Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

I have to say that my heart sank a bit when I read your post if only because I've been feeling quite jittery about this decision but have been pushing these doubts to the back of my mind as we're so sick of trying to work out where to go . We will be looking at areas with transport links to Glasgow too ,the nicer parts of Renfrewshire and Ayrshire, Troon is at the top of the list but so few houses come up within our budget that it will be more difficult to find the right one.
Thanks for the good wishes and if you have any bad news about those other areas we're looking at please keep it to yourself ;) I'm not strong enough to have to rethink everything right now.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

There's probably knowhere in the UK that doesn't have crappy areas as the place is small and full to the brim with people and that's what makes it such a fantastic place to live. It's constantly exciting and lots of stuff to do. You can sit and people watch for hours and not get bored. You know to choose carefully and knowhere has to be forever.....better work opportunities can afford us all the area of our dreams later. My hubby and I realised we didn't want to be put out to pasture just yet and actually having a really 'easy' life is a bit dull right now.

I sopke to my girlfriends today and laughed so much at the stories they had to tell. And the police often see the world through dark 'crim' eyes.......they've seen too much.....I lived near Manchester for YEARS and never had any problems.....my door was unlocked more than here!

Anyway, fret not and look forward to it all.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Had conversation tonight with hubby about - Whats the worst thing that could happen? We came to the conclusion that probably the wost thing that could happen is that we'll be living the same sort of life that we had before we came and really that wasn't too bad.!
Yep have to try and really focus on all the things we're looking forward to as one thing we are really sure about is that we don't want to be here for the rest of our lives :eek:

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

:wub:

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Just to say :) OH and myself took a trip up the west coast of Scotland, last March for his 50th :eek:
It was my first visit to scotland... we went as far up as Glasgow and then cut across, to the east coast and i was absolutely blown away by the coastline and countryside between Ayr and Glasgow..... we both commented on how simular the West Coast was to the coastline off Vancouver Island...
We only had 3 days to fit in as much as pos....but we will definitely be paying that west coast another visit.:D

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Sorry if I added to your concerns.....In reality I was only trying to advise in an effort that you would avoid the pit falls others have made. Their are some nice area's of course in all the areas you mention. In your situation I would rent first, (ideally in the area you are looking at to settle) use that as a basis for looking around. As you mentioned in your original post, it is a move you only want to do once.

Their is a vast difference vacationing somewhere for a few weeks, and actually living there full time.

Best of luck.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Probably should have mentioned that I'm from Glasgow originally although haven't lived there since I was a child ,but still have family there and hubby was at Strathclyde Uni when we met so we do feel we know it a bit but as you mentioned living somewhere full time is different as we know only too well now.
I did realise you were trying to point out the pit falls and its the ned culture and football nonsense that I'm most worried about. In many ways the decision to go back has been so much harder. Its quite ironic though my parents moved away from Glasgow to give their kids a better life and here I am (possibly) heading back there .

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

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

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

We moved from Surrey to Calgary two and a half years ago - CPS.

We waiver on and off all the time! Some of it is great, and some not so great. But we could give an Alberta perspective if you so wish - I'd probably be happier to do this by PM or even a phone call if that would help.

As has been said many times before, it very much depends on what you are coming from, and what you hope to gain. How much do you enjoy (or not) your current job (and even what rank you are)? Does you wife currently work and feel worthwhile - sometimes replicating that is very hard.

Ourselves and rae (EPS) are the only ones who appear to have the odd issue with our new lives - or the only ones still on the forum anyway, or the only ones willing to say so :p

So if I appear negative occasionally, my comments may seem disproportionate to all the other people who have apparently settled very happily here - because they don't post .... if you see what I mean.

I have no issues in saying it how it is - but I see no need to slag off my new country or our employer either. But there are 'adjustments' that need to be made. Most appear quite happy to be honest and we may be the ones out of step. But not out of step enough that we are oddballs - the rest of this thread highlights what many feel.

Personally, if I was you, I'd wait the 25 years and come over here with the full pension. We have friends in the Met planning this for 4 years time. I'm guessing you are probably early to mid 40's?

Depends also if you want to be a copper till you are 55/60? or are you happy to do something else, or have a yearning to do anything else? The reality is that you will be the "new boy" with 23 years experience - which will largely be ignored - and it will then take several more years to get off the beat - you could be 48/50 years old before you move department.

Please shout if we can help any more - I'm not a negative person generally - and I can also put you in touch with 'happy' transferees too :p

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Mmmmm, it would be a great adventure. It's a good time to do it now and try it for a couple of years and if it doesn't work out you can return.....but I notice the age of your kids....yikes. If they are adventurous, adaptable spirits I'd say go fo it but remember you won't get home status when you return for university unless you have lived in the UK for three years. It's a huge problem for lots of people returning so bare that in mind.

Also, Canada is amazing.....but it's difficult to make relationships like you have back home. Don't under estimate the Brit humour and culture. I promise you'll miss it.....but it all depends on what you want.....you have to just do it to discover if it works or not.

Hope it all works out.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Some are, most are not.

