Will I ever settle?
Apr 15th 2010, 2:02 am
#46
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Will I ever settle?
A coupla points:
When I moved from Manchester to London to go to University I felt far more like a stranger in strange land. They also spoke really funny, and said I had a strange accent. Their idea of sport was really foreign to me also (Arse-nal for god's sake!) The beer was terrible. The food atrocious - I mean who eats jellied eels?
The attitude of the locals was really unfriendly and arrogant - they suggested that if I didn't like it I could f... off back to Manchester. 
And their ignorance of anything north of the Watford Gap was immense! The whole place was a massive culture shock.
Moving from Stoke to Nottingham isn't going to be a big wrench, but moving from one end of the country to the other will give as much of a shock to the system as moving to Canada!
Secondly:
When you arrive "Canada" isn't going to bake you a cake, or give you a hug. You can park here and hoist a flag of convenience, or you can get involved, make friends, and get stuck in.
I've met a few different kinds of expats in Canada: there's the kind who come over to slot into a job ready made for them, and the kind who come on a roll of the dice because they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become Canadian. (And of course many others too)
How can you "give" to your country. It starts with attitude and local involvement.
You don't have to run for mayor
; but things I have done include volunteering, working for a couple of political candidates during provincial and federal elections, inviting neighbours over to a BBQ, making a casserole for a neighbour who suffered a death in the family. Things I would have done in England, but they are now things I do here.
To help me and my family here in Calgary I moved to a community with a community lake.
BTW I ended up loving London.
When I moved from Manchester to London to go to University I felt far more like a stranger in strange land. They also spoke really funny, and said I had a strange accent. Their idea of sport was really foreign to me also (Arse-nal for god's sake!) The beer was terrible. The food atrocious - I mean who eats jellied eels?
The attitude of the locals was really unfriendly and arrogant - they suggested that if I didn't like it I could f... off back to Manchester. And their ignorance of anything north of the Watford Gap was immense! The whole place was a massive culture shock.Moving from Stoke to Nottingham isn't going to be a big wrench, but moving from one end of the country to the other will give as much of a shock to the system as moving to Canada!
Secondly:
When you arrive "Canada" isn't going to bake you a cake, or give you a hug. You can park here and hoist a flag of convenience, or you can get involved, make friends, and get stuck in.
I've met a few different kinds of expats in Canada: there's the kind who come over to slot into a job ready made for them, and the kind who come on a roll of the dice because they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become Canadian. (And of course many others too)
How can you "give" to your country. It starts with attitude and local involvement.
You don't have to run for mayor
; but things I have done include volunteering, working for a couple of political candidates during provincial and federal elections, inviting neighbours over to a BBQ, making a casserole for a neighbour who suffered a death in the family. Things I would have done in England, but they are now things I do here.To help me and my family here in Calgary I moved to a community with a community lake.
BTW I ended up loving London.
Apr 15th 2010, 2:12 am
#47
ModerĪ±tor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,771
Re: Will I ever settle?
. Maybe you wont ever feel canadian, but please accept that there are many here who eventially do feel that way.
Apr 15th 2010, 2:38 am
#49
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 141
Re: Will I ever settle?
A coupla points:
When I moved from Manchester to London to go to University I felt far more like a stranger in strange land. They also spoke really funny, and said I had a strange accent. Their idea of sport was really foreign to me also (Arse-nal for god's sake!) The beer was terrible. The food atrocious - I mean who eats jellied eels? The attitude of the locals was really unfriendly and arrogant - they suggested that if I didn't like it I could f... off back to Manchester. And their ignorance of anything north of the Watford Gap was immense! The whole place was a massive culture shock.
Moving from Stoke to Nottingham isn't going to be a big wrench, but moving from one end of the country to the other will give as much of a shock to the system as moving to Canada!
Secondly:
When you arrive "Canada" isn't going to bake you a cake, or give you a hug. You can park here and hoist a flag of convenience, or you can get involved, make friends, and get stuck in.
I've met a few different kinds of expats in Canada: there's the kind who come over to slot into a job ready made for them, and the kind who come on a roll of the dice because they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become Canadian. (And of course many others too)
How can you "give" to your country. It starts with attitude and local involvement.
You don't have to run for mayor; but things I have done include volunteering, working for a couple of political candidates during provincial and federal elections, inviting neighbours over to a BBQ, making a casserole for a neighbour who suffered a death in the family. Things I would have done in England, but they are now things I do here.
To help me and my family here in Calgary I moved to a community with a community lake.
BTW I ended up loving London.
When I moved from Manchester to London to go to University I felt far more like a stranger in strange land. They also spoke really funny, and said I had a strange accent. Their idea of sport was really foreign to me also (Arse-nal for god's sake!) The beer was terrible. The food atrocious - I mean who eats jellied eels?
The attitude of the locals was really unfriendly and arrogant - they suggested that if I didn't like it I could f... off back to Manchester. And their ignorance of anything north of the Watford Gap was immense! The whole place was a massive culture shock.Moving from Stoke to Nottingham isn't going to be a big wrench, but moving from one end of the country to the other will give as much of a shock to the system as moving to Canada!
Secondly:
When you arrive "Canada" isn't going to bake you a cake, or give you a hug. You can park here and hoist a flag of convenience, or you can get involved, make friends, and get stuck in.
I've met a few different kinds of expats in Canada: there's the kind who come over to slot into a job ready made for them, and the kind who come on a roll of the dice because they are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to become Canadian. (And of course many others too)
How can you "give" to your country. It starts with attitude and local involvement.
You don't have to run for mayor
; but things I have done include volunteering, working for a couple of political candidates during provincial and federal elections, inviting neighbours over to a BBQ, making a casserole for a neighbour who suffered a death in the family. Things I would have done in England, but they are now things I do here.To help me and my family here in Calgary I moved to a community with a community lake.
BTW I ended up loving London.
Apr 15th 2010, 2:39 am
#50
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,092
Re: Will I ever settle?
I hope you feel more settled soon. The first while can be really rough.
Apr 15th 2010, 3:11 am
#52
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: White Rock BC
Posts: 11,687
Re: Will I ever settle?
I think you are contributing more than you are bargaining for. Sorry.
Last edited by JonboyE; Apr 15th 2010 at 3:14 am.
Apr 15th 2010, 3:13 am
#53
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Will I ever settle?
I'll send a tax receipt.
Apr 15th 2010, 3:28 am
#54
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Will I ever settle?
Haha, I know what I'm contributing and don't resent it (well too much - I'd rather pay less tax like most people). What I do probably won't create any opportunities for Canadians, at least not directly as I work for a big multinational. It will create jobs for people in other places - 100's of people have been employed around the world by the company I work for because of the work I do. Something I'm actually quite proud of.
Apr 15th 2010, 3:55 am
#55
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 141
Re: Will I ever settle?
Haha, I know what I'm contributing and don't resent it (well too much - I'd rather pay less tax like most people). What I do probably won't create any opportunities for Canadians, at least not directly as I work for a big multinational. It will create jobs for people in other places - 100's of people have been employed around the world by the company I work for because of the work I do. Something I'm actually quite proud of.
