comet555

Sadly, most of what I miss is food related

I miss these things:
-real Canadian bacon
-Special K (they do have it here but it is completely different)
-Honey crueller donuts (was only ever a special treat)
-some of my favourite chain restaurants (Boston Pizza, The Outback, East Side Marios, etc)


As for the other stuff
-stick deoderant (it's virtually all roll-on or spray here)
-Old Navy
-the cooler seasons like fall, don't really miss winter though
-snow at Christmas (that's the only day I really miss it)
-cheap ice hockey gear/supplies.... If anyone plans on playing here bring as much as you can!

There's lots of other pluses to living here though that offset the little things.

Japonica

Boston Pizza...mmm...I could inhale a Boston Royal right now. Wonder if they deliver this far? Ha ha.

I could add Swiss Chalet to that list. Red Rooster seems to put some kind of flavoring on the chicken...

I'll admit that we did take out about once a week at home...more when we were in the packing/moving phase...our dishes/pots went into the boxes to be shipped and we stayed a friend's for a month as well. What I miss is that we had a LOT of restaurants in Edmonton (they say it's the restaurant capital of Canada, no doubt Edmontonians are addicted to going out or take aways). So, there were lots of local Thai places, Greek places, Vietnamese places, all pretty reasonable. There's no local restaurants here but a Chinese place, a Red Rooster, a Chooks, and an Eagle Boys Pizza. Not a lot of selection and for Greek, Thai etc. we'd have to drive 20 minutes or more away.

fish.01

Those shopping hours are more to do with where you live in Canada or Australia rather than which country. For example, here is Brisbane, many suburban shopping mall supermarkets open to 9pm weeknights and open Sundays....and Sydney, Melbourne often later and some 24 hour.

When we were comparing car costs with Canadian in-laws it seemed that even though the rego was cheaper the insurance was dearer and it evened out somewhat overall?

My Canadian SIL imported about 20 bottles of that great hot sauce so have been enjoying it myself since they went back to live in Canada for a year. She may have none left when she returns Miss her great mexican cooking as well.

fish.01

OMG, a twenty minute drive for a Thai place.....where do you live...I would move

Japonica

Ha ha ha...no kidding!

Japonica

Yeah, the rego was about $300 more than in Canada, the insurance about $200 less, so still about $100 more overall.

20 bottles of Franks...I should have thought of that. I brought a huge bottle of organic maple syrup...I have some family and friends coming to visit in March and they're under orders to bring Franks with them or else...

fish.01

When I said "imported" I mean she did it the same way you suggest...."ordering" family and friends to bring a few bottles each visit until she literally now has a cardboard box full. And those bottles are bloody huge. She also introduced us to quesadillas and other Canadian specialties . Only thing I didn't like was that damn filter coffee

Dorothy

I don't know any lab techs here and quite honestly, I wouldn't know where the labs are at the hospital I work in. It's huge and I really only go to where I have to be. My job is more the exec side of the cardiology department, so I don't really know any of the nurses either. I work with the consultant doctors and a few of the senior registrars but have nothing to do with wards or clinics or patients at all (well, other than booking an occasional procedure, but I don't see or speak to the patient only do the computer bits for one of the doctors who doesn't like to input data).

You could try googling to see if there are any discussion forums for lab techs.

Tamara1973

Aw that's too bad for me. I was hoping you;d have some contacts. Thanks anyways. I have googled trying to find other lab techs but with no success. But I'll keep trying and eventually I'll fnd someone.

paularn

Hi, I'm a dual Canadian/Australian, currently live in Milton Ont (just west of Toronto). Married to an Aussie for the last 10yrs. Have a 9yr old Australian born daughter (also dual).

I've lived in Darwin for 2.5yrs and Newcastle for 1yr before heading back home - for family reasons....back in 2002.

We are headed back to OZ in January (earlier IF I get a job - I'm a RN). We WON'T be moving back to Canada...we are getting to old to be moving back and forth, its too expensive to keep doing that and thinking long term into the future, we have to think about retirement as it'll probably come up before we know it.

We are going to far north Queensland (Townsville)...and I can't wait! Canadian winters suck! I HATE cold and I HATE snow even more and I go into anxiety mode if I have to drive in it.

I think living in OZ and bringing up our 9yr old daughter would be better there than here in Canada. I like the superannuation scheme that is mandatory...helps for retirement. I really like that 4-5 weeks vacation time is standard. I love the lifestyle and the laidbackness of the country.

I know we will miss Tim's as well. I'm sure hubby will want to take a few cans of the coffee with him. He has often commented how it would be great to open a Tims in OZ or a M&M's meat shop....even a bulk barn would be good.

Besides family, I think most of my 'misses' will be food related too, not many restaurants I'll miss...maybe Kelsey's and thats about it. But like I did before when I lived there, I will adjust. I will also miss the late shopping hours too. I will miss that my daughter won't be able to go to Home Depot and do the kid's craft every month. But those are trivial and we'll get over it.

Good luck with your move.

alzo

4-5 weeks standard vacation? Nice. Is that an average or do you have to be in a company for over 5-10 yrs?

comet555

I believe that 4 weeks is standard, if not mandatory. I'm not entirely sure though.

I do know that my husband gets 4 weeks and has since he started his job when we arrived.

comet555

Bunnings usually have workshops on the weekend, some for adults some for kids. You can check their website and get a list of schedule workshops by location and month.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/learn-how...workshops.aspx

Note.... I had to enter my postcode when I first went into the site, so if that link doesn't work just go to the main Bunnings site and click on the "Learn how to DIY" tab and then go to the workshops.

Dorothy

Well, you live in Milton. I'd want out, too.

paularn

LOL....we actually REALLY like Milton. It has the small town feel still, but, it is growing by leaps and bounds and houses are popping up EVERYWHERE and more and more shops are coming to the town.

Hey, its better than Mississauga, where we used to live. Although some parts of Mississauga are nice