Chance of a lifetime or?

[chunkfunk]

Dh is in the forces and has been given the chance of a posting in either Canada or Cyprus (house is included and would be payed extra whilst over there)
Our children are currently 9/7/4
It's once in a lifetime opportunity but on the other hand I worry about the kids education. DH thinks we should go for it whilst the children are still primary age. Of course it's a decision only myself an my DH can make but just wondering what other people's views are?

@BTV2000

100% check where in Canada you’re likely to end up. My DH is in the forces and has been stationed in Canada and there was the opportunity for us to go at one point. Unfortunately where he used to have to go was out in the arse end of nowhere with the towns about 1-3 hrs away depending on which direction you drive!

This! My DH is forces and we would love an overseas posting but unfortunately most of them in his line of work are absolutely in the middle of nowhere. The Canada option is pretty much North Pole But if your options aren’t as limited I would do it. Mine doesn’t have an accompanied option for Cyprus so it’s likely to be Middle East for us to get some sunshine!

Itis a wonderful gift to give your children to spend a few years in another country.
I wish more families had the opportunity.

Do it now while at primary school, and make sure you return by end of year 8 if you want to return.

(I work with families moving internationally)

I would! Especially with things in Britain the say they are now. The thought of escaping somewhere else until we hopefully have a more competent government in four years time is rather attractive.

My dh was offered a year long job in Canada, but when we worked out how much it would cost us (we'd have to pay for everything) we decided against it. Our kids would've been roughly the same age as yours.
Now, five years later I still regret not taking out a loan and going for it!

I hope if you decide to go you have a brilliant experience (just don't tell me because I'll be jealous 😉😂)

Where in Canada? The forces may not be posting you to a particularly desirable part. Doubt you'd be in downtown Toronto or Vancouver. Just a thought as small town Canada can be pretty painfully dull. (I'm from Canada btw).

Oh! Just saw you said Medicine Hat or Ralston! No way in a billion years would I move to either of theirs places. They are in the middle of nowhere. You really need to think about the quality of life you are after. I love Canada (won't go back though) but couldn't imagine freezing to death in small town Alberta. Really, really think about this. I'm not sure you'll get the "benefits" of Canada in either of those places. I would move to Cyprus in a heartbeat though (assuming temporary).

I love Canada, lived in Calgary for a few years when I was younger but I also love Cyprus and I think the Cypriot weather would swing it for me - the Canadian winters are soul destroyingly cold.

Forcesfamily here!

We lived in Cyprus a couple of years ago, on both sides of the island and loved it. I loved the hot weather and the lifestyle is pretty laid back. We would go back in a heartbeat!
I've also heard Canada is amazing but the kids can come back to the uk quite behind as they follow the Canadian curriculum so most people put a lot into keeping up with the uk side as well x

As he went single unaccompanied he was on camp at BATUS, and if I remember rightly the pads were about a mile away from camp.

Medicine Hat isn’t far away, though my understanding from DH is that it has a reputation for drug users/drug crime. I believe there are a few shops in the small town but I remember him explaining to me that Calgary is your nearest big town which is about 3 hrs away.

He didn’t paint a great picture I’m afraid, however this also depends on people’s circumstances! E.g I am a Midwife with no children and pre covid was used to being very sociable and seeing my family allll the time.

If we went to BATUS on posting, I wouldn’t have been able to work as my quals would take too long to transfer, I don’t have kids to keep me entertained and busy and to get to the shops for something to do would’ve been a ball ache 😂 and then talking to my mum/family for support would entail a time difference.

However, the Army community can be really friendly wherever you go-albeit I haven’t experienced it much as we bought before we were married so didn’t live in a pad, but you may find that due to the circumstances of the posting that you and the kids will make friends quickly 🥰 and that can have a big impact on how well you adjust and enjoy your experience.

There is a lot to do in terms of outdoorsy activities but I would definitely try and get into the FB groups for real experiences from other families as, and I don’t mean to cause offence, I wonder how many of the women on here who are saying ‘Canada?! I’d be packing my bags before he’d finished..’ are civvies 😂

@LaceyBetty

Oh! Just saw you said Medicine Hat or Ralston! No way in a billion years would I move to either of theirs places. They are in the middle of nowhere. You really need to think about the quality of life you are after. I love Canada (won't go back though) but couldn't imagine freezing to death in small town Alberta. Really, really think about this. I'm not sure you'll get the "benefits" of Canada in either of those places. I would move to Cyprus in a heartbeat though (assuming temporary).

