Originally Posted by iaink

You seem determined to miss the point that being drawn to Canada for the lifestly that it makes possible might be a dream, but coming here simply because its not the UK is just an escape, any dream is of an absence of something, rather than a draw to something, and in the long run its too easy to forget why you are putting up with the dificulties of living here when no longer faced with the negatives that caused you to come here.

Sorry if Im not effusive enough in my praise of Canada for you Its really not my style to get all giddy and overenthusiastic about things. Suffice it to say that if I didnt like it here and wasnt happy I would not have stuck around to raise my kids here, but I am very aware that there is a price in terms of family togetherness that comes from that decision too, especially as I wasnt there when my mum passed away and my dad isnt getting any younger. Im also aware that there are plenty of places in canada that have similar issues to the bad bits of the UK, so location is very important.

So, much as I am happy here, as anyone whose met me would know, I temper that with the knowledge that there are sacrifices, and that there are people here who are not happy and who have not had the luck that I have had in settling.

Sitting on the sidelines cheering people on blindly is not necessarily doing them any favours if they dont know what it is thats attracting them to a life over here, people need to be a lot more clear on their motivation than just not liking where they are at the moment. Theres lots of nice places in the UK that are a lot easier to move to and which involve a lot less removal from a lifetimes worth of friends and family, so those options are worth exploring too.

In this case the IEC is just a year, and its a good idea to come check out the lay of the land if you can. Having to move in with mum and dad for a few months doesnt seem a huge sacrfice to me in the big picture.

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

They're just as prevalent in cities, you can easily find news stories on murders, drugs, etc in Canada too. In fact murders per capita are higher in Canada than in the UK! You can't really compare a rural location in Canada with Birmingham though, it's like apples and oranges. Just as you couldn't compare a rural UK location with Toronto.



Plenty of people leaving Canada for all sorts of reasons, have a read of the Moving Back to the UK forum for their stories.

Canada is a fantastic country, as is the UK, but as Iaink has said it's far better to move for the love of a country, rather than the perceived negatives of the one you've left behind, as the same problems are everywhere unfortunately.

Originally Posted by jossie

I'm not missing your point - In fact you make a good pointless I just don't agree with it. Does it really matter if people are drawn here for the lifestyle or if they come here to escape something? They are both catalysts for starting the same process where the end result is pretty much the same. We can be all philosophical and say that coming here to escape something in the UK is the wrong reason but at the end of the day does it really matter - I don't think so. And Thank God there are people in life that get giddy and overenthusiastic about things or life would be pretty boring.

Originally Posted by andyhughes88

I agree. There are push and pull factors to every migration... at the end of the day how can you move based soley on the love of another country or some other pull factor if you've never had the opportunity to visit??

Some people just hate where they are, decide enough is enough and leave for pastures new. Plenty have successfully migrated this way - many modern nations were formed by settlers who had neither knowledge or understanding of where they were going or what they were in for - they just knew it was a chance to escape things that were limiting their quality of life in their homelands. I agree it would be beneficial to have a pull factor behind moving somewhere but don't agree that this is anymore or less important than the factors behind you wanting to move somewhere in the first place. If there were no initial push factors hardly anyone would ever decide to move, they'd have no reason too right?

Originally Posted by andyhughes88

If there were no initial push factors hardly anyone would ever decide to move, they'd have no reason too right?

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

You mean apart from their Canadian spouses, or being transferred with work, or being headhunted for a job they can't refuse, or just want an adventure.....etc, etc?!

Originally Posted by christmasoompa

But you could have achieved that, and the other stuff you mentioned, by moving out of London in to a more rural location in the UK couldn't you? I see deer every morning (usually in my garden eating my new fruit trees, grrrr), and I'm in the UK.

Originally Posted by andyhughes88

Wanting an adventure: because they are bored or have seen what they want to in there current location - they are being pushed to discover a new location

Originally Posted by Geordie Lass

You are young with no ties. Get yourself out here lad.

What's the worst that can happen? you blow a load of money? no biggie. You can spend £1000s on a decent holiday.

With hindsight we would have done it earlier when either our son was younger or before he came along.

On an IEC it's almost a try before you buy situation. If you don't like it head back to the UK - simples. What an experience you will have to look back on even if you don't stay.

People like us on the other hand have shipped all their stuff over (at a big cost) so will have to incur that if we decide to go back.

Originally Posted by andyhughes88

Hi guys

No real query here just after some feedback. I am dead set on moving from UK and decided Canada is where I want to go, so I've decided to apply for IEC 2013 to check what it has to offer and am now in process of preparing all the necessary documentation required, as soon as applications open I'll be mailing mine off.

I want to save as much money as I can for the move (£10k in mind) so I don't need to worry about it if I'm waiting to find work or want to do,visit or see things. In order to get the desired funds together I am sacrificing my own flat to move back into my parent's house. I have a move out date set for November 20th and with prospective viewers coming around to view the flat, its kind of hit me now that I'm actually giving the place up!

I get on well with my parents although I'm very independent, I cant help feeling it will be hard going back to 1 bedroom in their house from the space of my beautiful Georgian apartment. That added to the fact I've spent my own money and a lot of time on getting the flat how I want it...

Just after some advice or feedback from any others who have had to make this sacrifice or similar to get to where they ultimately want to be??

Thanks Guys

Andy

Originally Posted by YoshiPal2010

So what difference in "the way of life" do you imagine Canadians have? They get up, go to work (mostly to jobs they hate!), shop for groceries, clean their houses -- I sometimes wonder where they find the time for all that skiiing and stuff! There is crime here -- I know some OPs like to give the impression that NOBODY commits crimes, and that kids stay kids for much longer! And if you're thinking of leaving because you see the UK disappearing under a tidalwave of foreign cultures, well you're in for a big disappointment in Canada.