Two recent threads have mentioned Pei and how quiet it is!

After a year in Summerside i am still trying to adjust ............so is it only Summerside?
(or me ? )

Would living anywhere else on the Island make it better/easier?

If you live on PEI what do you like /hate about it?

May be i have not been 'touched' by the' beauty' of the Island yet and need some help to see its full potential
vee

I too have been living here on PEI for two years now and am not so happy either . I can see the beauty of this place, especially at this time of year, but I'm finding that that's all there is, especially here in Summerside. I didn't realise when we decided to move to the island just how much I would miss culture and history, and how much I took it for granted in other places. I think when we decided to come here we thought we were used to living in cut off places in the country, but wherever you are in England you are usually within an hours drive to a big town and civilisation! I've found integrating into the community a little difficult here too, I am used to moving around and meeting new friends, but I found moving to this small community where everybody knows everybody else hard. People can be very friendly but only let you in so far, they seem to have their friends and family already and don't need to bother I suppose. I have made a few good friends, most of whom are "from away" - using the locals favourite term there for anyone who doesn't have at least 3 generations of family here or have an Island name! In my experience I've found many people here are not used to outsiders of any kind and their way of dealing with something they don't understand is to make fun, which I can take, but not out of ignorance. I sound like I have a huge chip on my shoulder, but after 2 years here it starts to get to you! I've never lived on any other part of the island, maybe Charlottetown would be better, I can't see much. I have lived in other parts of Canada, so I know it's not Canada as a whole, but I am now left longing to leave this Island! In answer to your question, I don't think it's only you! (Excuse the rant!)

Veengraham:

You have made the classic mistake. You moved to a small sparsely populated island with no large urban center within easy travelling distance to. If you still want to stay in Canada and/or Eastern Canada I strongly suggest you consider moving to Halifax. Halifax is no London but it's big enough to offer
some diversity of options. I don't mean this as a slight against PEI but it's a tough place to fit into for someone used to living in or near a heavily populated region like most people from the UK. Some relatives of mine retired to Summerside a few years ago because of the cheap housing on the former airforce base. They were back in Halifax within a year.

Regards,

PEI and Calgary have much in common .

I think it must be Summerside that feels this more

I live in Cornwall, 10 minutes from Charlottetown and have no complaints

There is a large expat community here and the locals are lovely. Charlottetown has a lot more than summerside. Loads to do and lots of shops and restaurants.

We had a couple here recently who came to PEI for work in summerside and were not to happy about the town. However they came to see us and loved charlottetown, the problem is the employment would force a long commute .

I have been to summerside and must admit it was quiet and we were glad to be living this end of the island

Please elaborate..... We are considering a move to Calgary with my husbands work and although we spent 3 weeks there in March I did come home thinking it was ... well lacking something. The company might be moving to Vancouver which appears to have much more "going on". As a reference my nearest large towns are Bournemouth, Southampton, Poole area. How do others here feel it compares?

Hi Vee,

I think it is my posts you must be refering to. It was great to meet you and Graham, and to meet you Kerry.

Don't get me wrong. The Island has Beauty in bounds, it is truly astonishing how lovely the beaches and things are. But if I am honest it really was just too quiet for Michelle. I would have been fine, as I'd be working (must say how impressed I was with Atlantic Turbines) but shell would feel on her own too much. I really did (and still do) appreciate your honesty on the area, it certainly did contribute to our decision. But you are very fortunate to have the French group/community that you can fit into.

Unfortunately we would struggle to cope with the isolation of such a small town. The problem is I think, everybody on the Island knows each other and I got the impression that they were very friendly, but already have their social circles. This would not be a problem if Shell could keep herself occupied until ready to go back to work, but everything seemed closed that we took the kids to.

It was lovely where you lived, and as we pulled up to your house we both commented on how nice it was to see all the kids out front playing. If ours were the same age as your eldest we would have taken it without a doubt, but not with the 2 babies.

Have fun

i would also like to you to explain what you mean as i am also moving to calgary, what is the problem do explain

Spoken with an ounce of sarcasm on my part. However,comparatively, Calgary has a "small town" mentality for a city, lacks any deep culture other than the local native communities (unless you count the dead dinosaurs), born-bred-and-proud attitude (aren't all Canadians like this ), has gorgeous natural vistas just a stone's throw away, no really old or significant institutions (like Halifax, QC City, Montreal, TO and even Van), a fairly strong anti-French sentiment, etc. It wasn't my cup of Tim Hortons©. I'm sure some wiser folks can add/subtract/explode on this topic.

RANT:
I find that Calgary (and Alberta) sees itself really at the top of the world right now (and quite justifiably so with their economic growth and success). Lots of money (GDP ranked 3rd in Canada), lots of jobs, lots of inter-prov emigrants, and so on. But this boomtown lacks real personality as it has grown so fast so recently.The political focus has shifted somewhat from central Canada to Western - but like all political trends, this will not last. Calgary, like so many boom-towns before it, is built on one thing only: agriculture. The shift is now to another single commodity - oil. Remember the Klondike?

Hi bex1,

sorry to go slightly off tangent, but whereabouts are you, I work in Bournemouth!!

Hi that's ok, I'm in Verwood and work at the airport. Do you live in Bournemouth then?

We are in Bransgore, nr Christchurch, hubby works near Verwood

Will PM you.

I may be naive but I truly thought such ignorance of other cultures and races was a 'middle America' thing and was quite surprised to learn how little some Canadians know of other countries/languages/accents. I always considered Canada to be the 'big melting pot' and so to come here (PEI) and not even be understood when I speak, (I have a South of England accent) I was surprised. I could maybe understand if I was from a non-English speaking country, but I don't understand if you are speaking the same language (well mostly) and I can understand them perfectly why they can't do the same. I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like for someone who is not white or from an English speaking country to come and live here and am not surprised that once most people have completed their PNP and have their PR they make a quick exit. I am not somone who enjoys big city life but I cannot wait to get back to some multiculturalism and blend in as it were. I am not speaking for all people here, but far more than I expected.

I recently met a man who had not long arrived in Calgary from Newcastle I could hardly understand a word he said. This is not something new it has happened before with people from other regions of Britain that I am/was not familiar with.

Why is it we expect others to understand us when sometimes we can't understand each other?