A few thoughts
Apr 20th 2007, 3:14 am
#61
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: A few thoughts
Sorry to hear about the passing of your Mum Iain. That's sad. 
Apr 20th 2007, 3:33 am
#62
sticky beaking
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Sherwood Park,Alberta
Posts: 1,156
Re: A few thoughts
Sometimes, it takes some time away, to realise just what you had under your nose. After 2 yrs of living in Canada, we (yes, i'm backing my hubby now)...we, are making plans to move back.
I hope our trip back to the UK in the summer makes us realise we will be doing the right thing. I'm just so sorry Iain, that your trip came about under such sad circumstances. Its one of my biggest worries, being so far away from everyone I care about, should any tragedy occur.
I hope our trip back to the UK in the summer makes us realise we will be doing the right thing. I'm just so sorry Iain, that your trip came about under such sad circumstances. Its one of my biggest worries, being so far away from everyone I care about, should any tragedy occur.
Apr 20th 2007, 4:23 am
#63
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Re: A few thoughts
Such sad news about your mum Iain, may I be one of the many to give my condolences.
About the UK bit....where I came from (Hyde, Greater Manchester) is horrible, however I do have some lovely memories of our return back to the UK in 2005.......Shrewsbury, North Wales and the Cheshire countryside. Its true that as long as you have the money to put you in a desirable area, you just won't see what all the fuss is about with yobs/louts, dirty pavements, vandalism.
IF, and that is a very big IF, we were to return back to the UK permanently again (but that'll never happen), then I would choose to live in the countryside surrounding Shrewsbury.
About the UK bit....where I came from (Hyde, Greater Manchester) is horrible, however I do have some lovely memories of our return back to the UK in 2005.......Shrewsbury, North Wales and the Cheshire countryside. Its true that as long as you have the money to put you in a desirable area, you just won't see what all the fuss is about with yobs/louts, dirty pavements, vandalism.
IF, and that is a very big IF, we were to return back to the UK permanently again (but that'll never happen), then I would choose to live in the countryside surrounding Shrewsbury.
Apr 20th 2007, 5:05 am
#64
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,883
Re: A few thoughts
Sometimes, it takes some time away, to realise just what you had under your nose. After 2 yrs of living in Canada, we (yes, i'm backing my hubby now)...we, are making plans to move back.
I hope our trip back to the UK in the summer makes us realise we will be doing the right thing. I'm just so sorry Iain, that your trip came about under such sad circumstances. Its one of my biggest worries, being so far away from everyone I care about, should any tragedy occur.
I hope our trip back to the UK in the summer makes us realise we will be doing the right thing. I'm just so sorry Iain, that your trip came about under such sad circumstances. Its one of my biggest worries, being so far away from everyone I care about, should any tragedy occur.
Also if you must return to England I would also advise that you stay here long enough to get your citizenship so if you at some point in the future should wish to return to Canada you haven't closed the door behind you.
I've seen more than one or two decide that Canada is not for them only to see them back here withing two years.
All the best in your decision making.
Steve
Apr 20th 2007, 9:40 am
#65
Pinko lentil-hugger
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: London
Posts: 273
Re: A few thoughts
Sorry to hear about your mum, Iain.
I found the whole post very interesting, but especially this bit. I think I'm in a different situation to most other people here, in that I'm not hoping to move to Canada for a larger house, or to raise children or anything, but for other reasons. I don't think my expectations are too high, in that we would be fine with a 1 or 2 bedroom flat, and we're trying to get rid of the car anyway... I'm not dissatisfied with the UK, and I don't think it's all going to the dogs: we just want to see what else is out there (among other reasons).
I'm explaining this really badly, but your post made me quite nervous- which not necessarily a bad thing at all when you're considering emigrating- Is there anybody else here in my sort of position that knows what I mean? (i.e. who hasn't going out to Canada to build a huge house and raise 4 children etc?) How have you found it, bearing in mind that your expectations probably differed from those mentioned by Iain? Good idea/bad idea?
Thanks, and hope that isn't a hijack?
