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Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Old Jan 11th 2008, 10:21 am
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Default Anyone tried the Okanagan?

I visited there in 05 and met up with an expat and his family. Seemed to be a nice area but work was difficult to find and the cost of living a bit high. Has anyone else any views on work-life cost of living and settling there?
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 7:11 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by mawb66
Seemed to be a nice area but work was difficult to find and the cost of living a bit high.
^^^^

You just answerwed your own question. Plenty of 'work', but good professional jobs are hard to find.

R.
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 8:13 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

House prices have gone crazy since 2005. We moved here in Sep 07 and had to spend much more than anticipated on a house and we brought far fewer dollars than planned due to adverse exchange rate movements. I lined up work before we came out (there are opportunities, but it depends what you do) and we've not regretted being here for a second so far.

If you want to know any specifics about moving/settling in, let me know.
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 9:47 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by Pacman2007
House prices have gone crazy since 2005. We moved here in Sep 07 and had to spend much more than anticipated on a house and we brought far fewer dollars than planned due to adverse exchange rate movements. I lined up work before we came out (there are opportunities, but it depends what you do) and we've not regretted being here for a second so far.

If you want to know any specifics about moving/settling in, let me know.
We have just moved away from Kelowna - house prices are VERY expensive but work seems to be plentiful - as in most places though its getting to know people that will find you the work you want. It just wasn't for us but it may be for you! Each to their own and all that.

Cost of living is also expensive - food specially so.
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 10:05 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

I grew up there. In Vernon.

I wouldn't go back but thats only because I wouldn't find work in my field there.

And if I did, I would worry that if I was forced to look again I'd be out of luck.

But other than that, I'd go back in a second.
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 10:50 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

How would people rate transport links - we're thinking of settling in or near Kelowna, and my wife has family near Vancouver and in Calgary. Google maps says it's about 6 hours to Vancouver and 7 to Calgary, is that fairly realistic?
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Old Jan 11th 2008, 10:57 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by edsask
How would people rate transport links - we're thinking of settling in or near Kelowna, and my wife has family near Vancouver and in Calgary. Google maps says it's about 6 hours to Vancouver and 7 to Calgary, is that fairly realistic?
I would say between four and five hours to Vancouver and closer to eight hours to Calgary.
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Old Jan 12th 2008, 3:25 am
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

My flight back from Calgary yesterday took 43 minutes. The cost was okay just for me, but less affordable with a family. Wouldn't recommend driving it in winter if I had a choice, but others have a different tolerance for risk.

The 5 hour drive from Vancouver is great in good conditions. I haven't driven that distance in the UK for years because of the congestion, but most people here don't think twice about making regular trips to Vancouver. Many Brits make the journey to shop at Ikea, but I guess some people do it to visit family too.
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Old Jan 12th 2008, 6:07 am
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

We moved here last June and so far we love it. But it's not everyones cup of tea, as Amy David has said, some just don't feel at home here and head East.
For some strange reason it seems that nearly everybody i speak to recently has moved here from Alberta.
Kelowna is expensive and wages do not always seem to be in keeping with the cost of living here. There are always employers crying out for staff but only prepared to pay minimum wages hence they are always crying out for staff!!
The surrounding scenery is spectacular, there are lakes and mountains in abundance. There are lots of opportunities for outdoor activities of all kinds in all seasons if you want it and the weather is generally very good. We have not really seen much in the way of rain or wind since coming here last June, just the odd bit here and there. We have a friend who used to live in Vancouver and he describe Vancouvers weather as "8 months of November"
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Old Jan 12th 2008, 4:39 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by Pacman2007
House prices have gone crazy since 2005. We moved here in Sep 07 and had to spend much more than anticipated on a house and we brought far fewer dollars than planned due to adverse exchange rate movements. I lined up work before we came out (there are opportunities, but it depends what you do) and we've not regretted being here for a second so far.

If you want to know any specifics about moving/settling in, let me know.
Thanks for that. We really liked the area but I was wondering if you knew of any colleges (as in further education colleges) .This is because I teach part time at one where I live. Hopefully the authorities would accept my teaching qualifications from the UK.
I definitely liked Kelowna, but am aware of the needless development that is taking place and from reading the online local press it seems that they want to turn it into Las Vegas (urrgh!). Prices around the Mission area, where we stayed seemed very high indeed for houses-which worried me a bit. Also what's it like out of season? We went in early September when there were still lots of tourists around.
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Old Jan 12th 2008, 5:11 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by mawb66
I was wondering if you knew of any colleges (as in further education colleges)
There's Okangan College and UBC, and a few random private establishments with scant regard for quality or ethics.

...from reading the online local press it seems that they want to turn it into Las Vegas (urrgh!).
Yeah the stiffs/blue rinse mob fancies a mixture of Vegas, Palm Springs, Reno and California. Gambling, and golf.

