Am I over-judging Canada?
#78
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 45
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
Absolutely BristolUK, what more could a man want, eh?
#79
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 2,900
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
OP, when I read your post a few things stood out at me, and that hasn't changed in reading now, what, seven pages of replies to this.
First, it seems many people on here are using rose-coloured glasses to look at the UK, not Canada.
Aside from that, and now focusing on your situation - it is normal for some people to, at some point, simply get sick of university life. Especially if you're on a low post-doc salary and therefore, for the most part, still having to live like a student. Burnout also has a tendency to hit when we don't see it coming. So I would encourage you to examine all sectors of your life and see if it's just teething pains in Canada that's bothering you. That also comes through a bit in your post - fretting over things like overdraft facilities and public transport costs. What fun is migrating, without the cash to enjoy it?
As well - you are in Toronto, which is basically an American rust-belt city supercharged from the corporate/banking flight out of Montreal over the past 50 years. I used to say to my friends - only dull staid Canada could have two of the world's great cities in Vancouver and Montreal, and yet still crown Toronto as Centre of the Universe. Someone said earlier, it wasn't good to compare Manchester to Toronto, and I strongly agree with that; but it's even worse to compare Toronto to New York, London, or Hong Kong, because Toronto isn't those places either, or even close, and will never live up to that as it is far far smaller. Toronto's peer cities are Atlanta, Houston, Dortmund, places like that - not New York and London. So you will have to accept it for what it is and what it is not.
I also think it makes a difference that you have arrived in the dead of winter, and your first trip, when you fell in love with the country, was in summer. The winters aren't going to change very much.
Post-docs aren't forever, so if things don't change, at least that's your light at the end of the tunnel. But I think you are probably going to need to examine your financial options and location for things to improve, and those examinations may lead to some hard choices. Good luck.
First, it seems many people on here are using rose-coloured glasses to look at the UK, not Canada.
Aside from that, and now focusing on your situation - it is normal for some people to, at some point, simply get sick of university life. Especially if you're on a low post-doc salary and therefore, for the most part, still having to live like a student. Burnout also has a tendency to hit when we don't see it coming. So I would encourage you to examine all sectors of your life and see if it's just teething pains in Canada that's bothering you. That also comes through a bit in your post - fretting over things like overdraft facilities and public transport costs. What fun is migrating, without the cash to enjoy it?
As well - you are in Toronto, which is basically an American rust-belt city supercharged from the corporate/banking flight out of Montreal over the past 50 years. I used to say to my friends - only dull staid Canada could have two of the world's great cities in Vancouver and Montreal, and yet still crown Toronto as Centre of the Universe. Someone said earlier, it wasn't good to compare Manchester to Toronto, and I strongly agree with that; but it's even worse to compare Toronto to New York, London, or Hong Kong, because Toronto isn't those places either, or even close, and will never live up to that as it is far far smaller. Toronto's peer cities are Atlanta, Houston, Dortmund, places like that - not New York and London. So you will have to accept it for what it is and what it is not.
I also think it makes a difference that you have arrived in the dead of winter, and your first trip, when you fell in love with the country, was in summer. The winters aren't going to change very much.
Post-docs aren't forever, so if things don't change, at least that's your light at the end of the tunnel. But I think you are probably going to need to examine your financial options and location for things to improve, and those examinations may lead to some hard choices. Good luck.
#83
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
As well - you are in Toronto, which is basically an American rust-belt city supercharged from the corporate/banking flight out of Montreal over the past 50 years. I used to say to my friends - only dull staid Canada could have two of the world's great cities in Vancouver and Montreal, and yet still crown Toronto as Centre of the Universe. Someone said earlier, it wasn't good to compare Manchester to Toronto, and I strongly agree with that; but it's even worse to compare Toronto to New York, London, or Hong Kong, because Toronto isn't those places either, or even close, and will never live up to that as it is far far smaller. Toronto's peer cities are Atlanta, Houston, Dortmund, places like that - not New York and London. So you will have to accept it for what it is and what it is not.
Even on my last visit to Manchester some years ago (2008ish) my old University building had been knocked down for condo's or apartments as they call them in that part of the world.
I believe Manchester bore the brunt of the last housing market crash when apartments were left empty from overbuilding.
All that being said I really like your post and think that the context is largely accurate when you compare Toronto to those US cities. I think the economic alignment is close.
Toronto does offer a multiculturalism that I think may be beyond Houston, Atalanta and Dortmund although this is not reflected in the ugly architecture.
#85
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
A similar example in the UK would be the Forestry Commission, which is charged with being self funding, so competes with private landowners in the sale of timber, but is largely free from government involvment in day-to-day decision making.
Last edited by Pulaski; Feb 2nd 2018 at 3:31 pm.
#86
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,840
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
They are
DEFINITION of 'Crown Corporation' Any corporation that is established and regulated by a country's state or government. This is the opposite of private companies, which are privately owned, structured and operated to serve the owners of the company. A crown company is commercially owned by the government.
DEFINITION of 'Crown Corporation' Any corporation that is established and regulated by a country's state or government. This is the opposite of private companies, which are privately owned, structured and operated to serve the owners of the company. A crown company is commercially owned by the government.
#88
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Nov 2011
Location: Somewhere between Vancouver & St Johns
Posts: 19,840
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
Ya think. I don't think Brighton has the Mafia running the construction business but I could be wrong. No language police in Brighton checking that store signs meet the bilingual provisions. I don't think Brighton has a Rue Ste.-Catherine nor poutine. One wonders if Brighton has kamikaze type taxi drivers and less aggressive drivers than Montreal.
Definitely gonna be a culture shock and the way different things are done thats for sure.
Shall we have a pool how long before Moving Back To The UK Thread
Definitely gonna be a culture shock and the way different things are done thats for sure.
Shall we have a pool how long before Moving Back To The UK Thread
#89
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2014
Location: Done with condescending old hags
Posts: 1,194
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
Some people might have a philosophical problem with government owning anything, but most objections are to the specific service (like Canada Post. If I'm sitting at home, and watch through the window as the mailman walks up the path, and drops into my letterbox a pre-filled 'sorry you weren't in, here's where to get your parcel' card, that does NOT count as a 'failed delivery attempt'!).
#90
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 79
Re: Am I over-judging Canada?
Government owned companies. Think Network rail/Post Office/Ordnance Survey. In Canada's case it's most obvious in things like the Provincial owned vehicle insurance monopolies (where applicable), CBC (BBC equivalent), Via Rail, etc.
Some people might have a philosophical problem with government owning anything, most objections are to the specific service (like Canada Post. If I'm sitting at home, and watch through the window as the mailman walks up the path, and drops into my letterbox a pre-filled 'sorry you weren't in, here's where to get your parcel' card, that does NOT count as a 'failed delivery attempt'!).
Some people might have a philosophical problem with government owning anything, most objections are to the specific service (like Canada Post. If I'm sitting at home, and watch through the window as the mailman walks up the path, and drops into my letterbox a pre-filled 'sorry you weren't in, here's where to get your parcel' card, that does NOT count as a 'failed delivery attempt'!).