Returning from Canada?
 

I put a thread on here, but it was hijacked very quickly by a drunk from Manchester who missed Boddingtons. :curse:
I'll try again.

Anybody returning from Canada care to share their experiences?

We are two years into our visa process and starting to get cold feet - life is pretty good for us over here, and a few things we've heard about in Canada have really begun to make us think - lack of employment security, credit crunch, healthcare, holiday entitlement to name but few. I guess that the more research we've done, the more we count our blessings where we are!

BUT, we don't want to spend our lives with an unscratched itch and a feeling that we didn't have a go.

Appreciate your thoughts, public or via a PM.

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

What are you expecting from Canada, Chutley? Do you just want to go somewhere, do something, or are you drawn to a particular dream?

Canada's huge and varied, so going to Moncton, Toronto, Winnipeg, or Vancouver will each be very different, not to mention North Bay, Whitehorse, or Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.

If you love winter sports you can do that most places east of the Rockies, but in many it's extremely cold. Ice skating at 30 below, muffled up to the eyes, is no fun, IMO. Driving on winter roads can be unpleasant and dangerous, and winter can last 6 months. They had serious snow in Ontario yesterday. Me, I reckon a real Canadian winter is good for about a week, then it's a pain in the *****

The summers in some places are hot with lots of mosquitos. Even blackfly and horsefly out in the woods. Window screens are essential in many places, and air conditioning really nice to have.

There's a lot, a lot of wilderness, if you're into it. It is wild, however, with bears, cougars and such, and you can be far from civilization very quickly. But it's also stunningly beautiful at times, especially toward the east this time of year.

If you want a boat, there are lots of lovely shorelines on the coasts, and there's also the great lakes. If you're willing to drive a bit, you can probably afford a cottage on a lake from many places. In fact, you could have a cottage on a lake almost for free in many places, but that'd be a day or more's drive from the nearest employment!

Politically and socially it's fragmented, and in some ways it's best to think of it as a lot of different countries. There are people in Nova Scotia who've never been west of the Maritimes, and people in Victoria who'd never seen more than a dusting of snow before the "blizzard of '96" About four feet of it. Brought the city to a standstill. Hadn't happened for 60 years, and probably won't for another 60. Yet most of Canada thinks of winter as months of cold and snow.

I wouldn't say there's a lot of special economic opportunities here, especially now, and yes, holidays are stingy. Health care's okay, but a lot of things aren't covered here that are in the UK, especially dentistry and drugs, but also a lot of therapies. Some employers provide extra insurance to cover those.

If you're wondering why people leave, we're leaving mostly because we want to catch up on exploring Britain and Europe, plus a lingering feeling of not really fitting in, even after 30 years.

Just some thoughts from one point of view. Hope it helps.

Bev

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

I think we did something like 40 odd flights when we got back, in 4 years!

To the original poster... its all ups and downs mate. Some people roll with the punches and others cant settle. It might be hard if you've got such a good life here. I lot of the time i miss my old life over there. Ive stamped on so many pairs of rose tinted glasses!

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

Hi!
Returned from my second time in Canada in June this year. First time out back in the 80's, stayed for almost 8 years.....loved it. Second time stayed for almost 4 years and hated almost every minute of it. Couldn't wait to get back. Different place, different set of circumstances, older (maybe wiser), whatever the reasons....and there were many.....I couldn't settle, so here I am, back in the Uk, settled in rural West Sussex in a place and a job I love. Would I change anything? No, not really.............at least I gave it another crack out there and have scratched the itch.

If you're interested in my life (or lack of) in Canada, I have posted many times over the past year or so.......might give you an idea of what Mr Oldbag and I were up against.

Good luck whatever your decision.
:)

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

Just wanted to say hi Chutley :D ..........You know what i think;)

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

We are returning to the UK from Canada...just never sure on the date. hopefully summer 09...

...Its never easy deciding on which country is the better choice? both have good aspects of living...and down points(crime, governments etc)..just have to pick the best one for you and go with the flow! You obviously like Canada for some reason, maybe its not been long enough.

I've been here along time since i was young. Now its my own choice to move back.

good luck in your search!!

Re: Returning from Canada?
 

We've been here a year (and I grew up in Canada) and to be honest I am finding it really really hard to be here and would love to go back to the UK. I miss everything - the pace, the architecture, the grocery stores, the pubs, the sense of humour, the damp, the trains - everything.

I'm not sure when we will go back (right now I'm ready to pack the house and go next week) but I definitely know one day we will go back.

To be honest I wish we'd never moved in the first place (financially and emotionally) so I guess what I'm saying is have a really, really good think about what you want from Canada and make sure you can't get it where you are!