Hi All,

I've been lurking on this site for a while, then finally registered and it seemd to take forever before I could post! But its mostly me and my memory I guess!

to introduce us, we're the typical head in the sand Saffers, who've spent the last 10 years convincing ourselves its going to be ok. Finally, after the typical SA incident where a family member was beaten senseless and nearly died, I've decided its never going to be okay and before its really too late we need to move our butts as fast as possible and get out of this insanity in which we are trying to live. We're no youngsters, 49 and 47, so fiancially its a mess to leave now. Pensions tied up etc, but Harry's missives have given me heart that we can make a plan.

My wife has spent quite a while in Canada, she waxes lyrical about a place a called Yellowknife, which sounds like a very cold hell to me, but has loved Vancouver since her first trip there 7 years ago. We've quite few friends across Canada, (which South African doesn't?) so we're under no illusion that its a perfect place.

I first went to Canada in February this year. Hated Toroonto where I spent 10 days, as I moved west it just got better and better. Saskatoon was brilliant, despite the snow still there, though melting, it felt like Kimberly, please don't laugh, it was this great town in the middle of nowhere flat as a pancake and really felt great! I walked along the river in the slush and felt so at relaxed. From there I went to Vancouver and I've never felt anything like it in my life, as I caught the bus into the city from the airport, it was like coming home, I loved it. Spending a evening in Stanley park with lone women happily jogging was a mind bender, how can people be so relaxed?

My travels were all company sponsored, I didn't realise it at the time, but it later transpired that the Canadian arm of the group I work for had earmarked me and wanted me to come and set up shop for them anywhere in Canada. this was a trip to see where I fitted and where the group would be happy to have me.

Anyway following on the trip, I got involved in work for the Canadians, and eventually they said to me, you're doing so much for the Canadian operation, why don't you join us. I replied that after consideration, if they'd let us settle in Vancouver, we'd move. Short answer, Great, when can you get here... About this time the SA team learnt that I was leaning towards a migration and all hell broke loose. There's nothing worse than a bunch of SA ostriches who believe you shouldn't move, that all is well here and this is the place to be. The long and short of it is that I finish what I set out to do in Joburg and then I'm free to move. So Vancouver here we come, sometime in the next year or so. I just hope that nothing happens to our family in the interim.

So now we sit, we're essentially going to be moving across on work permits as soon as they can be arranged and the company will apply for some state approval to move us to permenant residents. I'm not sure how it all works, but we'll see. I feel incredibly privildeged when I read others long and trying stories, about trying to get to Canada, and for us its seems like its just going to happen (the company is offering positions to me and my wife).

Our major issue is schooling and what to do with our boys. Both are in high school, 15 and 17, grades 9 and 11, old std 7 and 9. Both are adamant they want to finsih their schooling in SA as they are very happy in their school. who wouldn't be they are at Michaelhouse in the Natal Midlands, the elder is a scholarship boy, the younger is there on full fees!

Simon the elder wants to do a BEng in Electrical Engineering and follow this with a theatre technical diploma, which is his passion. this seems possible in Vancouver as University of BC says they'll accept a RSA school certificate and then Studio 59 sounds a very good next step.

The real issue for me is Mark, the younger, he's moves to grade 10 next year and so far we have no clear drection from him other than he doesn't want to move schools again! As explanation, we're geologists and we've moved quite lot over the years. the boys took themselves off to boarding school so they would not have to move again. I'm in two minds. we can leave him at Michaelhouse and he has the best possible education, and we have family in the region to help him, but well see him only one or twice a year, or I put my foot down and move him to Vancouver. We've a while to make deicsions, but its a difficult one.

Well what started as a short into has got a bit long winded. thanks for reading this far, I look forward to your guidance. this web forum is a wealth of information. Many thnaks to all of the hosts who manage it and suply great advice. Catthy_K and Harry are two I single out as offering wondeful guidnace, but there are many others as well.

Kind Regards



David

Welcome here David & co!

Believe me, all of us here are very jealous that you seem to have landed with your proverbial in the butter as far as Canada is concerned, but good for you.

Try and join the coffee club meetings if you can, it's a great help and good to share feelings, concerns etc with others in the same boat.

All the best to you, I hope you manage to finish your SA commitments very soon and can get out of here sooner rather than later

Hennie

Welcome David and family!!

Although I live and work in Toronto, I know exactly how you feel about Vancouver.How lucky you are to be able to get there!

