rlogan

I had a 3 weeks holiday in 2003, went home, sold the flat and shipped my stuff to Vancouver. I told the shippers I would tell them later where to deliver it. Flew to Vancouver without a clue where we would settle, only knowing we didnt want to live in Vancouver itself. We bought a car and went to look at Victoria on our first day here (dreary, rainy day in Februrary). When we got there my immediate feeling was, "oh no we've travelled all this way to live in Crawley cum Woking", followed by "what have we done?". Day 2 visited a friend of a friend on Salt Spring Island because we didnt know what else to do. We have been here ever since and LOVE IT! Check out the view from our house in my photos gallery <.

dbd33

We had never been and expected French to be widely spoken.

I'd rather not consider the view from your out house, thanks.

iaink

Never been (other than for the interview), knew next to nothing about canada, and nothing about living here.

But it was only me coming, I had nothing to loose, and it was only "temporary". That was ten years ago.

Atlantic Xpat

Had visited Newfoundland twice. The first time over Christmas. Can remember standing on the breakwater of an outport called Bay de Verde in the howling gale and driving snow thinking 'where the **** am I!'. Still, summer was a lot nicer so I decided to give it a go & have not regretted that decision at all.

Madmac

Two summer holidays to Toronto and Vancouver, so 4 weeks in total.

Didn't have much of a clue as to what Guelph was like apart from speaking to a few locals but it's not much different to our previous town back home. No jobs either.

I knew that they all worshipped Tim Hortons and that Hockey was the preferred outlet for legally sanctioned state violence though.

Cookie

What a view rlogan

We visited Ontario (Toronto/Barrie/Stoney Creek) 4 times in 5 years and landed up in Nova Scotia after Mr YCD was offered a job.

Steve_P

But at least with hockey, for the most part it's only the players who beat each other up.

Unlike football in the UK were it's the fans.

Madmac

Frankly I was never that much interested in football or fitba where I come from. It's full of religious bigotry and brain-dead mob mentality.

The only games I watched were Scotland national team ones and only because I'm a Masochist.

As for knowing Canada, I have come to appreciate some of it's foibles and inhabitants - such as the availability of reasonable coffee at a decent price.....and that hot water that passes for it at TH.

daft batty

Been coming to this part of Ontario for 20 years visiting a close friend. So 10 holidays of 2 weeks each. Visited Ottawa, Niagara, Toronto, Bruce, Oakville, Collingwood, Muskoka, Algonquin, etc etc. MOH has been to NS and Montreal. I had always had a yen to live here but while I was single and living in London there was no way that Toronto would compare with that. But marriage and moving back to Bedfordshire made us think that Ontario was worth a shot.
Last two visits we made serious enquiries about jobs, wages etc. When we arrived we were very kindly put up for 3/12 by a friend near Lakefield and ended up buying a house in Peterborough itself. If we get PR we plan to move out of the city, if we dont, well, we have to move back to the UK.

In spite of all that background living here was still a surprise, Salaries arent what we were told they would be, we knew about the holiday allowance. I was warned about working as an x-ray tech here so the downsides ( less responsibility, antiquated practices ) werent a surprise and as I have done career and want a quiet life them its suits me fine, especually as the people I work with are so nice.

Still undecided about whether it was the right thing to do but it had to be tried out to know.

Steve_P

Oh come on now Mac at least it's flavoured water.

iaink

So tell us then, whos coffee do you recommend?

Madmac

Just part of an ongoing gentle argument between Steve and myself.

I like strong coffee and a local independent coffee house, here in Guelph makes the best I've tasted......so far. It's to my taste and would probably make send Steve off in a box. It's called the Red Brick Cafe.


Oh, and I like Starbucks Americano too! - Traitorous, multi-national, global sell-out that I am.

iaink

And thats a decent price? I balk at a buck and a quarter for timmys!

Steve_P

And I, sacrilegious auld git that I am like weak instant coffee.

Madmac

You've been here faaaaaaaaar toooooooo lonnnnnnnnnng!

Remember, I'm still in the 'Convert pounds to dollars' mode. A decent coffee at say Costa's coffee back home would set you back almost 4 pounds.

So a large Americano at the Red Brick Cafe for $2.50 is the price I pay for lovely tasting coffee and I'm willing to accept that as I only drink one cup a day.

Let's not get me wrong here: I like a cup of TH's coloured hot water with my Dutchie.