Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Its a small world isn't it! :)
Sorry about the confusion, good luck with the move, I hope it all works out.
We haven't actually chosen a place to settle yet - we have found this the biggest problem. We loved the look of Vancouver and researched it loads but it just doesn't seem the place thats crying out for my husbands profession and we have also found housing to be quite expensive compared to other areas. If you do choose Vancouver have you any ideas as to which part of Vancouver you plan to live? As for when we are planning to go - it really is a case of as soon as we can. We've been doing so much research that we are almost too scared to do anything now, afraid to make a mistake! We just wish we could find out some more info about getting a job, so that we can finally settle on a place. We'll get there eventually I'm sure. It will be great to know how you get on, keep in touch and good luck.

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Thanks for replying, we're not sure what part yet depends on where my hubbies base is, hopefully around High River, south of Alberta. What part do you live in? How long have you been in Alberta and how do you find it? weather, schools way of life, cost of living etc?

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Hi back again Sue.

We live in Sherwood Park, a modern bedroom community of Edmonton, but separate from the city. Fabulous family orientated place, loads of trails, lakes, parks, facilities etc. So glad we found it. We have been here since May 05, so still adjusting to the 'new life'.

On the whole we really like it. We go off exploring all the time. Every long weekend off to the mountains for a weekend away. That is nice as hub only gets 3 weeks hols so we try and go away for mini breaks as often as we can.
Weather was a bit wet over the summer (but Canada wet, not England wet, so I didn't think it too bad)
This winter is apparently not typical either. Only about -4 or so at the mo. Hardly seen any snow yet. The climate is dry so you find yourself needing to drink fluids a lot more and your skin feels a little dry, but your body adjusts to it. Don't get any where near as many coughs and colds now. Cleaner air!

My 5 year old goes to a fab school, in the kindergarten and only afternoons, but its nice as we get more time to do other things and he gets to play with little bro more too. Schools are very into shaping morals over here, 'kind and caring' is often heard ringing out around the school and they are very big on respect.....for everyone and everything. No compaints here at all.

In Alberta we only pay GST so that makes a difference on purchases. We still have a mortgage as we didn't have enough funds to buy outright, but having said that, we have a fairly big house. The modern houses are lovely here, we have a bi-level which has a great layout, not something you'd see back in blighty. There are 2 storey's aswell and bungalows and semi's , closer to the UK styles.

Food shopping is no cheaper than the UK and for some things.....more expensive/ Utility costs are not any cheaper either. But cars, housing and electrical items definately are. We are slightly better off on a month to month basis, but only slightly as I am at home with the boys now full time, but we have more to show for our years of hard work now. Once I get back out into the workforce we should be financially better off.

We ARE better off in terms of quality of life though. We see more, do more, enjoy more and enjoy eachother more. The stress has decreased out of our lives and hubby enjoys his work which is great to see, and has made a big difference to him. We miss our friends and families though, that is the big downside to doing this.

My hubby has concerns over wether we picked the right part of Canada aswell. Although we LOVE Sherwood Park, he is not a huge fan of Edmonton (except the centre and the River Valley which is stunning). He doesn't like all the industry around the outskirts of the city BUT he is not a city person so it may just be that. As I keep telling him ALL cities have a certain amount of that. He also finds Alberta a little flatter than we would like and a bit brown and barren in the winter before the snow comes and covers it and makes it look pretty again. Depends what you came from.........we 're from leafy small towns in Cheshire, so it is different to that.

We prefer Edm area to Calgary in terms of the greeness in the summer. Appears to be more trees on the landscape up here, but I now some Calgarians would disagree with that. It depends on which particular part you live in I guess. But Calgary has the huge advantage of its location to the Rockies..............can't knock that at all.! If we could pick up Sherwood Park and plonk it closer to the Mountains we would be ecstatic!

The Canadian people are very pleasant, friendly, down to earth and seem 'contented' with their lot. Strangers smile and say hi when they pass you in the street. They drive like "IDIOTS' though. I'll never say British drivers are bad again. Big shopping culture here with loads of big retail parks everywhere...........suits me !!!!!
In the summer eveyone is out walking dogs, roller blading, cycling and in the winter you see ice skating on lakes, cross country skiiers, power walkers all bundled up against the cold. Its very outdoorsy. I'm sure my impression is maybe due to the mildness here so far this winter. Don't know if its the same when temps hit -25 ?????

Anyway, I hope this gives an impression of lifestyle. You have to live it to find out if its for you. We have mixed feelings as we are still quite 'new' here and still miss the famialiarity of UK life. There are things we don't like here, but we said the same about England. Just as there are things we loved about England and we say the same here. ! Good luck with your choices.

Debbie

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

[QUOTE=R2D2]Hi back again Sue.

My hubby has concerns over wether we picked the right part of Canada aswell. Although we LOVE Sherwood Park, he is not a huge fan of Edmonton (except the centre and the River Valley which is stunning). He doesn't like all the industry around the outskirts of the city BUT he is not a city person so it may just be that. As I keep telling him ALL cities have a certain amount of that. He also finds Alberta a little flatter than we would like and a bit brown and barren in the winter before the snow comes and covers it and makes it look pretty again. Depends what you came from.........we 're from leafy small towns in Cheshire, so it is different to that.


