SLC

I've noticed a lot of people here are moving/ have moved to Canada with their partner/families, or will be moving to Canada to be with their partner.

Has anyone here moved to Canada alone? With no friends or relatives out there? I'm just wondering how you found it.
Also how old were you when you crossed the pond?
Where did you move to?

Moggiemiss

Hi

I moved here in November 2008 on my own at the age of 54 (almost 55)

I do have an aunt and uncle and cousin and family in the city where I am living, so that does help a lot.

People are very friendly and hospitable if you are new to town and I think if you are outgoing and get involved in the community you would settle down.

good luck

debzielou

hey there, my boyfriend and I moved here 4 weeks ago with no family at all over here and we are loving it. Im 22 so a big step to move away from my family in the UK but i dont regret it one bit

londonlass

Hi
I came out on my own for a year on BUNAC in Sept (07), didn't know a soul and had never been to Canada before. Found it much tougher then i expected at first as until then I'd always lived in London surrounded by family but I settled in and gained enormous self confidence knowing I created a whole new life all by myself.

Am now trying to get back over there, hopefully by Jan 2010.
Good to hear of others doing it alone too, as I can't decide if I'm crazy to try or if i should just stay here now I'm back in the UK - I'm 35.

LL

shelley748

we moved -hubby and I and our 2 English Cockers in 2002- no family here, or friends when we first moved over- its not so bad-we love the space around us-its challenging for sure..

SLC

Thanks for that. Where in Canada were you? And how long did it take you to settle in? I've been in London my whole life too, and am anticipating missing the proximity of my family. I think it will be the hardest thing ever.
Are you applying for a TWP now?

londonlass

Have sent you a PM

LL

lof

done that, have got the t-shirt

i came over in november 2005 on a young worker's exchange program (i'm not british so bunac didn't apply to me). i knew nobody here, the whole job thing happened over internet and phone.
i was 30, despite being a crazy solo traveler had never before considered emigrating, and if... the destination probably wouldn't have been bc...
the initial move was some 3 months from seeing the job ad and a "why not" to arriving. not much time to second guess your decision with all the steps it takes to move abroad.
the rest is history - i'm a pr since september 2007 and live still on vancouver island.

the main thing is the same as for a couple: go out, get involved in the community, look out for community clubs which are along your old interests or try something completely new (like i did), do a regular sport (swimming, running, the gym... if you really want to go native take up hockey. )
i even think that it is easier for a single person - you aren't even tempted to spend "all" your time with your partner, you automatically interact with the locals. the average canadian is friendly and helpful, and many of them like to share their experience and give you hints if they see that you appreciate their effort.

i'm not pretending it is always easy. like everyone i once in a while miss having my old friends and my family directly around the corner, be it for the big things (i just missed my sister's civil marriage...) or just popping in for a cup of tea when you feel like needing a strong shoulder. building similar strong friendships over here can take its time.


but all in all i can only say: go for it!
you are independent and have nothing to loose - if it doesn't work out in a year or two you can always go back to the uk.

Caitilin

I'm moving over this spring - feb/march time, alone. Well, I have a pet snake, not sure if he counts!

I'm turning 30 this april.

bandit

Hi there!

I moved from the UK to Vancouver this summer on my lonesome. I was however born in Montreal so didn't have any issues re: paperwork, so my route was as fast or as slow as I wanted it to be.

So far, I have a few circle of friends, however mostly they are expats too, however those Brits that have been here longer tend to have intergrated more. I'm about to start ski lessons and have volunteered myself to help with Adaptive ski school too.

I watched a load of crazy locals yesterday do the Polar Bear swim - but they can keep that!!!!

Bx

stubby42

I'm also trying to move out to canada on my own, the first time I went out there was on an exchange program so I went with other brits however for various reasons (other people in the group being complete arses) I really only hung out with canadians which ended up being the best descision of my life.

I got home and went back to university and went straight back to working out how I can get back to canada, I went out on an internship and back into the university accomodation I'd lived in previously with my friends.

Now I'm back in the uk trying to work out how to get out there again, I'm aiming for september but this probably wont be possible (this time I want it to be more than a few months).

I had no problems ajusting, everyones very supportive and I found myself with adoptive familes. If I ever needed help I could ask them, oh and its always nice to have somewhere to go for thanksgiving.

Another thing I experience was that people like you because your british and they want to be your friend which is always helpful.

If you can avoid being friends with brits as much as possible because it really holds you back.