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I've been lurking for a few months so it's about time to make an introduction... I'll cut right to it. I am 29 living in Toronto with a decent job. I'm originally from BC and lived in Alberta for a while before moving on to TO. I guess the reason I am writing this is that I am starting to get sick and tired of living in Canada. Let me be more specific.
The weather is horrible. In Alberta it was barely livable, and Toronto isn't much better. In Vancouver it was a slight improvement but just depressing. I know this has probably been asked by every other person, but isn't there somewhere with a better climate? It doesn't have to be Malibu, just something relatively moderate. The weather puts a huge damper on my quality of life. I would even be willing to take significant pay cuts just to live somewhere with even just regular bad weather. TO is too much cold for me all of the time. This week the forecast is for windchills of -20 during the high of the day. I mean, come on, really? I have traveled enough to know that most humans don't live like this.
Second rant: Money. I have my masters in engineering so I should have the world at my fingertips right? Wrong. My job (and the last one) is underwhelming, innovative, and too bureaucratic. I get paid less than I should, and the cost of living is too high. Look, for a guy my age the prospect of owning a house in this market is surprisingly crappy. I am in a far better financial position than most people so I don't even want to imagine their prospects. I want to get my PhD but seeing how underwhelming things are almost feel like what's the point?
A friend of mine who graduated with me got a job in the States and the difference between his position and mine are night and day. He has a really nice house at 30 and is working at a start up firm that offers excellent benefits and flexibility. He has been promoted several times already and makes great money. the cost of living is reasonable, I had sticker shock (in a good way) seeing how little he pays compared to Canada. I have visited 3 times and each time I hit it off with his friends there and they always ask why I don't come down if I like it so much. Good question! But I have no idea how to start the immigration process and I am also hoping there is somewhere in Canada that can measure up. Montreal? Barely tolerable weather, but cool culture right? I don't speak French though. I don't know what other options there are except for the economically depressed eastern provinces. I don't have extravagant dreams, I just want to be a normal guy. I would even be willing to give up engineering after a decade just to work a menial job sailing boats or something like that in a warm weather place. I feel like I did everything right but I got stuck with mediocre instead of the chances to fulfill what I want to do in life.
Windsor isn't exactly what I would call mild. I feel trapped here. When you say mild I think of California in the winter.
It's a tropical paradise compared to where I live, Saskatchewan!
Perhaps you should look outside North America, because the US immigration process is very time consuming. How about New Zealand? The far northern portion of the north island is mild year-round.
If the weather is such a big issue I would say, no there is no place in Canada that will suit you. There is no end of temperate and beautiful places in the USA. In the east, Georgia, SC, NC, are my favourites. In the west Oregon, north California, Arizona,
AS you can probably tell by my picks I like Mountains and ocean.
If the weather is such a big issue I would say, no there is no place in Canada that will suit you. There is no end of temperate and beautiful places in the USA. In the east, Georgia, SC, NC, are my favourites. In the west Oregon, north California, Arizona,
AS you can probably tell by my picks I like Mountains and ocean.
Yea that is what I am thinking. I knew this but maybe there was a hidden jewel I didn't know about. I get the impression that everything is better in America anyways. One of my friends got a job in Phoenix (also engineering) and is living the high life on the same income. It's like you have to be ultra rich not to be mediocre here because everything costs so damn much for no explainable reason, relatively few opportunities, cold people and high taxes. I wish I spoke French so I could at east check out Montreal, but maybe its more of the same.
If you can get a job in America and stay out of debt, live moderately, keep your head out of the sand and not fall for the "living high on the hog" trap that most working Americans are stuck in then you should do okay. I'd suggest you ask your American friends about what kinds of debts they have incurred in order to enjoy the lifestyles that they're living right now. I'm thinking that probably not a single one of them has not incurred debts that they don't want to tell you about.
Somebody else suggested New Zealand for milder weather and I think that was a good suggestion. But you might have just as difficult a time being accepted for New Zealand as you would America. I hear they are picky about who is acceptable to immigrate.
Southern Europe maybe? Nice Mediterranean weather there, interesting cultures.
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