Living the dream or not????
May 28th 2008, 10:39 pm
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,351
Re: Living the dream or not????
Maybe the soccer club in Calgary is taking advantage of the Hargreaves fame....i.e come play at Calgary Foothills SC...where Owen Hargreaves first got started.
Here in Ottawa, I think it is $260 for the summer season for myself and our two kids.
May 29th 2008, 1:37 am
#32
sticky beaking
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Sherwood Park,Alberta
Posts: 1,156
Re: Living the dream or not????
Our dream was more a yearning for an adventure. It was a good time in our lives, the idea began to grow, we didn't want to have regrets ........so we did it.
Everything went swimmingly, from the sale of our UK home, husbands reccee trip to Alberta, the subsequent job offer, pre-arranged rental pad here, and then purchasing our own beautiful home (before the prices skyrocketed)
On paper........things were as good as we could ever have hoped for.
From day one of landing, hubby has struggled with his feelings about the place. I was pumped and ready to throw ourselves into living the new life to the full. I gradually brought him round, we had endless trips to the Mountains, enjoyed new pastimes, travelled to BC, fullfilled my longing to visit Vancouver and the Island. Did and saw as much as we could.
Yet, here we are.........3 years later, making plans to head home. As I said, not because things haven't worked out. Purely because we are at that point, when it feels 'right' to go back to all the Englishness that we miss (particularly my husband). My eldest son is 8 now, and we want to get back before he really starts to establish those closer relationships with his peers. We have already had a few tears over it, and it'll only get worse.
Plus, we really can't imagine staying here long term and living through winter after winter. Its not so much the temps as the duration. October to April is a long time without seeing any greenery.
We had considered trying BC, as that may just eliminate the 'greenery' issue we have with AB.........but what it comes down to, is the fact we are English. We miss all those many and varied aspects of UK life that make you who you are and shape you as a person. Plus the whole family and friends aspect, which is a toughie !
I would never discourage anyone from giving it a go. Life is for living. Don't burn bridges in the UK though. You never know, you may want to return one day !
Everything went swimmingly, from the sale of our UK home, husbands reccee trip to Alberta, the subsequent job offer, pre-arranged rental pad here, and then purchasing our own beautiful home (before the prices skyrocketed)
On paper........things were as good as we could ever have hoped for.
From day one of landing, hubby has struggled with his feelings about the place. I was pumped and ready to throw ourselves into living the new life to the full. I gradually brought him round, we had endless trips to the Mountains, enjoyed new pastimes, travelled to BC, fullfilled my longing to visit Vancouver and the Island. Did and saw as much as we could.
Yet, here we are.........3 years later, making plans to head home. As I said, not because things haven't worked out. Purely because we are at that point, when it feels 'right' to go back to all the Englishness that we miss (particularly my husband). My eldest son is 8 now, and we want to get back before he really starts to establish those closer relationships with his peers. We have already had a few tears over it, and it'll only get worse.
Plus, we really can't imagine staying here long term and living through winter after winter. Its not so much the temps as the duration. October to April is a long time without seeing any greenery.
We had considered trying BC, as that may just eliminate the 'greenery' issue we have with AB.........but what it comes down to, is the fact we are English. We miss all those many and varied aspects of UK life that make you who you are and shape you as a person. Plus the whole family and friends aspect, which is a toughie !
I would never discourage anyone from giving it a go. Life is for living. Don't burn bridges in the UK though. You never know, you may want to return one day !
Last edited by R2D2; May 29th 2008 at 1:39 am.
May 29th 2008, 1:47 am
#33
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,883
Re: Living the dream or not????
How come soccer in Calgary is $400+ a kid, but in Stirling Ontario is only $75? for the season?
What possible justification is there for that, surely there are more kids in Calgary so economies of scale would apply? Someone somewhere is making a financial killing I suspect.
What possible justification is there for that, surely there are more kids in Calgary so economies of scale would apply? Someone somewhere is making a financial killing I suspect.
May 29th 2008, 4:00 am
#34
Lotus-eater
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Cascadian Autonomous Elysian Region
Posts: 5,069
Re: Living the dream or not????
R.
May 29th 2008, 4:09 am
#35
Cynically amused.
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: BC
Posts: 3,648
Re: Living the dream or not????
I think the natural beauty might have two legs....
May 29th 2008, 11:45 am
#36
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Ontario
Posts: 40,018
Re: Living the dream or not????
Oh, life would be better with all of that, no question. That's the trade off, intangibles in the UK vs. consumer durables abroad. In Canada one can have a much bigger truck than would be viable in the UK.
May 29th 2008, 12:28 pm
#42
Just Joined
Joined: May 2008
Location: In a little village outside Brighton
Posts: 5
Re: Living the dream or not????
I've been here since September 1999 when I moved here with my Canadian OH. It was never a dream to live in Canada I was 25 and had nothing to lose by moving countries it was an adventure (a very badly planned adventure).
We will be moving back to the UK on July 13th but although it hasn't been easy here at times I don't regret moving, but for us it's just time to go home. Nowhere is prefect but I'd rather be in a imprefect place closer to my family especially with 2 small kids and a OH who has to work away from home for weeks at a time.
We will be moving back to the UK on July 13th but although it hasn't been easy here at times I don't regret moving, but for us it's just time to go home. Nowhere is prefect but I'd rather be in a imprefect place closer to my family especially with 2 small kids and a OH who has to work away from home for weeks at a time.
im 25 and planning on moving all by myself to canada, with no support from an OH, from your experience would you recommend it or hang on here in the UK?
Your true honet opinion is very welcome,
x
May 29th 2008, 2:04 pm
#43
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,715
Re: Living the dream or not????
Go for it, it'll put hair on your chest.
May 29th 2008, 2:11 pm
#45
Just Joined
Joined: May 2008
Location: In a little village outside Brighton
Posts: 5
Re: Living the dream or not????
sweet,
thanks for your reply, think i just need that kick up the arse to do it.
So how come you returned? Did it work out for you? any regrets?
thanks again
thanks for your reply, think i just need that kick up the arse to do it.
So how come you returned? Did it work out for you? any regrets?
thanks again