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UK or BC... Life decisions

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@joneski,
A side-effect of 600+ forest fires! Shocked Sad
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@stuarth, We know we drove past one of the smaller fires near Hope twice.

We have had problems in the past as well. We have been evacuated once when the fire was closer to us than we were to the other end of town and the local fire brigade were hosing our roof and the nearby trees!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Lived in NZ for 14 years - 00 to 14 and then moved back to edinburgh. As said at length it’s not better or worse it’s just different. I wanted my daughter to have a extended family she was part of which is exactly what happens - her cousins and aunts and uncles really spend time with her. Grandparents are here a fair bit and it also gives us a decent balance to do our own thing, like go skiing!
Starting again isn’t easy but on balance out life is as good as it was before albeit different. Saying that we are lucky living in a city with excellent access to the outdoors as well as culture so feels a bit like Wellington except with history!
Don’t regret it one bit-any of it. We have a massive circle of friends which tech means we keep in touch with frequently. Saying that the thought of a 27hr flight doesn’t fill me with joy so we are struggling to find time to go back but will definitely do it. Massive plus side is having Europe on our doorstep - which is a pleasant change. Decide what’s important and just commit to it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
@dsoutar, Props!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@orange, Did almost the same as you, although I lived in NZ in the 80's/90's. We visit regularly (less since the twins came along) as my kiwi wife does miss friends & relatives but I've always been glad to come back to Edinburgh/Europe. I have to say that I would find it a harder choice between Scotland & Canada though. One of the many things I missed when in NZ were distinct seasons & I suspect that Canada would tick that box. As always there are advantages & disadvantages to both options but at least Canada is a lot closer than NZ. Now that Qatar fly directly from Edinburgh to Auckland it's slightly easier, although the 17 hour flight between Qatar & Auckland is a bit of a killer.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Thanks for all the input people. At the end of the day you only live once, so we are going for it.

Strangely one of my wife's colleagues had an almost identical opportunity and didn't do it because of the grandparents. She's always regretted staying and begrudges them her decision.

Stoked Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
motdoc, Glad to hear it, all being well, we should be road tripping again around BC in 2020.
Nelson and Red will be on the itinerary again Madeye-Smiley
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
motdoc wrote:
Thanks for all the input people. At the end of the day you only live once, so we are going for it.

Strangely one of my wife's colleagues had an almost identical opportunity and didn't do it because of the grandparents. She's always regretted staying and begrudges them her decision.

Stoked Very Happy

Fabulous! Please keep us updated. I've been tempted to head back home myself but it would mean giving up a decent self-employed career which I couldn't do in Canada. Have you decided where yet?
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Back to Nelson. Got job, doing Canadian exams, got residency. It's all on Very Happy
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Just following up because I should be sorting out my tax Eh oh!
We moved back to Nelson.
Overall we love it. People are nice, I take my kids off school for a ski now and again, and the BC government just gave GPs a pay rise because there is a big shortage! Market forces in healthcare, who knew?
We miss the people and the humour of the UK, it’s odd not understanding a lot of cultural references. I think we are a closer family because we have fun together, regularly.
It was more of a problem for the grandparents than expected, they are visiting for the first time in a few weeks. It’s a shame they took it very hard.
In summary I’ll work longer because Im having fun now, and I don’t ever really want to go on holiday because our life is great where we are.
If anyone is a GP and wants a better life get in touch!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Whilst going through security at Vancouver Airport last year, I met a British family who had just landed and were transferring on to another town whose name I currently forget.

Mum was a GP, Dad was going to be house husband initially and their three teenage sons who had all been onboard with the move and looking forward to it.

Not sure I could cope with the long Canadian winters, but I do hope it works out as well for them as it seems to have for you. Are you ex-pat GPs on a forum somewhere where you share experiences? Or one where you try to share your experiences with those who aren't ex-pats yet?
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Probably a very smart move. UK is continuing its journey downwards and we are on course to fall behind Poland next Sad
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64780112
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
motdoc wrote:

We miss the people and the humour of the UK, it’s
It was more of a problem for the grandparents than expected, they are visiting for the first time in a few weeks. It’s a shame they took it very hard.


