betty2009

Hello Jacky
I hope you get back soon. We recently moved back to the UK and to be honest it has been much harder than I expected, to the extent that I wondered if we had done the right thing and considered the option of applying for Canadian PR in the near future....moving on, OH has "grass in greener" syndrome, my NHS job is pretty crap and we are struggling financially. HOWEVER Im now realising why I came back, this is home and even on dull, windy days, I'll find something to amuse myself....

iaink

You might want to consider applying for citizenship (if you haven't already) just in case there is a change of plan in future. Its a cheap insurance policy even if you never once feel the need to use it.

Is how you feel about Canada the cause of the depression, or are the feelings about canada a result of the depression, whos to know. Sure doesnt make life any easier though, especially if one or more kids decide to stay here. I dont envy you, that's for sure. Hope it works out.

The4BellsLondon

Hi Jacky - join the medicated club!! I am having trouble leaving the house at the moment - but hopefully will be returning to the Uk in April - pm me if you want a chat or meet up!

Bevm

Can I toss in an off-the-wall comment here about health. A lot of women get depressed, and especially housebound, because they're anemic. Get your doctor to check your ferritin. It's the iron stores. If they're low, iron supplements could get you in better shape to face the challenges and make the decisions.

We're really enjoying being back, though not everything's perfect, of course. It's just so much more vibrant and interesting here, with lots more in easy reach and wonderful radio and TV. England's also beautiful with an amazing amount of green space left. I can't think of anything I really miss about Canada.

Bev

manamama

I agree. Anemia is very common and especially for women approaching their 40's and onwards.

Also, depression is a symptom of the peri-menopause. Understanding our health can make us more positive.

wannabecalgarypc

What I would not give to trade you mine and my family's places in the UK to be in Canada

Rising crime rates. No thanks
Imigrant influx gone mad. No thanks
Rain rather then snow. No thanks
Being mugged by hooded teenagers. No thanks
Government ripping people off and lying as always. No thanks
Small houses for a huge price. No thanks

and that is to name but a few

Great landscapes, mountain views when I wake up. Yes please
Better way of living. Yes please
Better school system for my daughter. Yes please
Good all round seasons, like snow in the winter like it is ment to be. Yes please
Big houses that are not over priced from what I have seen so far. Yes please

I know you have reasons for wanting to move back I understand that, but I feel there is nothing to come back to really, unless you count family of course. The UK gets worse each year that passes.

What are the main reasons for people wanting to leave Canada, do Brits find it hard to fit in. Or do Canadians not like us for some reason?

dbd33

Imigrant influx gone mad, innit?

iaink

This is probably not the place... Please read Pollyannas excellent sticky post at the top of this forum.

I would humbly submit that you should probably take your post content over to the Canada forum where we will be happy to pick it apart for you and help remove the slightly rose tinted bits

wannabecalgarypc

Rose tinted??

I live in the UK so I know what it is like. True I do not live in Canada yet, but from what I read people want to move back because of Snow for the most part. As for what I like about Canada its all fact, the views are great you cannot say otherwise, the schools are better Canada ranks 4th out of 50 countries and the UK is not in the top 50 list.

I am not looking to upset people more understand why people want to leave and come back here is all. Just curious I guess.

And what was with the comment to the other guy about innit? I never said innit in my post?? Did I miss something

ann m

Time to sit back and read a lot more of the forum. Your answers will become clearer, and you will get to know the quirks of some of the personalities in here

iaink

I lived in the UK, my immediate family still does, The fact I live in Canada does not blind me to some of the UKs problems, or Canadas for that matter. However this is not the place to get into it. If you want to discus Canada, bring it to the canada forum. "Government ripping people off and lying", or "Immigrant Influx" would be as good a place to start as any. BUT THIS IS NOT THE FORUM TO DISCUSS IT.

As for reasons to move back, in no particular order and in no way a complete list

Missing Family and Friends.. You cannot replace family and people you have known since school, you can sort of substitute if you are lucky, but some people will not realise the impact of this on their quality of life until they actually experience the reality

Climate; Some people adjust to the canadian climate better than other. The climate is not going to change to the point that winter is a breeze, so you either adjust, or leave, or stay and get depressed for several months. I like winter, but in Ontario it starts to wear come March, and every year seems a little longer. I'm taking up skiing this year to battle the winter blahs. The heat and humidity in the summer was a killer for me at first, and the bugs are annoying, but you either adapt, or you move somewhere else.

