annie3-4

If you had to choose only one thing.What is the very best thing in your experience about relocating to Canada..and the worst ,if you like..

annie3-4

PS NOT vanilla flavour coffee...

Steve_P

Meeting my wife.

Cheers
Steve

dbd33

For me the very best thing has been access to the US; it's where the money comes from. Being in Canada as been better than being in the US as Canada has OHIP.

Judy in Calgary

Being far away from my family of origin.

Being far away from my family of origin.

Paradoxical, but true.

Posidrive

Best = Getting away from Britain

Worst = The stress leading up to the move

R2D2

Best = spending more quality time with the gorgeous man in my life and our 2 fab kiddies and getting out and about exploring all the new things this country has to offer. A new lease of life.

Worst = well, predictably, it has to be leaving family and friends behind, although they all keep telling us we are not missing anything 'back home' and that nothing changes.

iaink

As the wife thing is taken already, I would say being able to raise my family in a nice place in the country in a relatively safe and stress free environment, without being mortgaged to the gills.

The worst...undoubtedly separation from family, missing seeing my brothers and friends children, my parents missing out on their grandchild(ren)

Colsgirl

Best thing: the lifestyle

Worst thing: Health care or lack of. I have been trying for 5 months to get us registered with a family doctor but none are taking on new patients. I finally found one (that was about 10 days ago and went straight down and filled in the forms) it will be another 2 weeks before we know if the doctor will accept us on her list or not. If not, the hunt goes on. Annoying because we are paying for the privilege of not having a family doctor. I have just had to order a repeat prescription for my asthma medication from the UK. Fortunately, as we are at the moment, we have homes in both countries, otherwise I'd be stuffed.

dbd33

Where are you, Colsgirl ? Are there no walk-in clinics there ?

Colsgirl

Hi, we are in Kelowna, BC. I was given the address of a walk-in clinic and not wanting to put it to bluntly I did not feel that my 3yo and 5yo should have to sit in a waiting room with people who looked like junkies. I know they will come across people like that in later life, but it really did not feel safe.

Besides, I want a doctor who has my medical records and someone I can keep going to. Not somewhere where I see a different Doctor or go to a different clinic every time.

I wouldn't have thought that wanting a family doctor would be too much to ask. But doctors around here are like gold dust. So the hunt goes on. Not being able to get a doctor, feels like 3rd world health care. Makes me realise that I will never criticise the NHS again.

One receptionist actually told me to hang on until I haven't got any medication left. When I run out and I'm having problems, go to the hospital. :scared:

R2D2

Its awful to hear your situation, and am frankly shocked that no doctors will accept you into their practice, especially as you have two such little children. Is this situation unique to Kelowna or are other people finding the same problems where they live? Fortunately, we have had no such difficulties where we are, and we were accepted by the first practice we went to. Having said that, the lady doctor I saw was a bit of a dragon,.....that may be why. Still, I'm sure you'd rather see a dragon when your wee ones are ill, than no-one at all !

Colsgirl

Hi R2D2

I am not sure if the problem is just Kelowna or if it is in other areas too. I am not impressed to say the least.

I'm not really bothered about the personality of the doctor, or the sex for that matter. All I ask is that they are qualified and can treat us when we are ill.

Louise

dbd33

Here finding such a doctor takes a year or so on the waiting list but there are lots of walk in clinics and few of them are frightening in the day. The alternative is to drive to the US where you can have any sort of treatment on demand in a very nice facility and they'll keep your records in a database. Horses for courses really, each time we moved we went to clinics until our name came up, some colleagues chose to pay instead. We're always been pleased with the service and we're not dead.

britishvixen21

OMG I swear I was just about to write the same thing!!!