I can't believe time has gone so fast and that we've been here half a year! In some ways it feels so quick, but in others, it feels like we've been here forever. We feel so settled and at home here now, and everyday life seems so normal. All those things that seem strange at first - like going shopping at the supermarket for unfamiliar foods, watching unfamiliar TV shows, etc, are just a way of life for us now.
Changes for the better?
Our son is much happier and content in school here, has more friends, is enjoying the school curriculum more, and has more freedom than he used to in the UK. Only the other day, he said that he would never want to go back to his old life in England.
Our lives are richer in that we have more time for one another and don't feel constantly burnt out by the pressures of long hours at work competing with family time.
The children have more freedom, and we are relaxed about letting them go off for hours at a time, playing out with their friends, and having adventures - building forts, going on long rides around the area, etc etc. without the fears we had before.
Everyone who surrounds us are generally more chilled and relaxed about life. They are more easygoing and friendly and we have met so many lovely people since we've been here. When you are surrounded by laid back people, it has the same effect on you and you learn to stop sweating the small stuff all the time!
Tougher challenges?
We have not yet found our niches with our jobs. I am a teacher by trade, and 6 months from submitting my certification application to Alberta Education, I am still waiting for the results! I am currently working as a special needs assistant, and although my wages pay the mortgage, it would be nice to have the option to supplement my income by teaching now and then!
My husband has a low paid part time job, while he studies to be a realtor. It took a looong time for IQAS to assess his credentials so that he could proceed with the course (he has a degree, but needed someone to confirm that an English degree is at least equivalent to a Canadian High School Diploma - how mad???). This assessment took 12 weeks, so my tip would be to do this ahead of arriving here if you can! Consequently, our toughest challenge is to balance our finances each month and try to ensure that we aren't spending more than is coming in - a tough one!
Having less disposable income is something as adults we understand and can cope with, but the kids need constant reminding that they can't do all the things or have as much as they used to. I think that it is teaching them an important lesson about the value of money though, so that's a good thing.
Our 8 year old daughter has had a tough time settling here. While we are all very positive about our move, she still moans about moving here, and would go back to the UK like a shot! She has found breaking into friendship circles difficult here, and has become more moody and difficult since we arrived. However, she is beginning to be more positive at last and I think she'll get there, she is just taking her time! The problem is that she had a very good friend back in the UK and they were super close. She misses her very much and although she is still writing letters and emails, they are drying up on the other side of the atlantic! She feels a bit rejected I think - poor love.

So overall, I think that the benefits are outweighing the tough stuff, and we are all generally living a healthier happier life as a result of our emigration. Once our jobs settle down and we increase our income, that will ease other pressures enormously and we will truly feel that our lives are everything we want.
Would we go back to the UK? At the moment it's a definite Noooooo! We love it here and wouldn't want to return. We love living here so much and can only see things getting even better as the years go on.

Congratulations!

Hi snoopster,

Glad to hear that the balance of pros and cons is on the positive side. Good advice about getting those qualifications assessments done early. Mine (Eamonn's) were produced a little quicker with the organisation that I used but still took an age and a whole bunch of chasing.

Best wishes to Mr snoopster with his realtor studies. Once he has his licence, the hours are very long and the working days are very many (if one want the chance of earning a sustainable living at it) but it is also very rewarding to get feedback from clients that they have appreciated your efforts on their behalf.

Wishing you many happy and successful years here in our little town!

Kind regards,

Eamonn & Janet.

Congratulations on your first 6 mths, thanks for the honest post, hope you continue to enjoy your new lives

Thanks Eamonn for the wishes (I am Mr Snoopster)

& Nikki - small world, although we lived in Swindon the past 15 years, originally from Barton-on-Sea, just down the road from you!

Hi Snoopster that is a great post. I hope your 8 year old finds a new best friend to hang around with soon. Well we live in Ontario but I am also a teacher (elementary) and I have just heard that my qualifications are ok - it took 7 months so I guess they take their time good luck and I hope it comes through soon.

thanks, I guess there may be light at the end of the looong tunnel then!

Thats a great post!
Its interesting what you have said about your 8 year old, as we are having the same problems with our 7 year old. We thought she would settle into school no probs (she loved school in the uk and had lots of friends). Here there are only 6 girls in her class and she has only made one friend and talks about not wanting to go to school and missing home! She has also been very difficult and moody since being here. I'm hoping it'll smooth out as we are all finding it quite difficult to deal with as well as everything else. ( we have only been in oakville for 3 weeks). Good luck, glad its has worked out for you.

Congratulations, Snoopster. Good on yer!

Interesting to read, too, that you're working in special needs. Could I ask a big favour, please? I posted a thread for help in this area. It's here:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=608119

Be very grateful if you could give me any advice.

Thanks a lot... and good luck

Hi,we moved to Oakville last october with our 2 daughters who are 10 and 15We really thought our teenager would find it the hardest settling and making friends when it turned out to be the youngest!!! My eldest loves high school and has lots of friends and loves it here !!The youngest found it hard to make friends as they had all got their little groups and she really missed home and school and her friends.This did put alot of pressure on us as a family and we thought "what have we done " etc etc but it is getting better and she is just starting to make friends,so fingers crossed we are getting there !!
So stick with it and I am sure it will all work out I know they say everything takes time ,good luck to you all.
Janine

We said to are children that if they want to go back we will. After they have left us we still have a life and can do what we want to do. We brought them into this world so we feel they should have there feelings counted for.

Great if you are in a position to do that. We have financially sunk everything into this move, so we aint goin' back....we couldn't afford to even if we wanted to. (which we don't). Our daughter is at a sleepover with her friend tonight....the same friend who put a 'best friends forever' note into her backpack last week which was a great opportunity to show her that she's adjusting well and making friends. We very much care for our daughters feelings, and will help her through the transition as much as we can, but we've made this move for a reason, and part of that reason is a better future for our children. When she's older, if she feels strongly that she wants to return to the UK, then she's free to do so. We'll keep her British Passport going so she's able to make that choice should she so choose. If we were to return, it would only because the majority of us wanted to do so. At the moment it's 3 to 1 to stay. We've seen such a phenomenal change in our son's happiness since we came that there is no way we would want to undo that either. Sometimes as parents, you have to make tough decisions that may not be the most popular with your children, but if you believe in them, then you stick with them.

hi, i see you came here on nov 5th 08. how funny us too we are 6 months in and love it would never go back. we have 2 sons 12 and 14 and they said it was like they had never lived in the uk.
Sorry did'nt see where you lived we live in kamloops B.C. and its the best move we ever made here's to us i look forward to the 1 year caniversary any excuse for a party take care max