christmasoompa

Of course, silly old me. And there was me thinking that selling our beloved cars, renting out our house to strangers, giving away our chickens to be rehomed, transporting two cats and a puppy, leaving my much loved friends and family (including my parents who I see at least once a week), giving up my business that I've spent 4 years building up, resigning from the three charities I do work for, my husband starting a new job in an unfamiliar city, uprooting my 1 year old and 3 year old away from their school, family and the only home they have ever known, and moving to a country where I know nobody and have to integrate and settle was changing my life.

Obviously now I see that I'm just 'taking a break'. Thank goodness for that - there was me thinking that some fairly major changes were happening but now that you've put me straight, I can get that silly idea right out of my head.

DaveLovesDee

Even if I could afford to own and maintain two homes in separate countries, I still wouldn't do it.

If you're planning on doing this then why not just keep a house in Spain and holiday in Canada (or Switzerland).

Rich_007

For those that have been in-country a while and know the ways of the world, he's remarkably insightul. He's funny as hell too.

Prospective immigrant should remove rose tinted shades before leaving UK.

R.

DaveLovesDee

Jules is in Spain.

I do find most of what DBD says on BE to be very useful. The rest of his stuff hasn't been relevant to my situation yet, but I've only been here 2 yrs.

fuschiagirl

You might be changing your life but it bears no comparison to actually emigrating. More like an extended, very well paid working holiday.

Jules Europe

Actually a very good idea given the relative strength of the Euro in relation to the Canadian dollar. Have actually thought of this, so as to not cut my ties with Europe. Also given Canada`s generous 6 month stay for EU residents makes it an interesting idea. Only problem being, flights from Spain to Canada are expensive but saying that here to the UK is dirt cheap and I believe they are not too expensive from the UK to Canada but that of course is a variable and could easily change.

christmasoompa

Glad you agree I am changing my life, Startwin seems to think I'm not!

But can you explain how what we're doing 'bears no comparison to actually emigrating'?

We are going through the upheaval I described in my last post to move another country for an unknown length of time - how is that different to anybody else on here? Maybe you can explain it to me?

Rich_007

You've yet to purchase a VW-Beetle/Honda Element.


R.

Jules Europe

I think you will find that on a previous post here actually today!!! That I myself acknowledged DBD`s knowledge on Canadian life and that because he has been there for 25 years or so his experience is going to be vast but it is seen from his viewpoint (nothing wrong with that) My only criticism is, that his concepts at times don`t hold true in relation to other opinions that I know about Canadian life. Here I am referring to personal friends both Canadian born one from Toronto and one from Montreal and both now live in the Niagara region. Admittedly they may not be wordly in having travelled abroad etc But I am sure they know enough about their own country or at least their region. These are opinions of Canadian born nationals not immigrants. So why should their opinion be of any less value than DBD`s???

I imagine any immigrant to Canada may well benefit from his advice albeit very negative but it is just one opinion and not gospel. Anybody coming to live say in Spain I could give them a wealth of information but this may well be different from another Brit that has settled here and see things very different to me. Its a case of different perspectives and nothing more.

dbd33

As you well know, I have never purchased a Honda Element. Bloody dykemobile.

Souvenir

You are making the mistake of thinking that people born in Canada know lots about Canada. That is a mistake. I can think of quite a few Canadian-born folk that have never travelled within Canada more than a couple of hundred miles from their place of birth and have little knowledge of/interest in other bits of Canada, or in Canada as a whole.

Immigrants to Canada (indeed, immigrants in general) are more likely to take a keener interest in what happens in their new country, what happened in the past and how the country interacts with others. They are also more likely to travel within Canada.

Cradle Canadians have no idea what it is like to be an immigrant.

Jules Europe

Think you will find that I made the point of saying they may just know their region and not too much more. Their knowledge or lack of it outside of Canada did seem to be quite limited but saying that, I was surprised at how dense some Americans etc are about things that go on outside of their own country etc. So again their experinces etc are not taken as complete gospel.

But I think they know enough about their life in the Niagara region and all that it entails housing, work, lifestyle and crime etc. You don`t actually have to be overly knowledgable or wordly to know any of that, because you live it on a daily basis and you either like it, hate it or are just indifferent to it

Novocastrian

Mexico isn't nice, you get a lot of Canadian trash down there. France is nice. Spain isn't very.

But, n-o-t if you live in Canada.

Among other points. One of which is you have no clue.

Welcome to the club, bonehead. I live in Canada, I quite like it here. I'm not overly attached to it. I'm leaving when I retire. To live in Europe. Because I miss the architecture. And other aspects of European culture.

<what's this thread about again?>

fuschiagirl

You would have all the upheaval you described if you were just relocating in the UK.

For most people who emigrate to Canada it is a very expensive (and potentially risky) venture. A great deal of the accompanying stress is due to financial reasons -house selling in the UK and obtaining jobs in Canada. Famillies with older children also have worries about moving schools.

You are in the exceedingly fortunate position of not having to sell your house, all your expenses will be paid by the company, your husband has a "huge promotion" and your children are too young to go to school. And, presumably you can return to the UK at no financial penalty in a couple of years and have your house waiting for you.

To quote you:

"What pain, stress and trauma? You're forgetting that those of us that are leaving on a 'temp basis purely for work' don't have any pain, stress or trauma as somebody else arranges everything.

We have no lengthy application process for PR and no LMO to apply for, unlike most people on here. Simply a two page form for a TWP.

All of our packing, pet passports & transport, house rental etc is being done for us. Even accommodation, schools and cars are being sorted for our arrival. My only job is to throw a few clothes in a suitcase just before we leave - hardly stressful or likely to put me off a great career opportunity for my husband".

Sorry but your situation is a million miles from that of most posters - even those going on a TWP Reading that all you have to do is "throw a few clothes in a suitcase" is no help at all

Souvenir

I think you just reiterated my point. Cradle Canadians tend to know only about their own lives. Those lives don't extend very far.