You asked if he knew what he was comming back to, I did not reply in the argumentative manner you have just replied to. It's just another opinion being voiced not an argument to be started! I just stated how he was feeling and what he thinks he is going back to. I'm sorry I do not know of your past, I do not know how long you have spent away from home in cold climates where it is hitting temps of -44 with the windchill for weeks on end and where it takes more than a day to get home to someone who is on a deathbed.

Yes Canada does offer a much brighter future for my family too - it's why we're here and living our dream and we are lucky that we chose the place we are living in as it suits us, we have more time and more security than we have ever had before. There are days where we miss things and times it's really hard. With the amount of people on the forums at the moment returning to the UK, it makes you realise that Canada isn't for everyone and that England does have many many good points - sometimes you have to move away to appreciate them.

I hope you are successful in your move and never feel the pangs of homesickness.

For the record I am not homesick. I am happy living here. My family is happy living here. I have no intention at this time of returning to the UK.

DOOOM! GLOOOOOM!That's something I DO NOT miss about the UK - all the positivity!

We visited last summer - twice - due to death in the family - twice. Not the happiest of times to go back. We could see the good things still.

We stayed in the village where hubby grew up, we listened to the church bells on Sunday mornings, we watched the kids playing in the sunshine. A haven - no. In the middle of nowhere - no - 5 minutes from Hatfield and Potters Bar.

I've had the same hairdresser for the last eight years, a set of nicky clarke clippers- £19.95 from a***s. Take the cover off and grab the mirror-job done, not quite sure what all the bits are for as I don't use the grades but I do agree with the girls it is a girl thing all this hair mularky

Maybe you could offer to pay part of their flight to cut your hair.

No, I love the winter. Summer, with it's thousands of mosquitoes drive me nuts though.

Ah, whatever. Thanks for making me feel so welcome on the forums.

Hi Piff Poff

It's lovely to hear such a balanced viewpoint and one I can really relate to. As the global economic downturn continues to take a firmer hold, we have decided to sit tight for the time-being and not pursue a job in Canada to expedite our PR application. However, I am still keeping tabs on day-to-day stuff by reading the BE posts.

When I lived in Australia, everyone back in the U.K would say just how lucky I was to live in such a climate. Until I lived and worked there for a time, did I understand just how the climate impacted my quality of life - for better and worse. I found the heat almost as restrictive as the rain in Manchester!!! I couldn't walk anywhere past 9am until 4pm in the afternoon during the summer because it was too hot. Work could be utterly unbearable at times because of the humidity and as for the mosquitoes and ants...!

For the record, I loved Australia and the climate but there were days I would appreciate the cool temperate climate of the U.K: I should imagine I might feel the same living through a Canadian winter.

My cousin can only say positive things about her life in Canada; the snow days, cold and length of winter - she seems to take all in her stride. However, I never hear any negative stuff about her life there which I find unlikely. Her mum is a little more honest which I find quite amusing!

This is why I am so interested in hearing about the winter and appreciate the honesty of how people really find it. So thank you. Without living there and experiencing it first-hand, it helps to make a more informed and balanced decision when taking it into consideration.

Good luck to you & yours!

Doom and gloom or reality? Depends which country you're in I guess.

I think it's got a lot to do with your attitude Countries aren't miserable, people are miserable you can choice to look at life in a positive way or just spend you energy complaining.

I agree about choosing to look at life in a positive way, but it's hard to when the country you live in isn't in a very positive situation at present.

Countries aside, it seems whatever someone writes they'll be shot down if their opinion isn't the same as everyone elses.

I think the whole world isn't in a very positive situation at the minute but I really think that people in the UK like to complain more than most and the media love to feed off that fear.

I lived in Canada for just over 8 years but for me and my family life is better back in the UK. Especially if I don't watch the News

Gosh! I so agree with you. I was happy living in Scotland and am happy living here. Good/Bad things about both countries.
However, back to the hairdresser, I got my old hairdresser to do my hair the day before I flew out! She had been cutting my hair for 18 year, I was sadder leaving her than some of my family members! However I was lucky enough to find one here in London ( she does come from London Uk though!)

When it comes to the weather, people enjoy complaining! I would be willing to bet as many people whine about the fact that its bucketing down with rain again -- in England, as they do about the fact that its 30 below and snowing in Canada!

LucyLocket, it's you that is being argumentative and shooting people down in flames. I only ever try to give balanced, honest opinions on why myself and family have experienced - something a lot of newbies to the site don't like when they hear something negative about their new chosen country - I was once the same As I have said to you already in this thread, I wish you every success in your move.

There is a lot of negativity here in Canada about the recessions too. I do read the news from England and it does sound awful there. It sounds awful in the USA and it sounds awful in Ontario too. (Alberta is still in it's little bubble of denial at the moment).

So LucyLocket welcome to the forum - try to read balanced views yourself before getting defensive and argumentative - you'll get a lot more out of them that way. (I'm typing that in a suggestive helpful tone not a sarky one).

I think that's one of the key differences I found moving to Canada

The locals are much better at looking at problems in a positive light
I suspect the winter has something to do with it, and being here a few years you find your self doing it too
When winter gets you down you remember all the mosquitoes that died in the fall, melting in the summer heat , you think about the walk across the car park in January, when the recession gets you down you remember all the miserable gits for the most part are still in the UK, and they can’t sell the house and move here either,
and gently the smile appears across your face

Wow, consider my hands well and truly smacked!

I actually have been reading a lot of the other boards and people's opinions, it is only recently I have felt confident enough to post with a view of my own. Perhaps the fleeting first comment I made wasn't the greatest, but I stand by it that that's how I feel about the UK at the moment. It was up to others how they decided to react to it....

Thank you for the welcome btw, as forums go it's great to find people who are willing to give advice, experience and help which is much needed with a life changing decision in the pipeline.

Maybe next time I'll try to leave a post which won't cause such a big reaction...maybe!