So many from Canada!
Sep 6th 2010 | 7:34 pm
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,709
From: Flat Oxfordshire
Re: So many from Canada!
Sep 6th 2010 | 11:51 pm
#17
Finally Home!
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,610
From: Used to be New York, now North Yorkshire
Re: So many from Canada!
Look to be fair...there are some really stupid decisions. People watch Grizzly Adams on TV relaize it is Canada and think "I want to live there." Do next to know research ,reccie trips etc....move out there lock stock. Within a month decide "it's not for them" move back and whinge.
I have seen many such posters here and it is absolutely amazing. Such a huge decision is done on so little common sense.
"I want to live in Aussie just watched neighbours.."
Have you visited or even lived here for a while..?
"NO..why would I need to do that I saw pictures on the Net.."
UNBELIEVABLE!
I kid you not.
I have seen many such posters here and it is absolutely amazing. Such a huge decision is done on so little common sense.
"I want to live in Aussie just watched neighbours.."
Have you visited or even lived here for a while..?
"NO..why would I need to do that I saw pictures on the Net.."
UNBELIEVABLE!
I kid you not.I hadn't even seen pictures on the Internet - it didn't exist then! I just was 24 years old and up for an adventure. I'm glad I didn't take any trips first because knowing what the culture shock I was heading for might have put me off.
But contrary to your firmly held beliefs, my experience was great and I'd do it again. My own view is that research trips are pointless - they can't tell you anything about what real life will be like, or what will befall you when you get there, good or bad. I suspect the people who turn tail and run are evenly divided between those who conducted research and those who didn't.
All I know is I arrived in Canada having never even been to North America before, and got stuck in to making a new life. Same thing when we moved to the US. Life is mostly what you make it.
Sep 7th 2010 | 12:51 am
#18
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: So many from Canada!
Oh dear, it appears that someone can't read/understand basic English and lives in pampered BC.
I never said that Candians don't have a sense of humour, just that it is completely different to the British sense of humour.
Calgary regulary experiences temperatures of -30C and below during winter and it is damn unpleasant being outside. It also gets damn windy at times so the windschill makes feel even colder. We had a windchill corrected temperature of -50 or so while I was there. As some have said, low temperatures are pert of the Canadian experience and you just get on with them, but they do tend to get you down especially if one of you main pleasures in life is walking your dogs. Ours would simply refuse to go out in those conditions.
As for the office environment, I quite agree that not all workplaces will be the same. But, I have the experience of same job, same company in both the UK and Canada. Take a simple pleasure that is common place working the the oil industry service sector in the UK. The Friday lunchtime team building pint. This was completely frowned upon in the Calgary office but is thoroughly enjoyed by all in the UK. Other simple things such as office banter also had the Canadians looking at the expats as if we were from another world. Guess which office has just been closed!!
None of these things in themselves are major, but they all contibute to a feeling that you are not home. Don't get me wrong, I actually loved Canada and we came home for other reasons, but we found it to be a far more alien place to live than for example Australia.
I never said that Candians don't have a sense of humour, just that it is completely different to the British sense of humour.
Calgary regulary experiences temperatures of -30C and below during winter and it is damn unpleasant being outside. It also gets damn windy at times so the windschill makes feel even colder. We had a windchill corrected temperature of -50 or so while I was there. As some have said, low temperatures are pert of the Canadian experience and you just get on with them, but they do tend to get you down especially if one of you main pleasures in life is walking your dogs. Ours would simply refuse to go out in those conditions.
As for the office environment, I quite agree that not all workplaces will be the same. But, I have the experience of same job, same company in both the UK and Canada. Take a simple pleasure that is common place working the the oil industry service sector in the UK. The Friday lunchtime team building pint. This was completely frowned upon in the Calgary office but is thoroughly enjoyed by all in the UK. Other simple things such as office banter also had the Canadians looking at the expats as if we were from another world. Guess which office has just been closed!!
None of these things in themselves are major, but they all contibute to a feeling that you are not home. Don't get me wrong, I actually loved Canada and we came home for other reasons, but we found it to be a far more alien place to live than for example Australia.
So, you are offering yourself as an expert on all things Canadian after living in Calgary and working for one company? My wife is Canadian and has a wonderful sense of humour as do our friends ... of course things will be different its a different country FFS.
Sep 7th 2010 | 12:55 am
#19
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: So many from Canada!
Ha! *Raises hand*
I hadn't even seen pictures on the Internet - it didn't exist then! I just was 24 years old and up for an adventure. I'm glad I didn't take any trips first because knowing what the culture shock I was heading for might have put me off.
