jossie

It has been a year and a half since I was last on Expats so I thought I would give one last update before I signed out for good. We moved out to the Okanagan in beautiful british columbia on 14th July 2007 and have never looked back since. We can honestly say it is the best thing we have ever done and have no regrets. Since moving out we have made some wonderful friends that have made the move so much easier. During the first Summer we bought a truck & trailer and went camping all over BC. When we weren't camping we were enjoying the beautiful beaches or fishing in one of the many thousands of hidden lakes or visiting one of the many beautiful wineries. Throughout autumn we went hunting and in the winter we went skiing every weekend. We also went snow mobiling and ice fishing which was great fun. We have embraced the Canadian culture and met so many great families to go camping with. Our Canadian friends have taken us under their wings and taught us how to hunt, camp, fish and how to enjoy the great outdoors. They have shared their remote log cabins with us and their toys (quads / snow mobiles etc) with us. We have enjoyed days out on Okanagan lake on their boats and spent countless nights around campfires enjoying a beer with them. They truly are the friendliest nation. We live in a beautiful area with the best climate in Canada, have a swimming pool, have no debt and a mortgage a fraction of the size of the mortgage we had in the UK. We go to the beach for our lunch on workdays and still have to keep pinching ourselves as we cannot believe how well things worked out for us. My advice to anyone moving out is do your research, don't give up on the process whatever hurdles are thrown at you and make sure you embrace the culture if you are fortunate to make it out to this beautiful country. Take the advice given on this website with a pinch of salt because the people that are truly happy in their new culture are out there enjoying it instead of becoming senior members on an immigration website!.

laser558

Nice post, bit of a shame you put in the last sentence. I am sure the majority of users have gleaned so much useful information and put it to good use as part of their immigration process. I, for one, appreciate the senior members, they have the knowledge you might require at their fingertips and you know it's advice you can trust. The whole point of a forum is to discuss things good and bad and then make your own reasoned judgement.

AmyDavid

Nice post and it sounds like you have truly found your little bit of heaven.

I don't think the last line was really needed though.....

Simon Legree

I agree. The last line was a bit off. However, I have to say that when I read some of the posts I wonder how I have managed to stick it here as long as I have. Did I make such a huge mistake 40 years ago ? The TV is lousy, the baked beans are lousy, the weather is lousy, it's better shopping at Tescos, the tea doesn't taste the same, there are mossies and flies in the summer and so on. The list is endless. Seems to me that there is a better chance of succeeding as an immigrant and being happy if you are able to adapt to things here and not try to make it UK in Canada. I'm not suggesting for a moment that folks should abandon their heritage and customs but don't attempt to make it the norm here. When in Rome etc. Good luck to all on their journey here.

Almost Canadian

I don't see anything wrong with the last line of the OP's post, and a huge amount of truth in it.

The senior members should accept that not everyone wants to spend their new life in their new home posting on sites such as these every 5 minutes. I appreciate the "knowledge" and "experience" that such members can bring to this forum but I usually take what all members have to say with a huge dose of salt.

skyturner

some truth in that last line me thinks..kinda like the facebook people who give you a rundown on every move they make!!

And I gotta ask Jossie.......you have such an amazing and enviable lifestyle...do you have time to work?

We are moving to penticton for a lot of the reasons you outline, it is an amazing valley, but I seriously think it will take me some time to cover all the activities that you have done in a year.

Lovely to hear lots of positives and a great boost to our anxieties, cheers.

iaink

I resent the implication that I am not entirely happy in my canadian life

Everyone posts for their own reasons, and they may not all be the same! Also, not everyones experience of the immigration is going to be the same, its a great big country with a lot of variable invoved.

Im glad it worked out well for you (so far...2 years isnt that long ), but of course there are bound to be some people who post from a less positive perspective too/ However, that's GOOD as it helps prepare the innocent for the eventuality that the streets might not be paved with gold and that their **** will still smell the same here as anywhere else. Its a question of balance...

Tangram

Great post mostly. Well paying jobs and no kids ? Would love you toshare how it's done to be honest as it sounds like a ski yogurt commercial. It sounds fabulous to be honest and very fulfilling.

Cape Blue

Good to see a positive post of an expat for whom the move has worked, still you couldn't stop yourself with the little negative bit at the end could you - once a Brit always a Brit eh

gibsonslanding

good post.....shame about the final hurdle.....

OP.....remember that one day you'll be an 'old poster' whether on this site or some other cyber space world.....but i bet i know we're you'll end up? there's a very nice retirment home over your way, summerland.....and i know the owners very well.......be careful that they look after you and that they are not ex-BE members?????

jossie

We have 3 kids, 17, 13 and 4 yrs old. I am a Nurse and my husband is an Engineer.

jossie

I work full time as does my husband and we have 3 children. The main difference is that we get all of our weekends off and don't work lots of overtime as we did in the UK. When are you moving out and do you have jobs lined up?

Azz

10 posts per day for 5 and a half years......the truth hurts I guess

jossie

Sorry if it came across negative that was not my intention...............I do think this forum is amazing for advice when people from the U.K are in the process of trying to come to Canada and also when they first land and are trying to get settled, but in all fairness, if you are truely wanting to live the dream and enbrace all Canada has to offer then I would encourage everyone to remember why you all made this life changing decision to come to Canada and to get out there and live the dream............. And if your dream is to move to Canada and chat on a forum and give others advice then I guess this is O.K too

mandymoochops

Well why are you here then if you think its soo tedious

I think some of us are just multi talented enough to be able to do all the picture postcard life that the op has - and post on here.
In fact I like to look upon it as giving back to what gave to me

Idi........ sorry it nearly slipped out


(To the OP I also thought that last comment was bang out of order - bit like you came here for advice, got what you wanted and then slapped those in the face that gave it to you - way to go hey?)