dollface

1 year today we returned to Scotland after 13.5 years in Canada.

I was frantic about flying our then 12 year old Golden but she survived the flight and is very settled. She turned 13 last month and is still ticking along nicely.

We definitely made the right choice for our family. We still miss certain things about Canada, mainly friends and family and believe it or not (despite all the moanings in the forums) some stores! yes! I miss the newish Fortino's close to our home in Canada, Homesense and Home Depot! the DIY stores here just don't compare, and the lack of organic produce in the every day supermarkets here are poor. However, small price to pay.

It does take a while to get into the swing of things, jobs, schools, housing. We rented for 7 months while we waited on our new build to reach completion and as ever, still sorting out the niggling builders issues.

My eldest, almost 13 now, took a while to adjust to Scottish school life, but is great now! although she still misses her best friend back in Canada, but they Skype every other weekend and mail little novelties back and forth.

So this will be the first Xmas in our new home, the tree is up, presents almost all purchased - it's been a long and sometimes stressful year but all in all the move was right for us. Canada will always hold a special place in our hearts, we had a wonderful experience, which I wouldn't now trade - we also left family back there, Hubbys Mum, Step-Dad, Brothers etc but we will return at some point, but only on vacation.

So 1 year in and still happy, hoping 2014 brings us health , happiness and a little bit of prosperity wouldn't go a miss, moving countries is financial suicide! not quite but substantial costs involved.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

NiHao

Thank you so much for taking the time to give us an update. So glad to hear that overall you are happy with your move home! Home Depot is high on my husband's list of what he would miss, don't see it myself, now Target is a different matter

Wishing you all good things for 2014!

MrMuffin

Merry Christmas to you dollface and thanks for the update. Looking forward to being in a similar boat and posting about a successful transition. Good luck!!

quoll

Great to hear that things have fallen into place for you! Merry Christmas in your new home!!!

dollface

Thanks all!

Sally Redux

Great update, dollface! Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!

morayeel

Great update, thanks

Golden-eye

I think I'll miss Organic food, just really getting into great sources here in Canada...

Keep in touch and keep us updated

Merry Christmas !! Yay .. Sounds so much better than 'Happy holidays! lol

Mummy in the foothills

Nice update.
Dh is having the same issue with DIY stores. He misses Home Depot and Lowes. He is also having trouble figuring out what things are called in the home improvement area, I'm no help as I have no clue. We went looking for a replacement light fixture online, turns out they call them a Baton or something, all we kept getting were fancy light fixtures and chandeliers. Theres an hour lost forever, but makes a funny story when chatting with friends.

sallysimmons

I think B&Q and Homebase are pretty sub-par. We're lucky that we have a big independent DIY store in town and that's where we go. They're a bit more expensive, but they have everything and the staff actually know what they're talking about.

Golden-eye

What did you do about all your 'stuff' when I think of all the electrical items we will have to replace it fills me with horror to think of the costs involved..

dunroving

I mostly replaced with second-hand stuff then as I saved enough (and had time to be choosy!) gradually replaced it with new.

It's not half as complicated as you'd think, really.

I'm now (7 years back) beginning to replace some old chests of drawers with some (more old, but nicer) ones.

A lot of the "old old" stuff I give to charity shops or sell on Gumtree and Facebook.

curleytops

Try to avoid constantly mentally converting from pounds sterling back into what the cost amounts to in dollars (or whatever currency you've left behind) otherwise you'll drive yourself nuts. When I found myself lapsing back into this trap I just reminded myself that it was the price in pounds that mattered now and if it took a little longer to acquire what was needed then so be it. Actually, in a few instances, I realised that I didn't really "need" that something after all.

Cumbrian Lass

Glad to know....... another happy ending back in the UK. We spent 10yrs years in Canada and although we did enjoy it, we are so happy to be back on home ground. We will have been back almost 2.5 years now and have settled very well now. I loved all the festive atmosphere going around the town at xmas.The carol singers in the streets,the church bells ringing,just all the simple stuff really.
Very happy to read you up date ......Happy New Year !

dollface

Well most items of furniture we shipped back. Electrical items we either sold with the house, sold on Kijiji or the like or gave away. When we got back to UK we had to re buy t.v's, kettle, toaster, hairdryers etc. Our lamps we brought back as these are simple to re wire.