Englishwoman Louise has been wanting to live in Canada ever since she was a child, and now she's living that dream with her family in Alberta. Read her interview for her take on expat life in Canada, how she finds living with the people there, and how she wants to help other people with her expat coaching business.	Louise Green

-Where were you born?

In Gloucestershire, United Kingdom

-In which country and city are you living now?

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

-Are you living alone or with your family?

I live with my husband Pete, and son Oliver who's seven.

-How long have you been living in Canada?

We orginally landed in June 2003, moved back to UK in 2005, and then moved back to Alberta in 2007. So in all about 3 years actually living here.

-What is your age?

I am 39.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Canada?

Since childhood I had always wanted to live in Canada. Pete and I came for a vacation in 1997. I loved it and wanted to move. Pete was not keen so we left it for a few years but the desire for me did not go away. On our second trip here, he also fell in love with Alberta and we decided to move. The deciding factors I think were the people, how friendly, and positive they were. The natural environment, and space just felt great. The freshness and opportunities were inspiring. 

-Was it hard to get a visa or a work permit?

It wasn't hard but it took a long time. In preparation I had changed my job a couple of years previous to give me more points and experience. We applied as a skilled worker and it probably took about 3 and a half years. In that time Oliver was born so that made it harder to leave family. 

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?

No, when we arrived we applied to Alberta Healthcare, it was simple.

My husband is a heavy equipment operator, and we contacted some local employers before landing. They were not interested until we had actually arrived. Once in town, he got a landscaping job to begin with and then a couple of other in between jobs. Getting a Canadian employer on his resume helped to get the job he really wanted. It took a couple of years though and was quite tough.

We bought a bed and breakfast and I ran that for a couple of years, so didn't need any other job. It was hard work, but also good fun. I enjoyed running my own business and after retraining as a personal coach, started my own business. I help people research and plan their emigration, with emigration planning and research programs.

We came to an English-speaking province because neither Pete or myself are fluent in any languages. I think it is very important to respect and adopt local custom. Oliver our son is enrolled in a French immersion program at school, meaning he is taught everything in French so will be able to speak both official languages. I am learning along with him. I feel if you move to a new country, because you love what it has to offer, then you should embrace that culture and become part of it.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes? Describe your favorite recreational activities there or those that are available.

Yes. When we moved over in 2003, my brother was killed in the UK in a motorbike accident 6 weeks after we arrived. That was the hardest thing I have ever faced.  I became very homesick and wondered what I was doing being so far away from my family. In the end we moved back to the UK. But I found when we were back in UK, the things I had missed were not such a big deal. I didn't go to see my family as much as I expected and when I did it just became normal again. I realised that homesickness is a strange feeling that can be overwhelming and make you very unhappy but the answer you think is not always the solution.

We moved back in 2007 and whilst I miss family it's not such an overwhelming feeling. I know that what we have here is amazing and I feel sad that what I want is different to what they want and means we do not get to share so many things, but everyone has to live their own life. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to live here and enjoy some amazing things.

We often cross country ski, and Oliver is in hockey. We go camping in the summer and sitting round the firepit looking up at the stars is fantastic. Canoeing, hiking and swimming at the lake are part of everyday life. It's like being on holiday all the time. Of course we have to work in between but I love my job so that's fun too.

-Do you have other plans for the future?

Just to enjoy life at the moment. We feel very settled here and there is so much to look forward to, it's great. I want to expand my business to help people emigrate worldwide. To give people the tools to realise their dreams. Nothing is impossible. Everyone desires to be happy and have a wonderful life, I've got mine and I want others to use the same process to get theirs. 

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it? 

We bought our house, because I like the feeling of security you get from owning your own home. We do live in an expensive area. This is about 2000 sq foot home and it cost $700,000. We have three bedrooms, living, office, dining, kitchen and a 2-bed suite downstairs.

-What is the cost of living in Canada?

I would say cost of living is similar to UK. We spend about $5000 /month which is mainly day to day living costs.

-What do you think about the Canadians?

We have a great community here. Everyone is welcoming. That said there are a lot of expats living here so everyone is used to a multicultural environment. Most people living here have come from somewhere else, and don't have their immediate family arround to support them, so we all help each other.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Canada?

Positives, being surrounded by a great positive attitude, happy caring encouraging supportive community. ~I am so glad Oliver will have that role model as he grows up. Opportunity for active outdoor lifestyle.

Negatives - not seeing family so often, I just wish they would all move here!! Oliver not seeing his grandma.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Canada?

Do lots of research before you come. With the current global economy, it means that getting a job, having a higher standard of living here is not so likely. It's more expensive now and you have to be sure that you can get a job, that you can afford the lifestyle you want.  

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Canada?

www.theexpatcoach.com - Emigration Research and Planning Programs to help you get where you want to be. If you are serious about emigrating and want to get there quicker, find out what you can do.

www.immigrate-to-canada.info - Information on Canadian immigration, articles about moving to Canada, working in Canada and living in Canada.

www.expatforum.com - Really great site to ask and answer you emigration questions, Join the community to share your journey.