dbd33

Since 1981(!) They grew up here and went to high school in Toronto, next to Maple Leaf Gardens. One now lives in London, one in Vancouver, one in Switzerland. The one in Vancouver previously lived in Alaska, is now back in school and is loaned to Montreal for a term, so where she'll settle is far from being determined.

I used to pay close attention to their progress relative to their cousins of a similar age. My preoccupation being that they should graduate from high school without getting pregnant, a hurdle set too high for one cousin in the UK. They managed that though, since a good number of their classmates did not, I don't think we can say that location was the major factor. We might note also that, AFAIK, while they smoked joints, drank, and tried cocaine a couple of times, they chose not to get heavily into drugs. A prudent course not taken by at least one of their fellow students who now twirls on tables at Filmores (or did, she must be knocking on a bit for that now). My point here, of course, is that everything is available to students there or here.

Their cousin in rural Ontario also managed to reach the end of high school without being bred. We were all surprised at that as she's grown up to be white trash; an outcome one would have to see as disappointing if one were living on a sink estate. Her problem was that, unlike the city where there are too many diversions, in the country there are not enough; it's all animal cruelty and bush parties featuring booze and meth.


The one who lives in London is rather terse in correspondence, asked this week about working there vs. here she offered the following:

"as with anything, some aspects ... are better in Canada and some are better here"

That's it, really.

Keelif

Well thank you for taking the itme to reply. Its nice to hear from someone who has been over there such a long time

Do you think you will ever return to the UK?

dbd33

No idea. Most people I knew have left, going back to their countries of origin or on to new ones. Those who remain typically spend "six months less a day" per year outside the country. I don't think it's usual, or sensible, to grow old in Canada. What will ultimately happen to me depends in large part on the order of death of those with whom I'm linked financially.

In the meantime, I'm making the most of it.

Lorry1

Lol..No I am not hoping for some retardation. I guess it goes back to the stepping back in time comment. My childhood was completely different to young cousins of mind who are just entering their early teens. Kids just seem to be so much more aware these days and everything is overly sexualised (im not some crazy puritanacal nun before anyone says anything) but It does worry me that little girsl are now worried about their weight or bra size when they're nine instead of what new toy they'd like. However I think I may have gone slightly off topic and don't want to bore you all (sorry to those I already have!) [/QUOTE]



We are in Nova Scotia. My youngest daughter is 8 years old. She very recently asked for her first bra as most of her friends at school wear one

Sorry, but they grow up way too fast here also.

My teen daughter has friends who are pregnant or have been pregnant and aborted. Her friends sister, who is 15 years old, is currently 4 months pregnant!

Please don't come here thinking kids grow up slower because they really don't.

We moved here 4 and a half years ago. I was so excited to move. I had the same feelings all of you people who are waiting to come are having.

A year after moving I started to get homeick. I just realised a few days ago after talking to friends why I feel this way. I set my expectations of Canada so high before I came that when I realised it wasn't the Utopia I thought. Rather naive I know but I just wanted it to be perfect.
I made myself hate England and think everything about it was bad. Truth was we had a great life there but I couldn't see it at the time. I think we do that to justify such a huge move and we had already financialy commited ourselves to moving so I couldn't back out.
I ask my best friend in England why didn't you try to talk me out of moving and she says I did but you wouldn't listen to anybody, you had a one track mind!

I didn't even know about this site before we came and I had no British friends for the first couple of years after arriving. I think because I had no-one to speak to and have a moan at it made it more difficult. All my friends were Canadian and you really can not have a moan to them abput Canada as they won't understand.

I have nothing really bad to say about Canada. I actually think it's a great Country. However, it is really not Utopia and teens are teens wherever you live in the World.

Kipper

Returned to the UK after one year
Cons -Lack of space - overcrowded
dull, dismal weather, expensive, lack of Starbucks,not very polite, helpful or pretending to be cheerful people,depressed looking people.

Pros - East Indian food, Marks and Spencers, bars and being able to take kids into bars, decent bitter, Walkers cheese and onion crisps, decent cheese, marmite, being able to buy alcohol in the supermarket, friends, family.

Canada cons - emotionally needy race, can't call round for a brew unless invited,crap drivers, never on time for meetings, try too hard not to offend each other, poor work ethic, different sense of humour, lack of lifelong friend and family.

Canada pros - mountains, skiing, kayaking, hiking, downhill biking, mountain biking, fishing, water skiing, boating, Starbucks everywhere,convenience of everything, space, scenery, polite people, laid back approach to life, importance of social life and not work life,fresh air, good work, life balance
Would I change it? Absolutely not.

