Originally Posted by skigordi

say 'eh' at the end of every third sentence....

Originally Posted by emmavicjones

Hi,
an interesting thread and relevant to me..
I am moving to Montreal to start a research position at McGill university on May 20th and therefore am thinking a lot about the move - whether I'll be happy, whether I am making a mistake to move so far away from friends and family, and Britain.. I was wondering whether the expats over there could suggest 'ways to cope' with the 'culture shock'? Would you say that it is better not to compare things with britain and just try to accept things as they are (i.e. different)? Is dealing with the change more to do with mental attitude than anything else?

Originally Posted by CWEMM02

McGill has huge drinking binge parties full of all kinds of bawdy behaviour. If you like that sort of thing, you should forget all about Britain quickly. The football team cancelled their season due to hazing activities that involved broomsticks.

Originally Posted by CWEMM02

McGill has huge drinking binge parties full of all kinds of bawdy behaviour. If you like that sort of thing, you should forget all about Britain quickly. The football team cancelled their season due to hazing activities that involved broomsticks.

Originally Posted by snowqueen

Hi all
We have recently landed in T.O. after years of waiting for PR. We are here for just another week befor heading back to Ireland to finish selling the house etc.

Thing is, after all the anticipation of getting PR, and all the excitement of getting the visas etc, now that I'm here, I'm beginning to wonder if it's really right after all! It may just be fickle female syndrome, but as I look around at the fairly unappealing countryside and the even less the appealing subdivisions, big box stores etc, all completely devoid of any character I'm starting to ask myself is the price of an outdoor lifestyle etc too high? We have crisscrossed all over the outer Toronto area, and with a few impossibly priced exceptions, it all seems to be the same.

We've been here loads of times before and made the decision to emmigrate based on all the sound reasons that most of you have also had, so I won't go in to them, but I'm not on holiday this time and although we spent Easter up in cottage country (where we have been on many of our previous visists too), the reality is that my new life will be down in the 'burbs and they just don't feel very appealing! I know it's not the prettist time of year, and maybe it's just mild culture shock, but I'm having difficulty imagining myself here. We have contemplated living more in to the city (ie uptown), as it has more buzz, but not sure it would suit our kids - it's the outdoor stuff on our doorstep that we all came for. Plus I NEED a big garden (keen gardener!)

Before you all say try somewhere else, my husband has already had a job interview with the Canadian branch of his firm in Markham and it went really well.... Of course if they want to take him on, then things become more certain and perhaps I will feel more positive, but right now I'm starting to wobble a bit! He is still committed to making the move.

Is what I'm going through normal? I have lived abroad before, but to be honest I never gave it as much thought at the time as I did moving to Canada (no kids then). Which of course makes it all the harder to comprehend why I feel this way. I'm so scared of making a mistake - not the leaving part but the choice of destination.

Any moral support greatly appreciated!
Snowqueen