Thread: what is canada like????

BC is very nice Vancouver in perticular has sea on one side and mountains on the other. For the kids and yourself there is a HUGE amount of outdoor activity Ski / Snowboard in grouse mountain during the winter which is 15 minutes from downtown vancouver. Do the grouse grind during the sumer if you have the walking boots for it. There is sailing close by and you can go whale watching! canada really is a an amazing place so much so that I move there myself in November.

I have heard that the Canadians are some of the best people around, so you will be fine over there.

Originally Posted by freddyb45

I have heard that the Canadians are some of the best people around, so you will be fine over there.

Hi Freddyb45

Yes your right on that one. We've met some great Canadians in the short time we have been here.

Andy + team

Is it true that if you do leave Britain you can claim the tax you have paid for that year back? Is that true someone has told me that they had read it somewhere! Just thought I would ask as if we do leave that would be quite good as oh is in a real high tax band so he pays an awfull lot of tax each week.

I know that lots of people come on here and ask questions, but my hubby and I are considering leaving the UK. We have to wait until he has his masters, and my daughter finishes school (she is at a crucial time) but there are loads of silly questions I have and I keep asking the hubby and he doesnt know obviously because we are both here!!

Ignoring the financial stuff, and tax stuff etc, what about education? Would my daughter have to take an equivalency test if she sits her high school exams here in Britain (which she will up to A Level standard at least)? Also - what are the quarantine rules - I have 4 cats and a dog and true, a couple of them will be too old to travel but would it be worth bringing them or should I look for new homes when the time comes?

I got the daft questions true - things like will my DVDs play there etc - I know there are different regions and stuff. Are the sockets different - all this sort of practical stuff is unimportant but stuff worth thinking about.

I am thinking of visiting BC before 2012 so that we can decide what we want - by that time the child will be finished GCSEs and into A Levels. I really dont want to distrupt her education. Would rather wait and give her the choice of what she would want to do when she hits 18.

Oh - and I have asthma - whats healthcare like over there. I currently take 3 inhalers and pay a fortune for prescriptions (although medical is free apart from that here).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - this is something we have been discussing for a few weeks now and the more we talk about it, the more we want to do it.

Thanks Sheena, will try and figure out how to do that.

Originally Posted by tinamc

I know that lots of people come on here and ask questions, but my hubby and I are considering leaving the UK. We have to wait until he has his masters, and my daughter finishes school (she is at a crucial time) but there are loads of silly questions I have and I keep asking the hubby and he doesnt know obviously because we are both here!!

Ignoring the financial stuff, and tax stuff etc, what about education? Would my daughter have to take an equivalency test if she sits her high school exams here in Britain (which she will up to A Level standard at least)? Also - what are the quarantine rules - I have 4 cats and a dog and true, a couple of them will be too old to travel but would it be worth bringing them or should I look for new homes when the time comes?

I got the daft questions true - things like will my DVDs play there etc - I know there are different regions and stuff. Are the sockets different - all this sort of practical stuff is unimportant but stuff worth thinking about.

I am thinking of visiting BC before 2012 so that we can decide what we want - by that time the child will be finished GCSEs and into A Levels. I really dont want to distrupt her education. Would rather wait and give her the choice of what she would want to do when she hits 18.

Oh - and I have asthma - whats healthcare like over there. I currently take 3 inhalers and pay a fortune for prescriptions (although medical is free apart from that here).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - this is something we have been discussing for a few weeks now and the more we talk about it, the more we want to do it.

You will need extended medical through work if you have asthma as people pay huge prices for prescriptions here. Inhalers are particularly expensive. You may find that the clean air helps you though!
Say bye, bye to electrical stuff and I think DVDs will work on a computer.
Education here in the Comox Valley is pretty awful. The schools are chronically under funded and the lessons are rather dry and old fashioned compared to home. Sorry, but I've seen it as I'm a teacher. If she does A' levels at home (very good idea) she could go to uni in UK but would have to pay international fees here I think.
I had friends who brought their dog and had no problems. God luck with the move. Canada is lovely but huge and varied so come over and research places to live. Vancouver Island is has amazing seasons and is very safe, lots to do......

hi

ive been in canada for 2 years on and off because ive just got married now going thru the process the schooling here is different works on credit my dvd player works here but can not play canadain films they are on ncis and we are on pal my hairdryer worked but not the same speed as england different wattage here. we used different plug socket i have adapator for my laptop and straightener they work fine i bought them from superdrug in the UK. As i dont have a sin number something like our NHS number icant see a doctor without paying it at the moment but im on my husband health plan i can get my meds but i have pay about $8.00 which is good with a health plan they would be $150.00 regarding the dvd player i bought another one here so we now have 2 1 for canadian film and 1 for the film i bought from home. I do believe that once your daughter hits 18 she will have apply for a visa in her own rite because she is an adult might be differcult i dont no really so my boys are still in the UK with my ex hubby nicks 20 and at uni and bradley is 15 still at school in his last year i wont them to finish school and uni before they decided to move here i have a stepson that lives with us hes 18 and in his last year of school and need just 3 credit to grad school if he dont pass these credit he cant grad so a lot different form the UK. i hope this will help u a bit

good luck

lorraine

With regards to the electronics. It might be easier to slowly purchase new electronic toys. It's a good excuse to buy a new wide screen TV and surround sound!!!