It occurs to me that forums such as this can influence a persons decision in terms of whether to consider emigrating to Canada.

So Has reading this forum encouraged you or discouraged you to move?

Did you ever wish that you had found it sooner because you have learned things that would have been helpful earlier?

Finally if you knew what you know now would you move?

Not really, although the expat banter is both entertaining and illuminating.

We wished we had found this forum while we were still in the UK (bit hard without a decent computer though). We wouldn't have used immigration consultants. Yes if I knew then what I know now, I would still have moved - BUT, we wouldn't have used immigration consultants and we would have all arrived together.

I have learnt tons of stuff from this forum, we did all this immigration lark a bit:
'Well do you think this is a good Idea?'
'Yes I do.'
'Lets go on a holiday. See what it's like...Oh I got a job offer!'
'Well then lets do it, Red Deer seems OK.'

Good question actually. I think I found this forum at the right time for me - posted the inherently stupid questions about hair straighteners and shoes and such like right at the beginning (and too got shot down if I remember rightly )

But the help was there when I needed it and hopefully have said thank you to all who did help along the way.

So no - it didn't change my mind - if anything listening to others experiences and advice good and bad made me realise that it wasn't a magic answer to all problems and to go into it with an open mind.

This forum has helped immensely, and has made me watch for signs of homesickness, combat loneliness and just been there xxx


Edited to add yup PP thats pretty much the way I got here too!!!!!

Not sure we even had 'tinternet' when I came here in 1993.

What she said, made some good friends on here, made plenty of mistakes as well, but its a massive learning curve is life
If i was joining the forum today, i think i would be scared of posting a question, silly or not that it may sound to others.......
Thank god for facebook......eh boys and girls

Aaaah! 1993 - The Year 5 B.G. (Before Google) of "Teh Interweb" - and the year I decided it might be a good idea to leave California and go home to the UK...kicking myself ever since

If anything it's made me think that it was very definitely the right move all those years ago (1963).

Unfortunately they wouldn't let me close the door after I arrived.

I've found information on here really useful and it has helped me along the way. I've also found a lot of scaremongering - most of it unfounded. Nothing on earth could have changed my mind, and I feel at home here, even though it's only been 3 and a bit months

This forum was extremely useful for helping get through the visa process etc. But to base a decision about immigrating - are you kidding!?!

I found this forum at exactly the right time... just as we were preparing our application form back in 2004. I've learned a lot and never even considered using a lawyer.

It never changed my mind about applying, but I did take a two year break from the forum - only because I needed to get on with living life in the UK while playing the waiting game.

I'm still asking questions and have never been shot down yet! A great bunch of people

The forum has been a source of reassurance. It can be a little confusing at times as you try to wade through the different opinions but it is a really useful source of info for the most mundane things that you want to find out beforehand...

I think it also adds a touch of realism to the process. There are people here who have succeeded spectacularly and other who have failed just the same. It's no easy ride and to see others going through it too is reassuring.

Yep, probably


That's gotta be better than ..... 'Oooh, that place sounds like Nanny Moe .... let's go there!!'

Yep, same here ....... & the MBTTUK forum used to worry me a bit ..... but actually it's helped me to recognise homesickness/culture shock

I'd have come through the window anyway.

ratatatat