I started on what has, seemed to become, a regular habit a few years back, when we decided that Canada might be best for us as a family. At that time, I only ever touched the Immigration site, and only if I had a specific question. A bit later, I became braver and came onto the Canada Section, but it took a bit of nerve...eventually I ventured onto the Maple Leaf site, but thought everyone might be horrid...but they weren't (generally...a few times a touch loaded and arch, but nothing nasty..) but really everyone was really good. I've also gone up and down a few times emotionally myself, so my post's haven't always been stellar, fair or even pleasant...sometimes I've just felt that I needed to feel I hadn't died!

After a while, I got to know a few of the names and a few of their quirks, and it became much better.

Now, I feel a lack of continuum if I can't catch up with BE...I tend to tune in, very early am and very late evening too....I feel a definite lack if I miss out!

When and why do you BE, if you do?

I can't recall when or where I found the site, or what I could have been looking for since I am neither British nor married to one, heck I've never even been to the UK or Europe.

There was always a nice range of topics, so its always kept my interest.

I apparently joined in January 2006, so I supposed I am on year 8 almost.

While away the time while I waits for bad guys to come out.

Jioned to ask a few questions about Canada had a few arguments and stayed, then flounced, then returned, then flounced, then returned, then had a break, then returned. Almost had another BE swansong but stayed around for the repartee.

Oh and i've met some rather splendid people on here.

Don't know how I found it nor why I signed up. My join date shows I was already in our current home and it was a year after I got my PR.

But it's nice to be able to be "among" Brits.

I check in daily.

I've been a long term internet poster, the dbd33 id dates from 1999/2000, sometime around then. My work is undemanding, boring, and leaves me in front of an internet connected device for many hours a day, talkboards pass the time. I was a heavy user of the Guardian's talkboard and met, maybe, 100 people from there (including a member of the Montana Militia and a woman who had just been voted 10th most hated person in the UK and who was seething not to be more hated). That board closed down amid a sea of litigation and I went looking for another, winding up here and on notthetalk.com. Several other posters share that history though I think I'm the only one to have kept a consistent id.

I have a window open to this site most days.

I was glad to find BE when we were about to activate PR a few years ago. I probably check in once a week or so.

I started off here in 2009 after my PR application had stalled for 4 years and I was looking for any advice as to what my next step should be. It was one of 2 or 3 different forums that I looked at but the only one that really resonated with me, so I joined a few weeks later and here I stayed.

There are a great bunch of people on here and I have met a few in RL and others that I have struck up friendships with remotely and wish I could meet in RL!

As I am not currently employed I find myself hanging around for the better part of the day, dipping in and out. BE is the 3rd site I look at when I get up and the last site I look at before retiring for the night - I think I must be addicted, lol.

I was introduced to BE by dbd33 in (check join date) after spending, like him, several years on the Grauniad Talk. My username on theTalk was ScottW49, the 49 indicating my age when I joined, so in 1999.

Back then I had no idea that he lived in the same country as I did (Canada for the slower members), let alone the same city (or almost the same same city for the ultra pedants).

I'll likely never truly forgive him.

It was my nan's idea. She thought it'd keep busy while I was up here.

Joined while investigating immigration issues, became brave enough to post, and now still check in daily with my virtual life. Have also met up with a few really lovely people on here, and would very much like to meet up with a few others.

I still enjoy it, venture onto other boards very occasionally, and can usually get a good laugh or three every visit.

I think I joined after having to go to London to get a 1 time travel document thinking their had to be a much easier way to deal with a lost pr card - Then just sort of hung around on the periphery with the odd post every now and again

Joined in 2006 whilst investigating moving to Canada. I don't post much nowadays but I lurk a few times per week.

Joined in, oh, 2005 I think, after actually emigrating and more out of the spirit of companionship than anything else. Hung around ever since. Check daily but posting rate is declining I think. Met some posters in RL and am grateful for that!

Check in daily for a browse but rarely post as rarely have anything worth saying... been here since 06, frequency of logins varying according to how likely immigrating actually was... been on more often this year as theres a possibility it's actually going to happen...