Paul in Victoria

We just want to pack up and go!
One small thing after another, relentless for the last couple of months.
We just can't seem to get a break!
Work, family, life! All just crap!

ann m

Sorry to hear you are having a crap time - they come and then they go, honest!

Give us some more info on "family, work, life" and we'll fill you with useful and useless information to cheer you up.

AmyDavid

I hear you - if I had somewhere to pack up and go to I would be off like a shot. Hugs coming to the West Coast from the East Coast ((((((())))))))

pdarwin

What is it that's so bad? Are you sure that if you move somewhere else you won't just be taking the crap with you?

anunlikelyunion

Sorry to hear you´re having a bad time. Makes me nervous as we´re not even there yet!!
But.....listen to your own advice. Don´t let the b......s get you down.
And....I know it sounds corny, but every dark cloud does have a silver lining. Sometimes you just have to look hard to see it.
Good luck mate. Keep your chins up.

kirkio

Hey Paul, whats up? we (me and my family) have been here for only 5-months. My wife and son are finding t real difficult, me and my daughter are fine. give yourself a timescale for improvement and try to be positive.... It is tough! goodluck

iaink

5 months is entering prime time for culture shock to set in. The initial excitement has worn off, things are still taking time to get used to, friends and family are yet to be replaced..

I wonder how long Paul has been here?

kirkio

I think I am teetering on the brink of the culture shock, luckily I have made a few friends at work and we regulary share an evening for dinner etc with families.

However, as the cold weather approaches everyone is talking of hibernating....I will keep your comments in mind

iaink

Take up skating or skiing or something, you really have to get out and embrace winter I think to enjoy living here. Obviously some times its really brass monkeys cold and you want to stay by the fire with a good book, but most of the time its sunny and clear, and when its -15 or so, if you dress appropriately it can be really nice out!

snowshoveller

hear hear with this advice, there is a funny period (about now) before winter kicks in, where summer activities have stopped and winter not yet begun, give it a few weeks and then get out and enjoy it. Make a point of going out every day, you cant hide from the winter so you might as well enjoy it

iaink

Dunno, I was out golfing yesterday, no sweater or anything!

Of course, by the last few holes my score was so bad I would have quite welcomed some snow and the closing of the course, and getting my skis out of the basement again...

snowshoveller

Of course that is feasible in ontario I was referring to Winterpeg. It always amused me that lots of summer stuff closed in september/early october, in preparation for the winter - like its not long enough.

triumphguy

I hated my first few years over here (back in the 80's, with no internet, no Brit TV, no footy!!!, crap beer, and no fellow Brits about).

I would have gone back if I could - had no job to go to, and no family back there.

I finally began to get involved in stuff, and meet people, and Canada became bearable - not better.

Then I got married and had kids here, and Canada is my home - it's where my heart is.

It's not better - there's loads I miss about England (stiles for instance - not Nobby, but just the ability to get out of the car and set off over a stile to some little mountain top).

It's different - and you will probably change and adapt - which means letting go - which is tough. This means you will probably become different.

Then one day you go back and the country you left is so different that it seems strange and foreign.

Was it worth it?

Dunno - I would have had a totally different life back in the UK. Don't know if it's my imagination, but I have done things I wouldn't have done if I had gone back.

ExKiwilass

This.

That was around the time I started boring all OH's cradle friends with all the things I found "different" (read: wrong ) about Canada.

It did pass, hopefully it does for you too But I hear you.

nickmurphy

Hi we are a family with 2 kids 12 and 8 and have applied to immigrate to canada, you say your wife is struggling, can you give me any advice before we make are final decision, we live about 28 miles outside london at the moment and the kids are in a lovely school so i am neverous about packing up, and need to know that its worth it.