This! 👆🏻 BATUS is meant for exercise training so it is huuuuuge...this also means that it is effectively in the middle of nowhere so that other residents are undisturbed by live firing. Winters can be -40 so I agree with LaceyBetty in addition to my previous post

I've only been on holiday to Canada (BC) I've never lived there, but it immediately struck me as an amazing place to live.

Kids are always fine.

Go go Canada, amazing place.

Go for it! Perhaps check out local school/facilities etc before fully committing but it sounds great!

@OutComeTheWolves

I've only been on holiday to Canada (BC) I've never lived there, but it immediately struck me as an amazing place to live.

A holiday in BC is vastly different to two years in Medicine Hat Alberta though.

Canada for me too, I have a friend who’s dh has been in the navy , her kids have travelled since they were tiny and they are doing happy and doing brilliantly at school, go for it👍🏻

Cyprus each and every time. Dad was in the army, we were posted to Cyprus for four wonderful years. The schools out there are British schools with British teachers running the British curriculum.

It’s an excellent lifestyle. I went to both junior and secondary school. School in the morning (from 7 am if memory serves correctly). Finish at 1.15. Down the beach by 1.45 Every. Single. Day.

Oh and the kebabs are truly out of this world, nothing like the shit you get here after a drunken night out.

You wouldn’t ever regret living in Cyprus, totally different from being there on holiday, believe me. Canada you can go on holiday to. Don’t chance your children’s education.

@WankPuffins

Kids are always fine.

Go go Canada, amazing place.

As someone who regularly meets adults who are very screwed up by their forces/nomadic background, that is a pretty uneductaed comment.

I said upthread that it is a great thing to do as a family, to go and live in another country for a few years.
But it is not a foregone conclusion that kids will be fine.

Forces/business/diplomatic kids who move every 2 years to a new placement for example, are very much not fine, and forces do bugger all to help them or their families.

Look up anything to do with being a TCK, or global nomad.

I’m going against the grain and saying I wouldn’t go. Not for 2 years with a 9 year old who would then come back and straight into high school. If he was 7 then maybe but high school is such an important decision and it’s be up to wherever there was a space. That’s not even taking into account friendships.

We would have done this when the dc were young. From a mental health point of view some children do struggle with the transition - babies and childrens brains develop in the culture they are in, they develop and identify with close attachments and then have to leave. They find that adolescent rules and behaviour are different and they don't feel they fit in (whereas actually they probably seem glamorous to their peers). So what I would do is always talk about it as two years, so they prepare for coming back. Encourage links like gaming online with English friends. Education should be OK. But don't do it if you have sensitive kids who struggle with change.

@Indecisive12

I’m going against the grain and saying I wouldn’t go. Not for 2 years with a 9 year old who would then come back and straight into high school. If he was 7 then maybe but high school is such an important decision and it’s be up to wherever there was a space. That’s not even taking into account friendships.

This is a very good point 😣

@steppemum not so uneducated, it's how I was brought up.

Although we didn't tend to stay in one place - when my dad took a posting my mum would hire a campervan and we would travel the county for weeks/months at a time while my dad worked.

Appreciate it's not for everyone though.

I did it with my own son too when he was younger. My ex was posted all over the world and we would join him and travel. Ds was home educated though so wasn't in and out of schools.

This is a very good point

Do you currently accompany your DH? If you do surely the kids are used to moving around and making new friends, something military kids are well accustomed to! Always helpful when they're around kids in a similar situation too.

I'd go to Canada like a shot.
Most children tend to adjust pretty well.
If your DH is in the forces, presumably you'll be moving again after that anyway ?

@believeinblue

This is a very good point

Do you currently accompany your DH? If you do surely the kids are used to moving around and making new friends, something military kids are well accustomed to! Always helpful when they're around kids in a similar situation too.

We do yes but have been in our current positing since Ds1 was in reception so have been very lucky with it. Saying that all my Dc are very sociable and make friends easy! DH is still very for going but after reading a few comment from people who know the area in Canada I am torn now. Hate that this is time sensitive too we need to give his work an answer soon argh!!