I'm explaining this really badly, but your post made me quite nervous- which not necessarily a bad thing at all when you're considering emigrating- Is there anybody else here in my sort of position that knows what I mean? (i.e. who hasn't going out to Canada to build a huge house and raise 4 children etc?) How have you found it, bearing in mind that your expectations probably differed from those mentioned by Iain? Good idea/bad idea?
Thanks, and hope that isn't a hijack?
Apr 20th 2007, 10:42 am
#67
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Re: A few thoughts
Sorry to hear about your mum, Iain.
I found the whole post very interesting, but especially this bit. I think I'm in a different situation to most other people here, in that I'm not hoping to move to Canada for a larger house, or to raise children or anything, but for other reasons. I don't think my expectations are too high, in that we would be fine with a 1 or 2 bedroom flat, and we're trying to get rid of the car anyway... I'm not dissatisfied with the UK, and I don't think it's all going to the dogs: we just want to see what else is out there (among other reasons).
I'm explaining this really badly, but your post made me quite nervous- which not necessarily a bad thing at all when you're considering emigrating- Is there anybody else here in my sort of position that knows what I mean? (i.e. who hasn't going out to Canada to build a huge house and raise 4 children etc?) How have you found it, bearing in mind that your expectations probably differed from those mentioned by Iain? Good idea/bad idea?
Thanks, and hope that isn't a hijack?
I found the whole post very interesting, but especially this bit. I think I'm in a different situation to most other people here, in that I'm not hoping to move to Canada for a larger house, or to raise children or anything, but for other reasons. I don't think my expectations are too high, in that we would be fine with a 1 or 2 bedroom flat, and we're trying to get rid of the car anyway... I'm not dissatisfied with the UK, and I don't think it's all going to the dogs: we just want to see what else is out there (among other reasons).
I'm explaining this really badly, but your post made me quite nervous- which not necessarily a bad thing at all when you're considering emigrating- Is there anybody else here in my sort of position that knows what I mean? (i.e. who hasn't going out to Canada to build a huge house and raise 4 children etc?) How have you found it, bearing in mind that your expectations probably differed from those mentioned by Iain? Good idea/bad idea?
Thanks, and hope that isn't a hijack?
There are lots of different reasons why people choose Canada - just as there are lots of different expectations. You will never please everybody all the time!
Apr 20th 2007, 11:30 am
#68
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Re: A few thoughts
Sad news indeed Iain, our thoughts are with you.
I can see that this thread has generated a lot of interest as some of your observations are very true.
It's strange but as we are getting ever nearer to a moving date (he says hopefully) we have suddenly started taking more notice of the area we live in and how pretty certain parts are now the spring is here. Of course we have been very spoilt of late with this rather unusual long dry sunny spell and there are many things we have been able to do that we certainly wouldn't have done if the weather had been poor.
I have been quite lucky as my job has taken me all over the UK in the last 23 years and i have seen many parts that i would not otherwise have seen, some nice some not so nice. I have also seen the severe increase in traffic on all the major routes and as you mention, living and commuting in the
M3/M4 corridor is no fun when you do it on a daily basis.
We actually enjoyed a couple of days out over Easter and the driving was a pleasure so it is possible to enjoy the surroundings and not spend hours sitting in traffic but when you live and work here 24/7 you soon get to realise that it is a bit of a lottery as far as travel congestion goes, some days it flows some days it doesn't.
Overall we are still happy with our decision to immigrate as we need to consider the future. I cannot see a future in my current job beyond the next 5 years and being out of work in my early fifties with a mortgage to pay and two teenage sons wanting is a worry, this move will give us that "mortgage free" lifestyle and a few savings in the bank.
I can see that this thread has generated a lot of interest as some of your observations are very true.
It's strange but as we are getting ever nearer to a moving date (he says hopefully) we have suddenly started taking more notice of the area we live in and how pretty certain parts are now the spring is here. Of course we have been very spoilt of late with this rather unusual long dry sunny spell and there are many things we have been able to do that we certainly wouldn't have done if the weather had been poor.
I have been quite lucky as my job has taken me all over the UK in the last 23 years and i have seen many parts that i would not otherwise have seen, some nice some not so nice. I have also seen the severe increase in traffic on all the major routes and as you mention, living and commuting in the
M3/M4 corridor is no fun when you do it on a daily basis.