As far as the kids are concerned, my advice would be to get them here asap. Despite them telling you they want to finish school in SA, my own feeling ( as a mother and teacher), is that if they are bright kids, they will do just as well here. Also the sooner they become part of the system and start making friends, the easier things are for them immediately and later at the tertiary level. They will be amazed at how quickly they will slot in, and with their excellent SA educational background, they will soon be winning scholarships to the universities of their choice!

If you give them no option, make this to be the greatest adventure of your lives and allow them to see the benefits of finishing their schooling here, I have no doubt that you will alll soon be heading to Canada en famille. They should have no trouble in getting their SA credits fully recognised here.

From years of experience of seeing kids enter the system in anything from grade 1- grade 12, I can tell you that your boys will settle down and be happy that they had some time in the system here.

Good luck with the big move and hope you are all here very soon,

Karen.

Another geologist - great!

David, what is your speciality? And SA work experience?

My kids are younger, so we did not have to contend with the school issue - we were homeschooling in SA anyway, as we were on a farm, far from a decent, affordable school...

Welcome to the forum! Hope the boys decide to come with. As Karen says, they will benefit from getting into the educational system as soon as possible. My eldest was 16 when we arrived, and she went into Grade 11 in Toronto, and settled in very quickly. Then my H's job took us to St. Louis in the USA, and she went into Grade 12 there, and graduated with honours.

I am not surprised it's going to be easier for you and your family ... geologists are well sought after here in Canada, I have heard.

Good luck with the move, and just ignore the ostriches!

David & co.,

I enjoyed reading your into very much (with lots of envy... as Hennie also mentioned... we are also one of THOSE couples that have to wait our 3 years out... Hopefully not to looong to go.)

I agree with the rest... Daddy needs to put down his foot hard. Not only because Karen is our Education Host (and will know her stuff) and the rest have been through it, but because some of the members on the forum have difficulty getting the visas for their older children. Yes because of circumstances, but still it is complicated after a certain age... I know he is still far from that age. Point is; the sooner, the better! Child and parental separation should be around 22. Although he is in turmoil within himself (which is perfectly normal), you will find it's better for him to be under your wings for a few more years. He shows good signs for favourable independence. Still. He will thank you later.

After that Psychological Corner Moment... I would like to welcome you to the forum as well. We hope you need not to wait very Long. Hope all goes well with the visa applications. Hope you feel right at home here!

Welcome David and Family,

To the forum, to Canada and to the freedom of choice and the best lifestyle.

I second what everyone else is saying here, Bring the boys with! That said, and knowing Michaelhouse and the private schooling in Canada, you will have no problem with your boys excelling at the public or private level here. The schools are exceptional and the boys can go onto some wonderfully secondary institutions here, but at least they would have made their friends by that point. It is way harder if they arrive and they have no one from school years to mix with. Especially for social teens that are already independent.

Maybe encourage the boys to join the forums to and post in the youth section so that they may ask their own questions.

But I agree with the rest that you should put your foot down and insist on this move as a complete family! They can always go back if they don't like it when they are finished their schooling, but they may not get this opportunity again if they wait that side!

Good luck and we look forward to welcoming you this side in Canada real soon!

Welcome David and family and all the best with your move to Canada.

Kind Regards,

Welcome to SACanada and good luck with your move.

Welcome to SACanada, David and family.

The moral of the story is: study geology!
Everybody sing with me, "Get your rocks on, get your rocks on, honey..."

Hi Folks,

thanks for the welcome, I hope the rest of Canada will be simlar, (somehow doubt that!)

We are bemused at the speed which its all happening at present, I can't quite beleive it will happen as easily as the company tells us, but they seem to be confident, I'm waiitng to see how it pans out, hampered by having commitments here to complete, when I'm mentally focused elsewhere now.

As for the boys, we'll have to see, there are pros and cons all ways. They are both very independant, we've brought them up to be, so no complaints. We don't want to get into a debate about bringing up kids do we? All of us have our own attempts and one day if we're lucky we might know if it was the right thing to do! I thank all of you for your comments and I have much in common in my own mind with many of your ideas.

cheers, will let you all know how we go! Have a few questions about vehicles aand furniture etc, but will read the relevant threads first and then post anything I don't see covered.

Cheers

David

Hi:
I'm learning a lot from you people. I'd like to put my bit in - but remember my experiences are not like yours.
Somebody just wrote about a relative being beaten up and almost being killed. If your child was attacked like that person, and you are in Canada, how will you feel? How will the child feel? If they are with relatives how will the relatives feel? They may almost be adults, but that is NOT the same as being one. Education is important. Is it more important than safety, or the family being together as a self supporting unit?

Hi Folks,

The final nail in our decision was a very serious attack on an elderly family member and so Bob, I am very, very consious of the real danger of living here, and the issue of the boys whether they stay or come with us. Your concern is very valid and real, I thank you for that.

