Going Home
#151
Re: Going Home
I met Snoop in Preston whilst working at the Royal Preston Hospital... and the rest is history
#155
Re: Going Home
To the OP....you have to make a decision with your family and circumstances in mind.
Do I think it may be a bit of a hasty decision having been here less then 2 months, yes, but do I understand it, yes! I second guessed our move for nearly a year, I didn't find a job for nearly a year.
Do you have to multiple grocery stores to get everything you want? yes some weeks or just stock up on those items that you can't get every where when you see them. It's a different way of shopping but once you get your head round it it's not that bad. I am a fickle shopper, even in the UK I wasn't a dedicated shopper in any one supermarket, I would switch between Morrisons, Asda, Tesco or Sainsburys depending on what part of town I wanted to go to.
I can't speak to the childcare issue as I don't have children but I can imagine it is causing a large financial and emotional strain on you and your OH.
I worked between 60 to 80 hours a week in the UK, I traveled all over the UK, and spent my last two years there doing a 2 1/2 commute each way to work, yes I had 35 days off a year plus bank holidays, but I always had to be 'paid out' each year as I could never take all of them as I was too busy.
I got a job here that was 40 hours a week, initially a 1 hour commute each way and 10 days holiday.....less pressurised job, less travelling, and I only have 10 days holiday plus stat days but I was still up as far as stress and home life.
Now after being with the company over 5 years, the job responsibilities have increased but still no where near what they were in the UK, for more money then I was making when I left, 15 days holiday a year, and I leave work and I get home 20 minutes later!
The grass is not greener over here it's just different. Is Canada perfect, no but then I would ask yourselves why you moved here from the UK? I moved to get out of the 'rat race', to be able to come home and not have to cook dinner at 8pm at night, and then 'just log in for half hour to do something', and have my OH look at me and be pee'd at me because I have yet again fallen asleep on the couch. Now I can come home, have dinner ready most nights by 6 and my evenings are spent doing things we want to do or not do.
I wish you and your family nothing but the best.
Do I think it may be a bit of a hasty decision having been here less then 2 months, yes, but do I understand it, yes! I second guessed our move for nearly a year, I didn't find a job for nearly a year.
Do you have to multiple grocery stores to get everything you want? yes some weeks or just stock up on those items that you can't get every where when you see them. It's a different way of shopping but once you get your head round it it's not that bad. I am a fickle shopper, even in the UK I wasn't a dedicated shopper in any one supermarket, I would switch between Morrisons, Asda, Tesco or Sainsburys depending on what part of town I wanted to go to.
I can't speak to the childcare issue as I don't have children but I can imagine it is causing a large financial and emotional strain on you and your OH.
I worked between 60 to 80 hours a week in the UK, I traveled all over the UK, and spent my last two years there doing a 2 1/2 commute each way to work, yes I had 35 days off a year plus bank holidays, but I always had to be 'paid out' each year as I could never take all of them as I was too busy.
I got a job here that was 40 hours a week, initially a 1 hour commute each way and 10 days holiday.....less pressurised job, less travelling, and I only have 10 days holiday plus stat days but I was still up as far as stress and home life.
Now after being with the company over 5 years, the job responsibilities have increased but still no where near what they were in the UK, for more money then I was making when I left, 15 days holiday a year, and I leave work and I get home 20 minutes later!
The grass is not greener over here it's just different. Is Canada perfect, no but then I would ask yourselves why you moved here from the UK? I moved to get out of the 'rat race', to be able to come home and not have to cook dinner at 8pm at night, and then 'just log in for half hour to do something', and have my OH look at me and be pee'd at me because I have yet again fallen asleep on the couch. Now I can come home, have dinner ready most nights by 6 and my evenings are spent doing things we want to do or not do.
I wish you and your family nothing but the best.
Last edited by Jukeboxwidow; Jun 13th 2016 at 6:19 pm. Reason: my grammar and spelling leave a little to be desired!
#156
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 0
Re: Going Home
Warrington is a very large town and bigger by area and population than a lot of cities in the UK. It just lacks the civic status. But more importantly it has the best Rugby team
#157
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 62
Re: Going Home
Hello! I am quite new to the site and have never posted before but thought our recent experience may help shed some light on a few things if you are thinking about moving to the Calgary area. We visited this area on holiday and loved it so worked really hard for 2 years to set up a job for my husband who is a mechanic and finally moved here a month ago from Scotland.
The place is lovely however we are finding everything so expensive! The cost of food is crazy, especially milk and cheese! Weekly papers provide details of the special offers in all of the local stores but who has time to shop in 5 different stores just to save some pennies!
Childcare is extortionate! We have 2 young kids and so far all of the enquiries we have made show that it is the norm for mum to stay home and look after the kids or for both parents to work all the hours to pay for a private nanny which can be about $2000 a month! Some childcare day homes have really long waiting lists and most pre-schools which would be the equivalent to nursery at home only provide 7 and a half hours care per week for $150-$200 a month.
We were under the impression that the working culture here allowed for a lot of family time however our experience so far shows that it's live to work here not work to live! I am aware that we have only been here a short time however it was apparent really quickly that we were much better off at home and we underestimated the support and childcare we had nearby.
Obviously this is a personal experience and we are fortunate enough to be in the position to go home.
