Hi alls,
I left a couple of discussions which got awesome replies last year. I just wanted to write something positive about my life here for anyone currently finding it hard or afraid to make the leap of faith...

I trained as a paramedic (PCP-IV) here and worked in some seriously crappy jobs to fund my schooling. I (like most Brits) took a lot of steps backwards and at some points was seriously considering giving up and moving back to the UK.

The BC Paramedics were on strike for almost a year and I was 75% finished with school and had to put life on hold while the Union and the Government spent 7 months refusing to agree on anything! I worked in coffee bars, landscaping and construction (where I worked with some crazy criminals!-another story for another day!) and drove a bus!

I eventually got called back to finish school as the strike ended (hooray!) and I also received funding for the whole course $5000!!! all in the same month!

So, to cut a long story short... in a year since serving up lattes and washing dirty dishes I've... licensed as an emergency medical responder and gained employment with BC Ambulance service, I graduated from paramedic school, I've re-licensed at PCP-Iv paramedic level and I'm now teaching the emergency medical responder course at the JIBC!!! My wife is working in a job with awesome (and I mean REALLY awesome) benefits and my son is in a beautiful daycare (pricey but worth every cent!) and is learning new words every week!

I'm actually living in a dream! It feels too good to be true some days! Even when i thought my career was over before it began I knew Canada/Vancouver would work out if I persisted - that's why we stayed! It is a hard struggle and I was going crazy - not being able to use my mates as a sounding board.

I just want to say to everyone that I hope you get to a point where things just click like they have for me. Don't lose hope! Keep working at what you want to do and something will work out! While you are waiting for that to happen, take a couple of hours to walk the clean, pleasant streets and keep reminding yourself why you made this decision in the first place.

Ok...sermon over.

Also, Hull 5-1 Scunthorpe Utd. I'm going to wake up soon right??

Don't think i've ever responded to one of your posts before so I don't want this to come across as a random "yeah well done you"

But having been through some crap when I first got here it makes you appreciate the good bits that much more.

Huge congrats on sticking it out and not thinking (like some do) that its beneath you to take on some of the jobs you had to to get by.

Long may the dream last

Nice one Ego - changing countries etc can be a real nightmare - 10 months in I was ready to throw in the towel - but then it lifted - and on beautiful days like today how can you not love Van?

I was just talking to a colleague at work today about our move over and how things are working out.
She had some neighbours who came from Manchester but gave up and went back after 6 months. Apparently "nature is too much in your face here"!

I'm glad you did stick it out and things are going so well for you. Sometimes I think people come over thinking "we can always go home if it doesn't work out" and that can become a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Many people have times when they wonder if it wouldn't be easier to give up and go home. For us, things still need some adjustments ... after 5 years we are still not quite right in the work/life balance, but there are exciting possibilities on the horizon. I just tell myself that we can change things if we don't like them .... even if it takes time. I'm sure we'll find that happy place!

I was 19 and arrived in Vancouver many years ago via ship and rail to Montreal Pier 19 where I was met by the Salvation army...I borrowed the money to come and landed in Vancr with just $80....I had no rellies, job, friends.....I got a cheap hotel in Skid Row and walked the streets looking for a job for 3 weeks....I kept applying for a job at a famous American co in Canada and they gave me a menial job out of pity....I am still there after 47 yrs..My children and grandchildren are both sides of the border,Oklahoma etc...My employer allows me now to work 6 months (april to Oct) a year and so I have a home in a Cheshire hamlet too..I live in England as a Non-Dom....I travel a lot and got back from the Sinai a few weeks ago before the troubles started...Next week I go to Jalisco Mexico for 4 weeks...and will never stop going as I love the people and the blue pacific.........I now have time to explore England and I love the Bronte country and while there in January was amazed by the beauty of the Yorkshire moors and the Lake district.....Alas my parents and good schoolfriends are all gone but I never forget my debt of gratitude to Canada and the good life it has given myself and family...

A really positive post. Well done for sticking it out and making things work for you and your family. I hope you continue to be happy in beautiful Vancouver.

I do think people sometimes (not in all cases before I get a battering) give up too quickly if things don't seem to be going smoothly or as expected and in some cases they probably expected too much. Immigration is a massive gamble, especially post recession and it takes a lot of hard work and compromises, particularly in the beginning.

I hope that if we ever get our visas we deal with any problems that come our way with the same possitive attitude as you have shown.

Thanks for sharing your story,

Tracy

Another lovely story of positive thinking and determination. Well done roofingman for makng things work for you. Hope you continue to be happy enjoying the best of what Canada and England has to offer.

An inspiration to others. And there's me worrying about a rubbish exchange rate

Congratulations, I remember you posting about the strike, sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards... Good luck.

That's brilliant, give yourself a big pat on the back. You're an inspiration to all and a big up yours to all those cynical naysayers who want to run off back home when the going gets tough and having nothing positive to say about anything and just to take everyone down to their level. It's hard sometimes having to live and work in Vancouver but if you stick it out you can make it if you try hard enough. And don't tell anyone but sometimes a little prayer comes in handy.

Thanks all!!!

I'm in good company here!

I know luck plays a big part but I honestly feel like there are so many more opportunities here compared to when I lived over in the UK.

Great stories folks. Thanks for giving me the strength and advice when I needed it most. I came on here so much during the stormy days and there were so many people saying "give it time". I'm glad I listened!

Good on you, pal.

Thanks for posting this.....I am into our forth month and still facing hurdles everyday to securing a job.

I know things will happen but sometimes it hard to see over the hurdles....a post like this show me I am not the only one...so thanks...glad it has worked out for you.

Regards

JB

I remember when you were finding it hard, really glad its so different now.

Glad everything worked out for you in the end!!.

We had difficulty getting LMO's approved in time for when our previous visas expired, mine came through in time but due to my "low skill" level my fiancee was unable to have an open spouse permit his was later declined due to $2 an hour less wage than average (and his boss couldn't pay him more) so he had to look for another job who would pay him the average wage and be willing to to do the LMO etc, so he had to go onto a visitor visa from November.
Living off one wage is HARD! last month we were getting worried about it all working out and having enough money to keep a roof over our heads and the thought of going back to UK was in the back of our minds as a last resort as we were getting very close to the bread line . Luckily our luck changed in the space of a week as he was offered a job as a software developer, which we then found out was on the list for the new LMO Exempt program, this is only running from October 2010 to April 2011 (seemed like fate to me) so we went to border last week and got 2 year TWP done - it is truly amazing how things can turn around so quickly!! We now have 2 yrs on our visas and are starting the PNP process!! so happy we waited it out and didn't make any rash decisions about going back!. Things have a funny way of working themselves out in the end