Hi,

My hubby agrees with yours about the industry!!! We live in Brookside which is part of Riverbend in the South West area. Have you checked out that area???
Michael works in the U of A hospital and it takes him 15 mins to get there! A big difference to the 45 mins comute each way he use to make in the UK.
Come and have a coffee with us!!! we'll show you around!!!
:)

Linda

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

[QUOTE=Linda P]Hi Linda

Never been to your neck of the woods but driven along Whitemud many times and always struck us how hilly and leafy the river valley is around there. A rare landscape in Alberta! Have you been to Sherwood Park? A coffee sounds lovely. PM me and we could arrange something.
Although my hub doesn't enjoy the sights of all the low level industry on his commute, he at least doesn't get stuck in a traffic jams everyday like he used to. And that was just driving from Alsager to Knutsford (not even into cities!)
It used to take him 50 mins, now its 25 and although busy on the South East part of Whitemud, it keeps moving.
Are your husbands feelings about aspects of Edm enough to put him off completely or does he like it on the whole?
Do you go onto the mountains much ? We plan to holiday in the Okanagan this summer, and I'm worried he's going to fall in love with it and start comparing again. :eek:
But nowheres perfect is it. :)

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

[QUOTE=R2D2]I have tried to send PM, have you got it blocked :)
Linda

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

[QUOTE=Linda P]Hi Linda
Sorry , boxes weren't ticked, should be OK now,
Thanks
Debbie

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

[QUOTE=scimdarren]We have been here a total of 5 months, spending the first 4 living in a friends basement (the 4 of us) we finally have our own place- now we are starting to learn fully the Canadian experience of running your own home and budgeting etc.

Hi Scimdarren, Did you arrive with a work permit and then go down the PNP route? you mentioned fast track? how? I plan to come to Manitoba ( Winnipeg ) and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks Daniel.

Re: Been in Canada 6 months and......?
 

[QUOTE=joeboy_UK]...I guess it would if u had a laptop and a wireless network ....probably not worth the hassle however u can get sirius satellite radio which has radio 1 (no virgin or classic fm yet but who knows)....all our radio stations here hava an unbearably high PC quotient ( p.c stands for Phil Collins) which has resulted in many attempts at poking my eardrums out with a blunt pencil.! :D

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

How about Vancouver? It should tick all of your boxes. :)

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Yes, here on a work permit, but our PR visas are imminent.
It came as a shock as much to us also, as it will mean the time from AOR to PR will be about 13 months. This is not PNP.

Have a read of this thread:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=321844

Regards

Darren

[QUOTE=DanielH]

Re: Been in Canada 6 months and......?
 

Have been reading these threads with great interest, as hubby and I are thinking of relocating to either BC or Alberta, but lots of homework to do yet!

Tiaribbon - I am hoping to set up a horse training/livery business if we can move out, can you let me know about the path you took, in relation to visa's and how you set up your business. Also what and how many animals did you bring with you!
Thanks.

Has anyone else shipped out horses from the UK?

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Apart from cosmopolitan city. Vancouver is a town with city pretensions and no infrastructure to support it.

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Hi there,

I've been in toronto for 9 months now and i absolutely love it! I came over here last April on a work permit from BUNAC. I'm 25 and have a degree in business and languages. I found it fairly easy to get work in downtown toronto, though when i joined the agencies looking for more career related jobs it took around 2 months before i got my current job in billingual sales, but i thoroughly enjoy it!

I haven't really been homesick, i thoroughly enjoyed the summer (though being from glasgow it was quite shocking to see the sun everyday for around 4 months!). The weather was unbelievably hot though so make sure u get somewhere with air conditioning (i didn't!!) and so far the winter weather has been fairly mild for canada so i'm told - its currently 5 degrees outside (though its usually around -15 at this time of year). I did feel a tad homesick at christmas as i've never been away from home at that time of year, but i still had a wonderful time with friends up in the north of toronto so it was still an enjoyable day. I miss daft things like my favourite restaurants and certain foods and whatnot, and of course i miss my friends and family but the quality of life here is just so much better than that in the UK - so much so thati am currently applying for residency!

I came out quite well prepared so there is not much else i could have done before i came out, you may want to email a few job agencies before u come out and arrange to meet with someone a few days after you arrive so u can start the job hunt. When arriving try to come out around March/April or September/October as its easier to find accommodation around that time (or at least i found it so!)

Re: Been in Canada a few months and......?
 

Hey Jen 81, i'm doing exactly the same thing in July after i graduate. Heading off to Toronto! I have been there many times because i have family in Mississauga and i really cannot wait. If u'd be interested, would it be possible for you to give my an account of your experience? I'm gonna be landing around the end of July because i cannot wait to leave this place...will hopefully start working within a week...i'm a little concerned about finding good affordable accomodation but i guess my student digs at the moment have stood me in good stead. I to want to apply for residency and have dreamt about since i first set foot in Canada!! Anyway, i look forward to hearing from you if thats cool.

Take care

Jeff