Originally Posted by teacher1000 (Post 9820354)

LOL too true. Downtown Hamilton is well, pretty grim in itself. That being said, the mountain area and towards, binbrook, grimsby, ancaster etc are nice areas that are being built up. I will say, the pollution in hamilton isn't very nice, but to be fair I'm in London, and it's pretty bad here as well. In the summer, (the one week we usually have of nice weather) you can also see the smog from my flat roof over to the chard and the center of London as well...so, either way, i'm going to be in a haze.

There are things about London that I will miss. One is the moderate temperatures. Much less sun than in Ontario, but the temperatures are good. I mean, I don't even think its gotten down into the - yet this year and it's January (In London at least) and Lloyd Grossman.
BUuuuuuuuut that being said, Ill have my Kraft Peanut Butter back, and Tim Hortons, so, it's all good

Originally Posted by teacher1000 (Post 9820354)

LOL too true. Downtown Hamilton is well, pretty grim in itself. That being said, the mountain area and towards, binbrook, grimsby, ancaster etc are nice areas that are being built up. I will say, the pollution in hamilton isn't very nice, but to be fair I'm in London, and it's pretty bad here as well. In the summer, (the one week we usually have of nice weather) you can also see the smog from my flat roof over to the chard and the center of London as well...so, either way, i'm going to be in a haze.

There are things about London that I will miss. One is the moderate temperatures. Much less sun than in Ontario, but the temperatures are good. I mean, I don't even think its gotten down into the - yet this year and it's January (In London at least) and Lloyd Grossman.
BUuuuuuuuut that being said, Ill have my Kraft Peanut Butter back, and Tim Hortons, so, it's all good

Originally Posted by teacher1000 (Post 9820276)

You know what? I think you're absolutely right. I think the culture shock of leaving your hometown/city had a HUGE impact on me. I like you, have lifelong friends in Canada, and to be honest, I never REALLY wanted to move to England. I was getting married to a british man, and we decided because he had the better job, it was in my best interest to move to London. We also thought at that time, that it would be temporary, for a year or two until we could come back to Canada! Fast forward 4 years later, and we are finally in the end stages of filling out the paperwork/sending it off.

London has given me a very poor impression of England. I know I shouldn't stereotype british people, but living here has made me very very unhappy. For me, the idea of space, and the freedom that space provides, is what I ultimately want to have. I want to have a nice house, with a gargage, backyard and car. Coming from Canada, I was used to driving everywhere, not being sat on the underground where people are crushed like sardines together. I guess I'm a bit spoiled having come from a place like Canada to England, where I was forced to take public transportation (VERY EXPENSIVE AS WELL) everywhere. I just find London to be sufficating. Smaller towns here are lovely, but from my initial impression of places like buckingham and just outside oxfordshire (im sure not all) theres not a whole lot going on.

I was told that if you want to be social in london, you go to the pub. For me, this used to be, you go to tim hortons, go for a walk with your friends, go to a bbq etc etc...I was not used to this culture of socialising via drink. Or atleast, not to the levels that I have witnessed myself.

Anyways, I think we will eventually both have what we want, and that is to be close to the people we care about, in a place that we feel comfortable living in. For me that is Canada, for you it is UK. Best of luck to you

Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat (Post 9820362)

That's a matter of some debate.

I think you said your other half is a teacher? What do you expect him to do when you return to Canada? Breaking into teaching can be a challenge. Certainly supporting a family while doing so without another source of income is a near impossibility IMHO.

Originally Posted by teacher1000 (Post 9820354)

Ill have my Kraft Peanut Butter back, and Tim Hortons, so, it's all good

Originally Posted by Lorry1 (Post 9820370)

I understand you are homesick, as am I.
The 2 Countries offer differenet cultures and different ways of socialising. You like one and I like the other :lol:

I am leaving Canada trying not think badly of it. Canada is a beautiful Country and I actually do not dislike it at all. I dislike certain things like Tim Hortons, the crap drivers, stop signs and the fact that people don't socialise in a pub :lol: but overall I like it. I just want to return to what I know and to have wonderful holidays in Europe.

