Originally Posted by ork (Post 8273941)

I've been in Vancouver (South West suburbs) since October 08. Entered Canada formally as a Landed Immigrant in December 09.

Just FYI: I had no issues with living in the UK at all. I really liked where I lived, I had a decent career with a reasonable salary doing something that I felt was worthwhile, I worked with people I got on well with, had a big family and friends network, good opportunities to participate in my sport and hobbies. As a result, I am unlikely to be able to contribute to a great deal to the 'negative things about Britain' discussion.

Why I moved: in order to live full time with my fella (now my husband). He is Canadian. We are here and not in the UK, because he has joint custody of his son from his first marriage. I have committed to be here for another 5 years or so - as that is when his son is likely to head off to university and will become a bit more independent. Actually, if our family situation had been different, I would have made a very strong case us to live in the UK.

How am I finding it here: it's okay but I am not gung-ho about it?

Where I live is nice enough but I find it extremely quiet. As we've previously discussed on this thread, there is not very much of interest within walking distance. Our immediate neighbours are okay. They keep the same sort of 'deliberate neighbourly distance' that is fairly usual in the UK. It is very rare to see any signs of life in/around any other houses on my street. Most people come and go through their garages in the alley.

The city itself is fine but I do not find it terribly exciting. I think it has that feel that many modern cities have - a bevy of shops that you don't recognise spliced in amongst ones that you do: Aveda, HMV, GAP, Macdonalds etc. It's got some nice places to look around and it has some areas that it might be best to avoid.

I visited Vancouver twice before I moved here fulltime so I knew what I was getting into. However, to me, it was (and still is) simply the city that my partner lives in. I was not, at any time, assessing whether it was better or worse than anywhere else to live in Canada/the world. I am more familiar with it now than I was a year ago but it doesn't feel like home yet.

I think I was only surprised by the numbers of homeless people here (I didn't notice them in my previous visits) and the reports of drug/gang violence, because everyone had told me how lovely Vancouver is and how lucky I was to be moving here. It is just that my own personal idea of the best place in the world to live, um...is a place that does not have these sorts of problems?!

What Vancouver does have, that other cities may not have on hand, is the ocean and the mountains. My husband is keen on sailing. I have found out that I am not. I ski but my husband/stepson do not. We'll work something out eventually. In terms of the other sport activities that I used to do in the UK - I can sort of do them here but the opportunities are more limited and the facilities are not quite the same.

I did plan for it (financially, at least) but the hardest thing I found about my move was going from a busy job in a big open plan office with lots of colleagues, to being on my own for the majority of the day, without a job. It was a hideous shock.

I guess that I have learnt over the past year that I personally do best, and am at my most productive, when I feel purposeful and I have plenty of interaction with other people. In a weird way, I suppose that I am a kind of trailing partner here? Although things are excellent between me and my husband, this whole aspect of being here, without a job and not being allowed to have one, has made the past year very tough and left me feeling quite isolated and undermined, especially out here in the dead 'burbs.

I have made an effort. I have involved myself in different activities and the odd class (that wouldn't contravene my visa rules) where I might meet some people and establish myself as a person in my own right, rather than being introduced as my husband's appendage (wife) who happens to have an odd accent.

I have met some nice people but not really any that I have connected with strongly yet - or feel that I have a huge amount in common with. This does make me miss my support network (both family & friends) in the UK greatly. However, I am hoping this will improve when I start working again.

Does that sum it all up...? It will do for now!

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8272889)

Yes I tried it and its not for me. A lot of the food here is either tasteless or full of too much vanilla, or worse cinnamon.
We also have a good Dr. but hes English, not by design by accident. I dont go to the Drs much but in my experience the Canadian Drs. arent so good.
And should you be running your car? what about the enviornment?
As for the driving, what is the deal with the right turn at the red lights? doesnt a red light mean stop in Canada?
Should you walk the streets at night? if your not out then you cant be one of the many silly people that get attacked in the small hours!
The standard of driving in Canada is not as high as in Britain, you can get knocked down practically anywhere including car parks. Rv drivers are especially good at this.
Everywhere has its no- go areas all around the world.
And sure I've had 'adventures' as you put it, But the only 'what if I .....say is : what if I'd never left Britain'
so I can't wait to leave. I am glad you like it, its obviously for you, thats nice.
enjoy.

