Im married to a Canadian resident and have made the decision to emigrate to the country from the UK early next year. I'm tired of the flying back-and-forth and Totonto is a city I warm to more with each visit. I would be curious to hear from any posters here who have resided in both the UK and Canada. Its a big, big move and one I am very excited about.

No Toronto residents here on Tell Me?

Lots of Toronto residents, but apparently none who have resided in both Canada and the UK. Good luck with your move and welcome to TO.

Thank you, Some TorontoGirl. Heading out in 3 weeks, my fourth visit this year alone. Looking forward to finally moving there and nothing this back-and-forth from Gatwick to Pearson!

Just spotted this. I was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, then Leeds for a couple of years. We moved to Ealing in 1958 & so in 1962-3 I would ride on the number 65 or 97 bus past Ealing Broadway where the Stones used to play, I didn't know this at the time. We moved south around Farnham & then in 1966 the family emigrated to Canada, to Scarborough on the east side of Toronto. I was 16, fresh off the boat, there were GIRLS in my school, R.H.King Collegiate Institute where Robbie Robertson from The Band had been. I first saw the Stones at the Maple Leaf Gardens, afternoon show, 1972, I won tickets on CHUM Fm, the local radio station, a good time was definitely had by all. In the mid 70's I moved out with my girlfriend to Regina, Saskatchewan, I've met some folks who say Regina is a great place to leave but I had a lot of fun the 3 years I was there. In 1977 I moved to Australia where I now reside just north of Melbourne, happily married, 2 dogs, too many guitars & pretty well retired, although I still do the odd Santa gig.

Great story, Vox. Thank you for sharing. So, is there an hint of a British accent left in you? Being 29 and having only every lived in the UK, I suspect mine'll stay intact more or less. Ex-pats I've met tell me that it's not so much about the change in accent, but the phrases you use. I.E. 'washroom' instead of 'toilets', 'pants' instead of 'trousers' and s on. I was mortified - ha-ha - when I first heard my wife utter these phrases, but now understand that it's just part of the process, part of the change. I'm ready to fully embrace Canada, really I am.

Scarborough, London, Chatham... it's great to see so many areas in Canada named after British towns and cities.

In Toronto, is it politically correct to finish a meal by saying "I'm stuffed ?"

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Edith Grove
In Toronto, is it politically correct to finish a meal by saying "I'm stuffed ?"

Well, I say that!

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Edith Grove
In Toronto, is it politically correct to finish a meal by saying "I'm stuffed ?"

Naw, we just belch, wipe our face on our sleeve and shove the plate away. Assuming we used a plate and weren't just eating out of the pot.

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SomeTorontoGirl

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Edith Grove
In Toronto, is it politically correct to finish a meal by saying "I'm stuffed ?"

Naw, we just belch, wipe our face on our sleeve and shove the plate away. Assuming we used a plate and weren't just eating out of the pot.

Sounds like my kinda place !

I almost did the very same thing Big Al!

I've had family in Canada all my life, a lot of my Dad's family moved over there in the lat '60's and then the very late 70's, so to me they've always been there. We try and visit whenever we can, I've always loved Canada, especially Toronto. It is a fantastic city.

I met a girl back in 2002 (I went to the Licks show at the SkyDome (now the rogers centre, yuk!) while I was visiting family. I literally met her on my last night, we clicked, found out we had the same birthday, and exchanged email addresses, and so a long distance relationship began. She visited me a couple of times, I flew out there several times, including a surprise visit on Christmas Day 2003 (I took the 9pm Air Canada flight from LHR and arrived at her family's christmas party just after midnight, one of the best things I ever did, ever...) She then moved over here the following summer and stayed for a couple of years, but unfortunately it just didn't work out. The plan was to move to Canada and settle there, but for some stupid reason I panicked and didn't want to leave the U.K.

So, yeah, Canada, and Toronto in particular, has a very special place in my heart. Some great friendly people, so much to do... The 'lakes' region, around Muskoka, is amazing, and not too far from downtown Toronto. Have you been to that area yet?

All the best luck with your adventure...

_____________________________________________________

What's your favourite flavour?...........Cherry Red!!

Hi Big Al...while I didn't move directly from Canada to the UK or vice versa, I've lived in both places. I lived on & off in Toronto until I graduated high school in 1980. And in the 90s I lived in Tunbridge Wells.

I think you'll love Toronto. It's a great city. I still go up at least twice a year. My best friend lives - coincidently - in Scarborough.

It's expensive (compared to Memphis). But I don't think it's pricier than the UK. It's a bit chilly in the winter but other than that, it's a wonderful city. I've had many happy times there & sometimes I think about moving back.

Good Luck!

Great story, Mr Jimmy. Sorry to hear it didn't work out. My wife has been in Toronto a year this month and hasn't done nearly enough exploring herself. We've done a few of the touristy things on my visits this year - March, July and October - but we'll make a determined effort to immerse ourselves in the city from next year. I've heard great things about the lakes, so that's on our list. Unfortunately this year has been all about visas and sorting ones status out. I have all that to look forward too!

memphiscats, the chilliness really got to me in March. I knew it may be cold, but wasn't quite anticipating such low temperatures. One thing to say in Canada's favour is that they do seem to have proper seasons. Here in merry old England it's all kind of, meh. So-so summers, so-so winters...

Toronto is a wonderful city - growing, vibrant, multicultural....and less crime than maybe every other major city in North America. Cold in Winter, but warm people. I wish you well with your move.

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Big Al

memphiscats, the chilliness really got to me in March. I knew it may be cold, but wasn't quite anticipating such low temperatures. One thing to say in Canada's favour is that they do seem to have proper seasons. Here in merry old England it's all kind of, meh. So-so summers, so-so winters...

