The Difference?
Jun 21st 2010, 10:34 pm
#16
The Brit is back
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: NS, Canada 2007-2013. Now....England!
Posts: 2,211
Re: The Difference?
What fantastic replies, thank you all very much (including the Pulp Fiction fans.. 
) and thank you also for the kind offer of accommodation (The Thornes
)
The very first questions posed were by 'Lorry1';
Good questions/points, to answer them then;
I recognize that Canada is by no means a Utopia and that it brings its own set of issues and difficulties to overcome. I'm simply chewing over the consideration of when you weigh both countries up, hand in hand, which is the better for an aspiring young family? Which country offers the brightest prospects for a couple such as ourselves, both professionally and recreationally speaking, not to mention the overall quality of life?
Employment wise, I would plan to transfer in to the relevant Police Service and my Wife would seek to be gainfully employed in either illustration or graphic design. I'm currently in discussion with the VPD, just checking the lay of the land regarding their current and projected recruitment outlook, particularly for international applicants. I hope to have a reply this week. We've conducted no further research into the intricacies of moving to Canada and when I say 'We've' I really mean 'I' of course...
I have done a fair degree of reading on the Calgary Police Service looking for UK Police Officers, but this was, as mentioned by The Thornes, some time ago. As an aside, @ The Thornes - What did your husband do in the MPS and what does he do now? I would be very grateful if I could perhaps PM you a list of questions for him, please?
I'll mention it only in passing, but there is nothing wrong with our current circumstances; we have a small core of excellent friends, I am one of six (I'm the youngest) brothers, we enjoy our home, our respective professions and home environment - life is good. On the subject of parents, both of mine passed away a long time ago, whilst my Wifes are in their early sixties (mother in law in ever so slowly declining health). So why move? Well, why not?
Other than the points already outlined above, part of my feeling is difficult to articulate. It could be a simple fear of the regret I think I would feel if we didn't try. It could be that I'm getting progressively more and more fed up with the cramped Isle that is the UK. It could be that my tolerance for anti-social types and the lack of common courtesy and manners is beginning to get stretched. It could be that I think that Canada is simply a better place to raise my (
) future children and offer my family a better quality of life.
What will help, I'm sure is our recce trip next year.
What recommendations do people have for ensuring the best possible way of seeing the relevant areas and completing a successful fact finding trip?
Thank you again,
JJ.
) and thank you also for the kind offer of accommodation (The Thornes)The very first questions posed were by 'Lorry1';
Good questions/points, to answer them then;
- I'm thinking of convincing my Wife (and myself) to leave the UK because life is too short and there's a lot of world out there to explore. I've always said to her that it would be a regret of mine if we spent the rest of our lives living (and eventually dying) in North Hertfordshire and not at least giving somewhere like North America a go. I'm keen to explore, enjoy variety and relish a challenge in life. I'm ex-Military and since I became a Police Officer, have diversified my experience by changing roles every couple of years. I think this an inherent trait of mine and something that is just 'me'.
- As alluded to earlier, we wish to have a family and I'm not so keen on the England that I live in anymore. Granted, I see a lot of the negative and darker side to the UK but it isn't as simple blaming it on my occupation. England, particularly the south-east is in such a rush nowadays. People lack common courtesy towards one another and a lot of the youth slide into the unfortunate (and idiot) chav/yob culture. I've very little desire to have my family raised in an area they could become exposed to this.
- Lack of space (63 million people in a country with 93,000sq miles of space compared to 34 million in 3.8 million sq miles in Canada). Litter, mess, graffiti, too much traffic and congestion, a creaking transport network/infrastructure and general lack of respect for your fellow man and woman.
I recognize that Canada is by no means a Utopia and that it brings its own set of issues and difficulties to overcome. I'm simply chewing over the consideration of when you weigh both countries up, hand in hand, which is the better for an aspiring young family? Which country offers the brightest prospects for a couple such as ourselves, both professionally and recreationally speaking, not to mention the overall quality of life?
