Dave-april

Hello all!

Was just wondering if people feel the same way as I do. We have just sent our update documents and are awaiting medical instructions after first applying for permanent residence in Feb 06. When we first decided to emigrate we were really excited didn't really think of the implications and couldn't wait to get to canada, it was all we could think about. After a few months realised that life went on and kind of put it to the back of our heads (moved house, and had another child!) Then it always seemed like such a long way off, but since we've been asked for our updated documents it's suddenly becoming really real. Have obviously talked to friends and family but neither seem to understand as they are not going through this process, we so want to go but have so much to sort out, not quite sure where to start. We've looked into areas, schools for our children and jobs but a part of us thinks what if it's all for nothing and they say no? Basically what I'm asking is anyone else feeling as scared (about being turned down) excited and just so wanting to go as i am? I'm sending this message as we feel quite alone in this whole process as no-one we know is going through the same thing.

April

G586

No, you're not alone!

We just got med requests, AOR Jan 06 but so much has happened since the application, we don't have a clue what to do now!

It'll be ok - use the Wiki to help with the practical details.....and post lots!

Judy in Calgary

Yup, the immigration hamsters have woken up and started scurrying around inside your brains. Happens very frequently around here.

All the best with everything.
x

Dave-april

Thankyou, It's nice to know that someone else is in the same situation as us! Congratulations on getting your medicals! Hope all goes well for you, have you looked into moving in great detail as we just don't know where to start, all we know is that if we get the go ahead we will get there somehow! Worried about selling the house in the current climate, maybe we will have to rent it out for a few years.....

April

The4BellsLondon

Immigartion Hamsters : p fab term judy - amazing how hey keep you awake at night!!
chin up April

Getting There

Hi April,

Don't feel alone. We would wager that the majority of those that have already made the move across have had similar thoughts to yours. We certainly did. What's more, most of those behind you in the queue will feel them to. It's by no means a trivial life event and it is therefore natural for most folk to experience a range of emotions regarding it. You're nearly there now though!

Eamonn & Janet

jackiewalters

All I can say is I relate, I relate! surrounded by people asking when are you going, when are you going, have you heard anything yet, I'm sure that they think we are lying!! the whole process is moving very slowly for us, and yes part of me is freaking out as it is a huge step and another part is scared that they'll say NOOO your names not down your not coming in!! And then your faced with the whole humiliation of telling the whole world and their brother that we've been refused!! lol

But thats the worse scenario!! I am sure you will be fine, and life will be amazing for you and your children.

All the best

Ikatita

I feel very similar to what you express!

filed the PR application in Sep 05, put in the docs in Apr08, and now waiting to be asked for medicals.

Have done basically nothing between Sep05 and Jan08, then was very busy with getting together all the documentation, language certificates (neither English nor French is my mother language), police certificates (who ever would have thought I'd be grateful one day to have spend only 5 months in Brazil instead of 6, thus one less country to apply for a police certificate)...

Between Apr and now, have done basically nothing. Woke up two weeks ago or so, don't really remember why, and have started to sit down in earnest, and get a good grip on what life would be about in Vancouver for us, what my chances on the job market ware etc

And feeling very ambivalent about wanting to go now.

My only recce trip was in July 05 (before the PR app), and it was more a look-and-see-how-it-feels-like trip than a real recce trip. Did not open a bank account, did not talk to realtors, did not meet any potential employers or any contacts in my professional field, did not find out about good doctors...
Thought it was lovely to live in Point Grey (still believe that, also am more realistic about not finding anything affordable for our 1 big person 1 little person family there) in our exchanged house.

Right, so now
-I feel still that it would be nice to live in Vancouver or around it
-I am convinced that I would really like mountains, skiing, climbing in the long run (I really miss climbing and skiing here in Paris)
- I am really less and less convinced that it is a good idea to move to a country where people work longer hours, and where I would have so little vacation (remember France gives about 8 or 9 weeks of vacation per year to just about anyone)
- I am afraid that I would be so busy trying to make a living and climb up the corporate ladder to where I am now that I would miss out on my child's growing up
- and I am really getting very afraid of the job market in Vancouver, and afraid to never find anything else but shop clerking in a bookstore or a callcenter with crazy hours thus exploiting my knowledge of German and French (no point brushing up on my Mandarin, as everybody else over there speaks it so much better)
-am still a bit excited about the prospect of moving to a new country (in the past, I have always liked to change countries)
-am afraid I will never make it through my immense to-do list before moving, what with all the research, and the preparing the move, and the paperwork, and the jobhunt

So, no, I'm very much in the same emotional chaos as you are.

