lancashirebird

Whilst i agree with you on many a point, i must admit that i dont agree with why people dont settle here.
Years ago people got on the boat, spent weeks getting here and was lucky if there family in the uk even sent a letter, if they had a phone it was luxury, so keeping in contact with family back in there homeland was hard......

The amount of people that moved to a different country was nowhere near what is moving around the world these days, to try a different country is really normal
We have the internet to talk to other expats, we have sites like this that people can tell there storys, give advise and the best there is skype and msn to keep in contact with loved ones.
Still all the above is not enough for some and they need the close contact with there family and friends, others it has to do as for whatever reason they must stay, others just totally get on with there new life and new country.
Non of the above groups is right and wrong, its just that each country has moved on, not just the uk but canada as well.

FOR ME - i wanted to give my kids the life i had in the uk when i was growing up, i found the area in the uk where i lived didnt offer that no more, could i have got that from another area, Maybe
But we are happy and so we stay, i suppose if i return to the uk in 10/20yrs i will see how it has changed.

The world in the last few years have got a real small place, travel is not a hassle and more and more people are able to afford it

LB

johnh009

Yes, I can only agree. These are good points and I also think it is good that we have the options now that people never had years ago. Being individuals, we all emmigrate for different reasons and, as you point out, countries move on and so do people. My parents aspired to retire to somewhere such as Bridlington and now, Spain is even passe and people are talking about retiring in places such as Thailand and Panama. The Internet has certainly made the World smaller and it is interesting to hear other people's points of view - positive or negative

dgjamison

what da ya mean, I found australians to be very very friendly more than Canadians and with less hangups, the Canadians who have done well, I find are so stiff sometimes, its like the royal family, show no emotion and have a stiff upper lip, the australians are so much more relaxed and can't be bothered with the class system, where some Canadians are worse snobs than the british true blues, i feel they are insecure myself As my old mother said" you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear", she also used to say a true aristocrate could mix with anyone they had nothing to prove

dgjamison

yes you are perfectly right in what you say re communication. I remember writing my mother an airmail letter every week and trying to write as small as possible to get everything in. I have msn and can speak to my grandkids now it is fantastic, but it dos'nt make up for kissing them and cuddling them when they fall or achieve something in school or sports, but that was my decision, and I think it great when people move and make a success of it. My nephew went to australia 7 year ago, was really homesick, sold his house, give up his job and returned to Ireland, lasted 6 months, had the sense to return to oz get his job back and has now built his new home and just put a pool in all in the space to 2 Years, how great is that We did'nt have the tecnology that is around today so we did'nt miss it, but the young ones today have so they have more choices than we did. I would always encourage people to try new countries if they are able too, it really broadens the mind and if it works great, all I am saying, Britain in the 50's-80's was a bit backward compared to Canada and USA in certain ways now that is not the case so there is definately more choice and that is only good in my opinion

lancashirebird

I can't say anything about the 50's - 80's as i was a wee pup born in the 70's
all i can say is compared to when i was a kid the uk has changed, so i guess canada has as well for many a person.
I speak to locals, to people who moved here years ago and they tell me how much our little city has changed over the years.
I know one expat who has been visiting for 18+yrs before she moved here

I also think that when you move from a place you think that time stands still, when you return xx later its changed so much and it will shock you, for us we returned after a year and noticed so many changes (not for the better either), i so the dull skys, the traffic, people who would run you over as you cross the road and the unfriendlyness whilst shopping ( o yeah i did alot)

But its my homeland and it will always hold a good place in my heart, but after living here when people hold the door open for each other, relaxed driving (ok they do have some idiots on the roads ) no trolly rage in the supermarket, people talk to each other, people are friendly, but there is a sense of community and my kids are safer than they was.............

