Obviously a rhetorical question.

I am interested to hear from anyone who can safely say that they have survived the first scary period and that they are now finding their feet in Canada (or Quebec which is my choice of province). Did you ever resist packing up and going home, if you did what kept you in Canada, and now are you grateful that you did stay?

I am interested in those that have made the very step that I am willfully edging my way towards. Like standing on the edge of a diving board I am dying to get out there, but I am petrified of the fall.

Please share your experiences.

Lukedulaq

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Well.... yes it kinda looks like it

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When I came to Canada I was driven to a little town in SW Ontario. My girlfriend
picked me up at the airport in Toronto.

In awe I looked at the big trucks on the 401, it was Feb. 14th 1997 (you bet ya it
was V-day). Although it took me all my courage to get here it was that same courage
that got totally and utterly destroyed by this "girlfriend". Well so much for that
story (ahhh well... you know it was foolish and naive, hosed and dumped). I went to
the USA for a couple of weeks on a short trip and in the mean time a work visa was
getting to my temp address. I had a job waiting and the future looked good.

What made me stay in Canada is easy to say and everyday I see and feel it over and
over. It is the freedom, the beauty of the country and the friendly people (well,
almost all of them.... )

It is fishing on a Saturday morning, not catching a darn thing but seeing nature at
its best and listen to so many new and different sounds.. It is seeing my daughter
grow up to become a clever young lady. It is coming home to my family and home. It is
also about finding myself and my religion back again

Knowing that I had $ 0.00 and a broken heart 4 years ago and knowing that keeping the
faith did make it change. Canada is still a country where things do happen.

Have I thought of packing it in..... Yep, been there and had my suitcases packed
twice. Waiting for the Robert Q bus. Getting that phone call in the last day that
things are going to be okay.

I found in Canada: Myself, my wife and daughter and a whole bunch of new friends. I
still am in contact with my old friends and invite them over for a holiday, just to
have them experience Canada. My mother, who passed away this year, has been here and
saw that I am lucky and I am happy she met my family in Canada. In Canada things can
happen, for all the reasons in the world other people sometimes do not succeed and I
have met people that were giving up. The road is not easy and nobody can tell you if
you are going to succeed. But.... it will never happen if you don't try it.

Eventhough you prepare "everything" there will be bumps in the road and there will be
times wondering what ever got in your mind.

How long does it take to settle? That is quite different..... I met people that still
have not settled in and they have been here for over 40 years. Most important thing
to settle is that you accept the people and circumstances. Blame all that got wrong
on yourself and not on this country. I think and maybe others can agree on this, that
settling in most likely will happen when you start thinking about Tim Hortons and
when double double really means something. When you get emotional hearing Oh Canada.

Most likely it will be all up to yourself if you want to make it happen.

Am I grateful I stayed? I can honestly say: yes!

I have been here just over a year and came to marry a man I met on the internet! As
scary as that sounds we did meet up in the UK and Canada before all this happened,
and I have only missed my girlie nights out in the UK! Put in perspective I came to a
family as I didn't have much of one,no parents or siblings, my children came with me
and gained a step father who treats them better than their own father. I joined a
line dancing class to get out there and meet people, and we do the Tim Hortons thing
although double double doesn't apply to me as I take mine no sugar and black!! LOL I
am thoroughly at ease here, I love the place and the people and my work!!! Thanks to
the internet I still keep in touch on a daily basis with friends back in the UK, and
feel excited about them visiting here to show them the place. It didn't take me long
to realise this is where I belong.

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[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >Obviously a rhetorical question.[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >[/usenetquote2]
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[usenetquote2]> >I am interested to hear from anyone who can safely say that they have survived the[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >first scary period and that they are now finding their feet in Canada (or Quebec[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >which is my choice of province). Did you ever resist packing up and going home, if[/usenetquote2]
[usenetquote2]> >you did what kept you in Canada, and now are you grateful that you did stay?[/usenetquote2]
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The following URL contains one such account (with added entertainment value):

http://www.witchweb.net/immigration/story.html
________
CAMPBELL, COHEN - attorneys at law tel:514.937.9445 / fax:514.937.2618
[email protected] http://canadavisa.com

Online Community: http://canadavisa.com/community

Interesting that people's concerns haven't changed that much in the last 5 years ....