Hello
Mar 7th 2012, 12:52 am
#16
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 30
Re: Hello
Hi Editha,
I was just wondering if you could elaborate slightly on why you want to move from Edmonton? I only ask because I'm going to be moving there myself in a few months, and I'm obviously trying to research as much as I can before I get there!
It can't be just because of the cold surely?
Mark
I was just wondering if you could elaborate slightly on why you want to move from Edmonton? I only ask because I'm going to be moving there myself in a few months, and I'm obviously trying to research as much as I can before I get there!
It can't be just because of the cold surely?
Mark
Mar 7th 2012, 2:30 am
#17
Was in Canada, now home.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 3,388
Re: Hello
My husband got a job here. No other reason.
Mar 9th 2012, 1:19 pm
#19
Was in Canada, now home.
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 3,388
Re: Hello
Sorry for the delay in replying. I'm actually trying to have a break from BE for a while, because I've got a project I'm trying to finish and had too many distractions. However, I'm making an exception for you, because you have a specific qu for me.
If you look back at my posts, you'll find lots of complaints by me about living here. If you look at the threads on the Canadian forums, you will also see I regularly get attacked for my negativity about living in Canada.
However, the fact is that Edmo is seen as an undesirable place to live by most Canadians, not just foreigners like me. My husband, who is a university lecturer, was taken on with two other men. One, who came from Alberta, but had been living in the USA, had to split up with his American born wife in order to take the job, because she took one look at the town and refused to move here. The other, a Canadian from Toronto, came here with his wife and child, but had to resign after a year, because his wife refused to stay any longer.
For me the weather is the main thing I hate. Temperatures down to -40 with wind chill in the winter, mosquitoes in the summer. Lack of pleasant scenery. City is badly planned, too spread out. Horrid commercial estates of one storey cheap-jack buildings. Electricity runs above ground, like a third world country, bridges over the river made of meccano.
Notoriously high murder rate. I have serious doubts about the efficiency and the integrity of the local police force. Homelessness and poverty very evident. Downtown area very dull. The health system. I really like my GP here, and her clinic is great, the waiting lists at the hospitals are horrendous, plus you can spend all night in casualty waiting to be seen. I dread getting anything seriously wrong with me.
The tar sands. Didn't know about them when I came in '06. I think the industry should be closed down, and have doubts about the morality of staying here.
Stuff I like. The library system is extremely good, and my husband's uni is very well funded. We don't have kids, so I can't comment on the rest of the education system, but I have the impression it is good. I've enjoyed the opera, jazz club, symphony orchestra.
Food is expensive, choice in shops is limited compared to UK. Not impressed by the restaurants.
My husband retires in two years, when we are going back to the UK. We've never had any plans to stay in Edmo, but it is a place that people move to, to work, and then leave. From what I've observed, there are plenty of people who've lived here all their lives, who would still choose to live elsewhere if they could afford to.
Anyway, nobody in their right mind would choose to spend retirement here, if they have a choice. Climate, poor health care, and lack of social care services make that an easy decision.
OK?
If you look back at my posts, you'll find lots of complaints by me about living here. If you look at the threads on the Canadian forums, you will also see I regularly get attacked for my negativity about living in Canada.
However, the fact is that Edmo is seen as an undesirable place to live by most Canadians, not just foreigners like me. My husband, who is a university lecturer, was taken on with two other men. One, who came from Alberta, but had been living in the USA, had to split up with his American born wife in order to take the job, because she took one look at the town and refused to move here. The other, a Canadian from Toronto, came here with his wife and child, but had to resign after a year, because his wife refused to stay any longer.
For me the weather is the main thing I hate. Temperatures down to -40 with wind chill in the winter, mosquitoes in the summer. Lack of pleasant scenery. City is badly planned, too spread out. Horrid commercial estates of one storey cheap-jack buildings. Electricity runs above ground, like a third world country, bridges over the river made of meccano.
Notoriously high murder rate. I have serious doubts about the efficiency and the integrity of the local police force. Homelessness and poverty very evident. Downtown area very dull. The health system. I really like my GP here, and her clinic is great, the waiting lists at the hospitals are horrendous, plus you can spend all night in casualty waiting to be seen. I dread getting anything seriously wrong with me.
The tar sands. Didn't know about them when I came in '06. I think the industry should be closed down, and have doubts about the morality of staying here.
Stuff I like. The library system is extremely good, and my husband's uni is very well funded. We don't have kids, so I can't comment on the rest of the education system, but I have the impression it is good. I've enjoyed the opera, jazz club, symphony orchestra.
Food is expensive, choice in shops is limited compared to UK. Not impressed by the restaurants.
My husband retires in two years, when we are going back to the UK. We've never had any plans to stay in Edmo, but it is a place that people move to, to work, and then leave. From what I've observed, there are plenty of people who've lived here all their lives, who would still choose to live elsewhere if they could afford to.
Anyway, nobody in their right mind would choose to spend retirement here, if they have a choice. Climate, poor health care, and lack of social care services make that an easy decision.
