One Irish emigrant's surprising choice to start over in Saskatchewan
On This Page You Will Find:
- The emotional reality of planning a cross-Atlantic move to Canada
- Why someone would choose Saskatoon over Vancouver or Toronto
- Honest insights into the emigration process from Ireland to Saskatchewan
- The financial and practical considerations that drive destination choices
- What it's really like to leave everything familiar behind for a new life
Summary:
When Mark first backpacked across Canada in 2005, he never imagined that adventure would spark a decade-long dream to emigrate. After two years of visa applications and endless planning, his move to Saskatoon is just months away. But why would someone choose Saskatchewan over the obvious picks like Vancouver or Toronto? This deeply personal account reveals the surprising factors that influence major life decisions, the emotional rollercoaster of leaving home, and why sometimes the most unexpected destinations make the most sense. If you've ever dreamed of starting fresh in a new country, this story will resonate with your hopes and fears.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Major life moves often stem from experiences years earlier that plant seeds of possibility
- Financial reality frequently trumps romantic ideals when choosing where to emigrate
- The excitement of planning gradually improve into the sobering reality of leaving everything familiar
- Smaller Canadian cities like Saskatoon can offer better opportunities than expensive major centers
- The emigration process involves both practical logistics and deep emotional preparation
Picture this: You're sitting in your childhood home, listening to your father mow the lawn outside, while checking the weather in a city that's currently -26°C and feels like it might as well be on another planet. That's exactly where Mark found himself – just months away from trading his Irish life for a completely unknown adventure in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
If you've ever felt that restless itch to completely change your life, you'll understand what happened to Mark during that fateful summer of 2005. What started as a backpacking trip across Canada with three friends became something much more profound – the planting of a seed that would take nearly a decade to fully grow.
The Seed That Started It All
Sometimes life-changing decisions don't happen in dramatic moments. They happen quietly, almost without you noticing. Mark's story proves this perfectly. During that 2005 adventure, something about Canada "got under his skin, like an adventurous itch that won't be satisfied."
Sound familiar? Maybe you've had that experience too – visiting a place that somehow feels like home before you even understand why. That inexplicable pull that makes you think "I could live here" even when logic says you're just being a dreamy tourist.
For Mark, that feeling lingered. Through finishing his Master's degree, through the ups and downs of employment (what he calls "the yoyo period" of his life), through two solid years of visa applications and planning, that Canadian dream never quite disappeared.
When Dreams Meet Financial Reality
Here's where Mark's story gets really relatable – and really honest. His original plan? Vancouver. Makes perfect sense, right? Beautiful city, mild climate, vibrant culture. Vancouver was "winning the race" and "really a one-horse race for quite a while."
Then reality hit. Or as Mark puts it, "that cruel mistress money became an issue."
If you've ever had to abandon a dream location because of cost, you know exactly how this feels. Vancouver's beauty comes with a price tag that can crush even the most determined dreamer. Mark had already experienced BC's charm firsthand, but he also knew it was "a pricey town, albeit a cracking one."
So he pivoted to Toronto. Again, logical choice. Huge media market (perfect for his journalism aspirations), sports-mad culture, excellent public transport that would eliminate car expenses. Toronto was "ticking so many boxes" that Mark figured he "might need to go looking for more boxes."
The Plot Twist Nobody Saw Coming
Drum-roll please...
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Bet you didn't see that coming, right? Neither did Mark. As he admits, "Heck, even I didn't see that one coming."
This is where Mark's story becomes incredibly valuable for anyone considering a major move. Sometimes the best choice isn't the obvious one. Sometimes it's not even the one that makes sense on paper initially. Sometimes it's the choice that surprises everyone – including yourself.
What makes someone choose a prairie city where "the grass is under snow for 100 days or more a year" over glamorous Vancouver or cosmopolitan Toronto? Mark promises to reveal more as his journey unfolds, but the hint is clear: opportunity often hides in unexpected places.
