Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Home

Home. Home is most definitely Canada for me. Recently I have been inundated with questions regarding my home. The biggest ones are what are you doing here in the UK ? And Will you ever go back to Canada and where would you live?
So I have to say it has been on my mind a lot of late.
Why do I stay here ?? Not sure to be honest something about it pulls me in. I love the lifestyle and the fashion. I however do not like the cost of living and sometimes the restrictions as well. By that I mean the cost of the living adds a massive amount of restrictions on what you can do in the sense that you are limited financial. However there are so many more things to do here in the cities then back in Canada. Things like Museums are generally free which is wicked as far as I am concerned. Also as much as the British complain about the bad public transportation it is amazing in comparison!! Never understood why they complain about it all makes no sense at all.

Things that kinda suck are the the kids over here. The are rude badly brought up, lack morals and ethics, they are lazy, and most of all they are thugs and bullies. I would never in my wildest dreams allow any child of mine to be brought up over here or to be educated over here as there seems to be some serious things lacking such as simple discipline. The government well it kinda sucks but what makes it worse is the fact that at present there is no creditable option to lean towards. They seem to have neglected the health care system and have forgotten the basic needs of ordinary people and are more concerned with their inside conflicts and bickering.

But right now I still like living here if I am honest.

Canada hmm. What can I say it is magnificent and beautiful. There are lovely people and cultures over there and they are generally embraced whole heartedly by other Canadians. Do not get me wrong there are still the same issues over there as there are here about refugees and people seeming to think that all people different are spongers and evil.

It is clean !!!! Oh sweet lord it is clean over there and I miss that. I also miss winter never thought the day would come when I would say I miss winter ! What I miss about it is that feeling on a Sunday morning when you lie in bed ake up and look out the window to -30 and winter wonderland. Where the window is frozen shut and there are ice crystals everywhere and it is bright white. And all you do is snuggle that little bit further down into the covers enjoy the warmth and stay there. It is something everyone needs to experience once in their life.
I miss my family a lot as well. It is not so much the physical people but the feeling you get from having them about even when you are arguing. It is just nice to have that support network about you when ever you want. I think a lot of people tend to foget that unlike them I am here alone so when things go wrong I am not able to just pop over to my mum's and bash it out. If I want a day with my family I do not get it. So unlike others most nights I go home and well that's it me and the cat.

Would I ever go back?? A year ago I said no would never go back to Canada , 6 motnhs ago I also said nope never going back. Now yes I can safely say my mind has changed and eventually I want to go back. There are so many reasons.
First the cost of living and lifestyle is better by far and completely proven now as well the best place to live in the world is Canada more specifically Vancouver which is where I would want to move back to. The job prospects are better the houses are bigger classier and lets face it a damn site bloody cheaper then the shit over here in the UK !!! Only in the UK would you have a room called a box room !!!!! ( Canadian translation : fucking tiny guys )

The food is better as well as in more fresh fruit and veg and cheaper better quality. But the biggest thing is Canada I believe or at least certain parts of it are on a major up turn and boom and so completely worth it! So yeah I will eventually move back to the mother land and live there for my own sanity. When?? Not a clue at all!! Need to pay my car off firstly ha ha !!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can't argue with a single one of your points there!

I lived in PEI for a little over a year a few years ago, and I still find myself comparing the quality of life between there and here.

I *really* miss the winters too, but also the summers - here in the UK all the seasons just seem to be pretty much the same. I can't say to myself in the middle of summer that the following weekend I'll have a BBQ - because theres a good chance it will rain. Over there you could be pretty certain it would be nice weather.

And when it comes to property, the prices are on a totally different level altogether. I've been looking at prices on PEI a bit recently, and for £60k I could buy a nice 4-bed detached. Over here that won't even get me a studio flat! The house I have here now is a 3-bed semi (one bed being a 'box room'), and it was recently valued at around the £190k mark. That kind of money would get me a mansion over there, and still have change for a Ferrari!

The only thing I don't miss a great deal is the way some people would be towards me over there. They were certainly in the minority, but it was noticable from time-to-time. Having said that, I think thats more a PEI thing than a Canada thing. They are very much brought up on the idea that your an outsider if you wern't born on the island.

I work for myself, and can work anywhere in the world - I often have to think hard for reasons not to go back permanently.

louisa said...

god back Lee!!! Go back to the lovely Canadian land. You so could set yourself up niceely with that 190k. I wish I could buy my own place over here really do but unfirtunatly will never be able to afford or let alone justify spending what is asked for property over here drives me mad!

you are right PEI does have that islander complex. Have to say forget out east west is so so much better. Never understood why people always go out east and never west confuses me to no end

Anonymous said...

Well, sadly that 190k is also matched by a Mortgage, so I would effectively have to start from scratch anyway - otherwise I'd be booking a flight as we speak!

I'm about 70% sure I'll move back over there at some point, though the 2-year application process for permanent immigration puts me off a bit (unlike the UK, who let anyone come in, lol).

In answer to why I chose PEI - it was primarily 2 things. Firstly, the scenary - I love the sea, and the property I was renting there had a fantastic view of the Atlantic ocean. Sitting in my back garden, watching the sun set over the water in the evening was something completely out of this world. The second factor was finances - PEI was significantly cheaper than anywhere else I looked (in terms of value for money anyway).

louisa said...

hey apperantly that 2 year application thing has really cut down as they are screaming for people to go over there or so have been told.
You need to go for either Alberta ( Edmonton ) or the coast like Vancouver, Victoria or the gulf islands. so so much better and friendlier in my opinion as well to be honest

Anonymous said...

Vancouver is a place I've often fancied - it was on my original list of options, but the prices were a little heavy for me (at the time).

As long as there is an ocean nearby, I'm sure I'd be happy ;-)

Nova Scotia seems to be popular at the moment too, I've stayed there a few times and didn't have any problems - though that is of course East :D

louisa said...

have a look at Saltspring island on the internet now if that does nto grab ya not sure what will. I spent my summers there as my mum had the brilliant idea to buy a house there before the property booms and it has paid off in spades for her. truly a stunning breathtaking palce to live