Re: The Difference?
 

For me, the differences are these:

I have next to no holiday entitlement from my employers. But on the weekends, instead of contending with a dreary London landscape and dreaming of spending my 4 - 5 weeks holiday entitlement in a tropical or alpine climate, i instead go to the beach and harass seals and eagles during the summer and hit the slopes during the winter, spending much less money on lift passes and accommodation than those pesky tourists! :D

Food prices still give me palpitations and rent isn't too fantastic either.... but then you consider the quality of what you get; the rented properties are much bigger and more pleasant in their forms and functions and the food is (as long as you shop wisely) beyond the 'Tesco Finest' quality.

Same price, but much much better.

Strangers say hello when they pass you by; car drivers are complete retards (probably a mutual feeling) but usually courteous as opposed to imminently violent; streets are pleasant and tree lined and in Vancouver at least, everybody simply appears to be happy, really really happy to be alive and thus, are endlessly eager to make the most of life and its opportunities.

I cannot, even with those who i have left behind in mind, fathom a reason to trade time spent here, for visiting the UK even for a moment.

Re: The Difference?
 

Were you, btw, in Toronto last night? We passed an illegally parked Ferrari, plated "NOTGILTI". It seemly like a lawyerly conveyance.

Re: The Difference?
 

Unfortunately you don't have enough vacation leave from work to actually make the most of it. Unless you're retired of course ;)


I wish. My wife has banned me from two wheels for the foreseeable future :o


The main difference is that when the M25 gets crazy, you have the option to divert off it and onto other routes in many areas.

All that said, i still very much enjoy Canada and am looking forward to living there permanently again, warts and all. Not looking forward to the pay cut though.


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Re: The Difference?
 

Thank you. It was as close as I wanted to get. Old fish remains, sealion poop and seaweed offers quite a heady aroma.

Re: The Difference?
 

I would suggest that Canadians are indifferent to the circumstances that most low income people in Canada find themselves in, much the same way that most English are indifferent to the position of those on council estates.

Re: The Difference?
 

I wasn`t, but the wife may have?:p

Re: The Difference?
 

I'm not the only one to notice the car: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kearsian/4722466339/

Re: The Difference?
 

Oh and beer in pubs is London priced.... plus it isn't sold in supermarkets..... and off licenses are usually shut on sundays and they are the only place that sells booze at a half decent rate.

This all means that instead of my UK 'habit' one or two pints per week, i actually drink more over here, coz we make sure the fridge is stocked up and thus beer becomes more readily available!

Re: The Difference?
 

I do a 35 hour week with 4 weeks vacation and Flex-time. I also get 3 weeks per year of what they call wellness and up to 2 years paid sick leave. You can take wellness days whenever you want, but if you don't use them, you lose them.

The other day I took a wellness day so I could watch the world cup, I felt much better after that.

There are many social days each year including six pot lucks, And three management sponsored meals (including Halloween when you are expected to come in a costume), a BBQ and a compulsory golf tournament (if you do not take part you have to work).

They also have many social events in the evenings and weekends.

There is also a day each year when the other workers bring me food and gifts to show how much they appreciate all my hard work.

The pay is good, the organization is funded by health Canada.

Re: The Difference?
 

Funny, I felt sick after watching the last one.

Re: The Difference?
 

Are you the Queen?:p

Re: The Difference?
 

Like all good jokes, in the last sentence it all becomes clear.

Re: The Difference?
 

I'll just fix that for you.

Re: The Difference?
 

A think we need to put this hoary old myth to bed. Yes, some people have little vacation but if:

a) you are in demand you negotiate more, or
b) self-employed you take whatever time you want, or
c) work for an organization that allows overtime to be banked you can easily earn yourself an additional two or three weeks or,
d) has flex time or individual shift patterns then you can extend six or seven statutory holidays into six or seven weeks holiday by careful use of your "two weeks" holiday pay.

Re: The Difference?
 

Clearly you dont work in manufacturing, but lets face it, there are very few of us left that do:unsure: