ok - I teach out in Abbotsford - I like Fort Langley

Those 3 things are SO true!!
I have been here 21 years now and only have a couple of Brit friends.
Surround yourself with your new culture, and definately do NOT keep going on about or comparing things to "home" it never will be the same, or why would you move to canada anyways??
The people i avoid most are the ones that say ":I'm going back 'ome next week for me holidays" and they have lived here for like 35+ years!!

You mean drive a truck and go to Tim Hortons?

Surely thats only in Rural Canada. In urban Canada shouldn't it be "Get a transit pass and go work at Tim Hortons"?

Get access to UK TV. It's only one thing, but all the others require effort and I for one simply can't be arsed making an effort.

Fort Langley is nice. I always go to wendels bookshop for lunch when I'm there; haven't been for a while though.

Dunno, I can count on one hand how many times I have been to a Tim Hortons.

I would say...

Try to

1. get into Hockey - support your local team
2. Volunteer for something
3. Attend some networking events or meetup groups to mix with local people
4. if you do mix with expats - make sure they are positive Pro-Canada loving it ones and not ones that are negative and may bring you down
5. Go camping, snowboarding, walking - enjoy what you didnt have before

As a side point i have found Canadians to be very impressed when i tell them truthfully that there is only one sport and thats hockey and i love it... if i didnt have a job - this would be the phrase that would win in an interview...

Ive done none of that....

Booze helps the most.

hi ff although ive not moved out to Canada yet ive 2 kids that live there, the eldest has been there 10 years now and going on what he says i agree with what others have posted . We are hopefully moving to Ontario sept /Oct have have been asking him questions just like this 1. What part of north Essex are you from, its just that we live in brightlingsea and my wife heard through a friend at work that someone else from the town is going Canadian too. Anyway good luck to you and yours with the move

I think this is a BIG thing. Don't be shy ..... you have just done an enormously brave thing in emigrating, and it's very empowering, so to turn up and announce yourself at your neighbourhood "whatever" club is small-fry in comparison! ... whether it's joining a group with an interest you already have, or trying something you'd never even heard of back in the day!

It's also a good opportunity to start a new interest with your other half, so you learn and laugh together, and then you can make friends together as well.

I absolutely agree with British Vixen 21..............I went 6 months before I started feeling homesick....Quite good going I think!! But, dont let yourself believe that you will never get homesick. It will happen - maybe only for something silly but, let it happen, I also believe in having that whole day to let it out and wake up the next day feeling refreshed and start loving the day again.

For me, I love the fact that our local store has REAL UK Baked Beans, Scott's Porridge and Chocolate digestives......Little tastes of home.

Find yourself something for you whether its joining a gym/class/volunteer group......Somewhere you can get to know people and share who you are. You will start to meet people and feel 'comfortable' with them again. I really miss having a chat, cuppa and get togethers with friends who know me for me, without effort.....I am getting there again with a few friends here.

It all takes time and you must remember that...I think that helps! Oh and remember winter can be a downer.......Summer is always round the corner!!

Hope you find some bits on this thread to make it all easier when it happens!! x

yeah agreed then you wont miss the UK much cus Canadain TV is crap.

Great advice. Regarding your first and third points, I have worked with ex-pats who constantly say things like "In the UK, we do it this way....". Not surprisingly, these people usually end up moving back to the UK.

I think your second point is similar to something that I was going to suggest. I think it's important to have a positive attitude - a determination to make the best of things. Everyone has ups and downs in life. Setbacks don't define us as people - how we react to them defines us.