British Expats
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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   The Maple Leaf (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/)
-   -   Move back to UK or stay in Canada? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/maple-leaf-98/move-back-uk-stay-canada-939219/)

Gozit Jun 26th 2021 7:40 pm
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Former Lancastrian (Post 13022329)
Can you get these tools at Canadian Tire or Home Depot?
:rofl:

If you find them, let me know. I'll have my credit card ready.

Moses2013 Jun 27th 2021 4:56 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Siouxie (Post 13022326)
""Some people hate [Canada], some people hate [the UK], some people never settle and others have the tools to make it work anywhere.""

and some people don't appreciate what they have :p
That is vey true too. How often do Expats moan about their friends or family who stay in the same place they grew up in. I suppose we are all very quick to judge others and while some Expats move to a nice place that becomes shit, you have others who stay in the shit place and make it nice. There are endless options and the path we take today might not be the path of tomorrow.

Shard Jun 29th 2021 12:12 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Aside from cycling opportunities, what is it that you truly miss in the UK? You've been making regular visits so you'll be aware just how much/little it's changed since 2005 (I'd say little). It's true that London is greater city than Toronto (for the kids) but it's a hard grind too, and I think if the kid really wants to be in London (or NY or Beijing) they will get there under their own steam. Wife is Canadian: happy wife, happy life...how willing is she to restart in the UK? If everyone if on board, and the property/job markets are in your favour then why not, change is part of life. As another poster said, you could also consider elsewhere in Canada, perhaps Vancouver or Vancouver Island (climate and outdoorsy).

Shard Jun 29th 2021 12:52 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by bats (Post 13021580)
When were you last in London? The Home Counties etc? I'm just wondering if you're thinking fondly of what isn't there anymore.
Do you mean like, Wimpy ?

dbd33 Jun 29th 2021 1:43 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Shard (Post 13023338)
Aside from cycling opportunities, what is it that you truly miss in the UK? You've been making regular visits so you'll be aware just how much/little it's changed since 2005 (I'd say little). It's true that London is greater city than Toronto (for the kids) but it's a hard grind too, and I think if the kid really wants to be in London (or NY or Beijing) they will get there under their own steam. Wife is Canadian: happy wife, happy life...how willing is she to restart in the UK? If everyone if on board, and the property/job markets are in your favour then why not, change is part of life. As another poster said, you could also consider elsewhere in Canada, perhaps Vancouver or Vancouver Island (climate and outdoorsy).
Why on earth would someone who misses the UK consider Vancouver or Vancouver Island? These places are the back of beyond, umpteen hours flight away and nothing there when you get there. It might make sense to have a place in Vancouver if you're living under an unstable regime, have a criminal background and can't get a visa for anywhere else. It might make sense if you're homeless on the Prairies and want to be homeless somewhere warmer (and you don't mind the constant damp causing mould to grow in your cardboard box) but what on earth can either of these places offer someone who misses culture?

Shard Jun 29th 2021 2:00 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 13023385)
Why on earth would someone who misses the UK consider Vancouver or Vancouver Island? These places are the back of beyond, umpteen hours flight away and nothing there when you get there. It might make sense to have a place in Vancouver if you're living under an unstable regime, have a criminal background and can't get a visa for anywhere else. It might make sense if you're homeless on the Prairies and want to be homeless somewhere warmer (and you don't mind the constant damp causing mould to grow in your cardboard box) but what on earth can either of these places offer someone who misses culture?
It sounded like he was only a bit bored of the GTA and missed all year biking !

dbd33 Jun 29th 2021 2:03 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Shard (Post 13023397)
It sounded like he was only a bit bored of the GTA and missed all year biking !
Vancouver does offer year round bicycling.

John_B Jun 29th 2021 3:04 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 13023385)
Why on earth would someone who misses the UK consider Vancouver or Vancouver Island? These places are the back of beyond, umpteen hours flight away and nothing there when you get there. It might make sense to have a place in Vancouver if you're living under an unstable regime, have a criminal background and can't get a visa for anywhere else. It might make sense if you're homeless on the Prairies and want to be homeless somewhere warmer (and you don't mind the constant damp causing mould to grow in your cardboard box) but what on earth can either of these places offer someone who misses culture?
Hilarious. Great point too. Vancouver is moving further away from the UK with similar, or worse, weather. I don't think I'm liberal or hip enough to survive living on the west coast anyway.