OK?
Mar 9th 2012, 8:09 pm
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 30
Re: Hello
Sorry for the delay in replying. I'm actually trying to have a break from BE for a while, because I've got a project I'm trying to finish and had too many distractions. However, I'm making an exception for you, because you have a specific qu for me.
If you look back at my posts, you'll find lots of complaints by me about living here. If you look at the threads on the Canadian forums, you will also see I regularly get attacked for my negativity about living in Canada.
However, the fact is that Edmo is seen as an undesirable place to live by most Canadians, not just foreigners like me. My husband, who is a university lecturer, was taken on with two other men. One, who came from Alberta, but had been living in the USA, had to split up with his American born wife in order to take the job, because she took one look at the town and refused to move here. The other, a Canadian from Toronto, came here with his wife and child, but had to resign after a year, because his wife refused to stay any longer.
For me the weather is the main thing I hate. Temperatures down to -40 with wind chill in the winter, mosquitoes in the summer. Lack of pleasant scenery. City is badly planned, too spread out. Horrid commercial estates of one storey cheap-jack buildings. Electricity runs above ground, like a third world country, bridges over the river made of meccano.
Notoriously high murder rate. I have serious doubts about the efficiency and the integrity of the local police force. Homelessness and poverty very evident. Downtown area very dull. The health system. I really like my GP here, and her clinic is great, the waiting lists at the hospitals are horrendous, plus you can spend all night in casualty waiting to be seen. I dread getting anything seriously wrong with me.
The tar sands. Didn't know about them when I came in '06. I think the industry should be closed down, and have doubts about the morality of staying here.
Stuff I like. The library system is extremely good, and my husband's uni is very well funded. We don't have kids, so I can't comment on the rest of the education system, but I have the impression it is good. I've enjoyed the opera, jazz club, symphony orchestra.
Food is expensive, choice in shops is limited compared to UK. Not impressed by the restaurants.
My husband retires in two years, when we are going back to the UK. We've never had any plans to stay in Edmo, but it is a place that people move to, to work, and then leave. From what I've observed, there are plenty of people who've lived here all their lives, who would still choose to live elsewhere if they could afford to.
Anyway, nobody in their right mind would choose to spend retirement here, if they have a choice. Climate, poor health care, and lack of social care services make that an easy decision.
OK?
If you look back at my posts, you'll find lots of complaints by me about living here. If you look at the threads on the Canadian forums, you will also see I regularly get attacked for my negativity about living in Canada.
However, the fact is that Edmo is seen as an undesirable place to live by most Canadians, not just foreigners like me. My husband, who is a university lecturer, was taken on with two other men. One, who came from Alberta, but had been living in the USA, had to split up with his American born wife in order to take the job, because she took one look at the town and refused to move here. The other, a Canadian from Toronto, came here with his wife and child, but had to resign after a year, because his wife refused to stay any longer.
For me the weather is the main thing I hate. Temperatures down to -40 with wind chill in the winter, mosquitoes in the summer. Lack of pleasant scenery. City is badly planned, too spread out. Horrid commercial estates of one storey cheap-jack buildings. Electricity runs above ground, like a third world country, bridges over the river made of meccano.
Notoriously high murder rate. I have serious doubts about the efficiency and the integrity of the local police force. Homelessness and poverty very evident. Downtown area very dull. The health system. I really like my GP here, and her clinic is great, the waiting lists at the hospitals are horrendous, plus you can spend all night in casualty waiting to be seen. I dread getting anything seriously wrong with me.
The tar sands. Didn't know about them when I came in '06. I think the industry should be closed down, and have doubts about the morality of staying here.
Stuff I like. The library system is extremely good, and my husband's uni is very well funded. We don't have kids, so I can't comment on the rest of the education system, but I have the impression it is good. I've enjoyed the opera, jazz club, symphony orchestra.
Food is expensive, choice in shops is limited compared to UK. Not impressed by the restaurants.
My husband retires in two years, when we are going back to the UK. We've never had any plans to stay in Edmo, but it is a place that people move to, to work, and then leave. From what I've observed, there are plenty of people who've lived here all their lives, who would still choose to live elsewhere if they could afford to.
Anyway, nobody in their right mind would choose to spend retirement here, if they have a choice. Climate, poor health care, and lack of social care services make that an easy decision.
OK?
Many thanks for your comprehensive response, I'm sorry to hear you haven't had the best of times there.
I do think you situation is massively different from my own, I have just turned 30 and have no ties. I am living in a town in England which I hate, with zero opportunity - even the worst city in the world would be a step up believe me!
I will be working in the oil industry, albit the environmental side. I can appreciate your NIMBYism from a moral point of view, however with a world reliant on oil - it has to come from somewhere. I am looking forward to being part of a company that reduces the environmental impact.
I guess time will tell on whether it works out for me, but I am sincerely looking forward to what is an amazing opportunity for me.
I wish you all the best with your remaining time in AB and eventual move back to the UK.