We actually enjoyed a couple of days out over Easter and the driving was a pleasure so it is possible to enjoy the surroundings and not spend hours sitting in traffic but when you live and work here 24/7 you soon get to realise that it is a bit of a lottery as far as travel congestion goes, some days it flows some days it doesn't.
Overall we are still happy with our decision to immigrate as we need to consider the future. I cannot see a future in my current job beyond the next 5 years and being out of work in my early fifties with a mortgage to pay and two teenage sons wanting is a worry, this move will give us that "mortgage free" lifestyle and a few savings in the bank.
Apr 20th 2007, 11:40 am
#69
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Joined: Nov 2006
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Re: A few thoughts
So sorry to hear about the loss of your Mum
Your comments about your trip & what you noticed were interesting - i'm pleased for you that you had a good trip under the circumstances.
Your comments about your trip & what you noticed were interesting - i'm pleased for you that you had a good trip under the circumstances.
Apr 20th 2007, 11:43 am
#70
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Re: A few thoughts
Sorry to hear of your sad news. I to recently returned from a visit to Uk and concur with your findings. I think I lasted for 24 hours before I became desperate to leave!
SAW 04
SAW 04
Well. My mum died so we all went over for the funeral. Looking at the UK with my now canadian eyes here are a few impressions I got. (Bearing in mind Im pretty happy in Canada with my lot)
Wow, its was soooo green. Spring had sprung, the weather was FANTASTIC too.
So much for kids to do, Warwick Castle was like a dream for my 4 year old. FANTASTIC. So many other options too.
It was BRILLIANT to catch up with family, although obviously the circumstances could have been happier.
Daily grocery prices seemed a fair bit cheaper than Canada.
Driving was not too bad, the M1 was OK, getting around was OK, but not as easy as Canada. Borrowing a TomTom was a help though. Couldnt live with an M3 / M25 commute everyday though. Got used to narrow twisty roads, roundabouts and manual gearboxes again pretty fast. Lot of diesel powered german executive cars around, in fact a lot of new cars everywhere. Very few old beaters on the road that I saw. General impression was of a lot of disposable income...dont know if its rooted in debt though.
Customer service is ABYSMAL. Girl actually answered personal mobile call while selling me rail tickets. Not impressed!
House prices are RIDICULOUS in nearly all places.
Travel costs are insane, $150 for 2 to travel by train from Gatwick to Bedford return...WTF!
Obsession with schools / living in the right area for a decent school is alive and well, but pretty well justified too.
Cameras EVERYWHERE. Looks like a police state to an outsider. Private security firms in city centers were a surprise too.
Real Beer GOOD! (Fullers)
Hoodies / petty crime...didnt see any. Lots of graffiti on and around the train though.
Overcrowding. Actually the bits of London we went through seemed to be pretty well covered for parks and farmland areas around. Nice playgrounds seemed a common feature.
Public Footpaths / Right of way. What a joy, paths everywhere! Dont get that sort of access to the countryside here in Ontario.
My overall conclusion, if you have a house and a decent job to pay for travel and a few awaydays, I cant understand why you would throw it away to come to Canada for the sake of a larger house. England is a pretty nice place...IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO LIVE IN A NICE AREA. Based on visiting family in Woking Surrey and a North Beds Village, and a friend in Radcliffe near Nottingham.
Was nice to get back home though and get a decent coffee and a shower and sleep in my own bed too.
Wow, its was soooo green. Spring had sprung, the weather was FANTASTIC too.
So much for kids to do, Warwick Castle was like a dream for my 4 year old. FANTASTIC. So many other options too.
It was BRILLIANT to catch up with family, although obviously the circumstances could have been happier.
Daily grocery prices seemed a fair bit cheaper than Canada.
Driving was not too bad, the M1 was OK, getting around was OK, but not as easy as Canada. Borrowing a TomTom was a help though. Couldnt live with an M3 / M25 commute everyday though. Got used to narrow twisty roads, roundabouts and manual gearboxes again pretty fast. Lot of diesel powered german executive cars around, in fact a lot of new cars everywhere. Very few old beaters on the road that I saw. General impression was of a lot of disposable income...dont know if its rooted in debt though.
Customer service is ABYSMAL. Girl actually answered personal mobile call while selling me rail tickets. Not impressed!
