postman62

We've finally decided to move back to the UK after a year of being in Canada and it feels great. We moved to Canada in August 2009 and I have felt home sick and unsettled from the start. It took us 2 years to get our visas and we visited Canada 4 times before making the move permanently and we really did fall in love with the place. Unfortunately it really hasn't turned out the way we hoped it would, work is hard to find, renting is more expensive than it is in the UK and although canadian people appear friendly on the surface, it's really hard to make friends with them (this is only my opinion and I'm sure a lot of people will disagree). I really wish that we had never come to Canada and my advice to anyone thinking of making a move to another country is to think long and hard about it.

Can anyone recommend a good shipping company? When we moved out here we used the Burke Brothers who are based in the West Midlands and the service was excellent, although we weren't as impressed with the company who handled the container once it arrived in Canada. We also have a dog to get back home and have been told that it would be cheaper to book the flight for her ourselves, we used a pet travel company to get her out here and it was really expensive, she's up-to-date with her rabies injection and blood test. Any advice would be appreciated.

Top Cat

I agree whole heartedly with you and we only stuck it 6 months and returned in July. We used AMJ Campbell from calgary., who were good and much cheaper. Have a look at my other posts and see if it helps.. otherwise PM me

Take care

Top Cat

Mummy in the foothills

Good for you decision made, I hope it goes well.

Elaine B.

Good luck with the move back

We used MI Group to move our stuff back from Toronto to Northern Ireland. They weren't the cheapest but the service was brilliant plus when we told them we had a lower quote they matched it

paranoidandroid

Hi and I hope it all goes well for you.

Got to say though... you already want to move back after a year? That's kind of quick isn't it? Are you sure you've given it a fair chance?
There is nowhere like home, but you may find that things at home in the UK aren't the best right now either.

Re the dog - check out DEFRA (department for envirnoment food and rural affairs) http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pet...avel/index.htm

pinkkristen

I think you know after a year if you are not happy somewhere and i don't believe in sticking it out and then find it much more difficult to get back, or you get used to life - thats not to say that it gets better, but i know our personality's have def taken a nose dive and i need the zest and buzz i used to have. I am getting desp to get back now, but have to stay untill next summer.

To the OP, good luck on the move back and hope its right for you.

paranoidandroid

Chin up then, Pink.
It won't take long once Christmas is past.

pinkkristen

Thanks!
i think whats makes it harder is more of the same problems with our eldest again! We had this at the start of the term last year, now her behaviour has escalated again! She is anxious, having nightmares, general miserable behaviour, i' lost of how to deal with it. Considered a GP for advice!
We had an episode in the park just now, when we got back i asked her why she didn't want to go off and play, then continued with behaviour turning into uncontrolable crying and carry on. She couldn't give a solid answer, but when asked if she could have anything in the world right now, what would it be? She answered to be back in my old school with Megan (BF)!
I don't know whether she says this stuff cos she really means it, or she's trying to make me and Oh happy. don't know.

I thought an 8 yr old would settle anywhere - but appears not. At home i got asked everyday if she could have so and so over for tea and vice versa etc etc. Here she's never asked for anyone or been asked!

Makes me very sad

I look forward to the day (after much complication) to getting a house back in our village and reconnecting with people in the village! I will NEVER moan about the crappy yorkshire weather again

Would you tell an 8yr old, that we are going back but not till next summer? I also am worried about getting them all back in the school!

AHHHGGGHH!!

Sorry for hijacking post

Bevm

One thing I found in Canada is that with younger kids, the parents make the arrangements. Once the ball is rolling the kids will do it themselves, but it starts with the parents.

Bev

Jay Bird

Hi postman2, you don't say where in Canada you are, so it's difficult to know if the shipping company we used would be of use, however they were Global International in Toronto, Tel: 905 475 1990. Pete Petrakos was the guy we dealt with and I have to say although not the cheapest quote we had, the service was really good. That was back in June 2008, after living in Ontario for 4 horrendously miserable years

http://www.globalintlcanada.com/

Good luck; I hope it all goes well for you.

postman62

Yes it might seem that we're not giving it a fair chance and that 12 months isn't a long time, but I have had the unhappiest 12 months of my life here in Canada. My only regret is that we didn't made the decision to go home sooner. I know that the UK has lots of problems, but it's definitely where I want to be

Nibbles2005

Postman,

I entirely agree with all the reasons you are going home. My partner and I both had good jobs in the UK and here it is impossible to get anything like the same and yet our cost of living is through the roof. I find Canadian passive aggressive with the emphasis on the aggressive. Beyond being nice in the street there is little below the surface you can get close to if you are not another Canadian.

Again not sure what city you are in but we are on our way back from Toronto and are using Brytor who were by far the best price and really professional. They use White Company at the other end in the UK which I have heard good things about too.

We are also shipping back two dogs and a cat. While it is cheaper to do the flights direct I have heard bad things about getting pets back without going through a reputable company and transit vet before the flight. With that in mind we are going through Pet Flight Inc http://www.petflightinc.com/home.htm while not as cheap as doing your self it is well worth the little extra to know they are going to be ok and no hitches on their return.

We too have spent the worst year of our lives in Canada and I too do not believe any number of additional year would do anything but increase that misery and make building a life back in the UK more difficult. I am proud we did it and we have learned things but I am done.

Good luck and if I can help further feel free to message me

Flaykee

Greetings! I can't say I blame you for going home. I used to be a member on this board but when I would come here and write about things that I couldn't get used to in Canada, I had people criticizing and condemning my thoughts, feelings and opinions so I closed my account.

I am Canadian and lived in Northern Ireland for nearly 9 years. Moved back to Canada in 2008. My hubby is British from NI. Settling in Canada has been so hard, I think harder for me.

Work is hard to find. I just got laid off from my contract job and hubby is finally working a job that pays more than minimum wage but that's only till the end of October at best. LOL and work ethics... 2 weeks vacation unless you're in a big corporation or gov't job!!!

We both had local government jobs in NI and honestly thought we'd have things better in Canada. Unfortunately, the cost of living has risen since I lived here back in 1999.

And like a lot of people, I also feel that we Canadians (or THOSE other Canadians aren't as friendly and laid back as the world seems to think.

I believe it took me being away for those years to come back and see it for what it's really like. Moving back to the UK isn't an option for us right now because with aging parents, I want to be close to home.

LOL and don't get me started on the rising Hydro costs, HST, EI premiums, taxes I could go on and on but I'll leave the really hard complaining for the ever compassionate ears of my hubby!

Good luck back home!!

Please send some cheese and onion pasties!!

postman62

Thanks, we actually live in British Columbia. All the best with your move back to the UK.

john5655

for the OP

I nearly made it to Canada too, but my FSW application went unprocessed for almost four years so I told them to "stick it..."

Wife and I move to UK next month instead.

About the pet moving. There's only a smallish cost advantage to DIY as the most expensive part is the airline freight charge. I don't trust an agent to do it any better, and they have scope to ruin the whole thing. Here in Hong Kong a pet travel company allowed a dog to escape prior to check-in at BA Cargo (the owner was on the same flight and did not know until, arriving in UK). The dog was found dead a month later not far away despite the concerted efforts of the local dog-owning community to find the pesky thing. The company then denied liability.

DIY is possible, and better if you use BA because they have the infrastructure on arrival at LHR so all you need do is pick up at the DEFRA animal reception centre.

See my other posts on pet travel as they may help with links to relevant information.