BristolUK

Agreed. Most places mentioned on these threads have people loving and hating.

To clarify, I like that I can live well enough here on our resources.
I think of Moncton as more of a town than a city and while there's nothing attractive about its appearance there is plenty to do and plenty within easy reach.

There are nice parks, a lovely beach nearby and I find the housing very attractive. People come from quite far (even NS) to the Mall here. It's ugly...but they're just shops. They don't have to be attractive.

I said it a few days ago. Not a good place to visit (except for shopping and some bigger concerts or sports occasions) but a good place to live.

Tangram

Might be an idea to leave the poster to explore and get feedback on where he wants to explore next instead of putting the guy under a hot lamp as to why he didn't warm to BC, in line with the thread title.

I guess if he wants to do the latter, he will open another thread to defend his heinous actions.

el_richo

I think you misread the tone of my post. It was pure curiosity as his previous posts showed utter love for the province, and having not changed THAT much in the past 5 years, i'm interested in his views and offering some pointers of places less in your face.

Once people understand his definition of in your face, they can offer much clearer guidance surely?

Anyway, i'll leave you to offer support

Howefamily

When we came on our recce last June we went to Halifax, Truro, Porters Lake, Hubbards (Kind of) and subdivisions just off the 102 between Halifax and Truro, places such as Elmsdale, Enfield and Fall River, so really not very much of the Province at all.

There is a lot of beauty here. The further away from Halifax you get the more remote it feels to me.

We moved here 4 weeks ago and have pretty much spent our time driving up and down the 102 constantly to sort everything out and thats about it, so no further afield. However we did go out to Walton the other day which felt like a million miles from anywhere to me, although the road sign there did say it was 56km to Windsor which I have heard is a nice little town.

To me, coming from the South of England, Halifax is a small city, Truro is a little town and much in between feels pretty small. I like it very much here though, people are considerate, friendly and helpful.
Porters Lake is gorgeous and so is the area around Grand Lake (to me).

canadian_bacon_boy

And almost all of them packed together

canadian_bacon_boy

There were two significant changes between when we went in 2004 to now. But I take on board that the first impression we got back then could of added a sugar coated layer.

1. The level of orientals in vancouver is shocking. In the tri-cities areas whites are in a minority. It does get a bit more diverse in other areas but it still brings problems with it. Some people from some asian countries integrate and it becomes part of Canadian life (asians have been in west Canada since turn of the 18th century), the japanese integrate well despite having an awful history with Canada (they were rounded up in camps and had everything taken off them in WW2). However parts of Vancouver felt like china and maybe thats the way the world is going and living in the cotswolds puts us in a bubble. North shore was much more to our liking with deep cove and capilano very much being to our taste, but crucially there is problem 2.

2. When we went in 2004 we looked around at houses and houses prices, the costs of groceries and other household goods. Houses were very cheap (£150k for 5 bed house in tri-cities) inexpensive food shopping and a mix of household priced goods. According to the realtor who we rented a house off when we stayed this time, the asians flooding (his words) the west coast over the past five years had driven up the prices to such a level that Canadians who had lived there for generations could not get on the property ladder. The average house price in the tri-cities area for a 4-5 bed house is $850'000, and they are selling fast. Some areas of Vancouver (like north shore) have hit an average house price of $1m. Food shopping (even in Canadian supastore) is expensive compared with UK. $4-$6 for a box of cereal, come on! Household goods still seemed a mix of prices. Most electronics cheaper than UK, but somethings not.

We saw many instances of white and black Canadians conflicting with asians. Social unrest is on the fringes of society, but white and black Canadians do not want to talk about it. Even in the local papers there is hushed careful discussion which starts with "It is not racist to say you are uneasy).

Locals (be it expats) use names like "chopstick hill" and "Hongcouver" to describe greater vancouver.

There were many things we still loved about Vancouver, but on the face of it so much seemed to have changed and not for the better. We could get used to some or maybe even all of it in time but I am sure as shit not going to pay hand over fist for the privalige

We did want to get out as far as Kelowna but we did not have time. We may still do this on another trip.

canadian_bacon_boy

Part of the BC trip was our naivety at how many people reside in places. We are used to places with 2000 - 5000 and working in Cheltenham which has a population of 112'000.

Just seemed so many people to me.


I guess because the population level in the maritimes in so much lower we thought we should have a look. We have friends that came from New Brunswick and they were astonished that we did not consider it in the first place.

dbd33

Here's some sound advice,

"If feel if you move to a new country you must make yourself as knowledgable as possible on what will give you the best chances.

Moving to a remote location makes for finding a job difficult!

...

My advice to this person is do your research and move to a major place where there is a high demand for the industries you work in. You are clearly setting yourself up for a fall by living in such a remote place doing jobs that do not seem to be in high demand."

That's you what said all that. (http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...14#post9210214) You want to have a butcher's at it now.

I thought you'd be lucky to find a medium sized corporation with which you shared goals and values, one which would nuture your career aspirations, starting you as a director, in Vancouver. Especially with your not being able to bond with the executive over your shared dedication to corpoate goals in Chinese. I'm confident in saying there's bugger all chance of finding such a position down east.

Simon Legree

Very good advice indeed. Very well put sir !

canadian_bacon_boy

Sorry I was busy eating humble pie...


I had no problem finding the jobs in Vancouver, within the two weeks I was there went for several interviews and got offer one when there and two after I came back. I just didn't like the huge cost increase and social change.

So re-thinking, and if it means I drop a few levels in position, then so be it. I don't want to double compromise.

ExKiwilass

You're right, you'll be much happier in the maritimes. Much whiter there.

Tangram

Not sure he will.

ExKiwilass

ooo, do tell!

Tangram

Just glancing back on previous posts that's all.

el_richo

Have a look at the Kootenays, that could give you some of what you need, or plenty of the rural areas around the Fraser Valley.

Either way, there are lots of areas in Canada that can offer what you need regarding population. Work wise? Taking many steps back to live in the backwaters may work in the movies, but in real life i know i couldn't do it. You appear to have drive so...........

This thread has made me crave Chinese food to i think i'll pop out for lunch