The place is lovely however we are finding everything so expensive! The cost of food is crazy, especially milk and cheese! Weekly papers provide details of the special offers in all of the local stores but who has time to shop in 5 different stores just to save some pennies!
Childcare is extortionate! We have 2 young kids and so far all of the enquiries we have made show that it is the norm for mum to stay home and look after the kids or for both parents to work all the hours to pay for a private nanny which can be about $2000 a month! Some childcare day homes have really long waiting lists and most pre-schools which would be the equivalent to nursery at home only provide 7 and a half hours care per week for $150-$200 a month.
We were under the impression that the working culture here allowed for a lot of family time however our experience so far shows that it's live to work here not work to live! I am aware that we have only been here a short time however it was apparent really quickly that we were much better off at home and we underestimated the support and childcare we had nearby.
Obviously this is a personal experience and we are fortunate enough to be in the position to go home.
#158
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2
Re: Going Home
we done that in 2003/5 moved over in 2003 and couldnt get the job i wanted as a electrician so we moved back to the north east for 10 years and missed calgary so much missed the weather and the cars trucks and our way of life ended up worse off in the uk so we moved back in 2013 and have never looked back its much easier the second time as you know what you are going to my kids are older now lateteens and dont want to go back not even for a holiday so yes the first time is hared to adjust but the second time is a breeze
this time we moved to strathmore much better than calgary no rush hour and slower pace much more friendly as well
this time we moved to strathmore much better than calgary no rush hour and slower pace much more friendly as well
Last edited by brent; Aug 19th 2016 at 8:57 pm.
#159
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 245
Re: Going Home
As someone who has ping ponged a bunch of times I say this to you:
If it's about money then ping ponging in less than three years is a big mistake. The cost of moving across the atlantic and then moving back again in a single year (I've done it) is insane.
Stick it out. It'll suck but you'll get numbed and used to it. Eventually you'll appreciate the things that are good about Canada.
Give it at least three years. Get your citizenship. THEN move back.
If it's about money then ping ponging in less than three years is a big mistake. The cost of moving across the atlantic and then moving back again in a single year (I've done it) is insane.
Stick it out. It'll suck but you'll get numbed and used to it. Eventually you'll appreciate the things that are good about Canada.
Give it at least three years. Get your citizenship. THEN move back.
#160
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 245
Re: Going Home
Sigh.
On this forum you *always* get those who have rose coloured glasses on telling people their experiences are wrong.
Here's the truth:
The UK is crap for certain reasons and Canada is crap for certain reasons.
The secret is to not expect your life to become wonderful by moving. It won't. It will suck. It will suck in different ways than it does back home but it definitely will suck. And it will be expensive too. It's not cheap to move across the atlantic.
When the economy is good I prefer Canada to the UK because it's less crowded and the standard of living is good.
When the economy is crap I prefer the UK because holidays are cheap in the UK and I can get away from it in a way that I cannot when the economy is crap in Canada because flights are ridiculously expensive here (no ryanair or easyjet or equivalent).
But *don't* let anyone deny your experiences. There are plenty of rose coloured glasses people on this forum as well as plenty of cynics.
On this forum you *always* get those who have rose coloured glasses on telling people their experiences are wrong.
Here's the truth:
The UK is crap for certain reasons and Canada is crap for certain reasons.
The secret is to not expect your life to become wonderful by moving. It won't. It will suck. It will suck in different ways than it does back home but it definitely will suck. And it will be expensive too. It's not cheap to move across the atlantic.
When the economy is good I prefer Canada to the UK because it's less crowded and the standard of living is good.
When the economy is crap I prefer the UK because holidays are cheap in the UK and I can get away from it in a way that I cannot when the economy is crap in Canada because flights are ridiculously expensive here (no ryanair or easyjet or equivalent).
But *don't* let anyone deny your experiences. There are plenty of rose coloured glasses people on this forum as well as plenty of cynics.
#163
Re: Going Home
It is not as cheap as Ryanair but, for example, there are lots of return flights from Buffalo to Florida for less than $300. It is a discount airline offering flights at prices most people can afford.
#164
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 245
Re: Going Home
And that's NOT from a Canadian airport or to a Canadian airport, it's a US to US destination which of course there are cheap flights for.
If you happen to live a couple hours away from a US border AND there is an airport there AND you're going to a US destination AND you can afford $1200 for four people then yeah.
But it's STILL not the same or anywhere near close to ryanair or easyjet.
Just saying. Apples to apples and all that.
#165
Re: Going Home
AND it's STILL not what I would consider to be cheap. $300 is huge when it's multipled by four. 25 quid multiplied by four is only 100 quid for four people.
And that's NOT from a Canadian airport or to a Canadian airport, it's a US to US destination which of course there are cheap flights for.
If you happen to live a couple hours away from a US border AND there is an airport there AND you're going to a US destination AND you can afford $1200 for four people then yeah.
But it's STILL not the same or anywhere near close to ryanair or easyjet.
Just saying. Apples to apples and all that.
And that's NOT from a Canadian airport or to a Canadian airport, it's a US to US destination which of course there are cheap flights for.
If you happen to live a couple hours away from a US border AND there is an airport there AND you're going to a US destination AND you can afford $1200 for four people then yeah.
But it's STILL not the same or anywhere near close to ryanair or easyjet.
Just saying. Apples to apples and all that.