Hi everyone, it's been a while since I posted here and I wanted to share some amazing happy times with anyone who may be thinking of making this giant leap from Blighty to Canada!

I came here 3.5 years ago as a PR and almost zero qualifications. In fact, the qualifications I did have stood for nothing unless I paid for the same courses in a different accent... what started out as massively challenging has really turned out to be the most amazing adventure of my life!

Rather than witter... here are the key points:

Lows:

Working construction jobs in the rain of Vancouver!
Paramedic strike in 2009/10 and being caught in limbo as a student!

Highs:

Having 2 babies!!

Being able to get a job - (any job - even if not the greatest) to stay afloat - including: coffee shop - construction - landscaping - reception in a gym

Being accepted in the Emergency Medical Responder & Primary Care Paramedic Programs - licensing at both levels and gaining employment with BC Ambulance Service - it's amazing how quickly this turned around from the start to my current position

Working as a paramedic! (3.5 years ago I had a chicken scratch outline of the career path!)

Working as an Emergency Medical Responder instructor for the Paramedic Academy

Gaining employment full-time with benefits from the Paramedic Academy as Lead Instructor for BC!

Making new friends - playing footie with Canadians!

Seriously, no move is without its challenges and this one certainly isn't but if you embrace the challenges and share them (especially here a xpats!) you'll be a better person for it! I see so many parallels with the UK in my line of work - drinking - drugs - abuse and if anything it reinforces my desire to make the most of my opportunity here. Moving here didn't make life easier, it made it more challenging but with each challenge I learned from it and find myself in this amazing life I never thought I'd have! I'm from Hull for goodness sakes!!

Anyway, cheers everyone.

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Thank you, I really enjoyed your post

Great post; thanks for sharing. Glad its all working out for you. Life's an adventure - make the most of it!!

Fantastic story and hope all keeps going so well (hell of a jump from Hull) - positivity is certainly a key.

Nice post... good to see a fellow Hullite making a good go of it...mmm that Vancouver rain though....

Great post Egomasseur. It is interesting to see what can happen when you put your heart and mind into it.

Whilst my qualifications were recognised here it still took time to find work in my field.....we very nearly ran out hard cash and had to run up some credit. This was not part of the plan and it will make the next few years harder than expected. Thankfully I have found work in my field and it is going great.....I very much agree with your comments on the challenge.

Cheers

JB0591

Awesome post thankyou. So refreshing to see a honest "do whatever it takes" attitude on here. You see so many posts from people trashing the place because they come here witht the attitude that Canada has been waiting just for them to come here and Canadians will all want to be friends with you.
We came here on PR like you. Like you, I was prepared to do bar work, deliver for Fedex/DHL etc work fast food, whatever it took to sustain us until I found work in my profession, Electrician. I was lucky enough that I didn't have to although I had to work as a 2nd yr apprentice first.
You have to realise that its a new start in a new country and as such be prepared to start at the bottom, with no friends here yet and to fit in as best you can.
We are just coming up to our first year soon and could not be happier. Not everything is smooth sailing, there are still a few things we miss but not that much. We hated what life had become in England to the point we couldn't wait to get out.
We have Canadian friends and a few Brit friends although we try to keep the British friends to a select few.

Anyway not to go on but congratulations on your achievements here and wishing you all the best for many years to come

That's a great story! Good luck with your career and welcome to Canada (born here myself, never been to Van. though)!

Congrat's, good story! I'm glad you're doing well, it sounds like you've earned it

Thanks for that post, it's lovely to hear from someone who is happy. I've read a lot of doom and gloom on here and as we haven't got to Canada yet it's quite disturbing to read at times.

Congrats and good luck for the future x

Just ignore the doom and gloom brigade, just come with an open mind, don't expect it to be like Britain and I'm sure you'll be fine

Most of the people on here who hate on Canada at every opportunity choose to live here and they defend England at every chance, I gave up trying to understand them a while ago
Fortunately I decided to make my own mind up about Canada

Thanks everyone!!

It's not hard to have a can-do attitude as most Canadians are brought up to believe in themselves! Totally fascinating to me how kids are for the most part positive and their parents want them to succeed. I'm no armchair psychologist but it's got to be the space and natural beauty of this country - unlimited freedom or something... I once met a Vancouverite in Hull and he said he wanted to leave Vancouver as it was 'too sterile' he liked the mish mash of the UK and I see the positives in that too.

Anyway... thanks again and good luck with your Canadian adventures!