Summer-Caitlin

I will chime in, although we are not going over on PR but a study permit instead.

We first talked about going to Canada almost 2 years ago. We felt like it was such a long time away that we didn't do the things we should have done, like decorated the house and got it up to scratch for selling.

I have moved jobs since we first made a plan of when we want to leave (June 2009) and now it all seems so real. We realise that we have about 10 months before we leave and only 6 months or so before we put the house on the market. Assuming all goes well and it sells for the minimum amount, we will be on our way to BC in June.

I feel very apprehensive about this as we put so many things off citing "we have plenty of time", not so, we are now looking at a busy next 6 months.

Don't get me wrong, we are excited and would rather just go, but the house has to be sold in order to fund my continuing education.

You are definitely not alone, everyone reaches that point when it all seems so very real. My husband has not yet reached that, he thinks once he has the plane ticket in his hand then he will get excited

I have looked at job opportunities (for husband) and areas too, but it all seems so far away in one hand, yet right around the corner in another.

Judy in Calgary

It is really tough being a single parent in Canada. It can be done. There are millions of people who do it.

But my point is that, while it can be done, why voluntarily exchange what I understand is a more supportive situation for a less supportive one?

I wasn't a single parent, but there were quite long stretches when I felt like one. My husband travelled a lot for his job when our kids were in elementary school. It was so tough to drop the kids off at daycare in the morning, go to work, do my job, rush home, pick the kids up from daycare (always terrified of invoking the $1/minute penalty if I got there past 6.00 p.m.)., take my kids to their ice hockey practices and games, prepare dinner, do the grocery shopping, do the laundry, clean the house, etc., etc., etc.

And those were the normal days. Let's not even get into the times when the kids got sick, and I had to make extra arrangements.

When our kids were teenagers we did two back-to-back expat assignments that took us out of Canada (to Houston and Melbourne) for four years. I did not work outside the home in the USA and Australia. After we got back from our expat assignment, I resumed working in downtown Calgary. But, by this time, our kids were in their late teens, and they were fairly independent (as a matter of fact one of our sons stayed on in Australia for another year to finish high school before rejoining us in Canada).

At the train station, on my way home from work, I bumped into a woman who lived in my neighbourhood and who used to catch the same bus/train combination in the past. She took one look at me and said, "Oh my God, you look so much younger. You look relaxed. You always used to look so stressed before."

That really was a revelation to me. Back when I'd been rushing home to pick up the kids from daycare and then rushing them to their hockey practice or whatever, I must have been worrying most of the time. But, at the time, I hadn't been conscious that I'd been wearing the worry on my face. It was only when I later was out of that situation and bumped into someone from the old days that I got feedback about it.

Back in an earlier post I referred to the immigration hamsters that scurry around people's minds. Well, there are immigration hamsters and there are immigrtion hamsters. Sometimes people worry about nothing. But in your case my honest opinion is that you do have something to worry about.
x

Ikatita

Thank you Judy, for the feedback. I appreciate it.

It's hard to assess from a distance for me.

My life now is more comfortable because I get more vacation.
It is uncomfortable, because I worry daily, constantly, that I will run into my aggressor.

What is worth more? Hard to say.

Moggiemiss

I applied in October 05 and when the update letter came through so much had changed in my life and my first reaction was 'Can I really be bothered?'!

However, I did bother and I quickly found that I was excited and now that I have my visa I know I am doing the right thing.

I had 'switched off' the immigration excitement switch because nothing had happened for so long - it was a sort of protection mode against disappointment.

Keep on going and good luck!

clairemarie70

i too can relate to how you are feeling only we are already living in Canada...we have sent in our PR application so we are waiting..but in the mean time we have just bought and moved into our first home here..and have hopefully just sold my house in the uk..which i felt was my security if everything went wrong here..so now i just have to wait and see and hope for the best..but i do know how you feel

gibsonslanding

oh yes april, i'm soooooo with you; absolutley quaking in my/our boots now.....it's all happened very, very quick since may this year.....nothing much happened since putting in our application 2.5 years ago but since hubby went out in april for a job recce and coming back with lots of interviews and now several job offers, lots is happening too fast!!!!!......so fast that every day seems a hurdle, just to deal with shippers, selling house, teenager's, dog passport etc etc. my head is spinning!!!!!

am i excited? you bet ya! i'm i scared out of my brain? you bet ya! are we going to canada.....oh yeah babe, you bet ya!!!!!! just got to keep thinking; this has been our dream for over 5 years now and it's about to happen! doesn't stop you from feeling scared though, does it?

good luck all of you and see you there.......

Tangram

Normal.