Job / Economic oportunites and working conditions; This is probably as large a group as any. Canada does not pay particularly well, the cost of living is not nearly as low as a visit would have you think, Its hard to influence "the way things have always been done", Two weeks initial vacation time does not cut it for many, and getting a decent job in the first place is a struggle for many, as has been said before, "you cant eat the view". The overall landscape where I am is not mountains, but still pretty. It would be a lot prettier if it werent for all the god ugly utility polls sticking up everywhere spoiling the view of course.

Long distances to anywhere, no castles, stately homes, "history and culture": This one comes up from time to time. I find there is enough to do in a low key way, and that history and culture are relative terms; But clearly there is no equivalent here to say Warwick Castle which my kids absolutely loved on our last trip to the UK, and there are no cheap weekend away airfares to anywhere here, even if the carribean is only a few hours flight away.

Its just not the motherland; Some people will always fall into this group, but at least they had the guts to go look at some other part of the world anyway.

Mummy in the foothills

Oh honey, when you get to Canada you will BE THE IMMIGRANT. Don't like them? Wait till you are treated like one, and it may not happen daily but when it does you won't like it.
Crime is everywhere, you are delusional, so are muggers, crooked government and just about everything else you mention

Emigrating to another country doesn't solve all your problems, it either exacerbates them, or replaces them with new ones.
Be happy with the here and now, comfortable with where you are and what you have.
Emigrate for a chance to see and do new things in work or in life, but don't expect more than you already have, and don't expect it to improve your family and marriage, it adds a lot of stress.

iaink

Actually crime is pretty rare where I live, and I cant remember anyone getting mugged in the 8 years Ive lived in my current place.... I dont know anyone whose been mugged either, but you read about it or hear it on the local radio news occasionally, so it must happen I guess.

Everything else you say is true though, although I am lucky that my replacement worries are a lot easier to deal with then the old ones. But then I didnt leave the UK for any particular reason, other than the chance to come work in Canada fell into my lap and it seemed too good an opportunity to refuse.

wannabecalgarypc

Thanks for the information everyone. I don't mind being the immigrant it will make a nice change

I know its not all going to be rainbows and butterflies

But a chance at a different live, I look forward to the day I can transfer as a PC from here to Calgary, from people in the job already I only here good things, from what I have researched and been told the good out weigh the bad so I am willing to give it a shot. As for Warwick Castle I am sure I can live without it, trade that in for a day snowboarding any day. Not too worried about history to be honest as I love the now and what the future holds. As for Crime yes of course its everywhere I deal with it in my day job on a day to day basis, but some places/countries have less then others.

I will miss family yes but they have there lives and I have mine I cant stay near them all the time just to make sure I don't miss them, it will give them somewhere to visit at least

So far the people wanting to move back have not said anything that makes me think or put me off the idea. I can always make new friends as well.

Sounds like you have had a bad time of it which is a shame. I do hope that coming back here makes you happier I would be happy to trade places with you in a heartbeat

kwazywabbit

I live and work in Calgary and I can tell you that every thing you have just said that are bad points about England... well I don't mean to disapoint you but they are here as well.

Rising Crime rates have a look http://crimemap.calgarypolice.ca/con...aimerPage.aspx

you say you rather snow than rain. But wait until you have to drive in it every day or when it starts to snow in december and doesn't stop until June.
Try doing any thing out side when its -20 and below it will even drop to -50 with the wind chill.

Try walking down town calgary some time its no better there.
Try living next to a grow opp.. thats no fun as well.

The government out here is no better than the one in UK. They are all the same.

Houses wow they are not all they are cracked up to be out here. Don't forget when you are earning a canadian wage a large house is not always the best thing to have.

I'm not going to go over the rest. You will see when you get out here that Canada like any place in the world has good thing and bad things..

I wish the best for you and you do enjoy your time out here when you arrive.