MarylandNed

Yeah but you're obviously jaded and cynical and therefore, according to you, your "insight" should be ignored anyway.

Oink

It's interesting that you spend so much time on the Canadian forum commenting on somewhere you don''t live. But then again, you live in Maryland, so I guess projecting anywhere is better than facing up to that.

MarylandNed

Here we go again.

Correct, I don't currently live in Canada. I have lived in Canada previously. I may be moving back there in the next year or two. Therefore I keep up to date with what's happening there.

I'm a Canadian citizen. 2 of my kids were born there and all 4 kids are Canadian citizens. My wife is a Canadian citizen. I visit Canada multiple times a year (I was there again just 2 weeks ago) because I vacation there, I visit friends & family there, I work there sometimes and my company has multiple offices there which I visit frequently. My daughter goes to college there. Over the past couple of years I have helped her through many of the same things that anyone else moving to Canada would likely have to go through at some point:

- opening a bank account
- getting a provincial health insurance card
- getting a driver's license
- applying for a Canadian passport
- dealing with other government agencies
- building a credit history
- finding an apartment to rent
- dealing with utility companies
- obtaining a cell phone & plan
- shopping for just about everything
- public transportation
- health care
- cross border issues with the US (e.g. customs, immigration)

So although I don't live in Canada, I think I know enough about living/working/visiting there to contribute to the forum at times. I wouldn't suggest to you that you abstain from commenting on UK issues simply because you don't live there - you might have something useful to contribute.

Your opinion of Maryland is of absolutely no concern or interest to me whatsoever. I've covered every corner of this state and it's a great place to live and visit. Whether you still choose to judge the entire state on some personal experience of yours is entirely your concern and your problem.

christmasoompa

As I've discussed with you before, there are many reasons why somebody cannot return to the UK - perhaps they are married to a Canadian that doesn't want to move, so they have the choice of their marriage ending or leaving, or perhaps they have adult children that are settled there and they don't want to leave, or perhaps they have a husband that is halfway through a work secondment, or perhaps they don't have the $20k or so it would cost to move back, or perhaps............etc, etc.

As I've suggested previously, maybe you could read the Moving Back to the UK forum to see the many sad stories about people who are desperate to return (not necessarily from Canada, from all over the world) but who cannot.

It's not always as easy as you think it is I'm afraid, particularly if you moved with young children who are now grown up, settled and 'Canadianized' - that seems to be a regular problem for many.

rivingtonpike

I think these are very good points. You don't necessarily have control over your destiny as much as you might like. I hope we never find ourselves in this scenario; so far so good though!

MarylandNed

I understand all that. I was simply stating that I have never PERSONALLY heard a reasonable explanation. While there are undoubtedly some people is a very tricky situation, I haven't met them. All the moaners I have met (and there have been many) were not actually in such dire straits that they couldn't possibly change their situation.

Tangram

You have now, so perhaps you can put it to bed, so to speak.

MarylandNed

Nah...I think most moaners are simply that...moaners. Those that really are up sh*t creek without a paddle are in a very small minority IMO.

christmasoompa

Your lack of empathy astounds me.

MarylandNed

As I already told you, I'm sure that there are immigrants out there in sticky situations that they can't get themselves out of for whatever reason. I just don't know them personally. If I did, I'm sure I'd sympathize and try to help if I could.

However, when you meet people (and I have met many) who are ONLY unhappy because they can't turn their new country into their old country, I can't sympathize at all. A lot of people emigrate with the wrong attitude and then moan about it when they can't change the big things or the things that happen to them. They often fail to see that they have control over their own destiny by changing those things that they can change - their attitudes and their reactions to the things that happen to them.

Lorry1

Exactly! How do you know for sure?

Maybe ALL these people you have met who moan about the Country they are in don't tell you the truth about what's really happening.

Not everyone is open about their lives and some people feel embarrased if they are totally skint and can barely afford to live.

cheeky_monkey

i have lived here 2 months also..so far i actually prefer Edmonton over Calgary

Philbo2005

I am very glad you enjoyed it, we are going on our (cold) recce trip in November and aim to do both Calgary and Edmonton, can't wait!!

Geordie Lass

Whereabouts in Calgary are you? why do you prefer Edmonton? (I've not heard a lot of good things about Edmonton) so am intrigued!