Bally21

My husband and I moved to Orillia, Ontario in June 2012 through the family sponsorship. It's been pretty good!
I got a job within 2 weeks working with horses and then went part time when my university program started in Sept. My husband received his visa July 23rd and we flagpoled on July 27th. He got a job in retail within 2 weeks and a second job with an outdoor adventure company that he loves. He's looking for other jobs at the minute but we're doing ok with the jobs we have now, they keep us going for the meantime! We didn't expect to walk into awesome jobs, and I'm glad we didn't have high expectations otherwise I'm sure we would have been disappointed!

Our dogs and cat have settled in well and love the outdoors!

I spent the last week in the Yukon doing some work experience so hubby and I may come up here next summer for a few months to work! It's amazing up here!!

Homesickness..hmmm…a wee bit. Don't miss the cheese as much as I thought we would. We just eat a lot less now due to the cost. But it's fine. We get care packages from home with good ol british sweets so it's all good!

We found people are really accepting of 'foreigners', they ask us where we are from and we tell them..after a few comments of 'Oh I've always wanted to go to Ireland' we mentally roll our eyes (it's NORTHERN IRELAND!) and that's the end of it. Whereas at home if you're slightly different, they make you feel like such an outsider! People just seem to expect to have immigrants here and they are cool with it.

I had my first experience with Canadian healthcare and it was awesome! Had to go to the hospital for a concussion and the care I received was excellent.

I think that's it! Sometimes it's hard but we don't regret moving and we're pretty happy with how we've settled in for the last 4 months.

Advice for those still to make the journey.
1. Bring more money than you think you'll need.
2. Don't compare Canada to your home country. Recognize they are two different places, and each have their good and bad points, appreciate them each for what they are.
3. Perogies are delicious and CHEAP! lol eat them when you're poor.
4. Get some form of health insurance
5. Get a quote from Johnsons insurance, they recognize no claims from the UK and my husband and I pay LESS than most canadian drivers! And we're 25 years old so we expected to pay loads. Nope, we pay less than $100/month!!
5. Just do it! Make the move, if you don't like it, you can go home. It's really not that far away, and life is too short for 'what ifs'.

DandNHill

Sounds as though it's all working out!

You're right to not compare the two countries. In some ways they are similar but it most ways they are so so different!

Good luck with the next 4 months

Novocastrian

Welcome to your first pending winter. Do post again next June.

Bally21

I spent 4 years at university in Canada, I'm good with the winters my husband and I only visited Canada in winter (cheaper flights) so we thankfully know what to expect! And we're both avid ice hockey players so we can't wait til the lake freezes, pond hockey woop woop! But thanks!

Novocastrian

Ah, well. You're both Anaheim Mighty Ducks to ice then. Pity about the lockout though.

curleytops

Is Webber's Burger joint still in business on the northbound side of the highway? I loved stopping there!

Miss Clinique

It was when I drove past it in August.

cheeky_monkey

You just have

DandNHill

funny.....

carolina8888

Hi Bally! I moved to Orillia in July (from Glasgow), although we have recently moved to Barrie, which is not too far away. It's my partner's hometown so I had the advantage of having visited a few times before the move. Glad you're settling in. I found Orillia to be a very friendly wee place and it was just gorgeous in the summer.

snowhugs

Hi ,
We moved 3 months ago to Parry Sound. I have found the move much harder than I thought , husband and kids doing well.

I think your advice is spot on , you just bleed money in the first few months...

Bally21

Well today is 8 months!! We're loving the winter!! And driving in the snow isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Hubby has applied to college for this Sept for a trade, so that's exciting.

Had to take our dog to the vet after she lacerated her arm..wow that made me miss the UK's dirt cheap pet insurance!! Eye wateringly expensive here but since I'm going into the veterinary field, in a few years it will all be free for us!

We still haven't received hubby's permanent res card yet!

And finally, I absolutely LOVE the healthcare here. After 10 years of suffering from kidney problems in the UK and them not being able to diagnose it, within 8 months a Canadian doctor has diagnosed it and I should be 'cured' in the next 3 months if treatment is successful, which there is no reason why it won't be. I am so happy with the care received here. I absolutely loved the NHS and didn't have a gripe with them (except not diagnosing me lol) but ontario's healthcare is just superb!

Next hurdle is our first tax return!