6-Months

Old Apr 3rd 2019, 3:16 pm
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Default 6-Months

We landed at the end of September 2018 so have been here just over 6 months.

It's gone very well, my partner found work within the first week - we are on Vancouver Island - and people told him that they were shocked he found work so quickly. Saying that he really did hit the ground running with applying and interviewing, he also had a lot of experience in his field which is also in demand here. So those factors helped.
I have remained working for my UK employer, but looking to phase that out soon as I wake up at 4am daily to connect with the UK team online and it's pretty draining lol
Family wise, the kids love their schools, Canadian kids are so friendly, and although there are always difficult ones, our kids have settled in very well. They love it here, the air is clean - we go to the beach all the time, and pretty much have lots of wildlife right on our doorstep - a different kind of wildlife to the UK, which was the pub-passers at 2am. We have the four legged ones now (raccoons, deer, bunnies, sea lions (we can see them from our front window splashing about) Killer whales, saw those further out once!)
Everyone is more friendly, less guarded, we are finding some a little too friendly ha! But it's all good.
Sometimes they don't understand a british accent - so that can be a challenge.
Weekly shopping bills are a shock, where we used to spend £45 a week at Lidl, we are now spending £120+ a week at Save-on Foods. I read somewhere that on average a family of four, in Canada, spends $200 a week on groceries.
Eating out here is better, you get more for your money - a plate of garlic cheese bread at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Victoria was about 6 good sized fresh generously topped slices, where at Frankie and Benny's might have been 2 or 4 pieces of lightly topped bread - for comparison.
Phone contracts are not as competitive, or abundant. Also bringing my android phone from the UK, it's still connected via Google Play to the UK, and won't allow me to download local apps (i.e. Canadian Banking Apps).
We will be moving to a different town, because this one just doesn't suit us.
Credit history does not follow you, and although I now have a credit card, I had to get a prepaid one to start building credit history.
Additionally my partner still does not have a credit card, despite being a 'newcomer'. That's been frustrating. Although now we've filed our tax returns this should start to shift in our favour.
Overall though - it's just an adjustment - and we wouldn't change it for the world. Love life here!!
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Old Apr 4th 2019, 8:27 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Originally Posted by HerMadge
We landed at the end of September 2018 so have been here just over 6 months.

It's gone very well, my partner found work within the first week - we are on Vancouver Island - and people told him that they were shocked he found work so quickly. Saying that he really did hit the ground running with applying and interviewing, he also had a lot of experience in his field which is also in demand here. So those factors helped.
I have remained working for my UK employer, but looking to phase that out soon as I wake up at 4am daily to connect with the UK team online and it's pretty draining lol
Family wise, the kids love their schools, Canadian kids are so friendly, and although there are always difficult ones, our kids have settled in very well. They love it here, the air is clean - we go to the beach all the time, and pretty much have lots of wildlife right on our doorstep - a different kind of wildlife to the UK, which was the pub-passers at 2am. We have the four legged ones now (raccoons, deer, bunnies, sea lions (we can see them from our front window splashing about) Killer whales, saw those further out once!)
Everyone is more friendly, less guarded, we are finding some a little too friendly ha! But it's all good.
Sometimes they don't understand a british accent - so that can be a challenge.
Weekly shopping bills are a shock, where we used to spend £45 a week at Lidl, we are now spending £120+ a week at Save-on Foods. I read somewhere that on average a family of four, in Canada, spends $200 a week on groceries.
Eating out here is better, you get more for your money - a plate of garlic cheese bread at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Victoria was about 6 good sized fresh generously topped slices, where at Frankie and Benny's might have been 2 or 4 pieces of lightly topped bread - for comparison.
Phone contracts are not as competitive, or abundant. Also bringing my android phone from the UK, it's still connected via Google Play to the UK, and won't allow me to download local apps (i.e. Canadian Banking Apps).
We will be moving to a different town, because this one just doesn't suit us.
Credit history does not follow you, and although I now have a credit card, I had to get a prepaid one to start building credit history.
Additionally my partner still does not have a credit card, despite being a 'newcomer'. That's been frustrating. Although now we've filed our tax returns this should start to shift in our favour.
Overall though - it's just an adjustment - and we wouldn't change it for the world. Love life here!!
Hi, I don't logon here much anymore but I just wanted to say congratulations . We also moved here in 2018 and love it. We have found the same things as you. Everyone is really friendly and we love the wildlife. Some things are definitely cheaper here, like gas. Groceries, car insurance, mobile phone bills and internet are way more expensive than what we were used to in England but nothing could make me go back there. With regards to google play, I had to completely create a new account when I was in Canada and remove the UK account from my profile. I couldn't work out another way to fix the issue. With regards to the credit card, we used RBC's newcomers to Canada program. It was great, my husband and I both got a 5k limit each with no credit history here. We just had to show them proof of employment and proof that we were newcomers.
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Old Apr 4th 2019, 11:03 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Half congrats!
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Old Apr 6th 2019, 4:10 am
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Default Re: 6-Months

