brits1

I often asked this while living in Perth WA....the larger majority of our friends were from overseas....Italians ....3rd generation in the main still spoke Italian, my sons friends all had the Italian/Australian accent and they were 4th generation Aussies...same with the Surbians...even a Polish friend who's sons were born in Aus spoke polish as their first language and still insisted on cooking only Polish/German type food at home....oh I have loads of examples...but when I asked my very close Aussie friend why the Brits were labeled as whinging whenever we might for some reason or another she said "well you should simulate...we are the same race of people"...but we are not...we just kind of speak the same language....

tdib

Heh heh.

My son's football team played against East Fremantle last week at their ground. They play in the colours of the Italian flag (a red,white & green strip), the corner flags on the pitch are mini Italian flags, the coach is Italian and most of the kids seem to be called Gianni,Luca, Franco etc...

Now that's assimilation !

dunroving

I don't think people are "blaming" the site for making them depressed any more than other people are saying the site "makes" them happy. I think the point is that when you are in a certain state, certain exposures can worsen how you feel. A simple analogy would be exposure to certain people. When you are in a bad mood, your best mate might help lift you out of it, whereas your other mate might just drag you down further.

I can't see any posts that indicate people "begrudging" you being happy for reading this site either.

To be sure, there are some people who look for other things to blame for their situation (psychologists call it "external attribution"), but to imply that depressed people should stop blaming this site and change themselves sounds a bit too much like the "Just snap out of it" response of the 60's. Understanding of mental health has come a long way since then.


Live and let live ...

crap coffee

Rubbish.

ExKiwilass

How long have you been here?

I've been here 8.5 years now and though it is mostly my home, I still have days where I have intense homesickness for NZ or even just the more UK-dominated world. I started coming on here because I was tired of feeling like such a minority all the time -> I had already been here years before I came on BE but there was always something lacking for me, I love Canada but I get tired of the sanctimoniousness etc. sometimes. OH, kid and most of our friends are Canadian. I don't express myself like a Canadian, I don't think like one and am now accepting I probably never will. It's okay. They think I'm strange sometimes because I'm so reserved and low-key about stuff, I don't go on and on abut how fab something is, I think they are full of crap sometimes with all the OH MY GAWD AWESOME Etc. ...it's all good.

I've decided there's nothing wrong with staying in touch with your own people . There's a reason so many immigrants stay in ethnic ghettos. IT makes the parts of life where you have to deal with the difference easier when you have people you can talk to who understand where you're coming from. I think, over time, it's healthy to have that, as long as you're not restricting yourself to just that. I'm glad I came on BE. I've met some good people on this site who love British comedy as much as I do, take things less seriously, etc, it's been awesome

I've also noticed women seem to feel this way more than men. My MIL has lived in Canada over 30 years, and she still hankers after Ireland. My FIL couldn't care less.

So, basically, what I'm saying is that I think forums like this are fine. Everyone has their own way of dealing with things.

backhomeagain

Hy Lorry1
My wife and I are going back to the UK this December after spending the last 3 months in lloydminster, before that we lived in Calgary for 2½ years. Lloydminster has to be the most depressive place ever. I think a lot of the people are incredibly shallow and a few of the company owners I had the misfortune of dealing with turned out to be absolute liars and will think nothing of stabbing you in the back. We are now packing our 3 cubic metres of personal effects and heading back to the smell and taste of a good Sunday roast and some real British ale. Just a shame we waited this long!
Steve

charleygirl

Good luck Steve!
Sunday roast sounds and smells good even from here.

Lorry1

OK...I'm back!
Could you not try somewhere else in Canada, or are you done here?

I am feeling alot more positive actually. I don't know whether this summer plays a huge part though, it has been fabulous for the last 3 months and we have gone out and done so much
I really appreciate all the lakes and the fact you can just drive to one and jump in on a hot day. The're never to crowded either.
I seem to recall that as soon as a hot day comes in England, everyone has the same idea to go to the coast. You could spend an hour driving there, an hour getting through traffic, and then another hour trying to find a parking space I definately don't miss that.