Yup - March is a tough month - those cold gray days seem to drag on. But definitely four complete seasons!

Worked on a few movies at DeluxeToronto, an impressive facility with a bunch of nice folks.

I remember on one movie filming there but the plot was supposed to be taking place in NYC, we had to strew the place with garbage to make it look right. During the 1 1/2 hour lunch break, people from Toronto started cleaning up all the trash! We had to throw more around to finish the filming. A clean city for such a big one. peace



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-19 01:19 by Naturalust.

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Naturalust
A clean city for such a big one. peace

Can't agree more. The subway is far cleaner than our London Underground, that's for sure! I hate how manic and crowded our capital can be. Toronto seems the opposite.

yep I'm a 'canook.'

lived in toronto for a while in the 80's, but left due to work reasons. used to love to go watch bands at places like the horseshoe, the elmo, (el mocambo) hotel isabella, rock and roll heaven, the gasworks and stuff, saw tons of great bands in these and other places and dives the names i forget. i still have brothers and family members there in TO though so i still go there periodically. there's a scene for everybody in TO.

oh yeah and hung out at the wheat sheaf hotel a lot, toronto's oldest bar opend in 1845 or something (well not 'old' by UK standards but hey..lol) to swill drafts and wolf down their teryaki chicken wings. i don't even know if that old hotel is still there. king and bathurst i think.

never resided in the UK though. never even been there even lol. or to europe anywhere, so i can't draw any comparisons.

best of luck on the move and with transition. and welcome to canada.

[www.nowtoronto.com]

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buffalo7478
Toronto is a wonderful city - growing, vibrant, multicultural....and less crime than maybe every other major city in North America. Cold in Winter, but warm people. I wish you well with your move.

I grew up around Toronto, now living in Ottawa.
Montreal is safer, cleaner, and much more culturally interesting than Toronto. ALthough Toronto will always be in Canada
Ottawa is a nice, smaller (only one million) blend of the feel of the two cities.

[thepowergoats.com]

Though I was born in Boston and live there now, my father's side of the family was from Canada (Sherbrooke), and that is perhaps why to this day I retain a liking for french fries (chips to you) soaked in vinegar. I visited Montreal in 1988 and was impressed by how civilized and quiet the place is. From atop Mount Royal you could gaze out over the city and aside from a lone occasional ambulance siren the only sound you could hear would be the white-noise hum of the air-conditioners [it was summer] from the buildings! A soft-spoken population as well with a thriving night life, as residences are centered in the city itself. There is no suburban sprawl, as in the U.S. You're in the city and you drive out and in no time you're in the wide open flat lands. At least that's how I remember it. Not dirty and noisy or generic like so many U.S. cities. Culturally, and certainly musically, I'm a UK/Anglophile, but I wish you well in your move to Canada.

GO LEAFS GO


..... don't forget ya thermals.....

from oz but spent a lot of time around toronto, love the place..

my home away from home..

Any fans of Toronto FC, here? I'm a football fan - soccer, of course - so am naturally paying an interest in my soon-to-be home team. Apparently, they're not too good - and from watching highlights on YouTube, BMO Field only ever seems a quarter full. In October I visited a bar on Yonge Street to watch the Champions League - Chelsea and Man Utd being the two British teams in action - and the place was rammed. Do more Canadians follow European football than MLS? I know when Liverpool came to Toronto for a pre-season friendly the match was switched to the Rogers Centre.

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boynamedsue69
GO LEAFS GO

You mean... GOLF LEAFS GOLF.


[thepowergoats.com]

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jamesfdouglas

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boynamedsue69
GO LEAFS GO

You mean... GOLF LEAFS GOLF.

I was in Shoppers today and they are selling TO Maple Leaf flashlights. Apparently they are useful in the cellar. [Bah dum dum!]

Are my local ice hockey team bad? Oh

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Big Al
Are my local ice hockey team bad? Oh

They've had the best season so far in years.

.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-20 00:52 by Big Al.

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Big Al
This is the thing: from a 'how it should be' standpoint, Taylor and Wyman makes sense, but from a musical perspective? Heck, I'm crossing the Atlantic! Those two guys are still alive and can play the crap of the chosen instrument. For the dosh paid-out, I would want to competent musicians. Not some fat bloke who's a pale of his former self of some doddering old grandad.

If what you want is simply a great band of musicians, playing stones music, then you'll probably be happier seeing a tribute band.

The Rolling Clones?

Living on the west coast, there seems to be a hatred for Toronto, although it seems the rest of Canada feels that way, too! Leafs always draw lots of fans when they're in Vancouver. The only Toronto team doing well is the Argos, who I will be cheering for in the Grey Cup since my BC Lions choked yesterday against Calgary!
Vancouver Whitecaps are the first Canadian MLS team to make the playoffs, although they lost to the Galaxy. They draw decent crowds but I just can't sit and watch a 90 minute game end 0-0!

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treaclefingers

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Big Al
This is the thing: from a 'how it should be' standpoint, Taylor and Wyman makes sense, but from a musical perspective? Heck, I'm crossing the Atlantic! Those two guys are still alive and can play the crap of the chosen instrument. For the dosh paid-out, I would want to competent musicians. Not some fat bloke who's a pale of his former self of some doddering old grandad.

If what you want is simply a great band of musicians, playing stones music, then you'll probably be happier seeing a tribute band.

The Rolling Clones?

Actually seeing one of those Halloween Dressup Rolling Stones bands can be very disturbing, especially seeing their makeup up and stuffed tights up close.

[thepowergoats.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012-11-20 01:57 by jamesfdouglas.