Good for you- wish you all the very best- it takes guts to do what you are doing, don't let anyone tell you anything else!!!

I am speaking from my experience thus far - in 4 different schools in Ontario - and yes, as I stated it was my personal opinion/experience. I'm sure your stats will be welcomed by some.

All the best to you love, sometimes you have to go with your gut

i'd move to Gatineau and take all that free Quebec charity and commute over the river each day... but that's me

Funny, I thought the same.

My opinion is a valid one seeing as im back here and have been looking for work for the last 6 weeks and shocked at how wages have gone back 15 years in mine, my wife's, and even the lesser type jobs. I obviously didnt mean that every single job has had its wages cut.

Good luck though Rhodes what ever you decide mate.

You need to work for the government in some way. They are rolling in cash and pensions.

Word.

I call bs on the whole "you should have researched more" thing. Researching is NOT the same as living somewhere, sorry.

RRhodes, all the best. Canada isn't all that, as you've discovered, no shame in calling it early and going home.

I think one would be much better off being in the UK for that.

I agree. It's very patronizing to say things like that.

you have to be French first speaking to get those cushy numbers!

I don't know about that. For Federal, you may be correct, but I don't believe such a skill is a requirement to work for Provincial or Municipal Government. If my dealings with them are anything to go by is a not a requirement to be able to speak English, let alone French

Teaching, policing, health care, anything with a union etc. For normal people they are the places to be if you want a decent wage and good pension provisions without financial risk. No need for french in those - well at least in BC.

Too true. Going somewhere as a visitor, imagining living there, with the cushion of knowing you are going back to what is familiar is relatively easy. Arriving to live and no cushion of going back is tough, no matter how much you have researched, although research does help reduce the number of surprises, it does not eliminate them. Some can see it through others can't. After a while and with the mind set to see it through, most will get used to it. No good constantly comparing to what you came from either, that can make it worse. Canada is different, those that grew up with it or have been here a long time are mostly OK with what it is, personally I could not imagine going to live back in the UK. It always seemed really expensive to me (30p to pee at Victoria station and no trash cans around if you don't have change), when the FX dipped to $1.58 things seemed more comparable. You'll always find expensive things around no matter where you are, it takes time to figure out what is best value and the time to shop. Go into Sears when they don't have a sale on and the prices will blow you away.

A few weeks is nowhere near enough time to decide if you like something or not, culture shock is still the dominant influence and a yearning for what's familiar. I recall several occasions in the service I would gladly packed up and gone home, there was just not much choice however. HM had just spent a fortune on my training and did not want me to leave, not for free anyway. After a while (few years) it became the norm and funnily enough, took a long time to get used to being out when I left and would have happily gone back in. My two cents worth, once you have made a decision, stick with it for a reasonable amount of time to be sure before changing your mind and flip flopping. You may only get one chance at immigrating to Canada, Britain will always be an option.

lol my friends live in the Glebe without AC but plenty of fans and really suffered this summer, especially the kids. I love my AC and wouldn't want to live without if I didn't have to.
And to be honest if I wanted to spend $600 000+ on a house I'd rather buy in Rockcliff.

Its a pity the OP never answered the job questions. Their plight could well be a warning to others that choosing a place based on relatives/friends is no good unless there are job prospects there.

I'm not sure what world they live in though if they expected some sort of job offer in 8 days, be lucky to get a response it that time I would say.

I bought a box of cereal for $9 yesterday, it was though a jumbo size and a slightly more expensive type than the bog standards which cost about $7 for the jumbo's.

We're just in the process of moving into our first purchased house after being here 4 1/2 years, brand new, over 1900 sq ft, for mid $400K's.

Ottawa sounds an expensive place tbh, can't find anything for 600K?? we'd love to be able to afford 600K.