Employment wise, I would plan to transfer in to the relevant Police Service and my Wife would seek to be gainfully employed in either illustration or graphic design. I'm currently in discussion with the VPD, just checking the lay of the land regarding their current and projected recruitment outlook, particularly for international applicants. I hope to have a reply this week. We've conducted no further research into the intricacies of moving to Canada and when I say 'We've' I really mean 'I' of course...
I have done a fair degree of reading on the Calgary Police Service looking for UK Police Officers, but this was, as mentioned by The Thornes, some time ago. As an aside, @ The Thornes - What did your husband do in the MPS and what does he do now? I would be very grateful if I could perhaps PM you a list of questions for him, please?
I'll mention it only in passing, but there is nothing wrong with our current circumstances; we have a small core of excellent friends, I am one of six (I'm the youngest) brothers, we enjoy our home, our respective professions and home environment - life is good. On the subject of parents, both of mine passed away a long time ago, whilst my Wifes are in their early sixties (mother in law in ever so slowly declining health). So why move? Well, why not?
Other than the points already outlined above, part of my feeling is difficult to articulate. It could be a simple fear of the regret I think I would feel if we didn't try. It could be that I'm getting progressively more and more fed up with the cramped Isle that is the UK. It could be that my tolerance for anti-social types and the lack of common courtesy and manners is beginning to get stretched. It could be that I think that Canada is simply a better place to raise my (
) future children and offer my family a better quality of life. What will help, I'm sure is our recce trip next year.
What recommendations do people have for ensuring the best possible way of seeing the relevant areas and completing a successful fact finding trip?
Thank you again,
JJ.
Those are all the reasons why we left England 3 years ago, apart from my hubby's in IT, I'm a Travel Agent and we already had 2 kids : )
We moved around quite alot in the UK, but always in a 10 mile radius, and it was always our dream to live in Canada.
We lived in Berkshire, and in hindsight I wish we would have tried somewhere else in England before bringing the family all this way.
I miss my friends that I had for years. I miss the close proximity to Europe and great cheap holidays there. I miss my nephews and nieces and my brother who will be getting married next year and starting his new family.
There is nothing really I don't like about Canada and it really is a great place to bring up the kids. I feel safer here and I feel more comfortable letting them play outside.
Travel is more expensive, both in canada and international and there are not as many choices regarding food, clothes etc.
Good luck with whatever you do : )
Jun 21st 2010, 11:33 pm
#17
.
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 868
Re: The Difference?
Hi JJ. By all means PM me if you want to ask my husband any questions - I think you might need to post three times before you can send a private message. He spent the last few years in a specialist unit at Heathrow and, prior to that, had been based at both Wimbledon and Walworth.
Jun 21st 2010, 11:52 pm
#18
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 12
Re: The Difference?
@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
Jun 22nd 2010, 12:32 am
#19
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,612
Re: The Difference?
However some close friends have nothing but rounds of visitors year after year, week after week during the summer, all their holiday allowance is used ferrying people around, they always say yes to visitors as they feel obliged.
I am hoping my Mum comes this year, now looking unlikely as she is in hospital again.
As for accommodation whilst on reccy, we used an RV for ease of getting around and seeing as much as poss. Any type of temporary accommodation will give you a holiday feel, so choose the type needed for your reccy.
You mentioned about your MIL's slowly declining health, think very hard about how your wife will feel when she gets calls about how poorly her Mum is. It's not just a 8 hour flight away when things look shakey.
Jun 22nd 2010, 2:08 am
#20
.
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 868
Re: The Difference?
Yes, a coincidence indeed. Just mentioned your name to my husband and he remembers you - he is Colin Thorne - left Heathrow about 21 months ago.
@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
Jun 22nd 2010, 8:16 am
#21
Beep
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Here
Posts: 8,311
Re: The Difference?
However some close friends have nothing but rounds of visitors year after year, week after week during the summer, all their holiday allowance is used ferrying people around, they always say yes to visitors as they feel obliged.