Originally Posted by aerivona
Hi, I don't logon here much anymore but I just wanted to say congratulations . We also moved here in 2018 and love it. We have found the same things as you. Everyone is really friendly and we love the wildlife. Some things are definitely cheaper here, like gas. Groceries, car insurance, mobile phone bills and internet are way more expensive than what we were used to in England but nothing could make me go back there. With regards to google play, I had to completely create a new account when I was in Canada and remove the UK account from my profile. I couldn't work out another way to fix the issue. With regards to the credit card, we used RBC's newcomers to Canada program. It was great, my husband and I both got a 5k limit each with no credit history here. We just had to show them proof of employment and proof that we were newcomers.
Good comments, and suggestion on the Google Play. Thank you. Yes the mobile phone contracts are nowhere near as competitive, but we have a pay as you go with Virgin at $25 a month, there are restrictions though, so I couple this with a Skype subscription - which I need Wifi to use but only costs me $18 a month, and it covers unlimited- calls to anywhere in Canada and the UK.I only use my Virgin contract for texting and calling 'local' numbers.
I realise I should have written $120 a week for groceries not £120.
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Old Apr 6th 2019, 2:51 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Congrats on your first 6 months! We moved with our two kids to Vancouver island also just before you in August 2018. We are in Nanaimo and so far enjoying it very much. I love the proximity to everything mountains, beaches, ocean and the city. Just bought a house so busy doing Renos!
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Old Apr 6th 2019, 7:00 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Originally Posted by Mattc24
Congrats on your first 6 months! We moved with our two kids to Vancouver island also just before you in August 2018. We are in Nanaimo and so far enjoying it very much. I love the proximity to everything mountains, beaches, ocean and the city. Just bought a house so busy doing Renos!
Hi neighbour!! So glad you're enjoying your experience too. Congratulations on your new home. ☺

Have you bought a paddle board yet? We can't wait to get one and some kayaks.

I'm Canadian by birth and grew up in Canada but have lived on the UK for about 18 years so bringing the family (British kids and partner) back is such a lovely change. 👍

Nanaimo is great, actually quite accessible to Vancouver too.

Hope.the reno's go well too. ☺ We are moving to Victoria in a few months as it has just a little more in the line of what we are looking for. We are currently in PQB.

Well actually I'm visiting England right now ha! But that's where we are living.
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Old Apr 6th 2019, 7:07 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Originally Posted by HerMadge
Hi neighbour!! So glad you're enjoying your experience too. Congratulations on your new home. ☺

Have you bought a paddle board yet? We can't wait to get one and some kayaks.

I'm Canadian by birth and grew up in Canada but have lived on the UK for about 18 years so bringing the family (British kids and partner) back is such a lovely change. 👍

Nanaimo is great, actually quite accessible to Vancouver too.

Hope.the reno's go well too. ☺ We are moving to Victoria in a few months as it has just a little more in the line of what we are looking for. We are currently in PQB.

Well actually I'm visiting England right now ha! But that's where we are living.
Wow that’s too spooky! My wife is Canadian by birth and has lived in England with me for the last 18 years also! She wanted to come home so we moved over with our two kids! She originates from port alberni.

No paddle boards but can’t wait to try some kayaking. Plus mountain biking and hiking. Sooo much to do!

Good luck moving down to Vic. It’s a nice city, busy though compared to Nanaimo!

Matt.
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Old Apr 6th 2019, 9:28 pm
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Default Re: 6-Months

Originally Posted by Mattc24

Wow that’s too spooky! My wife is Canadian by birth and has lived in England with me for the last 18 years also! She wanted to come home so we moved over with our two kids! She originates from port alberni.

What a coincidence! May be worth connecting at some point to share notes. ☺ maybe when we are back on V.I.
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