Sorry man I’m not going to dox my address fingerprint with specifics. Let’s just say I went from east to west with stops in the major cities. I’ve seen enough to know it’s the same ugly bullshit everywhere.
TBH a lot of this stuff I think requires living here for a long time to even become aware of. I didn’t feel homesick until I’d lived here for 4 years. That was when I started to realise that for a European you have SO many boxes Canada can’t check. The abundance of good food, the variety of scenery, the urban landscape, the endless list of things to see and do, the social life, affordable travel, the culture, the history… That realisation might come sooner or later but for most it will come.
Canada is basically the same 10 house styles in the same suburbs from the 80s, the same roads everywhere, the same strip malls, the same junkie-infested half abandoned “downtown”. If you want to go out to eat your options are pizza, burgers, Mexican, and steak, all of which mediocre. Nowhere does a good sandwich. Nowhere even sells good bread. Fruit and vegetables taste of nothing. There are basically no bakeries. You can’t really walk anywhere, everything is driving distance. People think there’s nothing else to life than working and hockey.
There are places you can live that tick SOME of the boxes, but nowhere near enough to outweigh the often enormous downsides. You’ll end up coming to the same conclusion over and over; there’s no place like home.
I’m from Canada and I lived in the UK for a year, and living in the UK was one of the worst experiences of my life. Granted, I might’ve enjoyed it more if the work culture was better, but a lot of the things that make you complain about Canada, make me complain about the UK.
The food in the UK is awful, the beer is too warm and the local stuff largely all tastes the same. When it comes to fresh food, I found no difference between fruits, veg, bread, milk, etc between the two countries. You’re right there aren’t any bakeries, but I never recalled seeing any when I lived in the UK. They’re everywhere in France, Italy, and Germany, but I can’t recall seeing a single one in England – except maybe a French cafe-style bakery here or there. Dependence on cars is real, but most everyone in Canada has a car anyway so it’s not that big of a deal. It’s the price you pay for big plots of land and front yards, I guess.
The countryside in the UK also never feels really isolated – there’s always a town or a freeway or other hikers in sight. It’s not like Canada where I can just got lost in the wilderness. Granted, some parts of the UK are very beautiful nonetheless.
I found the social life in the UK was lacking too. I find Brits dull and unattractive.
I don’t agree with much in your post, and tbh a lot of it sounds made up (particularly the warm beer) but I do agree with this. For some people Canada will have everything they want. For most Europeans I think they will find it will be lacking. The key is to know what it is and what it isn’t.
Some will read my description and say “yeah I don’t care about any of that” and will be happy with what it offers. If you want lots of land, don’t mind bears and mosquitos, don’t mind snow and lots of riving, Canada is a place where you can get that. For me I’m not interested in hunting, fishing, sledding, homesteading, etc and Canada doesn’t offer much else.
I came to Canada uninformed about the downsides and that was a mistake. Others may like it and that’s their prerogative.
I’ve heard nothing good about Canada. What city did you end up in?
Sorry man I’m not going to dox my address fingerprint with specifics. Let’s just say I went from east to west with stops in the major cities. I’ve seen enough to know it’s the same ugly bullshit everywhere.
TBH a lot of this stuff I think requires living here for a long time to even become aware of. I didn’t feel homesick until I’d lived here for 4 years. That was when I started to realise that for a European you have SO many boxes Canada can’t check. The abundance of good food, the variety of scenery, the urban landscape, the endless list of things to see and do, the social life, affordable travel, the culture, the history… That realisation might come sooner or later but for most it will come.
Canada is basically the same 10 house styles in the same suburbs from the 80s, the same roads everywhere, the same strip malls, the same junkie-infested half abandoned “downtown”. If you want to go out to eat your options are pizza, burgers, Mexican, and steak, all of which mediocre. Nowhere does a good sandwich. Nowhere even sells good bread. Fruit and vegetables taste of nothing. There are basically no bakeries. You can’t really walk anywhere, everything is driving distance. People think there’s nothing else to life than working and hockey.
There are places you can live that tick SOME of the boxes, but nowhere near enough to outweigh the often enormous downsides. You’ll end up coming to the same conclusion over and over; there’s no place like home.
I’m from Canada and I lived in the UK for a year, and living in the UK was one of the worst experiences of my life. Granted, I might’ve enjoyed it more if the work culture was better, but a lot of the things that make you complain about Canada, make me complain about the UK.
The food in the UK is awful, the beer is too warm and the local stuff largely all tastes the same. When it comes to fresh food, I found no difference between fruits, veg, bread, milk, etc between the two countries. You’re right there aren’t any bakeries, but I never recalled seeing any when I lived in the UK. They’re everywhere in France, Italy, and Germany, but I can’t recall seeing a single one in England – except maybe a French cafe-style bakery here or there. Dependence on cars is real, but most everyone in Canada has a car anyway so it’s not that big of a deal. It’s the price you pay for big plots of land and front yards, I guess.
The countryside in the UK also never feels really isolated – there’s always a town or a freeway or other hikers in sight. It’s not like Canada where I can just got lost in the wilderness. Granted, some parts of the UK are very beautiful nonetheless.
I found the social life in the UK was lacking too. I find Brits dull and unattractive.
All this to say: to each their own.
I don’t agree with much in your post, and tbh a lot of it sounds made up (particularly the warm beer) but I do agree with this. For some people Canada will have everything they want. For most Europeans I think they will find it will be lacking. The key is to know what it is and what it isn’t.
Some will read my description and say “yeah I don’t care about any of that” and will be happy with what it offers. If you want lots of land, don’t mind bears and mosquitos, don’t mind snow and lots of riving, Canada is a place where you can get that. For me I’m not interested in hunting, fishing, sledding, homesteading, etc and Canada doesn’t offer much else.
I came to Canada uninformed about the downsides and that was a mistake. Others may like it and that’s their prerogative.