House prices are RIDICULOUS in nearly all places.
Travel costs are insane, $150 for 2 to travel by train from Gatwick to Bedford return...WTF!
Obsession with schools / living in the right area for a decent school is alive and well, but pretty well justified too.
Cameras EVERYWHERE. Looks like a police state to an outsider. Private security firms in city centers were a surprise too.
Real Beer GOOD! (Fullers)
Hoodies / petty crime...didnt see any. Lots of graffiti on and around the train though.
Overcrowding. Actually the bits of London we went through seemed to be pretty well covered for parks and farmland areas around. Nice playgrounds seemed a common feature.
Public Footpaths / Right of way. What a joy, paths everywhere! Dont get that sort of access to the countryside here in Ontario.
My overall conclusion, if you have a house and a decent job to pay for travel and a few awaydays, I cant understand why you would throw it away to come to Canada for the sake of a larger house. England is a pretty nice place...IF YOU HAVE THE MONEY TO LIVE IN A NICE AREA. Based on visiting family in Woking Surrey and a North Beds Village, and a friend in Radcliffe near Nottingham.
Was nice to get back home though and get a decent coffee and a shower and sleep in my own bed too.
Apr 20th 2007, 12:41 pm
#71
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Re: A few thoughts
The fantastic weather and meeting up with family and friends made for a wonderful, memorable trip (under the circumstances), but housing costs and a few other things (all those security and speed cameras must be there for a reason...right?) made me realise I dont have it too bad here. Its not like we would be visiting castles everyday in the UK if we lived there. Maybe a bit of the winter blahs factored in too, it really was quite a contrast going over in the beautiful green blossoming spring. Im told it snowed for 5 of 7 days while we were away.
At least we know the family can survive the trip back to visit... we just have to figure out how to pay for it now!
I guess what Im trying to say is its far too simplistic to simply decide UK=Bad, Canada=Good. Its interesting to see what SAW wrote above, the previous time I visited it took all of about 10 minutes to decide home was canada...this time it took a good while longer than that. Obviously there are some bad parts of the UK, but chances are 5 miles away is a nice part. Gotta be easier to make that move than move 4000miles to a new country, unless the challenge of a new country or something specifically canadian (family here, sled racing fetish, skiing, whatever) is whats driving you.
The advice to anyone thinking of returning to stick around in Canada long enough to get Citizenship is absolute solid gold. Visiting and enjoying what the place has to offer, and dealing with property prices, congestion, petty crime, etc on a day to day basis are two different things. I dont imagine too many people returning to the UK from Canada are going to be able to start up again where they left off in terms of the property ladder, not by the time the realtors and government take their cut, so I imagine there is a bit of a shock to the system and rebounding is not uncommon after the initial excitement has worn off. Just ask Julius
Last edited by iaink; Apr 20th 2007 at 2:40 pm.
Apr 20th 2007, 12:51 pm
#72
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Re: A few thoughts
As long as people are motivated for the right reasons its not "throwing it away", but my eyes were somewhat opened again to the access to the countryside, the numerous fantastic castles, kids farms, national trust properties, zoos etc etc that are two a penny in the UK and few and far between in Canada. The greeness was also extraordinary...and the lack of bloody mozzies. You cant buy that here (Ontario).
The point of the post was just to tell how I saw it after 7 years away, with a fresh perspective. Sometimes you just dont see whats right under your nose. Even Manchester has good stuff right on the doorstep. But it is an expensive place to live. One or two good jobs are a necessity I suspect to get the best of life there...far more so than in Canada.
The point of the post was just to tell how I saw it after 7 years away, with a fresh perspective. Sometimes you just dont see whats right under your nose. Even Manchester has good stuff right on the doorstep. But it is an expensive place to live. One or two good jobs are a necessity I suspect to get the best of life there...far more so than in Canada.
Apr 20th 2007, 1:34 pm
#73
Settled.
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: St. Albert. AB.