The Emotional Rollercoaster of Leaving
Here's what nobody warns you about emigration – the closer you get to departure, the more complicated your feelings become. Mark describes it perfectly as "a cocktail of emotions all battling to gain top billing."
Remember Andy Warhol's quote that started this journey? "The idea of waiting for something makes it more exciting." That's absolutely true in the beginning. The planning phase feels like "waiting for a special party or Christmas when you were a child."
But then something shifts. With just six months left (roughly 22 weeks), Mark found that "the excitement of waiting has been replaced by what feels like endless hours of planning and research." It's what he calls "that necessary evil that every emigrant has gone through."
If you're in the planning stages of a major move, recognize this feeling. It's normal. It's necessary. And it doesn't mean you're making the wrong choice.
The Things You Don't Think About
The most touching part of Mark's story involves the "silly little things" that suddenly become precious when you're about to leave them behind:
- Hearing your dog bark
- Going to watch a match with friends
- Family events that you might feel "slightly indifferent about but will still go to and have a laugh"
These moments happen "all the time and always will, even when you are away. The point is you are away."
This insight cuts to the heart of what emigration really means. It's not just changing your address or even changing your job. It's accepting that life will continue without you in the place you've always called home. Family gatherings will happen. Friends will meet up. Your dog will bark. But you won't be there to experience it.
Fighting the Justification Battle
Mark touches on something many emigrants struggle with – the need to justify their decision. When people offer the tired cliché "the grass is always greener," he deflects with humor: "the grass in Saskatoon is under snow for 100 days or more a year anyway."
But the deeper truth emerges when he channels Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata: "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." While admitting this might be "a touch dramatic," Mark recognizes this mindset makes "the move slightly easier."
His situation in Ireland – no steady work, questionable employment schemes, limited opportunities – created a choice between accepting limitation or pursuing possibility. For Mark, the choice became clear, even if the destination was unexpected.
The Reality Check
As departure approaches, Mark faces the stark contrast between dream and reality. He's writing about a place that shows -26°C on his weather app while listening to his father cut grass in Ireland. The juxtaposition couldn't be more dramatic.
"A place that feels a million miles away" is about to become home in less than six months. The romantic picture of "life in the new world" is becoming "more twisted with the realism of what leaving home actually means."
This honesty is refreshing in a world full of Instagram-perfect emigration stories. Real moves involve real sacrifice, real uncertainty, and real emotional complexity.
What This Means for Your Journey
Mark's story offers several crucial insights for anyone considering a major life change:
Timing isn't always perfect. Sometimes you need to move when opportunity calls, not when everything feels perfectly aligned.
The obvious choice isn't always the right choice. Vancouver and Toronto made logical sense, but Saskatoon offered something different – something that ultimately felt more right for Mark's specific situation.
Financial reality matters. Dreams are important, but they need to be grounded in practical possibility. There's no shame in choosing affordability over prestige.
Emotional complexity is normal. If you're feeling excited, terrified, sad, and hopeful all at once, you're experiencing emigration correctly.
You don't need to justify your dreams to others. Whether people understand your choice or not, you're the one who has to live with the consequences.
The Journey Continues
Mark's story is just beginning. His move to Saskatoon represents the end of years of planning and the start of an entirely new chapter. Will the grass be greener? Will the opportunities materialize? Will the prairie winters be as brutal as advertised?
As Mark promises, he'll examine that Saskatchewan grass with his own eyes and report what he finds. For now, he's in that liminal space between old life and new – still hearing Irish lawnmowers while mentally preparing for Canadian snowstorms.
His journey reminds us that sometimes the biggest adventures begin with the smallest moments of possibility. A backpacking trip in 2005 became a visa application in 2012, which became a departure date in 2014. Dreams don't always follow straight lines, but they do follow persistent hearts.
Whether you're considering your own emigration or simply dreaming of a major life change, Mark's story proves that waiting can be exciting, planning can be overwhelming, and sometimes the most unexpected destinations offer exactly what you need.
The excitement of waiting has indeed moved to the reality of planning. But as Andy Warhol might say if he were watching this unfold – sometimes the most interesting art comes from the most unexpected canvases.