I am still digesting the content of this site, its a truly wonderful resource and takes a long tiem to read through so much useful detail, I don't want to go repeating questions that have already been addressed! thanks to so many ex S'Africans who put so much time and effort into this.

We're stalling at present, it was just going too fast. My wife will be visiting friends in Vancouver next month and we'll see how that pans out. She's busy lining up a number of interviews during her visit. Hopefully it will go well.

I've been asked to present a number of courses in various locations in Canada next year, so I'll have more time to get a better handle on the whole sceen and the company over there.

I've just finished my first report for the TSX, so am getting to know some of the ropes of professional requirements over there. I am incredibly fortunate to be acreditated with SACNASP, (South african Council for Natural Scientific Professionals) which meas I appear to be accepted as a "Competent Person" for reporting of Mineral Resources. Hats off to the SACNSAP for arranging this facility, many years ago! And I grumbled about the ~R300 a year its cost me all these years!


Grateful Thanks

David

You lucky devil you

Here we've been waiting for three years and there you are almost on your way

Good luck to you and your fam. There are still a couple of tough decisions for you to make.

Here's to whishing you all the best.

And the Flintstones (read Geologists) keep on coming!!

All the best of luck to you guys & hope all work out just as you plan it to!!!

Our 10yr old posed a problem when we decided to move, he was just settling into a VERY good circle of friends, where the whole lot of them contented to be in the top 5 (academic) of their age group. AND he was very scared that he would never see he grandparents again. So we told him we were coming over as a family for a 2 year period (to really experience Canada), and if he wanted to go back after that we could discuss it.
When we told him (after 9 months here) that we will be visiting SA and the grannies next year, HE was the first one to say "we can go visit, but we're not moving back, I want to stay here".

Maybe you can follow this route too......?

Yes the flintstones are coming...

the boys are a great worry and concern. Far more than anything else in fact, but the opportunity presnt to us is just so good we're going to ahve to muddle throuhg. The edlest will be in Matrc next eyar, so he's not really a problem, he'll finish here. The younger will be my problem. I'll handle it as we go, depends when we get permits, when we get moving etc etc,

With all good thngs happeneing, I relaly can't see us over there till mid late enxt year, its just fast otherwise.

thanks again to all for your wonderful suport.

Regards

david

Hi David,

I'm also new to the Forum and have just seen your post. Just to put my 2 cents in, we live in the Midlands of KZN, close to Michaelhouse and my son has just spent his first year at Cowan House - a private prep school. Its been such a hard decision to make as he is getting a brilliant education, just like your sons.

But I really wanted to ask where you are heading...is it definitely Vancouver? I see that you are a geologist? Have you had anything to do with GIS??

Cheers,
Robyn

Happy Days! the Rockies are on the move. My wifes PNP came in and its all systems go! She will be moving across shortly to take up employment leaving me to sort out the house and packing and follow as soon as I can arrange it.

What an amazing experince. We can only thank our creator for the blessings we receive.

I don't quite think its all sunk in yet. A year ago we were settled into a mind set of we're in SA, and here we'll stay, its not that bad. Now we can't wait to get out and pray that nothing happens before we leave.

Yesterdays headlines were awful, todays no better.

Groete See you in Vancouver!

David

Whohoo! Happy to hear the good news. Hope all is plain sailing from now on!!! Whohoooo!

Wonderful news and God speed with the rest till you and your entire family are all safely here. Keep us posted!

Congrats! Yes, Canada contains quite a number of De Beers' refugees

Hope the move goes fast, Farrow family!

David, many of us have come to Canada with teenagers - some have slipped right into the Canadian system smoothly, and others have had a 'white water rafting experience' - and dragged their parents along with them. If you bring your boys, and they want to talk to boys who have been through the process, I have two. Feel free to contact us.

Regards,

Andy & Yvonne

David,

now just don't go doing anythng dumb before you leave there.

David,
We look forward to welcoming your family here in Canada! I am sure the move will go as smoothly! Congrats and Good Luck!

Many thanks to all on the forum for your comments and encouragements.

We sit tight and hope and pray nothig happens before we leave!

We are very grateful to our employers, who have been very supportive of the process and are the real reason the whole process has gone so fast. Working with people who want you there has been a huge bonus.

If we can help anyone else, we will do our best.

