.
Very best wishes...hope it all stays happy
Very best wishes...hope it all stays happy
Jun 15th 2016, 2:26 am
#5
I need a walk
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: Okanagan
Posts: 4,899
Re: Coming up for 7 years!
I agree, what a great post- it isn't all rainbows and unicorns and sadly people don't sometimes get the job/ life that they wanted and head back home. It has obviously been hard work but you got where you were aiming for and are clearly happy with things
Jun 15th 2016, 4:12 am
#6
`
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 38,613
Re: Coming up for 7 years!
That is a lovely update and thank you for sharing.