Posts: 3,286
Re: A few thoughts
as others, sorry about your loss.
we have thought long and hard about our move, many second thoughts. everything you wrote and others have too we can understand and agree with. its only when your due to go that i think you fully appreciate that this country is no where near as bad as some make out, myself included previously.
i'm glad therefore i have been offered this opportunity to see for myself, i'm going to live my life and try something new, Enlgand will still be here in a couple of years and i'll not return with any regrets if thats the way it has to be.
wow, fated must be, whilst considering my future for the umpteenth time and writing this.... PPR landed on the mat. big smile which i guess says it all.
we have thought long and hard about our move, many second thoughts. everything you wrote and others have too we can understand and agree with. its only when your due to go that i think you fully appreciate that this country is no where near as bad as some make out, myself included previously.
i'm glad therefore i have been offered this opportunity to see for myself, i'm going to live my life and try something new, Enlgand will still be here in a couple of years and i'll not return with any regrets if thats the way it has to be.
wow, fated must be, whilst considering my future for the umpteenth time and writing this.... PPR landed on the mat. big smile which i guess says it all.
Apr 20th 2007, 1:43 pm
#74
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Re: A few thoughts
No, not really, I sat at breakfast overlooking the river here, sparkling in the sunshine, and reflected on my easy 20min drive to work and my £50k mortgage and compared it to a £500k mortgage and random acts of trafic my brother lives with.
The fantastic weather and meeting up with family and friends made for a wonderful, memorable trip (under the circumstances), but housing costs and a few other things (all those security and speed cameras must be there for a reason...right?) made me realise I dont have it too bad here. Its not like we would be visiting castles everyday in the UK if we lived there. Maybe a bit of the winter blahs factored in too, it really was quite a contrast going over in the beautiful green blossoming spring. Im told it snowed for 5 of 7 days while we were away.
At least we know the family can survive the trip back to visit... we just have to figure out how to pay for it now!
I guess what Im trying to say is its far to simplistic to simply decide UK=Bad, Canada=Good. Its interesting to see what SAW wrote above, the previous time I visited it took all of about 10 minutes to decide home was canada...this time it took a good while longer than that. Obviously there are some bad parts of the UK, but chances are 5 miles away is a nice part. Gotta be easier to make that move than move 4000miles to a new country, unless the challenge of a new country or something specifically canadian (family here, sled racing fetish, skiing, whatever) is whats driving you.
The advice to anyone thinking of returning to stick around in Canada long enough to get Citizenship is absolute solid gold. Visiting and enjoying what the place has to offer, and dealing with property prices, congestion, petty crime, etc on a day to day basis are two different things. I dont imagine too many people returning to the UK from Canada are going to be able to start up again where they left off in terms of the property ladder, not by the time the realtors and government take their cut, so I imagine there is a bit of a shock to the system and rebounding is not uncommon after the initial excitement has worn off. Just as Julius
The fantastic weather and meeting up with family and friends made for a wonderful, memorable trip (under the circumstances), but housing costs and a few other things (all those security and speed cameras must be there for a reason...right?) made me realise I dont have it too bad here. Its not like we would be visiting castles everyday in the UK if we lived there. Maybe a bit of the winter blahs factored in too, it really was quite a contrast going over in the beautiful green blossoming spring. Im told it snowed for 5 of 7 days while we were away.
At least we know the family can survive the trip back to visit... we just have to figure out how to pay for it now!
I guess what Im trying to say is its far to simplistic to simply decide UK=Bad, Canada=Good. Its interesting to see what SAW wrote above, the previous time I visited it took all of about 10 minutes to decide home was canada...this time it took a good while longer than that. Obviously there are some bad parts of the UK, but chances are 5 miles away is a nice part. Gotta be easier to make that move than move 4000miles to a new country, unless the challenge of a new country or something specifically canadian (family here, sled racing fetish, skiing, whatever) is whats driving you.
The advice to anyone thinking of returning to stick around in Canada long enough to get Citizenship is absolute solid gold. Visiting and enjoying what the place has to offer, and dealing with property prices, congestion, petty crime, etc on a day to day basis are two different things. I dont imagine too many people returning to the UK from Canada are going to be able to start up again where they left off in terms of the property ladder, not by the time the realtors and government take their cut, so I imagine there is a bit of a shock to the system and rebounding is not uncommon after the initial excitement has worn off. Just as Julius
Apr 20th 2007, 1:56 pm
#75
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