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I'd imagine that the gulf between Canadian culture and Brit culture is as large as that between Aussie and Brit cultures. can't say for sure though. never having been to Canada.
Anyway i really came on here to reply to cath
[quote=cath]As parents, I think you really have to think how so much uprooting is going to affect the kids![/quote]
yes. we moved several times while my children were small, but it was within the same urban area, so they stayed at the same school which gave them some continuity and they were able to keep the same friends.
Hm. I've never had to reply for residency or anything like that. When I moved to Ireland, I just got a bank account, PPS number (for the tax office) and that was it, really. Then I went back to my own country for two years and when I came back here, I only had to fill in one form for work because I'd been gone for over a year. Pretty straight forward stuff.
I'm surprised so many of you have lived in foreign countries. But pleasantly so. I love travelling and exploring foreign cultures and languages. I wouldn't move to a country if I didn't speak the language.
Hope I didnt offend you, Lolli. What I said wasn't to critisize those in the same situation. To stay in the same school and able to continue with friendships is the key here I think.
Island Girl, I think that at aged 11, I was much more aware of things and noticed the differences between Canada and England, well at least the places I was familiar with. Also, we moved from the capital city where everything was a stones throw away. We had a great standard of living, money was plentiful and the city was exciting. Then we moved to Northumberland right in the heart of the countryside, and all we could see for miles were cows and sheep and fields...plus it rained all the time. So even the weather was so different. The schools were very different. There was a lot of gangs in the north. The gangs called themselves "Geordie Agro" and I had never experienced anything like that before. The teenagers from one village to another seemed to be at loggerheads...
[quote=cath]Hope I didnt offend you, Lolli.[/quote]
of course you didn't, cath.I don't take offence very easily (They're too damn difficult to carry! :) ) In actual fact I was trying to show some support for what you were saying, pointing out that although we moved several times we kept continuity for the kids. Obviously need to look at my writing style! :D
There was a comment about UK being such a marvellous country. I agree about the history, the customs, the different districts. the quaint villages and are there crumpets still for tea.
However, in these modern times some things do rile. Number one is, of course, traffic. The whole package, lack of parking, too busy roads, costs.
After I had left the country for some years I was told that there was nowhere to park in UK, ie on green roadside for a picnic. I couldn't believe it but it is true.
So different from NZ where we have so much national park with no parking fees. Picnic areas all over. huge verges. I remember parking overlooking some downs in UK and the five pound National Trust parking signs. I am true blue British but I wouldn't change my last sixty years living in New Zealand.
Pongo - re parking, it depends where you are. Areas popular with tourists will be expensive, but there are other beautiful places where it doesn't cost anything to park.
I love this small island because of its history and geography and the immense variety of people. It's our governments that cause all the problems - they rarely put the needs of their electorate first.
Come to think of it, nor did I. Main trouble was the signposts with unpronounceable names. What do they call it? Is it something to do with glottal.
Apologies to any welshmen on here. PS:What do they call a lady welshman ???
Comments
Anyway i really came on here to reply to cath
[quote=cath]As parents, I think you really have to think how so much uprooting is going to affect the kids![/quote]
yes. we moved several times while my children were small, but it was within the same urban area, so they stayed at the same school which gave them some continuity and they were able to keep the same friends.
I'm surprised so many of you have lived in foreign countries. But pleasantly so. I love travelling and exploring foreign cultures and languages. I wouldn't move to a country if I didn't speak the language.
Hope I didnt offend you, Lolli. What I said wasn't to critisize those in the same situation. To stay in the same school and able to continue with friendships is the key here I think.
Island Girl, I think that at aged 11, I was much more aware of things and noticed the differences between Canada and England, well at least the places I was familiar with. Also, we moved from the capital city where everything was a stones throw away. We had a great standard of living, money was plentiful and the city was exciting. Then we moved to Northumberland right in the heart of the countryside, and all we could see for miles were cows and sheep and fields...plus it rained all the time. So even the weather was so different. The schools were very different. There was a lot of gangs in the north. The gangs called themselves "Geordie Agro" and I had never experienced anything like that before. The teenagers from one village to another seemed to be at loggerheads...
of course you didn't, cath.I don't take offence very easily (They're too damn difficult to carry! :) ) In actual fact I was trying to show some support for what you were saying, pointing out that although we moved several times we kept continuity for the kids. Obviously need to look at my writing style! :D
However, in these modern times some things do rile. Number one is, of course, traffic. The whole package, lack of parking, too busy roads, costs.
After I had left the country for some years I was told that there was nowhere to park in UK, ie on green roadside for a picnic. I couldn't believe it but it is true.
So different from NZ where we have so much national park with no parking fees. Picnic areas all over. huge verges. I remember parking overlooking some downs in UK and the five pound National Trust parking signs. I am true blue British but I wouldn't change my last sixty years living in New Zealand.
I love this small island because of its history and geography and the immense variety of people. It's our governments that cause all the problems - they rarely put the needs of their electorate first.
Apologies to any welshmen on here. PS:What do they call a lady welshman ???
A welsh lady? :)
My main problem with Wales is the LACK of signposts, let alone whether you can pronounce them or not. :)