-------
You mentioned about your MIL's slowly declining health, think very hard about how your wife will feel when she gets calls about how poorly her Mum is. It's not just a 8 hour flight away when things look shakey.
-------
You mentioned about your MIL's slowly declining health, think very hard about how your wife will feel when she gets calls about how poorly her Mum is. It's not just a 8 hour flight away when things look shakey.
The potential for limited vacation time could be a pain and easily minimise the number of quality visits with family/friends as well as your own private holidays.
The fact that your MIL is having health issues could also be a HUGE factor for causing issues. I initially moved over to Vancouver in 2006, not long after my dad was diagnosed with cancer. NEVER underestimate the distance between Canada and the UK when these situations arise. Yes you can just hop on a plane but psychologically it's much much more difficult.
.
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:19 pm
#23
Beep
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Here
Posts: 8,311
Re: The Difference?
You're darn tooting
I had a heated discussion with a Canadian the other week about the shiteness of holiday entitlement. He argued that it should remain the same because when he were younger and working they survived and so should the young'uns of today.
Silly old sod.
.
I had a heated discussion with a Canadian the other week about the shiteness of holiday entitlement. He argued that it should remain the same because when he were younger and working they survived and so should the young'uns of today.
Silly old sod.
.
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:27 pm
#24
The Brit is back
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: NS, Canada 2007-2013. Now....England!
Posts: 2,211
Re: The Difference?
@ Lorry1 - if I might ask, how often do family and friends visit you and conversely, you to the UK? I guess not often enough? Also, I accept your point regarding a different part of the UK prior to departing for Canada. It's a very valid point.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
@ The Thornes - What a coincidence, I also work on a specialsit plain clothes unit at Heathrow. Thank you for your offer re the PM, I shall take you up on it as soon as I'm able.
My hubbys parents are elderly and deathly ill, always in and out of hospital for one thing or another. They cannot come here cos no one will insure them and we haven't been able to afford to go back there too often.
You are torn between spending your precious holiday time flying back to England to visit people and having quality family holidays (not in England). This year we are having a family holiday in Bermuda as we haven't had one in a few years and are not going to England, which means we don't see anyone.
You must do what you think is best for you and your (future) family. Leaving England always seems like the best thing to do and if you don't try living somewhere else, you may regret it for the rest of your life. You have a real immigration itch which has to be scratched
At least you can return if you are not happy as your kids will be extremley young and won't know any different.
For us, we have to wait 3 years for my 15 year old to finish school here as she is at a crucial stage (they finish at 18 here in NS). I feel trapped and just want to go home
Good luck
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:29 pm
#25
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: The Difference?
You're darn tooting
I had a heated discussion with a Canadian the other week about the shiteness of holiday entitlement. He argued that it should remain the same because when he were younger and working they survived and so should the young'uns of today.
Silly old sod.
.
I had a heated discussion with a Canadian the other week about the shiteness of holiday entitlement. He argued that it should remain the same because when he were younger and working they survived and so should the young'uns of today.
Silly old sod.
.
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:31 pm
#26
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: The Difference?
One option is for everyone to meet up in the Caribbean somewhere... obviously not those too infirm to travel, but you know what I mean. Worked well for us anyway.
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:36 pm
#27
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: The Difference?
What an outstandingly poor idea. If the choice is between using one's fortnight for domestic obligations and living with the guilt of having a real holiday instead, cluttering the real holiday with the children of one's siblings seems like the worst possible alternative.
Jun 22nd 2010, 1:46 pm
#28
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: The Difference?
Depends if you like them or not doesnt it? I rather like mine. You could meet up with old childless friends too, there is no obligation to make it a family thing. We get away from the Canadian winter, they get away from the UKs drecht weather, its all good.
Jun 22nd 2010, 2:31 pm
#29
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: The Difference?
I still have the nightmares.
Jun 22nd 2010, 2:33 pm
#30
The Brit is back
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: NS, Canada 2007-2013. Now....England!
Posts: 2,211