John_B Jun 29th 2021 3:11 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Shard (Post 13023338)
Aside from cycling opportunities, what is it that you truly miss in the UK? You've been making regular visits so you'll be aware just how much/little it's changed since 2005 (I'd say little). It's true that London is greater city than Toronto (for the kids) but it's a hard grind too, and I think if the kid really wants to be in London (or NY or Beijing) they will get there under their own steam. Wife is Canadian: happy wife, happy life...how willing is she to restart in the UK? If everyone if on board, and the property/job markets are in your favour then why not, change is part of life. As another poster said, you could also consider elsewhere in Canada, perhaps Vancouver or Vancouver Island (climate and outdoorsy).
Definitely not interested in the west coast. Too far away. We are still a little on the fence on whether to stay or go. There are so many good reasons to stay, and so many to go. In the end we'll have to go with our gut feel and see what our heart is telling us. It's actually a much harder decision that it ever was when deciding to move here in the first place.

Shard Jun 29th 2021 3:22 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by John_B (Post 13023432)
Definitely not interested in the west coast. Too far away. We are still a little on the fence on whether to stay or go. There are so many good reasons to stay, and so many to go. In the end we'll have to go with our gut feel and see what our heart is telling us. It's actually a much harder decision that it ever was when deciding to move here in the first place.
It is hard, you've built something there and would leave it behind. Surprised that your kids are so on board, given their age. West Coast living is certainly not without its own drawbacks. I think one of the big plus points of Britain is proximity to Europe (travel etc).

Gozit Jun 29th 2021 3:42 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Shard (Post 13023434)
It is hard, you've built something there and would leave it behind. Surprised that your kids are so on board, given their age. West Coast living is certainly not without its own drawbacks. I think one of the big plus points of Britain is proximity to Europe (travel etc).
Depends. Kids could be like me and unsatisfied with Canada. If my mum told me she was leaving the country and asked if I wanted to come I would agree without hesitation. (For those who dont know me on here i'm 22 so close to the age of OPs 20 yo)

Shard Jun 29th 2021 3:45 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Gozit (Post 13023442)
Depends. Kids could be like me and unsatisfied with Canada. If my mum told me she was leaving the country and asked if I wanted to come I would agree without hesitation. (For those who dont know me on here i'm 22 so close to the age of OPs 20 yo)
Fair comment, and even when you were a teen you were desperate to depart. :)

dbd33 Jun 29th 2021 4:15 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by John_B (Post 13023429)
Hilarious. Great point too. Vancouver is moving further away from the UK with similar, or worse, weather. I don't think I'm liberal or hip enough to survive living on the west coast anyway.
I don't think Vancouver is very liberal. I believe the government figures in BC to be a bunch of redneck hicks who accidentally got rich as a result of the mass immigration of Asian criminals. The aesthetic may be casual affluence, "Juicy" across the bum, gaudy paintwork on one's McLaren, but wealth derived directly or indirectly from slave labour tends not to come with support for the arts and social housing.

Gozit Jun 29th 2021 5:26 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by Shard (Post 13023444)
Fair comment, and even when you were a teen you were desperate to depart. :)
Yep, I owe it to myself to try and leave Canada for a bit.

CanadaJimmy Jun 29th 2021 5:45 am
Re: Move back to UK or stay in Canada?
 
Originally Posted by dbd33 (Post 13023451)
I don't think Vancouver is very liberal. I believe the government figures in BC to be a bunch of redneck hicks who accidentally got rich as a result of the mass immigration of Asian criminals. The aesthetic may be casual affluence, "Juicy" across the bum, gaudy paintwork on one's McLaren, but wealth derived directly or indirectly from slave labour tends not to come with support for the arts and social housing.
Agree about the corruption, but I don't think it has hindered the arts. Vancouver does have a decent independent movie, video games and music culture. Obviously dialed back at the minute due to COVID. A few years ago I went a show called "OVERFLOW" where a bunch of independent electronic music artists performed and it was really great and inspiring. I also follow a bunch of very talented Vancouver game developers on Twitter, a very popular video game called "Celeste" was made by a Vancouver developer for example.


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