Karen Street, nee Tudor, writes about her new life on Vancouver Island.

I grew up in Kenilworth, attending St Austin’s school, then St Mary’s, Warwick and then Bishop Bright.

I have since emigrated (June 2000) to Canada. I now live on Vancouver Island which is on the far west coast. Eight hours behind you guys. We live only two minutes away from the ocean which is a far cry from when I was in Kenilworth!

I am now married to a Liverpudlian and have a two-year-old daughter.

I trained in horticulture in the UK and still work in the industry over here. My family still live in Kenilworth, and so I like to keep in touch with what is going on back there by reading the on-line version.

There is lots of open space and clean air. Very friendly people, when walking down a street even teenagers will say hello to you.

Attitudes on certain issues ie, recycling is the norm, education is high priority, new mothers are given 12 months’ maternity leave, way of life is work hard - play hard. Prices are good eg petrol 84 cents /litre (38p/l)

Things we miss about the UK: Decent chocolate. Heinz beans. The English sense of humour, BBC dramas. And of course our families and friends.

All in all we feel that we definitely made the right decision in moving out here. The weather is excellent, we rarely get snow here, (whereas on the east coast of the country they still have snow falling today!) and in the summer we regularly have months on end of no rain at all.

Here is a picture of the three of us taken a few weeks ago at a lookout just a couple of miles from our home.

Email Karen Street