Pica

We get 2 or 3 lots every year- usually for 2 weeks at a time and sometimes back to back!
I love to see them but it's one hell of a strain on my patience, energy and bank balance.

Teaandtoday5

Anytime

Novocastrian

How about me? I promise nothing.

Paul_Shepherd

I think with a couple of my friends, yes i think it is a protest, they resent me for moving away from them. Family....not so sure, there is the kids factor, but i think a lot of it is becuase they really dont know what its like here, they think Toronto and Niagara falls is Canada.

For example my sister says well yes we would like to come, but when we do, we would like to head down to Florida while we are there.... WHY??? why would you want to go to Florida if you came to Canada in the middle of summer??? I gaurantee if i booked a week at a cottage (with my boat there too) my young nephews (and sis and bro in law for that matter) would have the time of their lives, there would be no need for a trip to Florida in the height of a southern Ontario summer!

They just dont get it, they have a perceived view of Canada and have blinkers on i think. Added to that travelling accross the Atlantic is a HUGE event, whereas for us expats.....its just another trip thats been done many times before.

scrubbedexpat091

I guess I am lucky in 2 regards.

One, I have no friends so none to worry about stopping by or wanting to visit.

And no spare bedroom.

MIL comes every so often though and that throws off my routine which then leads to stress. I am a person of routine, I can't really have much variation from said routine day to day.


My parents have not visited in 11 years but when they did they stayed at a hotel. They understand a one bed room apartment is too small for guests.

Teaandtoday5

Given your self-imposed exile from Canada I feel fairly safe in assuring you of a warm welcome. always best to call ahead though as I am (pretty sure I can arrange to be) out a lot.

Novocastrian

Harrumph. I'm glad that you don't want to visit france.

Shard

So are they not used to taking long haul trips? Mostly vacationing in UK and Europe?

thistlehollyberry

We lived in Southern Ontario and rented a cottage in Tobermory. Visitors sent a postcard to friends saying they were in Northern Canada!

JamesM

It's always the lack of funds people bring not helped by the weak pound that pisses me off.

They seem to think it's an all inclusive when they arrive.

Novocastrian

I remember my first flight across the Atlantic, in 1977, en route from Cambridge to Riverside, California.

It seemed very HUGE to me at the time. Have a bit of understanding for your friends back in the UK.

cxx

Agree. The in-laws expected to dictate what we ate at home but never offered to contribute to the shopping bill. They only offered to pay for one or two meals out because they insisted on a particular restaurant, and then we had to pay the tip as they didn't get that!

BristolUK

That's going too far but someone who pays the airfare to come and see me, I'm going to house and feed them within reason.

cxx

Just offering would have been nice, then we'd have said no, even though we paid the airfare.

thistlehollyberry

They didn't like how the vegetables were cooked - i.e. they wanted mush, didn't like how I prepared salad, wanted steak instead of pork chops. I just didn't cook dinner one night - they dined on beer and potato chips.