I live in Portugal now for 23 years (and other countries before), my parents are in Sussex. My children were born here. Parents have visited us 2-3 times but Dad is unwilling as he is quite ageing and now had a stroke and diabetes. Once a year, whether Christmas or summer, we go and stay with them for at least a week, sometimes three (they have a 4-bed house and 7 acres). It means they get a good block of time with the grands not just popping in for a long weekend, and both sides have built good memories without the Aged Ps having to suffer the travel, and in your case jet lag. Maybe I miss out on exotic summer holidays though I’m not a huge fan of those anyway, but it works for us. I don’t expect my father to visit again so this is our way. Good luck with yours.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'd love to leave the UK. I managed to spend a couple of years living in France pre Brexit and I'm very bitter that this opportunity has been taken away from people. It may still be possible in exceptional cases, but previously it was seem less and you could move to the continent just as easily as you could move to Rhyl..

OP just being nosy, but could you share how you got your residency? I ask because a friend of mine lost their WP as teaching (at a highschool) was considered a seasonal job!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
motdoc, Great news, pleased you've made the decision to stay. I can certainly understand why Madeye-Smiley

The work life balance seems good for you over there, and I'm sure the grandparents will love it when they visit
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@jebroni3_16,

In this part of BC, and probably even more so in Nelson, the Canadian winters are not much different to UK ones (I say having dug 30cm of snow off my truck yesterday!) - in fact a bit warmer and shorter, and a typically hotter summer.
The only difference is that we have mountains so that winter is a good thing! snowHead Madeye-Smiley
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Ryunis,
PR card for being a doctor. They want more!
I spend my forum time on ski forums not GP ones because I like to try and forget work. Sorry can’t really offer advice on that.
My experience of winter here is that it is pretty different from the uk. Usually snow in town for 2 months or so. A cold snap to -20 something happens most years and usually several 20-40 cm dumps. Summer is usually crazy hot with a month in the 30s and a week in the 40s. My main source of stress is forest fires!
Brexit was a massive driver for me in emigration, always wanted to retire to a ski hill. We’ll I can now Smile
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@motdoc,

ok, so colder (and shorter?) on your side of BC, warmer, wetter, and shorter on this side. Madeye-Smiley
Wetter is mostly good - as per your point about forest fires, except when it all comes in one go as it did a year or so ago
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
@motdoc,

How do you find Nelson?
We were there earlier this year, and to visit it seems a pretty fun place (if a bit quirky and hard to get to! Madeye-Smiley ).
Whitewater is awesome and has a great freeride program for the kids
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Given the state of the UK almost anywhere has to be better. The few exceptions tend to make the point. i.e. Russia, eastern Ukraine, Zimbabwe.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
The grass is always greener… Many Brits dream of living in Portugal, yet many Portuguese would love to move to the UK.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
A move to BC (Kelowna) is potentially on the cards for us, but we're just myself, girlfriend and dog, so no kids to upheave.

I'd move in a heart beat, it was my plan pre meeting the girlfriend, she's a bit more concerned about being able to see parents, but we'll likely come over in the summer to see the place as she's never visited Canada, and then make a decision from there.

I believe I can get an express entry visa, which would give us PR.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@motdoc, my daugther spend a year in Vancouver studying (year abroad from Sussex Uni). She liked it a lot and was thinking of going back. Graduated with honours (biomedicine integrated Masters degree from Sussex). This is different from GP of course. Any pointers for young grads with such a diploma?
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Nelson is nice, beaches on the lakes in the summer. Tons of camping. My 86 yo neighbour sometimes clears the snow off my drive because he has a snow blower!
It’s a really nice balance. Mountain biking is pretty hard, straight up a mountain then straight back down, no xc.

They are encouraging quite a lot of immigration at the moment. A lot of people get a student visa ( for under or post grad) then get a job and then PR. Round here there is a big Sikh community. It was a surprise how diverse the community is, lots of Brits, Euros, South East Asians and people from India.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I have distant family in Nelson, the father emigrated from the UK in the 60s to work in forestry, met him a few times when he came back to the UK to visit relatives.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@swskier,
Personally, I'm not a big fan of Kelowna. IMHO Landscape is a bit barren, gets too hot in the summer, driving through it is like driving through a continuous strip mall. That said, quite a few of our neighbours moved there a year or so ago to take advantage of the crazy Vancouver property market, so obviously works for a lot of people.

If you're not super set on Kelowna, I'd suggest you do a bit of a road trip round bc, and include Vancouver Island, and the other bits of metro Vancouver that aren't just the city of Vancouver.
If your girlfriend is concerned with being detached, Nelson, Revy, and the more northerly parts of BC probably aren't the place to be.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@stuarth, we're looking at Kelowna specifically as there's a potential job offer via a friend, but the plan would be to see more than just Kelowna when we visited.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@swskier, Kelowna is pretty expensive to buy, just so you know
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