djchighlander

Hello everybody, not been on much since had a knock back with a job but have just received medical requests so thinking positve again about the dream move, trouble is wife not so sure now needs some positive feedback about Canada and Ontario more specificly around the Orangeville Erin areas any advice would be greatly appreciated
cheers
Dave

dbd33

We live north of Orangeville and I commute past Erin most days (lots of local pictures on the blog). What specifically would you like to know?

djchighlander

Thanks
Just some general good things about the area, nice people low crime good schooling not much haha why it is better that UK
cheers

The Wortley`s

Hi, I am so glad that I am not the only one to feel as your wife does, the waiting has been so long you forget why you applied in the first place. We have relatives that live in Orangeville, and we were originally looking at the Erin area to live, but we have a 17 yr old daughter and found that it was a little too quiet to fulfill her needs especially the fact that she needs to make friends as we only have her.
We are now looking at Barrie, Collingwood and Wasaga beach, Lindsey & Peterborough areas as the population of younger people tend to be in these areas.
We have visited 3 times now and personally I found those areas a little too quiet.
Keep in touch and let us know how its going. Oh you also said that you have recently had your medical requests, can you let me know you journey so far, AOR etc.
Thanks Sally

dbd33

The area is physically attractive, rolling hills, fields and streams rather than mountains so pleasant rather than spectacular. I doubt that Erin has any violent crime at all, the crimes reported in the Orangeville Banner tend to be graffiti, theft of objects from unlocked cars and the inevitable drunk driving. Drunk driving is habitual here so the plod must inevitably catch people from time to time. There's a fair amount of drug consumption, we hear helicopters more than once a week (searching for weed) and the hardware stores are all part of meth watch. There are surprisingly many nice places to eat though they tend to be pricely, dinner for two typically runs us $150 or so.

I'm not sure that the people are nice. For a start there's us, then there are the other Brits. I lived in Toronto for years and would go to pubs there without thought, I never quite bought the idea of the perfect multiculture but mingled easily enough with all sorts of people. Out here I find myself avoiding Brits and places where Brits go, most of them are reliving the colonisation of Southall day in and day out, the potential spread of "pakis" from Brampton north is a constant topic of conversation. I can't be bothered with the relentless hate and bile and have no interest in whether or not Enoch was right.

My kids went to school in Toronto and in the French language system so I don't have direct local experience however I suspect that around here money is everything. Look on the Barrie threads for posts by someone educated locally, that'll give you an idea of the language standards in the local state funded schools. Erin is horse country, like the home counties horse country, the children of the grooms attend the state schools, the children of the barn owners do not. Society here is something like rural England in the fifties, in order to fit in one joins the hunt and one's wife raises funds for worthy causes involving fish fowl and countryside preservation.

Whether or not it's better than the UK rather depends on what you value. There's none of that nonsense about banning the hunt here, one chases foxes and, when there are none, other types of varmints. Most people keep firearms and will assert that it's gun ownership that allows them to leave their doors unlocked. The green lobby has little clout, most people drive large trucks, snowmobiles, ATVs, power mowers and run chainsaws. This is not an easy place to be gay or brown. Oh, and people here refer to Rhodesia, not Zimbabwe.

djchighlander

Thanks for that will keep you updated with any news i get
AOR July 05
90 day letter May
request for medicals 16th Nov 07
its a long hard wait

djchighlander

Cheers DB
being a jock living in England for 20 years all that enoch stuff doesnt bother me just want to be able to commute to Brampton / Mississauga Weston area where I think I will end up working but be able to enjoy the great outdoors with my family

dbd33

Well you can certainly get that here. There's all manner of outdoor stuff, even some limited downhill skiing.

Liana

I think that could be a good description of most of Canada

sandgrounder 07

Similar here we originally looked at the Erin area, but our 18 YO son was hey thats way too quiet what am i supposed to do?

so we visited in June/July and decided on the Barrie area maybe after we settle we might look at Wasaga depending on what the job front looks like after the initial moving in period.

i'd be interested to know what The Wortley`s think!? as they seem in a simarlar situation to ourselves.

ps good luck guys

djchighlander

Cheers we are also unsure about the social life out there as we dont have much of one in UK would like to start one in Canada if there is one ?

Dave+Jules

Except New Brunswick where it is more like the 40's

Dave+Jules

Look up the local Newcomers club . We stumbled on it after seven months. It saved us after feeling isolated. We have never looked back since getting involved in the Fredericton club

rae

You will never be sure even the day that you leave. My emotions were all over the place I wanted to go then didn't. I cried on the plane for the whole 8 hours as I wanted to come but didn't want to leave family behind. I missed my husband (he left in the June I left in August) so I was glad that I could see him. That day was one of the top three of the worst days of my life when i started the 18 month process of our big move. I now have no regrets on leaving the UK. Canada is a lovely country I used to read things on this site what people were missing and mainly it was the food and yes that is all I miss now. We live in a little city in Alberta the customer care is atrocious getting things sorted out when you arrive is even worse we are now all settled and both have good jobs and life will probably be nearly back to normal after christmas don't know how I will feel at christmas not really looking forward to it too much. Go for it don't regret not trying it I went through hell to get here and had to do the last 3 months of it on my own with a young child but I am glad I did it. Mrs Rae (husband doesn't like me using his log on). Clare.

Andthen

I always suspected you lived in a classy are, now you just confirmed it.

I shall make a point of rolling through with a pride flag attached to my cruiser, if I get posted nearby.