MartianTom your part of Kent if very nice as well. Usually go with my father in law to a very nice boot fair there. My personal quote since moving to Miami is the grass is always greener, expecially with sunglasses on! Enjoy all those fabulous fresh Mackeral, gorgeous cox's with a bit of creamy stilton. Now that is living the good life!!!!!

They have a fair for boots. Sort of like boot heaven for those who like boots?

Yeah, they're great. DMs, Jodphurs, Spanish leather knee-highs, suede Chelseas... whatever you're into. Trainer fairs are becoming increasingly common now, too. I prefer the wine fairs, though, to be honest...

Ok so here's the thing - we need some honest and balanced comment and quickly!

We are looking at moving to Calgary from Hampshire in UK. I will be working in Calgary Police. Jo my wife no job yet as wants to settle kids (12 and 8). I have 23 years pensionable police service in UK and a career break from my currrent force for 3 years.

The whole idea of Canada, the rockies, the life style appeals - so if it is so good why are people comming back.

I would really appreciate some feed back - please be direct!

Due to pay yet more money on medical next Monday (26th OCtober) so I really want to make my mind up.

Those who are or have come back - particularly from Alberta - why?

Thanks all

Hi there,

There are literally dozens of threads you could look at that would, if not answer your questions, at least give you clues. Here are a couple that are fairly representative:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...40#post8027040

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=631137

Please don't think I'm being rude or presumptuous - I'm pretty sure you've looked into all this seriously enough - but you mention a few generalities: "the whole idea of Canada, the Rockies, the life style". I'm not really sure what 'the whole idea of Canada' is, and I suspect a lot of people living out there wouldn't know, either. It's easy to get swept along with such things. A lot of people, it seems, have done. Many have worked it out, but many have also come unstuck. Perhaps it's not so much the general ideas - the ideal things that we like to project onto something, making us believe it'll be the answer to all our dreams and problems - but the nitty-gritty things. Things like the change of culture, which on the surface might not seem to be extreme: it's an English-speaking country, after all. It's the things you can't really gauge by just travelling through or holidaying.

And all this from someone who, like you, hasn't gone yet and is at about the same stage in the process! The immediacy of it really focuses the mind, doesn't it!

Ultimately, you have to ask yourself - as I have - what your true motives are for wanting to emigrate. What you truly hope it will bring you in terms of life style, standard of living, employment opportunities, benefits for your family. How do your children feel about it? Here's a thread that might be useful if you have any qualms:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633894

Also, check out the Wiki for info about what to expect, and what to consider if you haven't already. These are good places to start:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Risk-Canada

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Catego...ada_Challenges

In the end, like me, I guess the only way you're really going to find out is to do it. As everyone says, try not to think about it as 'no turning back'... though, with a young family, that might be a bigger issue for you.

I wish you the best of luck, anyway. Who knows... I may even see you on the plane!

Ha Ha Ha guys! Guess I should have just said car boot sale, although the F-I-L calls them boot fairs (?).

I get the feeling that people realise pretty sharpish that the grass is not always greener. You have to hand over your rose tinted specs on arrival.

As Joni Mitchell once said, "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone". Or something like that anyway

I can't comment on working in the Police or Alberta in particular but from a working family point of view I found it harder to make ends meet in Canada. Whilst it's true about the Rockies and outdoor lifestyle, Canada is a huge country and these attractions are far away for the majority of people.

To give you an example, when we lived in Montreal we were constantly talking about going to the seaside at Cape Cod so our kids could see the sea for the first time. It is a 7 hr drive, so not doable in a day, so we'd have had to take at least a day out of our meagre 2 week Canadian Holiday allowance, probably 2 plus rented a place for a couple of nights. All in we wouldn't have got much change out of $400.

Not long after we got back to the UK, we woke up one Saturday morning, prepared a picnic, got in the car, drove for 90 minutes to Bournemouth and enjoyed the beach for 3 hours till the kids got bored and were back in time for bed, total cost less than 40 quid! Ok I'm not comparing Bournemouth beach to the Rockies but you see my point ie there is loads of good stuff on your doorstep in the UK!

Good post!

It's the same thing here in the US. There are so many places that we'd like to visit but it's just not as practical as we had thought. I had visions of driving to Vegas for a weekend before we moved here - didn't realize it was solid 24-hour drive!

We spent a week in San Francisco and Sonoma Valley. It was lovely, but required booking flights, hotel rooms, rental cars, etc. And as we were there a week it was half of my yearly vacation time.

We had such visions of hopping around the country exploring once we arrived here, but the reality is very different.

It's probably the same here in the UK - or wherever you happen to live in the world. How many of us ever visit the places that tourists who come here always visit? I know people in France who've seen more of the UK than I have, and I've lived here all my life. Similarly, I've been to places in France that they've never heard of. I was in Annecy in the summer, in the Haute Savoie region, and was telling my host about my holiday last year in the Loire valley. She'd never been to it, though it was just a day's drive away - or less on the train.

You know what I'm beginning to think? That instead of emigrating to Canada in order partly to see it and to see the States, I'm going to take 9 months out of work, go over there, buy a used motorhome, and see it all that way. I was speaking to a French friend the other day who did precisely that - except he shipped his own motorhome out there and took in parts of South America as well on the same trip.

Interestingly, he wants to live in England, but says he can't afford to move here! I can only think 'Why would anyone want to move out of France?' I love it out there... the way of life, the culture, everything. But then.... I don't live there. That's quite possibly the rub!

I'm in a slightly different situation. Grew up in the UK, lived in Hong Kong for several years, returned to the UK and moved to South Africa about 30 years ago (my mother is South African).

My wife came back to the UK 3 years ago and decided to stay, mainly for family/personal reasons. I visited her a couple of times, and finally returned in May this year, but I can't settle down. The UK is great in many ways, and there's nothing I particularly dislike, but I miss dangerous, corrupt, incompetent, wonderful Africa. I'm, sort of, coming to the conclusion that I'll always be British, but from a distance, and I'll probably go home.

Just wanted to thank all those who posted comment and advice. With medicals due tomorrow we have decided not to pursue a new life in Canada. Too near a great pension with my current employer and the age of the kids (one of whom now at secondary school) were the main issues. A real close run thing but for us the right choice at this time. If we were 10 years younger we wouldn't have hesitated but I will look forward to holidays in Canada in the years ahead and wish those still going every success.

All the best

Doug and Jo

You are right it is different for all, but it is good that you are considering that there is a huge transition for kids in secondary school. My daughter is in grade 12 and has a friend who immigrated with her family and the girl is finding it really tough. Her younger siblings are doing better. I was thinking maybe you should say if we were 10 years older!!. Still lots of time left to do things after the kids have finished school, and moved on with their lives too. I wish you some great holidays in our beautiful country in the meantime.