Originally Posted by Lorry1 (Post 9820370)

I wish you could explore England more and you would see it really is a beautiful Country. London is not England!

Originally Posted by Lorry1 (Post 9820370)

I understand you are homesick, as am I.
The 2 Countries offer differenet cultures and different ways of socialising. You like one and I like the other :lol:

I am leaving Canada trying not think badly of it. Canada is a beautiful Country and I actually do not dislike it at all. I dislike certain things like Tim Hortons, the crap drivers, stop signs and the fact that people don't socialise in a pub :lol: but overall I like it. I just want to return to what I know and to have wonderful holidays in Europe.

I wish you could explore England more and you would see it really is a beautiful Country. London is not England!

Originally Posted by CANADIAN CARPERS (Post 9820387)

YUK.... The wife loves that KPB too (must be a woman thing) as for Tims you must really like weak coffee, my dishwater has more flavour (I often drink the dishwater after falling in from the pub) at least treat yourself to a costa coffee or a triple shot starbucks. At least they taste of coffee and not something strained thru some old tarts knickers.

Originally Posted by CANADIAN CARPERS (Post 9820387)

YUK.... The wife loves that KPB too (must be a woman thing) as for Tims you must really like weak coffee, my dishwater has more flavour (I often drink the dishwater after falling in from the pub) at least treat yourself to a costa coffee or a triple shot starbucks. At least they taste of coffee and not something strained thru some old tarts knickers.

Originally Posted by MarylandNed (Post 9820405)

I can't resist asking how you could possibly know this? On second thoughts, never mind...I don't want to know! ;)

Originally Posted by MarylandNed (Post 9820391)

What's wrong with Tim Hortons? If you don't like Timmies, then don't go there. It hardly seems important enough to be a factor in leaving Canada. There are crap drivers everywhere - including the UK. I must admit that I also miss the pub culture in the UK and the variety and abundance of quality beers. Some of the stuff served on this side of the pond is just dreadful in comparison. I also agree that being close to Europe is another huge factor in the UK's favour.



Very true - although try telling that to Londoners! Similarly France is not Paris - which has to have the rudest inhabitants of any city I've ever been to.

Originally Posted by CANADIAN CARPERS (Post 9820387)

YUK.... The wife loves that KPB too (must be a woman thing) as for Tims you must really like weak coffee, my dishwater has more flavour (I often drink the dishwater after falling in from the pub) at least treat yourself to a costa coffee or a triple shot starbucks. At least they taste of coffee and not something strained thru some old tarts knickers.

Originally Posted by teacher1000 (Post 9820354)

LOL too true. Downtown Hamilton is well, pretty grim in itself. That being said, the mountain area and towards, binbrook, grimsby, ancaster etc are nice areas that are being built up. I will say, the pollution in hamilton isn't very nice, but to be fair I'm in London, and it's pretty bad here as well. In the summer, (the one week we usually have of nice weather) you can also see the smog from my flat roof over to the chard and the center of London as well...so, either way, i'm going to be in a haze.

There are things about London that I will miss. One is the moderate temperatures. Much less sun than in Ontario, but the temperatures are good. I mean, I don't even think its gotten down into the - yet this year and it's January (In London at least) and Lloyd Grossman.
BUuuuuuuuut that being said, Ill have my Kraft Peanut Butter back, and Tim Hortons, so, it's all good

Originally Posted by CANADIAN CARPERS (Post 9820433)

15 years in the Royal Air Force, various drinking games in many countries. Viewer discretion advised.:rofl:

Originally Posted by quothapian (Post 9820591)

I've been in Hamilton for just over two years now, and I've started being really grumpy at people who think that the drive in from the east past the steel plant is all there is to the place. Last summer I basically lived in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area, and it's just lovely.