Originally Posted by jan the piglet (Post 8098480)

fledermaus, roughly where do you live? the rolling hills and sheep etc sound so British it sounds lovely, Jan

Originally Posted by dboy (Post 8098556)

Nobody will truly understand what essentially amounts to abandoning one life to take up another on the other side of the world...

Originally Posted by R I C H (Post 8098696)

For whatever reason, this sort of phraseology irks me - it sounds so negative. You don't abandon a life by emigrating, you change your lifestyle, hopefully for the better.

Originally Posted by The4BellsLondon (Post 8098050)

Hi Jan

I moved to Van last dec 2008 - full of the joys - or not as I already was worried on the plane - came for hubbys job and to give the kids a better opportunity - 10 and 14 -

any way - I have not settled at all - feel totally disjointed -went back for a visit in Oct - worse thing to do - now an v depressed - hubb not happy with job - and now looking to return to Uk in April full time! heyho!

Originally Posted by Peterfrombournemouth (Post 8098632)

I agree that a trip home will be enough to make you realize why you came here in the first place . What you say is true , we have wide open spaces here in Ontario on one hand , and big overpopulated cities like Toronto in the other ,we also have smaller Municipalities too . I think in your case it is your family that is the biggie , and we all had to deal with this . So take a trip back home stay with your mom and her Husband, maybe an extended trip alone , and I am sure you will be so excited to come back and make this wonderful country your home again.:thumbsup:

Originally Posted by jan the piglet (Post 8098729)

we were advised not to go back so soon for those obvious reasons

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 8098617)

I'm sorry to say this, BUT the longer this thread goes on the more convinced I become that JTP is either

a) Looking for sympathy
b) Wallowing in self-pity
c) a Low level Troll

Originally Posted by onepixel (Post 8098015)

Hi Jan,

Some people are more sensitive than others so some replies might sound harsh as if they don't understand. I think I replied to a homesickness thread when I first joined this forum. I came over almost 20 years ago. I am 44 now. I felt ill at first because of that homesick feeling. I have been torn ever since about being away from my family who are all back in England.

My mum died almost two years ago and it was just awful. I understand your feelings about your mum completely. I've read some of the replies but not all so forgive me if I ask you things that you have alreay explained. Does your mum have other children there with her or are you the only one? Do you have lots of family that live near her? It comforted me to tell myself that my mum had my two sisters and my stepfather there who loved her. She missed me terribly but it is very cheap to call the UK from Canada.

I convinced my family back in England to buy webcams for their computers and we see each other often via them. We can talk for free on the computer also. This all helps.

Christmas time has always been the hardest for me. I just find it is not the same here but I dont' have children so have never made my own traditions really. One thing I am looking forward to this year is the fact I have a program on my computer that allows me to watch live TV from the UK so I am looking forward to all the silly British comedies etc.

I go home about once every two years and enjoy it but like to return to my home in Canada. I find it very different back there now. I also miss the countryside etc. I think if I had the money I would buy a 2nd house in Cornwall and live there and miss the Canadian winters lol

It really does get better with time. You have to give it time to settle and meet people who will add joy to your life. I believe things happen for a reason. I am convinced I am here to win the new MAX lottery lololol

I live just down the highway from you in Bowmanville. I would love to meet up with a few people near me to start up a little circle of friends were we could do bonfire night, pancake day etc etc.

Sometimes just posting on a message board to strangers helps just because you are letting your feelings out. Ignore the grumpy ones that don't get it. Good for them that they are not feeling this way. It does not mean you are feeling sorry for yourself. It just means you need to express yourself rather than keeping it bottled up.

I used to send my mum cards each month with little handwritten letters in. She loved it and I felt great knowing I had made her feel happy and loved even though I was so far away. My two sisters came to see me a month ago and they brought them all back to me. My mum had saved them all and after she passed away my sisters collected them and brought them over.

Oh yes, knowing where all the great shops are that sell British chocolate is good too :) I know them all if you want to know lol

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8098639)

I went back one summer for two weeks and ended up staying for 4 and half months. Luckily, due to my students apathy and some helpful colleagues missing a month from work was barely noticed. :rofl:

Originally Posted by bodgerx (Post 8098798)

Why didn't you stay?

Originally Posted by Alan2005 (Post 8098750)

It doesn't take a genius to work out that a) and b) obviously apply. As for c), I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I'm fairly convinced that she's genuine.

Originally Posted by jan the piglet (Post 8094942)

we have some english friends in kitchener 3 hr drive!!!
like me, they miss coffee renoirs and local pubs and jaffa cakes

Originally Posted by Linda P (Post 8099839)

Get yourself to London Drugs....they sell jaffa cakes :thumbsup:

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8099867)

London Drugs is not in Ontario, where the OP lives. ;)

Originally Posted by Bali2010 (Post 8099871)

And I was thinking it must have been the London, Ontario it was named for!

:)

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8099867)

London Drugs is not in Ontario, where the OP lives. ;)

Another reason to move west. :thumbup:

Originally Posted by Linda P (Post 8099887)

Bummer :p

Linda

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 8100949)

No, honestly, Steve doesnt swing that way

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8101064)

That's all Steve does is swing...oh sorry TMI.:ohmy::o

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8101076)

I bet you fancied the Andrew sisters back in the day. :thumbup:

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8101088)

Not really I prefer instrumentals...James Last, Benny Goodman, Billy Vaughn, Roland Shaw, Dick Shorey, Marty Gold etc. :thumbup::thumbup:

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8101128)

I abused a few socks over Posh Spice

Originally Posted by Butch Cassidy (Post 8100949)

No, honestly, Steve doesnt swing that way

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8101088)

Not really I prefer instrumentals...James Last, Benny Goodman, Billy Vaughn, Roland Shaw, Dick Shorey, Marty Gold etc. :thumbup::thumbup:

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8101128)

You abused a few socks over Vera Lynn, didn't you?

Originally Posted by Steve_P (Post 8102299)

Do you have trouble reading?:sneaky::p

What is it about instrumentals you don't understand?:confused::unsure:

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8102377)

So what celebrity pictures did you look at when you were tunning your instrument to then? ;)

Originally Posted by Linda P (Post 8102407)

You really need to get out more :p

Linda

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8102430)

There's a lot of truth in that.:rofl:

Originally Posted by Oink (Post 8102377)

So what celebrity pictures did you look at when you were tunning your instrument to then? ;)