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How happly are your parents in Canada?

hogujak

Full Member
Dec 18, 2015
28
0
Looks like my parents will get their PR soon and just have some questions.

My parents are early 60s and they are still pretty active and healthy but don't speak English at all. Mom started taking English lessons but they won't be able to speak good enough english to live completely independently.

Me and wife are early 30s and don't have any kids yet(planning on having one in a year or two) and make decent money(let's say over 100k)

We will buy an acreage house 10~15 mins from the city and build a guest house for parents or buy a house with separate entrance( like bungalow with walkout basement which will have separate entrance on the lower level. And add a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom) so we can have some privacy.
And we are from east asia so living with parent isn't something our couple never thought about.

Parent will stay in Canada 6~7month a year and take care of our kids(if we can have one soon lol..), grow trees and plants(dad loves doing this), go to English school.

I can definitely see my mom doing well in Canada but my dad is really self-sufficient and active person and he might get frustrated if he gets too much trouble communicating with people other than our family member.

How are your mom and dad doing? And are they happy living in Canada?

I understand it all depends on the situations but just wanna hear from people who already have some experience.

Thank you.
 

scylla

VIP Member
Jun 8, 2010
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Toronto
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19-08-2010
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28-06-2010
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05-10-2010
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Not my personal experience since my parents were born in Canada.

However based on the experiences of a few friends, it's really individual. The parents I've seen with no English skills end up feeling very isolated (and struggling with the move) unless they are living right in a community with others from their home country (i.e. walking distance to others who speak their language - especially other people their age).
 

wait_so_long

Hero Member
Jul 31, 2016
371
62
scylla said:
Not my personal experience since my parents were born in Canada.

However based on the experiences of a few friends, it's really individual. The parents I've seen with no English skills end up feeling very isolated (and struggling with the move) unless they are living right in a community with others from their home country (i.e. walking distance to others who speak their language - especially other people their age).
This is a very real concern, especially if you intend to live on an acreage, where you might not know or be close with your neighbours. Without a sense of community, it'll feel like being stranded on a desert island.

The feeling of isolation would be amplified should one of your parents pass away. After having already raised a family and working their whole lives, and perhaps looking for a bit of time for themselves, they might also be a little bit resentful to be roped into being unpaid glorified nannies while the both of you go off to work.

On the other hand, I once had to translate for an distraught elderly woman whose husband had passed away, and her kids moved away to different cities with their respective families. Although there was community, her feeling of isolation was very real. Do you still have family back home, or are you their only family?
 

SRafiq

Star Member
Dec 4, 2016
118
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Manchester
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My parents have lived in Canada since 1972 and they consider it their home and would not think of leaving.

They however spoke good English when they came which was a good reason since we lived in a northern community!
Getting English will be important where you are going to live.
Also what other siblings are there in Canada?
 

hogujak

Full Member
Dec 18, 2015
28
0
wait_so_long said:
This is a very real concern, especially if you intend to live on an acreage, where you might not know or be close with your neighbours. Without a sense of community, it'll feel like being stranded on a desert island.

The feeling of isolation would be amplified should one of your parents pass away. After having already raised a family and working their whole lives, and perhaps looking for a bit of time for themselves, they might also be a little bit resentful to be roped into being unpaid glorified nannies while the both of you go off to work.

On the other hand, I once had to translate for an distraught elderly woman whose husband had passed away, and her kids moved away to different cities with their respective families. Although there was community, her feeling of isolation was very real. Do you still have family back home, or are you their only family?

I have a older sister back home and she lives with my parents. My parents will stay with her 6 month and with me 6 month. The acreage that I am looking for is the one close to the city(sub division acreage house) and they will have their own car so that they can go to english school,gym, and church and so on..

I work 15 days out of 30 days a month and also get 25 days of vacation a year so if I use my vacation I just need to work 10 days a month for 5 month.

But anyway it depends on them not me. At lease I could have a chance to support them and won't have to reget i if it doesn't work out.
 

hogujak

Full Member
Dec 18, 2015
28
0
SRafiq said:
My parents have lived in Canada since 1972 and they consider it their home and would not think of leaving.

They however spoke good English when they came which was a good reason since we lived in a northern community!
Getting English will be important where you are going to live.
Also what other siblings are there in Canada?
My uncle lives in toronto and we are in Edmonton. I don't see my parent flying to toronto often to see my uncle.

Yes I agree English will be the key.
 

Aquakitty

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Mar 21, 2011
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I think one mistake immigrants like your dad may make is not trying to integrate into Canadian society. Make sure he doesn't "only" socialize with people from his own country/area. Does he have any hobbies? Maybe, when he learns English, he can focus on learning terms related to his hobby so he can find a group for that.

Oh you say he's in to gardening, well there are usually tons of community events/groups for that kind of thing.