Voyager970

A few reasons why the Voyager family are moving, the list is endless

Why are we leaving?

Because frankly the UK sucks that’s why.

Why does it suck?

- Bad education & health systems
- Terrible transport infrastructure
- Highest energy costs of anywhere in the western world
- Highest housing costs in Europe
- all round urban decay

100 years ago the UK was a global leader, in fact it was THE global leader. It's spent those last 100 years in a perpetual decline mainly due to chronic lack of investment in the things that matter.

Our railway infrastructure remains stuck in a Victorian time-warp, the road network is full to bursting point and is crumbling under the pressure.

House prices are astronomical. Petrol costs about 4 pounds a gallon, this despite the fact that the UK is the EU's largest oil producer. You can buy our oil for the 1/2 the price in France than you can right outside our own oil refinery. There’s absolutely no reason for this except to make the people suffer

And to top it all off, everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING, seems to cost more in the UK than it does anywhere else. The UK is the rip-off capital of the world.

Basically the UK's quality of life is terrible. People live better in much poorer countries like Portugal than they do in the UK and so anyone who can leave probably will leave. Especially to somewhere like Canada where the living is so good and things are so cheap.

I will not get on my soap box about it as we have taken the decision to get out and have started filing out the forms

A long way to go, but what the heck, another 18 months in this dump will not kill us

Hope you find this thread informative susiequ

Eddie

martikaxx

I have been feeling REALLY homesick for the UK of late and reading your reply really has hit home. You are right. I am lucky to be living in Canada for all the reasons you have pointed out.
The health care is second to none, I had my daugher here (Alberta) and have been in hospital since and the care was amazing. I do miss my steak and kidney pies and fish and chips though (tee-hee) !
Liz

Velouria

you said you recently came back from a visit home... did you feel homesick before the visit? and if so, did going back appease the homesickness, or did you realise why you actually left in the first place. just curious, as i have been reading a few posts where people get really homesick, then end up going back to a UK they remember so fondly, only to find out its not as great as they remember it.

martikaxx

Hi
Yes, I felt homesick before the visit thats why I decided to go back for 2 months. Miss my mum and dad still (as I have a relatively new baby). Going back was wonderful. I didnt really have anything to complain about when I was there. I think when you dont have family around you and your spouse doesnt have any here then your pretty isolated. But I must say I visited the docs when I was home and it really did hit home how dreadful the health system is. I cant make up my mind whether to go back or not, but joining this group last night has made me feel much, much better I must say. Its like I have someone to talk to now ! Am I sad ?? lol

Velouria

lol no thats not sad at all! as BT says - its good to talk

it can definitely be tough away from family, especially with a new baby. how long have you been in canada?

martikaxx

Ive been here four years, thats why I am still a little bewildered why I am so homesick !!??
How long have you been here ?

Velouria

we've only been in calgary a couple of months. im originally from montreal, but i spent eight years in the uk. my husband is from enfield. i dont think he is homesick - although he does miss his parents. i think he will go back for a visit in april.

maybe the new baby brought on these feelings? it is a big change. plus ive never been to red deer so i dont know how big/small it is...?

martikaxx

Not sure, Red Deer is quite small I suppose, just dont feel that the people are too friendly and dont really go out of their way to make friends with "newcomers". I have tried .... I joined groups, volunteered etc, but there is only so much a person can do )

Velouria

very true. its really difficult to make friends. when i first went to the uk, it took me almost four years to make a decent friend. and im pretty outgoing. and now im starting all over again! ah well.

are you and your husband/other half set on red deer? maybe a move to a bigger city might help? or are you there for his job?

hot wasabi peas

I don't think you're sad! Though my situation is somewhat opposite to yours - I'm a Canadian living in England - I can relate very much to what many other British expats on this forum experience - culture shock, isolation, excitement, frustration, homesickness, disliking aspects of their home country, having to re-build a social network, missing friends and family, etc... the countless contradictions of migration that can swirl about in an expat's head, regardless of where they're from and where they've gone. I think the internet and forums like this are like global pubs for global people.

owen

I'm agreeing with all the above eddie but its to do with society's evolving into the " me first blame everyone else attitude " too. My sister just came back from NZ after her first year away and absolutely hating being here. She realised whatever she misses was far out weighed with why she left in the first place, the security of her family growing up in a fairer society. Thats what my family will have too i hope

suziequ

Thanks for the replies.

Both my hubby and I have experienced living abroad as we met and married in South Africa, we are both originally from the UK.

We had our first baby in SA and it was really hard as we had no family around and he was born premature and was in intensive care for 6 weeks so I know just how hard it can be without a suppport network.

We have been back in the UK for 11 years and it has been hard, we dont have any family living locally so only see them once a month if we are lucky.

My hubby has been working away from home for the past 5 years (away durning the week coming home Friday night to Monday morning) so it has been really hard for all of us.

I just know that we cant go on living like this and if there is a chance of a better life then we must seriously look into it.

Who knows if it will work out or not, I think that is a risk that everybody takes when emigrating, it is very different going for a holiday in a country that making a living there.

Anyway with christmas just 2 weeks away and New Year in Lanzarote to look forward to, we will discuss the possibility again after christmas.

Sue

Becs

I'd say have a good look at the education system, and how it would suit your child(ren). A friend of the family recently moved up to Alberta with kids age 7, 12, and 14, and they are beating their heads against a brick wall trying to get them into more challenging classes because their kids are so far ahead. I'd say the UK has a definite edge in terms of education.

Best of luck

-Becs

Purley

I hate to tell you this but I have been here 35 years and I still get homesick. HOWEVER, I have to admit that I probably get homesick for things that might not be happening if I lived at home. I get homesick that I can't go Christmas shopping with my Mom - but I do realize that if I hadn't come to Canada I might not be living anywhere near my Mom!!

I think a lot of homesickness is for things that used to happen when you lived in England - however long ago that is!!

I was reading about the experiment to make 1 lane for shared driving - all the comments said things like - oh great - shove all the cars on 2 lanes instead of 3 - that will be sure to make things better - and how it works on 6 lane highways in the States but maybe not with the roads in England.

I think you just have to accept that you will always have a soft spot for England and that there are times in the year - Christmas being the big one - when you will probably feel homesick the rest of your life!

martikaxx

Thanks for the reply - infact thanks everyone, its a big help knowing I am not alone. My hubby has a good job here, so it would be difficult to move right now. Think maybe I should just "suck it up" right now and try to get along best as I can ! Easy to say though. Yet another day today where I dont see or speak to anyone (Sunday). I will probably go out to Earls for lunch with my daugher, it sucks having to eat on my own with her at a restaurant though !