Re: What did you feel right before you emigrated?
 

Going on from Tommys superb advice on airports - if a family member insists on taking you to the airport, make sure you get the strongest emotional member to take you. My Dad took me and there were no tears at all when we said our goodbyes at Terminal 3 (although he sobbed all the way home). Then again, we were seeing them in 4 months time as we were all meeting up in Sri Lanka for our wedding. My mum was an emotional wreck as was my little brother, both went with my middle brother to a friends boozer and had a few too many sherberts.

The hardest part for me was saying goodbye to my Nan in Sheffield. She was starting to get unwell and sadly 99% of me knew that this was the last time i'd be seeing her. That came true as she passed away 11 days after my son was born. Whilst over in the UK for 2 days on business, I made sure I went to St Pancras railway station as that is our special place for me and my nan n granddad from Sheffield.

Like Tommy, I sobbed when our plane roared down the runway at Heathrow back on Oct 14 2011. That moment was when I forgot about the likes of Tony Blair and realised that it was official. Hardly any tears at all during the goodbyes (bar my Nan and the cat), but I suppose all the emotions got the better of me at that moment. My one way journey began.

It's whilst you're over that you then understand peoples true feelings. I hope none of your families back home start backstabbing you lot for being out here. Unfortunately, it's my wifes family that have been like this and I am expecting a few comments when I see them for the first time in 4 years in August. But then again, since we've moved to Pegasus and they've seen what we've got for our boys to grow up in - they have calmed down a bit. Not once did they try and persuade Sarah to move back whilst she was over, I think they've accepted we're staying and accepted that we'd see them at least once every 3 to 4 years.

With my family, my mum and dad can afford to keep coming here every year and they love this place. I am expecting a request for sponsorship when they've reached retirement age. Unless Winston Peters gets very popular, I think they'll be joining us permanently in 5 years time. I wonder what Vancouver is like?