Harry

we've pretty much settled in two areas in North Van to look fo accomodation, Deep Cove, which is first choice and Grouse Woods second. But having looked at prices and uncertain what our salaries mean, once we get there, we'll try to rent a place a cheaply as possibly in the North Van area to get a better feel of the area. Estate agents were not very complimentary about Deep Cove which I found quite astounding! Its a little like a "Hout Bay" feel, just around the corner from the city, I loved it.


Kind regards

David

David ,

I have described Deep Cove before as mix of Hout Bay and Knysna. If you moved the "settlement and culture" of Hout Bay to the setting of Knysna, you'd probably have it (just move the Knysna Forest right up to the edge of the "lake"). When we bought here it was for a very practical reason. Our son is profoundly hard of hearing and the North Van School Board advised us to put him into Seycove School, so he'd have the best teacher-to-student ratio. So we near-bankrupted ourselves to buy a fixer-upper and I "hung suspended" from this thing like a geelvink for three years, working like a slave to get it to a decent state. That is NOT a route I'd advise newcomers to take if they can possibly avoid it.

We love it here and the people are just wonderful. However, it is NOT the suburb where you will find the latest houses. Here they have to break old ones down to build new ones and the land is very expensive. And, yes, the feeling changes as soon as one passes the Raven Pub on the way to the city. From there on it just feels like a suburb on the coast anywhere.

My commute to work in Burnaby is just under 15km and takes me 20-25 minutes, including the delay at the 2nd Narrows Bridge. I can't exactly ask for more from that point of view. But it HAS become expensive. The typical house here starts at around $800,000 and the top end is insane. You would NOT be happy in a house in Deep Cove at a price below $800,000.

You need to also make peace with 2250mm rain per year and the fact that the sun disappears at 1pm in winter and 4pm in summer. Many people cannot handle that. That's because they want to get up at 10am and then wonder where the sun went. We face the rising sun. I'd rather have that than the afternoon sun, if I had to choose.

There are two "institutionalised" agents around here who know the houses inside out. I'm intrigued as to what the agents had to say. You can e-mail me.

Hi Everyone,

Been a frustrating few months now.

Just as we were set to go, get call from Lawyer - "Don't know where you ahev your information frombut you can't pitch up at Vancouver Airport from SA with a PNP and pick up a work permit.... You'll get sent back". Apparantly you ahve to apply through the Pretoria Consulate for the Work permit. Obviously we hadn't read soemthing, or had been misinformed, or who knows.

Now nearly 3 months later, my wife is back in the starting blocks and geting ready to leave for Vancouver.

Anyone really want the gory detail, drop me a PM. suffice to say, we've been sent from pillar to post by the consultate with apparently ever changing goal posts.

Still, soon we should be starting the trek across.

cheers

David

Hi David,

Would be good for you to post your experience as there are always others who could learn from it We have members on the forum who have applied via the PNP route.

Hello David

I am also a BC PNP applicant. Can you please post your experience with regards to the PNP through CHC. We have done our medicals on 8 May and hope to get the approval soon but would really appreciate if you could give us a heads up on any unforeseen stuff that CHC asked for before giving you PR.

Regards
Einselec

Well we finally made it . the second half of last year dissolved into a haze of flights and jetlag. Work requirements has me do the trip between Vancouver and Johannesburg 9 times. I counted 38 international legs in 2008. I just lost touch with the forum and its taken till now to slow down to a pace where I can smell the snow.

We had major hassles with the PNP proces, major screw ups in the Pretoria office, Nairobi raised medical issues, but we worked through them all, and got our workpermits sorted sometime round August. I started workign out of Vancouver in September. Selling the house in JHB was a nightmare, SA estate agents are not my favouite people, 7.5% of the purchase price for their services as well.

The reserve bank seemd to go on a go slow when we tried to get our money out for deposit on a home in Canada.

All in all great frustration.

But Christmas presents for us were was notice that our application for PR was accepted and on our return to Canda after Christmas in the Cape we were able to pick up our forms from the lawyers and flag pole in January.

Our PR cards arrived last week.

Our eldest son is with us in Vancouver, our youngest has stayed to finish his schooling in Natal at a boarding school he loves. He and friends will be over in April to visit and will be bringing his grannies over in June!

we're blessed and happy to have landed and to be making progress.

If anyone is interested in what can go wrong with an application, please PM me and, time permitting, I'll reply.

So we are now based in indian river, we had to downscale our ideas of a house to a town house, we're very happy and enjoying the experiences.

Learning to ski in your late 40's is possible, I'm loving it! I now get down to the bottom of the slopes at grouse mountian with my skis!

Regards

David

David, as mentioned before, it would be really useful to a lot of people if you could relay your experiences.

David, so glad you guys made it and seem to be settled. Enjoy Canada, and welcome.