Well, lets see what winter brings and if this changes my mood

Sherlock Holmes

I'm happy here in Oz (I have to say that or my Aussie wife hits me only joking).

There is an Australian sense of humour and we have lost of Aussie friends and we belong to lots of local clubs and societies.

However, I found BE by mistake, joined in and now have a little job to do on here as well. There is very definitely a British sense of humour which I enjoy and it is quite uplifting at times. Sometimes though I need a break.

I think you can embrace Canada and the internet.

Our winter this year (for Oz) has been 4 months of utter shite (scuse me) but today was a lovely spring day and I never think of the UK on a day like today.

I think you are quite normal in all honesty.

Alistair.

backhomeagain

Hey Charleygirl
Thanks for the kind words - yes, Sunday down your favourite local, with the smell of a gorgeous Sunday roast, covered in onion gravy with roasties and fresh veggies, phoar!! Will I ever miss nachos and cheese sticks, damm thats difficult to imagine, yea right )

I cannot understand why Canadians seem fixated on the cheese thing, pizza drips with cheese, cheese sticks, poutine. I tried it once and nearly threw up. chips with cheese and gravy - ugh, heart attack served up on a plate.

The best line one waitress served up in Bo Diddleys was when we ordered a double baileys with ice, that is one lump please. She immediately threw the glass wrist high into the ice box, and surfaced with a glass full of ice cubes. At infant school we were always taught that one is just one and nothing more! When we reminded her of this, she did apologise and served up two double Baileys with one lump in each glass. She leaned on the bar and said, "doesnt the ice change the flavour of the Baileys?" Well, how do you respond to that? The wife and me looked at each other and tried really hard not to fall off our stools in fits of laughter, but explained that ice really was just frozen water and that the Baileys would only be slightly chilled. And this is how we have found Canadians to be ever since coming here. Innocent? maybe. Certainly naive in many things but if you cross them, watch out! Having been laid off 5 times in 5 years, and one mega argument with a company owner, I think its best we just got out the frying pan once and for all and headed back to the first real ale festival we can find.

So, one question I have is, does anybody know how much it would be to send 3 cubic metres of boxes to the UK with a shipping company? I have contacted some companies and now I am just waiting for some replies which once again I could be waiting here for the next three weeks. I am dealing with AMJ Van Lines which we dealt with in the past, and another company callled Allied Van Lines. So, if I was to say $2500 to get our stuff back, would I be close or way off?

Any input from you guys would be welcome. And the stories we can tell about Canadians and Canada would make even Mr.Letterman cry with laughter!

If I had to make one comment about our experience, it would have to go like this.

"Thinking about making a new life in another country is a big step, but even worse is wondering what if? for the rest of your life. If you are still young, (unlike us old gits), then there other places much worthier than Canada to set up shop. Almost $35,000 out of pocket like we are was not the right way to go"

Keep smiling, Britain awaits your return.
Steve

backhomeagain

Actually I got laid off f times in 2½ years - duh

backhomeagain

five times even - damm this Baileys is good

lilybilly101

It seems we need a drink and type thread these days. There must be some hitting of the booze in these stressful moving times! I am doing my fair share of the wine consumption in this house!

Lorry1

Been here 3 years
Yes, I've decided I love coming on this forum to get my daily dose of British humour
You can't beat it and some of the threads on here have me in stiches

backhomeagain

Humour is like a good bottle of Baileys, always manages to put a smile on my face )

A few things we will be taking back to the UK will be the ability to make shots now. Never done that before. Imagine getting spannered on a dozen chocolate cake shots and a few dozen slippery nipples, rounding the evening off with a couple of apple pies.

And of course nothing beats about a 100 chicken wings in good old Franks red hot sauce to get the old sphinctar muscled wobbling!!

I cant wait to try these out on our friends