Hi all,

Can anyone advise as to the best place to purchase the above e.g. TV, Fridge, Washing machine etc etc. Naturally looking for the best deal and nearest place to West Island area (Beaconsfield).

Secondly, know a good telephone service provider for home phone and e mail?

Finally, (a sigh of relief!)
Does anyone know of any family type groups or clubs etc, this will beinportant for my wife and children to get to know expats and nationals in the area?

With sincere thanks

hi

Well we live in Pointe Claire which is just next to Beaconsfield and only moved here last August so would be happy to meet up and say hi when you get here. In Beaconsfield there is a 'newcomers club' for women which meets the 1st thursday of each month and also a 'womens club'.

There is the West Island Women's centre in Pointe Claire which is a non-profit organisation which runs loads of classes and courses both for women and children with childcare if you need it.

For the phone and email we are with Sprint. My husband looked into all the options and they were the cheapest and so far so good.

We haven't had to buy the big electrical appliances but I guess Future Shop would be where I would go. Wal Mart and Zellers do the smaller appliances like toasters, irons etc. You can buy them 2nd hand too, check the gazette or local papers or notice boards in the small shopping malls.

There is loads to do with kids, indoor and outdoor although be warned you have to register in advance for just about everything and on a certain day and if you miss that you risk not any places being available.

If you want any more info. feel free to ask!

Penny

Penny

So many thanks for replying my wife is feeling much better knowing there are opportunities to meet and join in with local expats and nationals alike.

Trying to guess wjhere to live having only driven around for 1 hour in Beaconsfield, Pointe Claire it is difficult to gues where to buy a house!

This is a life changing move for us, so do forgive us if we ask more questions.

Again thanks for your reply



QUOTE]Originally posted by tallperson
hi

Well we live in Pointe Claire which is just next to Beaconsfield and only moved here last August so would be happy to meet up and say hi when you get here. In Beaconsfield there is a 'newcomers club' for women which meets the 1st thursday of each month and also a 'womens club'.

There is the West Island Women's centre in Pointe Claire which is a non-profit organisation which runs loads of classes and courses both for women and children with childcare if you need it.

For the phone and email we are with Sprint. My husband looked into all the options and they were the cheapest and so far so good.

We haven't had to buy the big electrical appliances but I guess Future Shop would be where I would go. Wal Mart and Zellers do the smaller appliances like toasters, irons etc. You can buy them 2nd hand too, check the gazette or local papers or notice boards in the small shopping malls.

There is loads to do with kids, indoor and outdoor although be warned you have to register in advance for just about everything and on a certain day and if you miss that you risk not any places being available.

If you want any more info. feel free to ask!

Penny [/QUOTE]

Hi

Have just remembered this link which is worth a look:

http://www.cldwi.com/english/all/lifestyle/index.html

When are you moving here and do you intend to rent or buy? We are renting at the moment for the 1st year but are now thinking when the lease is up of buying as we now know the area and it will be cheaper than renting.

What I wish I had looked at more carefully was the schools. They have 'catchment areas' here and depending where you live determines the school they go to. You can apply to transfer to another school but only once you are registered at the 1st school and then each year depending on the no. of places available you can be kicked out. Our daughter who is 5 started at the local state school but is now in private so I can give you more info on that if you need it.

Penny

Hi Penny

Thanks alot - again really appreciated.

We intend to buy in the local of Beaconsfield ish - I will need to get the train into the city daily so a station dictates where we live I guess.

Glad you mentioned school, we have Victoria 12, Oliver 7 and neither speak French - yet!

Simone and I welcome any info you night have on where to avoid. I got the map of the schools but of course this does not say how good or otherwise they are. Like everything else when you upstcks it is the unknown that worries us.

Simone is worried about language problemsand meeting new friends - first time living out of the UK for herself.

We hear so much regarding living in Montreal but there must be some down sides - winter!

The Uk for us is going down hill for many reasons - it'll always be home but the schooling etc etc is so messed up.

Are you guys glad you made the move? not meaning to pry but other peoples opinions are worthy.


From Simone and I thank you for taking the time to reply.


Cheers to you and yours

hi there, try sears, www.sears.ca click on electronics and then major appliances. you get a good warrenty and a great return policy. we had problems with irons, we took 3 back over a 5 month period before we found a good one, no questions just great service.

Me again

Yes we are happy we moved here but I don't feel we'll be here more than say 3 years probably. Actually the schooling is the main thing that would take us back to UK as we were much happier with the schools in UK than those here so goes to show each to their own!

You may know this all already but I'll go ahead anyway:

In West Island there are 2 school boards, one english and one french. The french one is at www.csmb.qc.ca and the english is at www.lbpsb.qc.ca

There are certain criteria allowing children to attend an 'english' school which I can let you know if you need it and most english schools offer a bilingual or immersion programs which are 70% french so the kids are still taught mainly in french but not to the same degree as in a 'french' school.

And there are always a no. of children even from Montreal who don't speak french so your kids won't be alone and generally support is very much available.

I wouldn't like to say which is a good school and which isn't as it often such a personal thing but I can tell you the school our daughter was at for 6 weeks ana we weren't happy with if you want and I know 1 school in Pointe- Claire which supposedly has a good reputation. All I do know about are primary schools though, not secondary.

What you have to get used to though are the school holidays, start at end of August, 2 weeks at christmas, 1 week in March, 2 days at Easter and finish end of June. Doesn't give much scope for holidays away!

The west island is very 'english' and although I can speak fluent french do find I speak english nearly all the time, in shops, on the phone etc. and your wife I'm sure won't find it a problem. Obviously it is great if you can speak french but it isn't essential and I have found it is much easier to make friends here than it would be in the UK as people are much more open and with kids it is easy to meet new people.

My husband gets the train downtown for work every day so walking distance to a station was a definite criteria for us. One of the reasons we decided on Pointe Claire rather than Beaconsfield is that it is 10 mins nearer town so less travel time! And it is so cheap, $72 for a month pass inc. metro.

The winter is ovbivously still in its infancy and it is horrible! Having to put on so many clothes and getting the kids dressed before going anywhere is a real pain and the when the wind blows you feel it! But it does give you the opportunity to do things you wouldn't in UK like skating, skiing, winter carnivals, toboganning etc.

Hope all this rambling helps and of course ask again anything else. I can tell you all the little things I miss and wish I had put in the container to ship over if only I had known!

Penny

Hi Penny

Thanks alot - again really appreciated.

We intend to buy in the local of Beaconsfield ish - I will need to get the train into the city daily so a station dictates where we live I guess.

Glad you mentioned school, we have Victoria 12, Oliver 7 and neither speak French - yet!

Simone and I welcome any info you night have on where to avoid. I got the map of the schools but of course this does not say how good or otherwise they are. Like everything else when you upstcks it is the unknown that worries us.

Simone is worried about language problemsand meeting new friends - first time living out of the UK for herself.

We hear so much regarding living in Montreal but there must be some down sides - winter!

The Uk for us is going down hill for many reasons - it'll always be home but the schooling etc etc is so messed up.

Are you guys glad you made the move? not meaning to pry but other peoples opinions are worthy.


From Simone and I thank you for taking the time to reply.


Cheers to you and yours [/QUOTE]