vash2009

Okay so its been a while since my last post, wherein I was settling in port Moody, fast forward 6 months....and I hate it.
We bought a lovely town home and port moody is beautiful, but kids activities, taxes, MSP, etc all sucks. My 10 year old has found it difficult to make friends in grade 5 and thinks the school work is so backward, totally agree when I saw that she was learning basic additions and multiplications in grade 5.
Paying for MSP monthly in BC....well I didn't properly research that thinking that basic medical care was free.
And everything is $ plus taxes and all these recyclying fees added to my bill everytime I do a food shop.
6 months forward and cannot get a job in my field( banking), it is all too frustrating.
west coast express only runs till 8.15 am, so much for getting my daughter to school for 8.40 am and taking the train to work if I get a job
Might not be long before I pack up and head back to old Blightly, this place is as boring as plain bread and the cdn accent and I don't see a future for my children's education.
Looking for enlightenment or others begging to differ

Lychee

You're experiencing culture shock. It gets better.

Lychee

Also, Port Moody may have looked good on paper, but for reasons you're discovering, might not have been the best place to move to. It's suburbia. It is boring. Get out of Port Moody.

ArthurBrit

What is it you miss?

Reading through your post you comment on transit and taxes and then call the place boring!

As for the healthcare, maybe others can help is it that much different in BC from the rest of Canada?

Lychee may be right in your case maybe it's moving to a bigger and more populated area.

vash2009

I agree my post was a bit off centered, it was more of a rant actually.
Port Moody was affordable,rentals were ridiculous everywhere. Given we have two kids, also elementary schools was important.
I know i probably just need to change my mindset, the job situation is probably blurring my opinions.
I miss my networks, my old part time job, the easy access to trains and the school system in London, it pains me to see my daughter not enthusiastic about school work here, because she did it already, or school because she does not have many friends as most kids in her class are formed cliques already.

iaink

You get used to things like adding the tax and paying the insurance premiums (basically another tax)

Kids having a hard time is not so easy to live with. Have you talked to teachers or considered switiching schools. So much is dependent on having a good teacher that can engage kids and help them adjust and keep stimulated. Any hobbies or sports that could be used to expand her social network?

Some stuff really does just take time, making friends can be one of those things.


Consider other areas? I wouldnt consider BC boring, but then I love to ski, so Im a bit jealous in that respect... Get out there and do stuff is my best advice, but finding a job (any job?) would help no end I suspect, and that can take time and contacts Im afraid.

ArthurBrit

I may sound crazy to you but why don't you move out of port moody?

You are in Canada and you could just as easily move to AB/SK/MB/ON/QB/NS/NB?

What was it in BC that made you guys want to live there?

I was relatively young when I moved out here and I lived in the south of england. I moved because financially I could not even start in the UK. I moved to MB because a). My wifes family are here and b). So we could get going in life.

Think back to why you moved and what you wanted from the move and maybe you can still find it but maybe you need to move in order to get it?

ExKiwilass

If it's any consolation I agree with you - Port Moody IS boring (though pretty) and as you're discovering the West Coast Express is not much of a rail link with very limited hours. I suspect Grade 5 would be hard anywhere - cliques are well formed by then. If your child is bored have you brought this up with the teacher?

Not being able to find a job will make everything seem worse. Good luck and I hope you find one soon.

Have you considered somewhere with a bit more life like east van or north burnaby west of holdom?

ArthurBrit

Agree I workied for one year as a temp. worker before I found a chance in my field, it also took me 4 years to find my second oppertunaty in the same field.

Oink

Canadian culture, what there is of it, is as dull as dog stuff for someone coming from somewhere other than Australia, NZ or most parts of the US. Because it’s an immigrant country, people move about in social pods of family, religion and ethnicity. There aren't the strong bonds of large historical cultural identities. That's why the federal/national government bangs on about Canadian culture so much, because what little commonality there is, are based on very thin connections. If you have to stay here, get yourself a decent job and try and fill in the gaps of your kids education.

jandro

My advice would be to hang in, try to get a job and see if you can still tolerate living here. If you like the outdoors try to take advantage of it as that's one of the few pluses about Vancouver. Belcara Park, Buntzen and Sasamat lakes should be close by to you and are great places to visit (although crowded on the weekends) in the warmer weather.

I'm looking for a job myself and know how frustrating it can be when you're looking to continue in your line of work. I agree it's boring here, especially when your not working.

ExKiwilass

Might be a good idea to take up a winter sport to take the edge off: snow shoeing, cross country skiiing etc. I've been become way more sporty since I moved to Vancouver. It's a time filler and everyone else is like that, so..

Oink

It sounds like your kid needs 'enrichment'. Here have a look at this.

http://www.khanacademy.org

vash2009

Thanks for all the replies,advice and thoughts, definitely appreciated!!
Yes I think I will look into a winter sport, might get to meet a few people, also looking to re-train, maybe considering real estate, which might be more flexible in terms of the kids.
I guess I will always question whether this move was the right choice, or if this is where I want to see my old age days .
I'll always question british education vs canadian education now that I have experienced it.

Re-my daughter, I have spoken to the teacher, who says that she is definitely ahead in the class and If she continues, a recommendation can be made before she heads to middle school about a gifted program (anyone know more about this? ), in the mean time she will try to give her more work to avoid the boredom. But I will have to look into private tutoring no doubt as the classroom work is way behind year 6 in her london school.

vash2009

Thanks Oink . Looks interesting.