But i wish those who move back to the uk all the best, but hope they remember the verse culture shock bit

dgjamison

where do you live? I only ask because no one has held the door open for me, when my oh waves a motorist out onto the road or lets someone onto the motorway or stops and waves them into a parking spot, not even a raised hand in acknowledgement, he was flabbergasted as even in britian they wave a thankyou. (Have to say when we were in Vancouver we found them the most polite drivers, I don't think we heard a horn honk) when I first arrived I was in a shop and asked another shopper her advise on something, she looked at me as if how dare you talk to me, I felt like crawling under a stone, and where I live has no sense of communithy, I gave my neighbours xmas cards, I did not receive one back to welcome me or say happy xmas. Where I lived in N. ireland was beautiful the kids were safe and a lovely area, so I suppose its horses for courses. would love to have found what you did, I did the first time around!!!!!

Steve_P

Maybe you should have come west.

dgjamison

when we went to Vancouver (April 2009) we both loved it, and as I say we did;nt have time to meet too many people but the drivers were really polite, we also went to Victoria and it was lovely. Unfortunatley we are retired now with our money tied up in property in Uk (and we all know what the market is like at the moment so I have them rented) but BC is just too expensive to rent as we are on a fixed income and sterling is down against the dollar, believe me if I could I would because I don't like the GTA any more it does not resemble anything Canadian to me at all

Aviator

You must have been here on a good day then. That's not the norm!!

lancashirebird

She should of as i must admit when we visited ontario 2006 and 2007 i only ever felt community in kingston/port stanley and i must admit that kingston still holds a place in my heart
But we came to alberta, we live 2.5hrs outside of calgary in lethbridge, but i have been to calgary and always had a lovely welcome as well

I don't think the prices here are anywhere near what they charge in ontario, esp the GTA, but we dont have everything the GTA has, but that is the appeal to me, i love the laid back life....
We have been welcomed not just by the expats, but by canadians/dutch alike and must admit xmas was good, its a shame on your community that they havent welcomed you in.........
But like others have said, don't class them the same as other areas

dgjamison

when were you in Kingston, I don't know if we should go again and have a look, we were only there for the day so did'nt much time to get the feel of it. Did you find the people friendly and welcoming. I find them here polite but really keep you at arms length. I don't do visiting a lot but always had time to chat and have the odd coffee with friends it really is strange here

lancashirebird

We was in kingston in 2007, even though it was snowing people had lots of time to talk to us, we also made friends there who we keep in contact with, they are actually thinking of moving out here as the work situation isnt good for them, but they have been there now for over 9yrs and do love it.
when i first came here i seem to stay with a expat group, but after awhile i have mixed with the community and now must say i love it.
we attended a family gathering just before xmas, BBQ in a fire bit, party in the garage, not my idea and was not looking forward to it at the beginning, but you know what we had fun, infact we loved it........

I suppose its about doing stuff you don't normally do, i have 3 kids and dont find it a hassle to go out and about, now we have 2 dogs and they join in the fun
Local park yesterday in the snow with the kids and the dogs = Fun
I hope you find that place, i know here they do 50+ complex, plus we only pay 5% tax

If you ever come out this way i am sure we can put the kettle on

DigitalGhost

You see, I don't think you can judge a nationality based on just a few people you have met. Every Australian I have ever met has turned out to be a twat but I still try to retain an open mind about the place.

MR79

and as I say we did;nt have time to meet too many people but the drivers were really polite,

The drivers are a bunch of nutcrackers..lol!! polite my Ass... It amazes me how some of these weirdos get their driving license......

dgjamison

I lived in Canada in the late 70's my husband worked in a very exculsive wasp private club in Toronto, and there was an attitude of the old money snobbery," we upper classes." The ordinary working class people are lovely, but I found in Australia (where my husband and I both worked) to be much more of a relaxed nation of people and very welcoming and friendly. Of course your going to get the exemption in every nationality (I have found some Irish people totally embarrassing and twats as well) But I think Canada and to an extent USA still retain the old upper crust attitued. In australia, they don't hold with that anymore;