Originally Posted by dgjamison (Post 8276470)

Hi, it was lovely to hear your story and I agree with you totally, my experience is a little different as this is my second time in canada. I left 26 years ago, when my kids were young to return to the uk as my dad had passed away and I wanted to be with my mother. I settled down and time passed before I knew it we had been away 26 years and i really wanted to come back. I knew things would have changed, but I have found, I am not as happy as I thought I was going to be, my OH feels the same. It has come as a big shock to us both, I was so sure we would settle down quickly but now we feel thats not going to be the case. We have travelled from Kingston to fort Erie looking to see if there was anywhere we might like to live, but I am not getting any fibs at all. Mights sound stupid but thats the way it is. We are living in a retirement village (hate it) in Fort Erie and I find the people polite, they say hello but as you say keep their polite distance. At xmas I wrote cards and put them through all my neighbours doors, wishing them seasons greetings and signing our name and unit number, not one card did we get in return from any of our neighbours. Now I am not one for sitting in neighbours houses, but I always had a chat to my neighbours over the garden fence when I was gardening, so enjoying the sun (when we got any) we knew our neighbours to say hello to and always new in times of trouble we could have called on them for help, here I feel I won't want to annoy them, so we are going to move on, we will put our stuff in storage and tour the usa to buy a holiday home and go between there and spain and play golf, at least in spain my family will come 2-3 times a year to visit as it will be cheaper for flights for them. I have some really nice friends from Canada and we loved it I would never rubbish it and encourage anyone who wanted to travel here. I have travelled since I was 9 yrs old to spain, married in Australia, europe and Ireland, and I feel it has really educated both me and my family, would reccommend it to anyone, you always learn something:)good luck for the future:fingerscrossed:

Originally Posted by Novocastrian (Post 8276485)

I think you should get rid of that english doctor and find a decent Canadian psychiatrist.

From your "mordor" remarks I assume you live in Fort Mac?

Originally Posted by Novocastrian (Post 8276485)

.From your "mordor" remarks I assume you live in Fort Mac?

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8277413)

And assume nothing, no I dont live in Fort Mac.:D

Originally Posted by Lord Vader (Post 8277573)

Do you live in the Torngat mountains in labrador?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QHNFsN7rqSY

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8277659)

Quite a bit of it reminds me of the wilds of scotland in particular, The Isle of Mull.

Originally Posted by Lord Vader (Post 8277573)

Do you live in the Torngat mountains in labrador?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QHNFsN7rqSY

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8276502)

I sure hope you find what you are looking for.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8269301)

Well so are we, my family and I have been in Canada for 6 years, we came here to experience a new life, a new begining, we embraced our new country we put down roots, But the roots didn't take and after all we have done we have achieved nothing. Sure Canada is nice on the one side, but on the other the winters are too cold and long, the food sucks, everything seems to be fried or have bread wrapped around it, no decent restuarants just fast food everywhere, the produce in the shops is either very old or has travelled so far it has no taste left in it, the standard of driving here is dreadful, the T.V. definition is horrible,( makes your eyes hurt)Oh and weve had more power cuts here than when we lived out in the wilds of untamed Scotland! I personally dont think that I'm looking through rose tinted glasses, the atmosphere is too dry and chillblains are the norm here. That's before you get into the shame of the Gas and Oil industry and what they are doing to the Earth. Some places look like" Mordor"(from Lord of the Rings) its a travesty. Canada's image of a clean, fresh wonderful place to live Lies.

Originally Posted by Unhappypat (Post 8277659)

Wow, How stunningly beautiful that is, thank you for showing me.
Quite a bit of it reminds me of the wilds of scotland in particular, The Isle of Mull.

But No, I don't live there. guess again.

Originally Posted by johnh009 (Post 8277873)

I came to Canada (Ontario) in 1987 and believe I caught, perhaps, the last 5 years of the good times. In those days, Ontario was the land of opportunity and driving the whole country. However, those who came in the 1950s and 1960s did the best when opportunity was also plentiful. Now I am not so sure. There is probably nothing wrong in coming here for the life experience but if it were for money or lifestyle, I would have to think twice. Unless you can get a plum government job of course propped up with a never ending supply of taxpayers money. I wonder how long that will last.

Originally Posted by dgjamison (Post 8277985)

I think I have to agree with you, when we came to canada in 1976, I felt it was a great opportunity for my family and me,( I was from Belfast and the troubles were at their worst) we had our ups and downs but eventually settled and loved it here, but had to return to Ireland for family reasons. I think from the 50's to 80's was a great time to be here, there were things we never had in the UK, and it felt more american, large cars, bbq's, skiing, great summers, snowy winters, beautiful falls, a great life and the people were really friendly good neighbourhoods, now having come back I think what has happened is the UK has now overtaken Canada in many ways, and what seemed like luxury and different then means nothing now as the Uk has everything that Canada has, and is close to europe with cheap airfares if they want sun, mountains,and lakes.I suppose what I am trying to say, people in the uk can get anything that canada and the states can, they are not the land of milk and honey anymore, and I think this is why the younger immigrants are finding it harder to settle, they can get the same or better at home and have family too. Would love to hear your comments on this:thumbup:

Originally Posted by canadiangrape (Post 8188263)

I also find that the Canadians are very two faced and really cant be trusted. After moving here I think that life is better in the UK.