Hi Y'all,

It's been a while since I posted here, loads going on and to give a bit of background, here is a bit of backstory.

Immigrated to Newfoundland in February 2008, the got PR a year or so later and went through citizenship, and became citizens in 2015 (or there about).

Now NL was only supposed to be a stop gap, but things got comfortable, bought a house, did that Brit to Canada thing and bought a MASSIVE house which was just way to big, lived there for a couple of years and then moved to a brand new smaller place in a perfect and lovely area.

Made some really great friends in the neighbourhood too, which always helps.

Our own little place in Paradise (literally).

The only thing we missed, being in NL, was being able to do things and go places easily, I mean off NL.

When you're in a place for so long, you've done 'all the things' you want to do, then things get a bit repetitive.

So we decided to mix it up and move to Vernon BC, for the weather mostly and proximity to things to do and places to go.

Took us 3 weeks and 1 day, bought a motorhome and drove 4,721 miles,
dolly towing our Mini (about 8,800km) and camped through the USA, East coast to West coast.

A real adventure - Lovely (but hard work).

We got here in at the end of August and it's now nearly February.

But now, I just feel lost!

Maybe it's a bit of Winter blues, and it'll pass (I hope), BUT it feels like when we first immigrated, starting again, again.

The 'OMG what have we done' thoughts have crept in and are currently eating away at me, and I hate that.

I have replied to many people on BE who have these thoughts and go through this, and most do - but I am amazed that I'm going through this again!

Not really sure what the point of this update is other than moving provinces is as stressful as immigrating IMHO, and are YOU (if you did this) going through these same negative emotions?

January, February worst months for winter blues/ cabin fever, March you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Don't worry you haven't had a full summer in BC yet, loads to do and see especially in the Okanagan. Whenever i get the winter blues i just read the online newspapers from the UK and instantly realize i am in the best place.

It's true, we enjoyed the end of Summer, quite smokey though (as you know), but there is just SOOO much to do here and places to visit, which is why we moved here, I guess get these next couple of months out the way and reset

I watch a lot of UK telly and I like that connection with home, but I am very happy in Canada, but I think it's just the starting again, again that's got me down a bit and houses are 'really' expensive and what comes on the market is crap and really old, everything is a fixer upper and when you've owned your own house for 25 odd years, going into rented sucks.

We can't even go into a different rental, as there is just nothing to rent either.

Yes UK tv keeps me going through the winter mainly the older stuff and the newer dramas, mysteries and crime series none of this so called reality tv, i also like listening to cricket Test Match Special so have spent quite a few nights this winter crying into my beer as our boys got their arses kicked in the tests down under, boots on the other foot now in the one dayers. Salmon arm may be the place for you, take a look when spring comes.

Totally agree with you.

We spent our first three years in NS. Loved it there but work was a challenge.
So 3 1/2 years ago we moved to Ontario. Not as extreme as you but still we were starting again.
It must have taken me 18 mths to 2 years to settle and not want to up sticks and move back to NS.
Just like with any big move you need to give it time 😊

Yes, we have looked at a few places outside of Vernon, where houses are affordable, even as far as Falkland, we won't rule our moving out a bit, we don't need to be in the town.

Yes, I agree, it'll take time.

I have started doing a big dog walk on a trail somewhere at the weekends, somewhere new each time and views have been simply stunning.

It's amazing how getting out clears your head and when you're out, it gives you time to think about stuff and remind yourself why you moved in the first place.

It'll be fine I'm sure, I don't want to go back to NL neither do I want to return to the UK *shudder, but then will I ever be happy anywhere, who knows

Now - this is my big worry when we eventually do our move, we will be essentially starting from scratch all over again. It has taken YEARS to get the contacts we have got in the car world here, it's take YEARS to understand how our interests work here and we will be throwing it all away to start all over again in the hope we will be happier.

January/February have got to be the worst months - still crappy weather, Christmas is all over and done with and no sign of any sort of spring in sight. Can you plan some camping or something for the summer to take your mind off the winter blah's? I've so far booked a trip to the UK and France (Nieces wedding in France) and have just booked a long weekend to visit my daughter in Ontario. Gives me something to look forward to.

Have you looked at the costs of building a place? How are the rest of the family coping.

It took my daughter about a year before she started to feel really settled and that was with someone who already knows people to introduce her to and ready made friends as such. It just takes a long time for familiarity I think.

Go back to the UK hells teeth i would rather have a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, where do you hail from in the UK.

Chris, Wait til May in BC when, presumably you'll be having a proper spring while back in NL we're enduring that sodden cold extension of winter that continues until oh, June when, if we're lucky, summer arrives. Then you'll feel better.

Originally Manchester (Ashton-u-Lyne), but moved to Hertfordshire where we lived for 25 odd years.

You are right, I'm told that the worst of what we have (which is nothing compared to NL) will be gone by mid-March and then I hope we can start to do the things we came here to do, I'm sure it's just the Winter Blues sir.

This is a nice thread which I've enjoyed reading.

I get a bit shaky sometimes with not knowing where I really belong and where really is "home".

Good to read people saying they wouldn't want to go back to the UK. I agree but some people are so negative about Canada.

I keep remembering what my husband says: we immigrants are exceptional people. We took on the challenge and had the resilience to see it through.

I occasionally miss in England but I would go back to NS before I’d go back to the U.K.
He’s right we are exceptional. We’ve taken on a huge challenge and for the most part we’ve settled and made Canada home. Even if my colleagues still laugh at me when I use the word reckon! 🤣

My stepdaughter said yesterday that at work they laugh when she says Porridge.