Keelif

We are in Nova Scotia. My youngest daughter is 8 years old. She very recently asked for her first bra as most of her friends at school wear one

Sorry, but they grow up way too fast here also.

My teen daughter has friends who are pregnant or have been pregnant and aborted. Her friends sister, who is 15 years old, is currently 4 months pregnant!

Please don't come here thinking kids grow up slower because they really don't.

We moved here 4 and a half years ago. I was so excited to move. I had the same feelings all of you people who are waiting to come are having.

A year after moving I started to get homeick. I just realised a few days ago after talking to friends why I feel this way. I set my expectations of Canada so high before I came that when I realised it wasn't the Utopia I thought. Rather naive I know but I just wanted it to be perfect.
I made myself hate England and think everything about it was bad. Truth was we had a great life there but I couldn't see it at the time. I think we do that to justify such a huge move and we had already financialy commited ourselves to moving so I couldn't back out.
I ask my best friend in England why didn't you try to talk me out of moving and she says I did but you wouldn't listen to anybody, you had a one track mind!

I didn't even know about this site before we came and I had no British friends for the first couple of years after arriving. I think because I had no-one to speak to and have a moan at it made it more difficult. All my friends were Canadian and you really can not have a moan to them abput Canada as they won't understand.

I have nothing really bad to say about Canada. I actually think it's a great Country. However, it is really not Utopia and teens are teens wherever you live in the World.[/QUOTE]

Sorry to hear that you are not enjoying your lief over in Canada. Do you think you will return to the UK eventually.

Yes you are right it is everywhere. I think someone said in an earlier post that kids growing up quicker is as a result of the media, which I guess would be harder to escape from unless I moved to outer mongolia

You are right though that its not a good idea to set such high standards when thinking of Canada although I think thats probably true of anywhere. I guess it all just depends on what you want out of life I guess

Lorry1

At the end of the day, (and I bloody hate that saying but it fits here ) you have to do what's right for you.

It's human nature to want to move around or emigrate and try different things and nothing will stop you from doing it once your mind is set.

Don't set your expectations too high because it is unrealistic to think anywhere is going to be perfect.

We all think we want the big house with a nice couple of acres, but realistically unless you can afford a cleaner and a sit on mower, it's bloody hard work. I know, because I have the big house now (all 4,500 sq ft of it) and I would kill for my 3 bed semi back
I didn't get the couple of acres though because when I saw that I realised I would be cut off away from shops and amenities, especially in winter.

Yes, I think we will be returning in a couple of years. What I can say though is I'm glad I have tried and experienced life in another Country. I will never wonder 'what if?'.

dbd33

A couple of acres makes no sense to me. That's just a lot of grass to cut. If you can't get enough land to stick horses on you might as well live somewhere convenient.

Steve_

There's a lot of wrong things on it, the one that caught my attention was the comment about fresh food. Fresh food is bloody hard to get in Calgary other than the absolute basics. Yeah if you shop around you can get it but "easier" - definitely not. I do find it interesting shopping around to get it actually so I suppose you could put that down as "something to do".

On that subject, depends on what you're into I suppose. Given that most Brits drink more than I do then I'm guessing the cost of booze and there being less places to drink has some bearing on that one.

Steve_

I get tired of these "pro" and "con" lists, because it depends where you are in the UK and where you are in Canada.

The only truly major downside to living in Canada is the weather during the winter, but if you're coming from northern Scotland to Kelowna, you will disagree. Or if you're into winter sports in a major way.

Plus if you're moving from some rural area of Wales to Abbotsford, you're going to have a very different take on the crime angle, etc.

Also Canada is less crowded overall - but if you're moving to downtown Vancouver or Toronto you will also disagree.

For example I disagree on the car insurance one as well, honestly I don't know what I did to get such a good insurance rate but my eyes boggle when I see some of the stuff people post on here.

dbd33

What about the price of dental care?

Souvy

I had two old fillings replaced this morning. Didn't cost me a bean.

Does NHS dentistry still exist?

dbd33

Someone, presumably your wife's employer's insurer, paid handsomely for your flashier fangs.

Yes, there's still such a thing as a NHS dentist.

Souvy

Yup. I'm lucky in that respect. Doubly so. She gets one lot of insurance as a retired soldier and another as a public servant. You max one out and the other kicks in. This is quite handly for periodontal work.

I really thought NHS dentists had disappeared. I couldn't get one in the late 90s.

dbd33

I can't claim any expertise, I've largely ignored dentists. Doctors too.