Homesick
#16
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: Homesick
Wow. So many replies already!
I genuinely appreciate your feedback Glaswegian though I completely disagree with the above! Well, yes I agree Canada's big (I love that though), I disagree that western North America is culturally homogenous. Yeah, I know what you mean, "mainstream culture" is pretty much the same throughout, but there are amazing cultural experiences in western North America that one can not experienced in Europe and I've got the scars to prove it .
I know what you mean.
Ah, you've met them then .
So true. Thanks for your reply.
Originally Posted by Glaswegian
The one unique thing about Canada that still gets me is distances ... the place is so bloody big ... there's no equivalent to nipping over to France for a bit of foreign culture ... western north america is culturally homogenous ... you have to get to Quebec or Mexico to see something different ... the sea is a 12 hour drive away ... it's all too big.
Originally Posted by Glaswegian
All we really miss are friends that we got to know well over almost 20 years ... we dropped off people's radar really fast and that was a surprise ... there are people we though were really good friends that we just haven't heard from ... we've only been here for three years so it's hard to get a 20 year friendship going.
Originally Posted by Glaswegian
If you really miss friends, family & familiarity ... go back for a visit ... it'll probably cure the homesickness.
Originally Posted by Glaswegian
Emigration scrambles your brain and does odd stuff to your memories ... you just need to ground yourself and get your brain back in check.
#17
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Toontje
Speed limit of only 100 km/hr. It takes ages to get somewhere.
#18
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Corky
What do you miss about Canada aside from Family and friends. Where abouts did you come from?
I'm from Victoria, BC.
#19
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by hot wasabi peas
Many, many things but mainly just the familiarity of being 'home' - understanding the subtleties of conversations, understanding cultural references and jokes, my favourite restaurants, etc... I also hate feeling like a foreigner (or worse, being assumed that I'm a Yank).
I'm from Victoria, BC.
I'm from Victoria, BC.
My husband and I were at a party last night and had to scrap our windshield before we could drive........
Where did you live in Victoria?
#20
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Rhodes
How are you meant to read your utility bills in your pyjamas there?
#22
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by willmore
So.....am I......we are finally having some nice weather...after lots of rain....last few days sunshine in the afternoon.....but gets cloudy and really cool by late afternoon. My raspberries and strawberries plants have just finished producing, although still picking some spinach from the greenhouse.
My husband and I were at a party last night and had to scrap our windshield before we could drive........
Where did you live in Victoria?
My husband and I were at a party last night and had to scrap our windshield before we could drive........
Where did you live in Victoria?
Ok - you can be quiet about fresh pickin's from the garden! My sister's just emailed me a pic of a raspberry pie she made from her crop - that's just cruel I tell ya!
I've lived all over Victoria - James Bay, Fairfield, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay, Fernwood and near the university. I lived for many years before moving to Britain (and still have the condo) in Cook Street Village. Damn, I miss it all!
How long have you lived in Victoria? Where did you move from? Do you like Victoria? Where abouts in Victoria are you?
#23
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by iaink
Only if you stick to it
#24
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Toontje
I know. Doing 115 km/hr seems to be no problem at all. My cousin's wife, a police officer, only bothers with those that exceed the limit with more than 25 km/hr.
#25
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by iaink
65 in a school zone will get you in trouble though!
#26
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Toontje
I was reffering to the highways. I know about the school zones. It's only fair the be more strict in areas with a higher potential risk.
#28
Re: Homesick
[QUOTE=hot wasabi peas]Ah!
Now doesn't that make your decision for you about returning to Victoria?
I'm originally from Manitoba and Ontario. Decided to come to UBC for marine biology and after 6 years at university, knew I could never move back, BC was the place for me and I wanted to be close to Botanical Beach...even though my future husband at the time wanted to stay in Ontario close to family and friends.
We live in the Fairfield area with our 2 small kids 2/4 overlooking Gonzales Bay - bought an old house while the real-estate prices were still reasonable. I'm a partner in a firm that does consulting work on marine biology, waste management, etc. My husband is an environmental engineer (use to be a wildlife biologists - but deserted us poor biologists)....and also is a partner in a consulting firm.
We love living in Victoria - although really miss family and friends in Ontario where we both grew up. We seriously could do without the rain, rain and more rain....I must tell you.....sometimes would really rather have snow.
Hope to hear from you soon again......and perhaps one day you and your family can move back to Canada and especially Victoria
Now doesn't that make your decision for you about returning to Victoria?
I'm originally from Manitoba and Ontario. Decided to come to UBC for marine biology and after 6 years at university, knew I could never move back, BC was the place for me and I wanted to be close to Botanical Beach...even though my future husband at the time wanted to stay in Ontario close to family and friends.
We live in the Fairfield area with our 2 small kids 2/4 overlooking Gonzales Bay - bought an old house while the real-estate prices were still reasonable. I'm a partner in a firm that does consulting work on marine biology, waste management, etc. My husband is an environmental engineer (use to be a wildlife biologists - but deserted us poor biologists)....and also is a partner in a consulting firm.
We love living in Victoria - although really miss family and friends in Ontario where we both grew up. We seriously could do without the rain, rain and more rain....I must tell you.....sometimes would really rather have snow.
Hope to hear from you soon again......and perhaps one day you and your family can move back to Canada and especially Victoria
#29
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by Rhodes
I don't live there yet, but communist fences in Canada annoy me.
Another thing that annoys me is the smugness at not being American (in the U.S. sense), which goes hand-in-hand with people often thinking that they are American. .
I'm not an American, I'm a Canadian. Honest.. please believe me... I swear I'm telling you the truth... I have no reason to lie... because... well... I'm not an American, even though I am from North America!
Afterall, it's not the fault of Canadians that Americans have a bad reputation in many countries around the world. The dumb buggers just won't do what we tell them.
Last edited by oceanMDX; Oct 24th 2004 at 9:12 pm.
#30
Re: Homesick
Originally Posted by oceanMDX
So Canadians are proud that they don't have to lie about who they are and make it clear that they are not simply Americans pretending to be Canadians.
I'm not an American, I'm a Canadian. Honest.. please believe me... I swear I'm telling you the truth... I have no reason to lie... because... well... I'm not an American, even though I am from North America!
I'm not an American, I'm a Canadian. Honest.. please believe me... I swear I'm telling you the truth... I have no reason to lie... because... well... I'm not an American, even though I am from North America!