Do you want to return to Canada?

Clapoti
Senior Member



Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 90
Location: Berlin

Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 6:15 am

 

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hummm sometimes yes but it's okay. I'm trying to learn the language so that hopefully one day it will not be a barrier anymore. Depending where you go you can also speak english or french sometimes (I'm from Montreal).

I also have a German girlfriend. this helps a lot, but one day I hope to be able to do everything by myself and not need her help.

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krucigen
New Member



Joined: 16 May 2007
Posts: 4

Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:54 am

 

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I've been away from Canada for 5 years now and the last 2.5 have been spent living in Australia. I've also lived in China and spent a long while traveling.

The only thing I have missed about Canada are my friends and family. OH and driving on the right side of the road.

There are heaps of things that are better here in AU than back home in Canada but I feel as though I would be bagging out home a little bit too much to go through them.

But a quick highlight of AU. better living standards, a retirement fund system that works (Superannution), better working conditions and better weather! We just have crap internet here but oh well.

I do miss Canadian beer though. oh to have the big wall of choice from The Beer Store again. good times.

In short though. No. I do not want to return to Canada.

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wpg
New Member



Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 2
Location: California

Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:11 pm

 

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Mu hubby and I have been out of Canada for 5.5 years now. I have always wanted to return to Canada. I have long discovered that living conditions are better in Canada, inspite of the taxation we do experience there. It may seem people are well off here in the US but it is all just a smokescreen, they may have lower federal or state taxes or none, big houses to live in, multiple cars to drive on, but in truth people are deep in credit card debt. I'd say in Canada we learn to live within our means (that is how I did it anyway, just speaking for myself). Canadian society does not indulge in matters of private nature, that is, sensationalizing things. I find in the US, a lot of things are available for anyone for a price, whether your social security number, credit history, dirtiest secret in the closet (see how reality shows are profoundly popular here). I guess the primary attraction for most people to go down here are the job opportunities, since understandably this country is a a capitalist, so there are lots of investors for that matter. Just my two cents.still hoping that one day we can really go back!

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Sampikpu
New Member



Joined: 14 Jun 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Bangkok

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 5:43 am

 

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Hi y'all !

I've been out of Canada for almost 7 years now (since 24 yo). I've been traveling and leaving in different country since (every continent). I'm really attach and proud to be Canadian but I don't think I will ever come back. Beside the traditional poutine and hockey game on TV, I don't really miss anything. I sure don't miss the monday morning snow storm or scratching the ice of my car windsheild ! (I live now in Thailand) The over taxation to end up waiting 10 hours in emergency room for critical treatment. I don't miss seing neighbourg, oncle, friends of friend being on Social assistance but making twice your salary because they are working on the side.

I surely don't think that the grass is greener the other side of the fence but I can surely say that it's worth looking, at least for the fun of it

My 2 cents . no offence to any neighbourg, oncle or friends
_________________
Foreign country were built with the intention of making their citizen confortable not the traveler.

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gtoast
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 10 May 2007
Posts: 63
Location: Fulda, DE...

Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 6:49 am

 

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jeden tag ich lerne.
its a problem sometimes, but im pretty good at ordering food, and the office is quite anglicised (but there nothing like being forced to speak to actually learn.). its when the random germans on the street come up and start talking that i feel incredebly stupid. the most important phrase.'ich bin nicht americanisch'
although people here more often than not take me for australian or british.
_________________
the day i win the lotery will be the time that 100 000 000 other people picked the same numbers as me

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eddycurrents
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 42

Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 8:10 pm

 

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I've been in the US for 4.5 years and I am fairly happy here. We have a great house in a great neighborhood, I have a great job that's 5 minutes away, my wife has a great job, my kid is in a great school, we have made some great friends. Life is, well, great.

My wife misses her friends and family, but mine all moved away anyhow before we did. Our house and neighborhood in Edmonton were just okay, here is much better. People here are friendlier, in fact -- there really is a Southern Hospitality.

I miss the snow but I don't miss -40C, not even a little bit. The heat and humidity here in VA is miserable and stifling in the summer and we hate it, but the spring and fall are nice, and winter is the 3rd week in January.

I was making an extraordinary salary in Canada but it was too good to last (got laid off). My wife was being paid well as a nurse. Now I make a very good but not exceptional salary, and my wife is underpaid, but still our standard of living is about the same. We were making double mortgage payments in Edmonton, which we can't afford to do now, unfortunately. However, our house here is worth twice as much.

Most things are a little cheaper here. Taxes are much lower in the US and you can write off your mortgage interest. Health care is more expensive, but if you have a job with good benefits then health care is not too expensive and it's actually much better than in Canada. If you don't have a job with good health benefits, well. don't get sick or you could lose your house.

We pay off our credit cards every month and don't live beyond our means. Most Americans do and are perpetually in debt. I think staying out of debt is a Canadian attitude.

Speaking of which, some attitudes here constantly make me shake my head. There are actually people who think George W. Bush is *not* a moron. I even know people who voted for him. Twice. These are otherwise intelligent and sensitive people. After the initial shock I have begun to understand why -- it's because they are Republicans and they have no choice but to vote Republican. To vote Democrat is a vote for communism. Elections here are perpetual and entertaining. It's mainly attack ads, particularly from Republicans who always call their Democrat opponents "liberal" because there is simply nothing worse for another human being to be.

Christianity is strong here. Americans assume everyone in the world wants to be American, and Southerners all know that God is American. The "with us or against us" mentality even extends to Canadians -- sales of Canada Dry ginger ale fell sharply when Canada didn't join the US in Iraq. Never mind that Canada joined them in the first Iraq war, and in Afghanistan, or that Canada Dry hasn't been Canadian for 50 years.

We haven't experienced discrimination ourselves, since face-to-face and overall Americans are wonderful people. They really like Canada. Unfortunately most know little about it and don't care to learn.

When an American says he's from Chicago, he expects everyone to know where that is. When we say we are from Edmonton, we get a blank stare. When we say we are from Canada, we get a smile and that's all they need to know.

Last year my wife spent 20 minutes convincing two teenage girls working at Fedex-Kinko's that Canada is not part of the US. No joke.

So overall, we will probably move back to Canada someday, but we are in no rush.

In the meantime, we are spreading Canadian tolerance and educating our friends here about their mysterious frozen neighbor to the north.

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smurff
New Member



Joined: 15 Jan 2007
Posts: 9
Location: Afghanistan

Posted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 11:43 pm

 

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Well for me it started with a six month renewable contract. I thought that I would then get a job at a family mission later. Now after nearly 3 years, I am settled here and am ready to stay here until retirement, in 7 years.
I cannot make that salary in Canada, and I pay virtually no taxes.
My wife gets my whole salary, and I live very well here on special allowances.
We meet three or four times a year at different places, like Paris, Cuba, or Bankok.
I started to learn Russian language here because it is handy here. I fell in love with russian culture, and frequently spend holidays there.
I do not miss anything from Canada, as I got used to live like the locals, or the other expats.
I go to Canada once a year in the summer. The first summer for four weeks, last year for three, and this year only two weeks.
I call home everyday, and we do not miss each other.

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TriAxle2
New Member



Joined: 27 May 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Portugal

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 3:26 pm

 

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Now living in Portugal for the past 5 years, can't wait to move back to Montreal. Ok so there are no beaches there, but still, that's my home, Europe just doesn't cut it! If all goes as planned, moving back this summer! Woohooo!

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