HGerchikov

A few weeks ago I witnessed what I think is a perfect analogy for many people's experience of the immigration process.
Some background: we live on a rural property about an hour from the GTA, the house needs some help and part of that help is the installation of new windows. The window company we chose were from Toronto.

So its the morning of the first day of the fitting. The fitters arrive and the supervisor comes over to introduce himself and tells me what a great place to live, and that its his dream to one day live on a place like this and if we were thinking of selling to let him know. If we had been planning to move I am fairly certain I could have drafted an offer right there and then and he would have signed it.

Move on to lunchtime and the conversation went something like this:
Him: What do you mean they don't deliver?
Me: There is a pizza place in Fergus, you could get takeout.
Him: How far away is that?
Me: Not far, about 20km
Him: WHAT?
Him: So what is there around here?
Me: There's a Subway at the gas station
Him: How far is that?
Me: About 12km
Him: OK so maybe we don't need takeout, where is the nearest grocery store?
Me: Next to the pizza place
Him: Excessive swearing in Russian which he didn't know I understood.
Him: So there is nothing closer than 12km
Me: There is a reason why people in the country grow food.

Roll on to 4 pm and that huge windstorm hit. Much of our land, particularly by the house is heavily forested wetlands, ie massive trees on not very solid ground. The windstorm was devastating and our trucks were parked under the trees. We were literally dodging falling trees running to the trucks to move them.

He left and never returned, and I am fairly certain he will not be buying a place in the country - ever.

He obviously thought that living in the country would entail lots of space, no traffic jams and beautiful views (which it does) but he also thought he would get takeout delivered, public transportation and easy access to groceries exactly as he has in the city ( which it does not). Learning that lesson cost him a day out of his life (which he was paid for) and possibly a small scratch on his wing mirror where a tree hit.

Learning that lesson as an immigrant could cost you thousands.

scrubbedexpat091

If I was able to be self sufficient with income in a rural area, I would like country living, but I know it's not a possibility since country living can be more costly in the end due to the need for a vehicle, and gas it takes to get to the city.......

Sounds like the guy might need more a small town and less of country living, small town still lack traffic, but still close enough to services and usually have some take out and delivery.

Snowy560

I enjoyed reading this story!

Twitcher1958

BristolUK

You should have filmed it all and sold the footage to a movie company for their next Armageddon production.

Almost Canadian

We have recently overcome the problem of the lack of deliver of takeaways. Our eldest daughter has been able to drive since the age of 16 and our youngest, in about 7 months time will be able to do so too. As such, we are able to send them out to collect our food if we have had a drink or two too many. The downside to this is that we have had to provide them with vehicles, insurance and gas and in a year or two, they will have flown the nest.

Howefamily

me too!!!

plasticcanuck

scrubbedexpat091

You don't have to.

My parents never provided vehicles, insurance or gas, and pretty much everyone I knew had to work to have a car since their parents were not paying for theirs either.

ScotinCanada

JamesM

This is precisely why I live in a building with 2 bars attached to it and another bar 15 yards away from the main entrance.

BristolUK

You live in a building with bars? Like this?