But contrary to your firmly held beliefs, my experience was great and I'd do it again. My own view is that research trips are pointless - they can't tell you anything about what real life will be like, or what will befall you when you get there, good or bad. I suspect the people who turn tail and run are evenly divided between those who conducted research and those who didn't.
All I know is I arrived in Canada having never even been to North America before, and got stuck in to making a new life. Same thing when we moved to the US. Life is mostly what you make it.
I hadn't even seen pictures on the Internet - it didn't exist then! I just was 24 years old and up for an adventure. I'm glad I didn't take any trips first because knowing what the culture shock I was heading for might have put me off.
But contrary to your firmly held beliefs, my experience was great and I'd do it again. My own view is that research trips are pointless - they can't tell you anything about what real life will be like, or what will befall you when you get there, good or bad. I suspect the people who turn tail and run are evenly divided between those who conducted research and those who didn't.
All I know is I arrived in Canada having never even been to North America before, and got stuck in to making a new life. Same thing when we moved to the US. Life is mostly what you make it.
Having moved away on my own, i think you tend to intergrate faster as you can't just fall back on your spouse and are forced to get out and make the most of things.
Sep 7th 2010 | 2:47 am
#20
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,709
From: Flat Oxfordshire
Re: So many from Canada!
no need to be rude and what is pampered about BC with the highest cost of of living?
So, you are offering yourself as an expert on all things Canadian after living in Calgary and working for one company? My wife is Canadian and has a wonderful sense of humour as do our friends ... of course things will be different its a different country FFS.
So, you are offering yourself as an expert on all things Canadian after living in Calgary and working for one company? My wife is Canadian and has a wonderful sense of humour as do our friends ... of course things will be different its a different country FFS.
On the sense of humour side of things, I simply stated that something as trivial as the sense of humour being completely different (not lacking) can contribute towards a feeling that you are in a completely alien environment. We have good friends in Canada, but never really understood what made them laugh.
BTW I worked for two companies in Calgary, the one that I was refering to was actually quite a pleasant place to work, but I did find the relative lack out of office socialisation and always having to always think twice before opening my mouth in case I offended some sensitive soul rather difficult. Don't get me going on the first company that I worked for in Calgary, in 30 plus years of work I have never come across any company that came close to how badlyits employees were treated.
But I digress, my initial comment was not to put Canada down, just to point out a couple of simple things that I noticed/felt in Canada that would never have been discovered during a research trip.
Sep 7th 2010 | 3:27 am
#21
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 30,771
From: Upstate South Carolina
Re: So many from Canada!
Canada, its almost like a foreign county. The place is absolutely vast, its bound to vary from place to place.
If we could just agree that much and move on it would be nice....
If we could just agree that much and move on it would be nice....
Sep 7th 2010 | 4:22 am
#22
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 12,090
From: Yam Yam land
Re: So many from Canada!
Ha! *Raises hand*
I hadn't even seen pictures on the Internet - it didn't exist then! I just was 24 years old and up for an adventure. I'm glad I didn't take any trips first because knowing what the culture shock I was heading for might have put me off.
But contrary to your firmly held beliefs, my experience was great and I'd do it again. My own view is that research trips are pointless - they can't tell you anything about what real life will be like, or what will befall you when you get there, good or bad. I suspect the people who turn tail and run are evenly divided between those who conducted research and those who didn't.
All I know is I arrived in Canada having never even been to North America before, and got stuck in to making a new life. Same thing when we moved to the US. Life is mostly what you make it.
I hadn't even seen pictures on the Internet - it didn't exist then! I just was 24 years old and up for an adventure. I'm glad I didn't take any trips first because knowing what the culture shock I was heading for might have put me off.
But contrary to your firmly held beliefs, my experience was great and I'd do it again. My own view is that research trips are pointless - they can't tell you anything about what real life will be like, or what will befall you when you get there, good or bad. I suspect the people who turn tail and run are evenly divided between those who conducted research and those who didn't.
All I know is I arrived in Canada having never even been to North America before, and got stuck in to making a new life. Same thing when we moved to the US. Life is mostly what you make it.
I don't think I'd have the nerve at my age to do that again, but of course these days it is so much easier to get information - blimey, you can even look at street-level pictures of places using Google satellite!
Sep 7th 2010 | 10:10 am
#23
Scottish Canuck
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,703
From: Auld Scotia > Nova Scotia > Calgary
Re: So many from Canada!
