---mlm---

Hi Everyone
I'll get straight to the point, we came back from our reccie trip to calgary end of august, although the place was lovely, i didn't get that 'feeling' that would make me want to move there, although my hubbie would. Now the question is, do we look at another part canada? or if the 'feelings' not there its not going to be any place in canada???

Funky Florist

I wouldn't be guided by something as nebulous as "feelings". It's a long, tough road ahead of you immigration-wise, and you need to keep a clear head.

I would make a huge list of pros and cons and be completely sure why you want to emigrate. Then make a list as to what's important to you in a home environment. And that will offer some sort of clue as to where you want to be. If you're not sure, try somewhere else.

It's a big decision, so I would say keep trying until you're both in agreement - otherwise you're just setting yourself up for arguments and more stress.

Good luck in whatever and wherever you decide!

iaink

Canada is a VERY big country. I suppose the answer depends on what it was that you thought was missing.

Sherlock Holmes

Excuse me butting in from t'other side of world but you might like to look at this:

Article

Best of luck.

Funky Florist

Should make this a sticky!

kazbob

Initially we visited Edmonton and Calgary as we thought that either one of them would be the ideal places for us to emigrate to, but I just didn't get that feeling when we were there, I don't know what it was, it just didn't feel right. Our next trip to Canada was to Nova Scotia and I immediately had a different feeling about the place, I loved it.

I would say definitely visit other areas/provinces, the country is vast and so different. Make a list of what is a priority to you and your family then do lot's of research.

Good luck.

Karen

el_richo

Calgary is a bit crap so maybe try another area during one more visit. If you're still "meh", then give up and make the most of where you live right now.

Edited to add: I just noticed your location is Wolverhampton. Scrap my advice about staying where you are. Move to Yorkshire, it's much better and much much easier than moving to Canada.

fowler71

Follow your gut feeling.

snowshoveller

Theres nothing wrong with the Wolverhampton, its in the middle of beautiful lush green countryside, it has relatively affordable housing, and you can get a decent curry, which means it scores better than most of canada. Oh and it has some history!

mcdavis

Recces will only give you a small insight into what life would really be like in a place - it's only when you try living somewhere that you can find out if it really meets your needs.

Oink

Have you thought of Northern Italy? Apparently the weather is quite nice there.

Pvt Chuff

Well, being born and bred in Wolvo, I can fully appreciate the desire to 'get away'!! However . . . I am now settled and doing OK in probably one of the most beautiful places in the world - and you know what? It really doesn't mean a thing when you can't share it with those you love. If it were up to me I would be home in a heartbeat.

Just my 10p.

iaink

Time to change that sig file perhaps.

A friend of mine was posted to Comox with the Cdn military... They both loved it there...wished they could have stayed. He got posted back to Trenton.

Deeny

Hi,

If you are able to, I would advise trying somewhere else.

We have been to Calgary, Toronto and Ottawa. We got a different 'feeling' in each.

Although I liked some aspects of Calgary I couldn't see myself living there. My husband and son were absolutely certain it wasn't for them. Daughter was on the fence.

Ottawa we liked more but didn't tick all the boxes.

All four of us felt instantly at home in Toronto.

We were lucky to be able to try all three I know, but we consider it money well spent.

Good luck with your decision.
Regards
Deeny

helcat12

Other people's advice about the pros and cons list is good. We did that initially and reviewed it a few months later.
I think you have to go back to your list of requirements - what do you need and want from the area you want to live in?
Then find the areas that fit this list.
Then research them more thoroughly until you have a good candidate and then visit that area.
Sounds like a lot of work, but it is better to be sure.
If your personal circumstances are suitable, another option is to get a job through the LMO TWP route and go over to live and work for a year.
If you like it where you are, apply for PR. If you don't, you are already in the right country, so you can look for other areas at the weekends and holidays and you can also meet people in the same industry who have lived and worked elsewhere to get personal recommendations.
If you find you hate it completely or miss the UK too much, come back when the TWP runs out. It's a 'try before you buy' situation.
My OH and I are doing that, but I am staying alone in the UK until PR comes through while he works in B.C. It is very hard to be apart, for sure, but the benefit is we still have our lovely house, my job and he is getting great experience in his new job. We have applied for PR as we are fairly sure we will like it, but if when he has been there longer he decides it is wrong for us, he comes home with very little lost.
Also, initial feelings can be deceiving and fickle, especially when the stakes are high - I loved our current house when we viewed it, then hated the first few weeks we lived there, but I love it now, 11 years later.
We are playing it safe, I suppose.