British Truckers Abroad

Hey, tell me.. You guys are not all single, are you..??

For you, truckers, it's a great thing to do, trucking in Canada and the US... But what about the girls..?? I don't see any of them over here..!! For them it's a bigger change then for us... They're the ones who have to built up a new life, make new friends, getting used to another way of living... They should have way more questions then the boys...

Or am I wrong..??

I don't think mine is that interested until we go out on the research trip. She doesn't want to talk about it until she has seen the place and if she will like it or not. That's not going to change my mind though, I'm still coming out.

oops man... isn't this something you decide together, it might have some inpact on the rest of your lives...

My wife is probably the one that would be most disappointed if for some obscure reason our planned move didn't happen. I just sit here quietly reading & researching as much as possible; she'd be hogging the 'puter doing the same if I let her! Instead I've set the laptop up (Wifi) so she can still surf and watch the TV!

She recently started back (working) at school but prior to that she did do a lot of her own research during the daytime. The only thing that she would allow the Canada plans to falter was if I had taken-up the chance to go to Australia. Getting a job in Oz was the easy bit but I wouldn't have been as happy as I expect to be in Canada (I'd rather have -40 than +30, any day!!). I suppose as a 'last resort' if Canada doesn't work out, I can then go back to the Oz offer.

As for being a bigger change for the wife than the husband, my wife has already done the whole 'emigration' type of thing as she is Serbian. Like she says, maybe the first move away from home was a bit difficult, but now, the move to Canada will be a piece of cake!! With regard to me being away (OTR), I have been away more than I have been home with my current job. We have struggled to have any kind of stability for the last few years; sometimes I go away at barely a days notice and often don't know for how long it will be. For the longer tasks I usually get a bit more notice but for example, this was the first Xmas that I have been at home in three years.

As much as anything, Brankica (wife) is looking forward to getting away from the worry of the unknown.



Andy - are you saying that if t'other half doesn't like what she see's on the recce, you're still going whatever??

I know a good divorce lawyer,,,,

I don't know. My wife is happy enough with her lot. It is better for her health here, and she has at least as big a circle of friends here as she had in the UK. Because we live out in the wilds, the number of visitors isn't great, but it seems that this suits her better. The bulk of visitors are Canadians, funnily enough. But that is really the way it should be, I reckon.

The hustle and hassle of the UK was hard for her as well as me, so the solitude is generally appreciated, although it does get wearing on her.

What Martin says is about right really. The move is hard in the first place, but gets easier once the ladies find their feet a bit. In Steinbach there is a proper gaggle of wives who meet up all the time, but they are not generally any happier as far as I know, than we are.

Are you still looking at Manitoba, Martin?

There have been times when it has been my wife that has got me through some of the hard times, she settled here quicker than I have ever seen her settle into anything and wouldn't consider going back.
I have never seen anyone change so much (for the better) than my wife, the move has really brought her out of her shell and developed her as a person both personally and professionally.

She has done well, hasn't she, Dave?

You all have.

I am "a wife" and currently still in the UK (unfortunatly). I research canada every night once the little one is in bed, and sometimes at work when the boss is not around lol. My husband thinks that I am obsessed with Canada!! I am not obsessed, I just love the country and cannot wait to live there. We have just put our house up for sale and have to sell before the hubby can be made an offer of employment. Is it quite easy for the wives to make friends? We are looking to live in Calgary, maybe okotokos area. Hoping to do a research trip late march / early april time. Hubby says he would do more research but dosnt need to as he says I do 200% of it lol
Would love to see more wives commenting and giving their opinions on here

Jane

Well its 19:30 in the Lomanovskis household and Jan is in her usual position....

feet up on the sofa and watching CSI...................

Somethings just never change

Ooooh csi i love that show. But you are right. Live goes on the same way in Canada. For us the only difference is that they speak english. Oh boy and do i wish that they would just understand dutch sometimes. Just understand would be enough. But as long as i still get what i want i am fine.

May i suggest nocnie that you Flande and the girls move to this area of Manitoba,,here the spoken langauges are English,French and a kind of "Dutch" its more a mixture of Dutch and German..spoken by the menonites here...
Plus we get CSI on TV too

Even more of a reason to move to canada...CSI is the only programme I watch on TV...Do you get CSI miami too? Can any of the wives give us some advice on nursery schools? Our daughter will be 5 in March and she is currently in full time school here in the UK. I know that children dont start school until they are 6 years old in Canada but when do they go to nursery? What is the difference between nursery and kindergarden? How many days/half days etc would they go for at age 5...In Calgary area?

Many thanks

Jane

We have all the csi's here. All the newest episodes. And sometimes reruns in between. Kindergarten is the very first grade at elementryschool. Over here they go when they are 5. And now i forgot what they call where they go before they go to kindergarten. maybe it will come back. Here after 1 year of kindergarten they go to grade 1. Its something like preschool.
They learn the numbers and some letters and stuff like that. I never had to deal with that because my kids were 6 and 10 when we came here.

thanks for your advice

My wife set up my interview with my first Canadian employer behind my back so she cannot complain if she isnt happy now!!! Seriously though, she and my kids love it here and are getting on really well with most things.

Are there any English Wives of Truckers with Families, that are in Grande Prairie, Alberta, or near to, that maybe able to give some advice and friendship, as will be out there November-Dec, and will not know anyone there . My hubby is leaving in September. .

Well at this moment in time she is waiting for Eastenders to start (o joy) but she is the 1 who sorted out the house and all the bank details and to be honest she wld go tonite if she cld we have done and found out all we need to know to the point she has ordered her slf a new car so in answer to the question my wife will be there with me and the kids .........................

House & new car ?? Just wonder how long before yu guys are broke and all the savings are gone ???