Originally Posted by AlvicSK

................I was absoulutely terrified as the next morning we were immigrating to Canada.

The last few weeks in the UK were a roller coaster of emotions and by this stage we were totally drained from leaving parties, devastated Mums (well mine) and worry about the immigration paperwork and how my two babies would survive the flight (our German Pointer and Cairn Terrier)

Leaving was the hardest thing I have ever been through in my life, when Canadians ask me what it was like - I describe it as attending your own funeral wake -alive-...everyone sitting around crying,looking shellshocked. If it hadn't been for the emotional strength of my husband I would still be there.
If you belong to a large, noisy, loving, busy family - do not underestimate how hard it will be to leave them. But, it has to be done and the ends really do justify the means in this case.

We survived the immigration process - went really smoothly and the dogs were none the worse for the flight. We overnighted in Calgary and arrived in Regina, Saskatchewan the next morning........holy crap....nothing absoulutely nothing prepares you for -40 wind chills, and bottles of water freezing overnight in your car...for most of the first week we kept saying to each other "what have we done"? But, we survived, we learnt to dress appropriately and a week later survived our first white out storm whilst driving home from our immigration meds

My OH had a job already (we came on WP) as a heavy duty mechanic, still there, still loves it - even though he leaves for work Mon-Fri at 5.30am just so that he gets there 20 mins early to sit around and have a laugh and a coffee with his co-workers!! This is the same OH who had to be kicked out of bed to go to work in the UK.

Soon after we arrived I got a job in the local bakery and this was the best thing I could have done - get a job in your local area - nothing helps you to get to know the locals better, that is of course if you live in a smallish town like we do. We are the first people in our town from Northern Ireland so at the start we were like celebreties and everyone came to the bakery to see the "Irish" girl and hear my accent - my boss used to say she felt sorry for me as I was a bit like "the freak" in the circus that everyone wanted to see!! It was nice though, they all wanted to know all about Ireland and why I came to Canada...I have never met as many people who called themselves Irish in my life, just because some distant relative came from Ireland millions of years ago!

That old monster called homesickness has reared its head from time to time, LornaD sums it up well when she calls it "people sickness" - I miss my family not the country or anything about it. The webcam is wonderful and we would be lost without it. I find the best thing to do now if something makes me sad for home either have a wee cry and get up and get on with things or say to yourself "This life was your choice and its a great life so wise up".

We bought a house on the net before we came here as we had no option as we couldn't find anywhere to rent with dogs...not a great idea but we had a brilliant realtor who found us a decent house. However she has since found us our dream home and we moved at the end of Nov 08.

OH has been through three different vehicles and two weeks ago finally got his F150 gas guzzler - he really fits the Western persona now!

The Saskatchewan people are so friendly, we just love the place, we have seen some amazing animals, breathtaking skies, scary thunderstorms and awesome landscapes - yes even on the Prairies!!!

We are so thankful that we have been given this wonderful oppourtunity to live in this great land and it definitely was the right move for us - neither of us see ourselves ever living in the UK again.

Both sets of our parents came together for two weeks at the end of June/ start of July and were blown away by Saskatchewan..the greatest endorsement was from my Dad when he said on his second day here "If it wasn't for the grandchildren at home - I would stay" and that meant a lot to us. Unfotunately he has been very ill since the start of December and we nearly lost him before Christmas. This is a big big downside of being an expat, when your family take ill, it feels like you are a million miles apart. Again you just have to discover your own way of coping.

So a year later we cant believe this is just our 1st Canniversry, it feels like we have lived here all our lives - so that must be a good thing..I couldnt write this tomorrow as we are going to the Qu'Appelle Valley to learn how to ski We are planning a 1 year party and have so many new friends between our church friends and other locals we have to have two seperate parties...we have many, many, more friends here in the space of a year than we ever had back in the old country. Mr and Mrs Vegas Rockstar from BE moved to our town and have become dear friends and Mr & Mrs LornaD, but she doesnt live close by.

I just hope that all you folk waiting on visas love Canada as much as we do and that it really works out for you.

Forgot to say that we became PR's on Thansgiving weekend...next step Citizenship....Oh Canada Our Home and Wonerful Land......

I have so much more I want to say but fear you have all died of boredom already...thanks for sticking with me to the end

Originally Posted by brianscottie43

What a great account of your journey to become Canadianized. It sounds as if you have the world by the tail.

Homesickness is an interesting subject. Many people move great distances within Canada, east to west coast for example, or in the US from New York to California, but I don't think it has the same impact on them as it does on those who move across an ocean, say from the UK. Perhaps there's a mind set that within country moves are just a 'phone call or a flight sale away for a few days visit, or just a drive of a few hundred miles for a long weekend. Do folks in the UK who move from Cornwall to Inverness feel quite as homesick as BE's here? It's not as if traveling across country is much less expensive than flying the ocean.

I'm probably talking claptrap, which, is not unusual.

Originally Posted by Coffeepot

Great post alvicSK, i can't believe how quickly that year has gone,
One day i will come and see you and Lorna ( mum )

How are you managing to not eat all the cakes

Hope your dad is better x and your mum is much happier, those posts she wrote really pulled at the old heartstrings hun xx what a lovely family no wonder it was so hard for you to leave.

Heres to many more happy years to you both

Originally Posted by hepburn

Thank you for that info Alvic. That is such an adorable pic, I love the boots! He looks just like my Cairn, she is just sitting here by me with her nose up to the fire.

I will look into that company and the children cant wait to get her some of those boots!
Lisa

Originally Posted by AlvicSK

Awww thanks sis

Mum is a lot happier since they came to visit us and met all our friends etc etc although she does shed the odd tear from time to time...she cried on Saturday too as it was a year to the day we left..today is the day we actually arrived in Saskatchewan

I stopped working at the bakery the week before we moved - so that I could spend the winter renovating...another great oppourtunity this country has given us with OH having such a good job...we could never have done this in UK.

It would be lovely if you came to see me and Lorna...she'll laugh if she reads this as it's nearly a year since I was last at hers myself although her and OH visited us in the Summer.

How are your immigration plans coming along?

Originally Posted by hepburn

I think Mac and Shankly will get on. What is it with Cairns and their footwear.
Lisa