When working I flew quite a few expats back to the UK and got chatting with them. From what I heard it was more about the adaptability and expectations of the individual than the country. Some wanted the British 'stuff' with mountains, its not like that.

We've been here 15 years and would not dream of leaving. When someone is dissatisfied with something, there is a lot of negativity. You may also want to pose the question to those that stay to get a balanced view.

Many blame the country, but a country cannot screw up your life. It is a culture, some like it some don't. Life is different to the UK. I started in Calgary due to work and ended up in BC. Personally I prefer BC, but did not dislike AB either. One should also ask oneself the reason for emigrating, if it is to run away, likley the problems will follow. If it is for a change and a challenge, its worth a go. You never know unless you try.

It worked for some and not for others. But at least whether you stay or go back, we all tried. We can spend our lives waiting, who knows we may not be here tomorrow. Just heard a friend I flew with in the service, a year younger than me just cashed in his headset due to ill health.

Some mention the British sense of humour, but this is not Britain. If its British sense of humour you want, there is only one place to get it. I have worked with many nationalities and we just get along, never really thought about who comes from where. The Americanisation of the Canadian culture is what gets me, they even teach American spelling in schools now.

Calgary does get greener in the spring (when its not snowing). Hey, if you don't like the weather in Calgary, wait 10 minutes. The other saying, was if you don't ike the weather out back, look out the front. The weather in Calgary is extremely variable.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

I think it's different for everybody, for me it turned out that the UK could offer us more in terms of money, business and enjoyment. So we came back. Some people get seriously homesick, others just want to go home. It seems that most Brits do pretty well out there, so it's something you should try

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Back from Canada for 2 months after 30+ years there, in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, and Victoria.

As Aviator says, it is a different country. The similarities in language and government structure tend to mask that. How would you feel about moving to Switzerland, assuming no language problem and the possibility of meeting a fair number of other English people living there? It's basically the same thing.

I don't know anything about your career track, but it does seem likely that you'll lose status, no matter what the paperwork says. Is there a reason not to wait until full pension?

Consider the kids and their future. Plus the fact that if you stay, they could easily end up going to university in BC, not too far away, or Ontario, and then settling there. Canada is a huge country. I've been particularly struck since coming back by how all our friends are in constant contact with their grown-up children, even though some of the children have moved long distances. Lancashire to Cornwall, Wiltshire to Yorkshire, still are just long drives. Calgary to Kingston is a very long drive. Getting together at Christmas could be prohibitively expensive.

Most of our Canadian friends have children living a thousand miles or more away. Ours were 3000 miles away. Are a bit more now from the UK, but not much.

In general, I'd say schools in Canada offer a less rich cultural education than in Britain. There just isn't that much nearby in most cases.

We didn't dislike Canada. We may go back. We did find it a bit boring, which is a strange thing to say, but for example. Anytime I switch on Radio 4 here there seems to be something interesting on. In Canada, there were a few good programmes, but CBC seemed to mainly be a forum for everyone with a whine.

There are different and interesting things nearby here, whereas the size of Canada stretches everything out, so different is often a lot farther away.

There's spectacular country, but you have to get to it, and the countryside isn't open as it is in Britain. No footpaths and such, only hiking trails in provincial and national parks. Great skiing in some places if that's your thing. Boating, too, on the coasts and lakes.

Just some comments. In really does depend on what you're expecting from it, like everything.

Bev

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Amazing. How are things going for you? One of the main reasons I'm going back is what you have written regarding education and distances. If we were staying we'd place our kids in French Immersion as it seems better funded and resourced and a great opportunity to learn a language however I am less than impressed by the education here in BC. It is chronically under funded and the system seems to expect very little of them. The style of teaching is so, so dry and old fashioned. The standards vary from school to school and the place is FULL of teachers waiting to retire. I can't wait to get back and teach in the UK as I can feel my skills dying a death......

Anyway, I'm fascinated by your journey.

Re: Anyone leaving Canada?
 

Hi, ann is an oddball, she is happy all the time.

this will not be the answer you are looking for, sorry.

its completely impossible to comment, because it is such an individual thing. now that may seem like an obvious statement, but it does seem to escape some, who when given a blanket reason for returning, ie too cold in winter, turn their nose up and reply back, "well that would not bother me."

to try and be a little helpful i will say briefly how it is PERSONALLY for me. thats in bold because some on here have a habit of jumping all over you, as you'll see as time goes on.

+
nice, hot and feels like long summers, even though they are not really.
lower cost of living.
more disposable income.
more free time.
safer environment for children.
nicer 'feel' to the place, people and life in general, less stressed, slower, quieter.
sense of community and charity.

-
long cold winters when you can be housebound for days.
lots of things more expensive than UK, have to have the income to balance this.
language barrier, terms and generally chatting.
homesickness for friends and family.
homesickness for lots of simple things, tv, radio, food.
a feeling of isolation, made worse by poor international flight connections and expensive travel.

thats the tip of the iceberg for both + and -. i would strongly advise several trips to research. i would even more strongly advise completing your service in the UK as ann said.

all the best, rae.