Canada 2013

[westcoastnortherner]

A new year, a new thread! What's happening with everyone this year?

Less than a month and we will be in our new house in Victoria. Canada seems so expensive now ( we left for the UK 15 years ago)... Mostly I just want my two Yorkshire daughters to adjust happily.

Hello Ladies!

Just to let you know that M&S have up to 70% off in their online sale TODAY. They also sent me an email earlier in the week that they were offering FREE p&p to Canada.

Hope MN Towers doesn't delete this-it's not advertising (Honest, Guv). Think of it as a humanitarian issue (as in First World Problem, I know)...They have cool clothes for the kiddies that will wash more than once, before disintegrating. Don't get me started on Percy Pigs and teabags. Have a heart Justine

Thanks I will take a gander. And I agree, it's not advertising it's humanitarian aid. Those who live in the UK and can saunter to their local M&S do not realize how lucky they are. If only they shipped food........

Hi there,

Love love your username! I agree about the food. I know there are British shops dotted around, but they tend to be very expensive. Things that we miss most-Mr Kiplings Fondant Fancies, Fry's chocolate cream, malt loaf, teabags, Calpol (my kids could be really sick, but would still refuse Bubblegum or Blue Raspberry Tylenol)....

crazyforbaby I am confused about you missing tea bags? There is a perfectly good selection of tea bags at any supermarket just don't touch the Red Rose. I recommend President's Choice English Breakfast if you are in a Loblaws area!

Hello all

I'm here in Vancouver. Been here 3 weeks now and just getting adjusted to the eye watering costs - holy moly! Those who warned me were not exaggerating.

Anyway, just signing in to say hi. Let me know any good Vancouver tips. I am already mining Crazy for her jewels of knowledge, but any advice gratefully received. :)

Is there a FB group i was told to join? I can't remember

We get Tetleys mostly which is fine, an Yorkshire when we see it. Agree Red Rose is grim!

MrsKoala pm westcoastnorthener about the facebook group.

Hi Bue, problem is I don't want English Breakfast/Earl Grey/other perfumed 'tea'. I just want normal builder's tea-strong enough for the spoon to stand up in it. I drink it non stop which gives me headaches if I drink too much Yorkshire or Tetleys. That is why I pine for the M&S decaff tea. Green Tea or Chamomile just doesn't do it for me either! Can you buy patches to help you quit drinking tea ?
MrsKoala-glad you are settling into life here so well. It is great that you are so chilled and open to new experiences here!

Ahhhhh I see. Well I know there is an English tea website where you can buy all the English brands in Canada. Also, although I don't like it, I believe that what is called Orange Pekoe in Canada is actually the exact same thing as bog standard tea in the UK, or the closest thing to it. I do know that Orange Pekoe is just plain black tea, the OP bit just refers to the size of leaf used. So maybe try bog standard Tetleys OP!

Oops Bue...you're right! All this time waiting for tea to arrive from the UK and I could have just bought something drinkable from the store down the road...Aargh! That will teach me not to be a tea snob-sorry !

Tetley do a decaf Orange Pekoe. I've no idea whether it's nice or not, but the ordinary Tetley seems to meet my general builders tea cravings :)

Tetley Orange Pekoe (full Caff!) is nice and strong if you want builders tea. I don't do DeCaff so can't help there.

Hello!

I am in Middle-of-Nowhere, BC.
I didn't think that orange pekoe was "normal" tea and always looked to English breakfast! I was even having a rant in Costco that all the giant boxes of tea were only orange pekoe and a member of staff misoverheard me and I had to tell him no I didn't want orange pekoe.

Does everyone have visas etc. sorted already? Apparently there is a strike going on with the workers in immigration, anyone know nothing about it?

We are Canadian citizens and so I don't anticipate a problem.. Off to see what I can find out about I migrations strike now though.

I'm waiting to be approved for residency atm and it's so frustrating.

We got PR in February this year after months and months of waiting, so I sympathise. Hope you get the email/letter soon!

Thanks! Did you apply from within Canada or outside Canada?

SusuwatariToes, there is a big discussion about the Immigration strike on one of the forums on the BritishExpats website. It gets very heated! I came over here on a Temporary Worker's Permit, but it still took a long time to get the PR. Good luck, hang in there!

I haven't even applied for mine yet!

Like crazy we came over on a TWP, then we got provincial sponsorship and then applied for PR. Had to do the whole things twice as we messed up the first application and timed out.

Thanks crazy. I've just had a look over there and it is very heated, but not very informative. No one seems to have any idea how long it will go on for. My original visa has expired now so I'm not allowed to work until PR has been approved. I'm also not entitled to MSP until the first stage has been completed (which would have been the middle of June if not for the strikes). I'm sure there are lots of people in worse situations though. I just feel a bit in limbo atm!

Hi everyone, I'm just back from the UK for five weeks, I've bought enough Yorkshire gold and PG tips to keep us going for a bit.

hi, i am in canada as my dh has a twp and i have a vistors visa. next month we can start the bally rolling for provincial nomination and then pr :-)

on another note can we have a coffee discussion? i dont drink tea lol but i drink a lot of coffee and it seems unless i buy a coffee maker i can't get a decent strong coffee, at the moment i am drinking the nescafe blue labelled jar, any recommendations for instant and coffee for a coffee maker as i plan to buy one soon ( i love starbucks and costa coffee in england so anything similar tasting to them)

I don't know any Canadians that drink instant coffee tbh. There are shed loads of coffees hops quite happy to take your money and flog you their own coffee maker as well as fill your carry out mug.

I just buy tetleys. from Costco. I'm well classy. I probably SHOuLD drink de-caff, but I don't.

I'm also entirely baffled how I managed to miss this thread for 8 months. Bizarre.

countydurhamlass whereabouts in Canada are you? dh likes very strong coffee and we generally buy Presidents Choice West Coast Dark Roast.