Also what's it like out of season? We went in early September when there were still lots of tourists around.
Winter = ski/board/snowshoe/snowmobile/icefish time or if you're old and tired, head south in your $100k motor home to Arizona to thaw out. The partying and random madness never stops, it just slows down a little bit, or moves to the ski resorts. The eastward exodus of tourist retards is a time of great celebration for locals. You can actually get a seat at a restaurant instead of it being swamped by cowboy-hat-and-boot wearing wife-beating, vehicle-operation-challenged, drunks, or loud (well, not so loud now that their dollar is more like the Yen) pot-bellied Amerikans, with their hefty children. Late September/October is heaven at the end of a long hot busy summer. Seriously tho, we have such a long summer, spring starts so early, that after all that 'doing stuff' it's really welcoming to get a bit of a break and wind down a little. Winter lasts 2-3 months in total, 2 months proper, and the feeling of endless cloudy days (low lying valley cloud) drives people nuts. I'm surprised there aren't more murders the way people rant about the cloud.

I hear a few Brits malign the place (more so of late than over the past 2 years - I believe it is the result of the past 2-3 years of incomers who now realise it's not really for them, includes Calgarians and Torontans too in that category) but you have to get out there, get into it, and realise nobody really gives a crap about you til you're part of "it" or "something". The sort that move on are the sort who can't adjust to the vast difference in lifestyle and attitudes about what's important out here or just how things work here. It doesn't mean they failed or were wrong, it's just not everyones cup of PG Tips served in a Princess Diana china tea pot.

Kelowna is totally mental, the lifestyle is amazing, but it's not for the stuffy or timid.

R.

Last edited by Rich_007; Jan 12th 2008 at 5:25 pm.
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Old Jan 13th 2008, 7:31 am
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

I think you have to give it a try and live day to day life to see if is for you. We lived in Kelowna for a while but really didn't feel good about it (It was for work for a while).................. Then we moved to Prince George and love it. If you asked 90% of the people in BC where they would prefer of the two Kelowna would win hands down. So it's very much a personal thing I think.

My business is based in Penticton (a long story as to why I live and have a business 8 hours apart), so I go down there quite a lot. It's a nice place but I think work would be limited to government stuff or temp work.

Without a doubt, it's a beautiful place................... to visit for us!!

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Old Jan 13th 2008, 8:17 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

as the above poster says,.,it is a personal thing

personaly i love the okangan region. my husband lived in Kelowna for 20 years up till we moved to vancouver island 6 mths ago. ( i lived there for near 2 years in total) only reason we moved was because he had a job promotion offer with a transfer to the island. So we took the plunge and moved.

I also think we lend ourselves to our own expereinces.


there is a lot of online resources available for that region.

an excellent forum can be found here with people who have made the move, live there..or thinking about it...>>

http://excoboard.com/exco/index.php?boardid=16341

and another

http://www.castanet.net/

would i move back there..? yes i would. not because of anything bad here...but because that area does have that little bit more to offer. Great shopping...excellent mountains and scenery...and lovely people. at least in my experience...
Housing is going up in price everywhere...that is the down side of the Okanagan...well kelowna at least. little to offer in the way of rentals...and house prices are rising. I do find some things a little cheaper here on the island. tho mind you..i find most things here much cheaper than they were in australia...even house prices..i find i can get more for my money here than back there...well unless i want to live wayyyy inland..then i might be able to afford something..back in oz....ummm on second thoughts....

err maybe not!

http://www.noagentproperty.com.au/pr...ate=NSW&ID=557


hmm i do love that red soil tho...
good luck!
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Old Jan 14th 2008, 2:42 am
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Originally Posted by mawb66
I visited there in 05 and met up with an expat and his family. Seemed to be a nice area but work was difficult to find and the cost of living a bit high. Has anyone else any views on work-life cost of living and settling there?
rgds
mawb66
I've PM'd you with some contacts who might be able to help you get info on jobs in education. I've also remembered someone I know's OH teaches at Okanagan College, I'll see if I can get any further insider info from him. Remind me again, what subjects do you teach? He's a Brit too, but moved out here way before we did. He spends most of his time when he's not teaching up to his ears in apple picking, snow ploughing or mucking out the livestock....not sure if that's to supplement his income, or a strange love of the simple life.
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Old Jan 14th 2008, 5:08 pm
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Default Re: Anyone tried the Okanagan?

Hi there
Got your PM, but thought these might be of more general use to educators heading west....

http://jobsearch.educationcanada.com/
http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/Page1419.aspx
http://www.hr.ubc.ca/postings/index.html

The first one is Canada wide, general education roles ie teaching at all levels, the second is the Okanagan College link, and the third, UBC.

I don't work in education so I am sure there are others which those more knowledgeable can provide, but might help for starters. I've emailed my friend who's OH (other half) works at Okanagan College to see how he got his job.
Let us know how you get on.
Good luck!
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