FAQ
Q: Why would someone choose Saskatoon over major Canadian cities like Vancouver or Toronto?
The choice often comes down to practical financial reality versus romantic ideals. While Vancouver offers beautiful scenery and mild climate, it's incredibly expensive – what Mark calls "a pricey town, albeit a cracking one." Toronto provides excellent career opportunities and cultural amenities but comes with high living costs and competitive job markets. Saskatoon, however, offers affordability, genuine opportunities, and a chance to establish yourself without drowning in expenses. The cost of living in Saskatoon is approximately 30-40% lower than Vancouver or Toronto, meaning your money goes much further for housing, food, and entertainment. Sometimes the best opportunities hide in unexpected places, and smaller prairie cities often provide better work-life balance, shorter commutes, and stronger community connections than their larger, more expensive counterparts.
Q: How long does the emigration process from Ireland to Canada typically take?
Based on Mark's experience, expect at least two years of intensive planning and visa applications. The process involves multiple stages: researching immigration programs, gathering required documents, language testing, medical examinations, police clearances, and waiting for processing. Express Entry applications can take 6-8 months once submitted, but preparation time extends this significantly. You'll need to factor in time for credential assessments, language tests like IELTS, and accumulating the required settlement funds (currently around CAD $13,310 for a single applicant). Mark describes this as "endless hours of planning and research" – it's emotionally and logistically demanding. The key is starting early, staying organized, and understanding that what begins as exciting anticipation gradually transforms into methodical preparation work.
Q: What are the main financial considerations when planning to emigrate to Saskatchewan?
Saskatchewan offers significant financial advantages over other Canadian provinces. Housing costs are substantially lower – average home prices in Saskatoon are roughly 50% less than Vancouver and 30% less than Toronto. You'll need proof of settlement funds (approximately CAD $13,310 for single applicants), plus additional money for initial expenses like temporary accommodation, transportation, and job searching. Consider visa application fees (around CAD $1,325 for Express Entry), moving costs, and potential income gaps while establishing yourself. Saskatchewan's Provincial Nominee Program may offer faster processing for qualified candidates. The province has no provincial sales tax on groceries and lower overall tax rates. Factor in winter clothing costs (budgeting $500-1000 for proper gear), potential vehicle needs, and initial setup costs for utilities and services.
Q: What emotional challenges should I expect during the emigration process?
Mark describes emigration as "a cocktail of emotions all battling to gain top billing." Initially, planning feels exciting – like waiting for Christmas as a child. However, as departure approaches, excitement transforms into complex feelings mixing anticipation, anxiety, sadness, and uncertainty. You'll experience grief for "silly little things" you're leaving behind: family gatherings, familiar routines, even hearing your pet. The reality of life continuing without you in your home country can be particularly difficult. Expect to feel overwhelmed by endless planning requirements, frustrated by bureaucratic processes, and occasionally doubtful about your decision. This emotional rollercoaster is completely normal. Combat it by maintaining connections with home, building support networks in your destination, and remembering that challenging emotions don't invalidate your decision – they're part of the natural process of major life transitions.
Q: How do I handle people questioning my decision to emigrate to a less popular destination?
You'll inevitably face the "grass is always greener" comments and puzzled reactions about choosing somewhere like Saskatoon over obvious destinations. Mark's approach involves humor and firm conviction – deflecting with jokes while maintaining confidence in his research and reasoning. Remember that others' opinions are based on their priorities, not yours. You don't need to justify your dreams or decisions to anyone else. Focus on your specific circumstances: career opportunities, financial reality, lifestyle preferences, and long-term goals. When people question your choice, you can simply explain that you've done thorough research and this destination best serves your particular needs. Sometimes the most unexpected places offer exactly what you need for your unique situation. Trust your research, trust your instincts, and remember that you're the one who has to live with the consequences – both positive and negative.
Q: What practical steps should I take in the final months before moving to Saskatoon?
With six months remaining, shift from dreaming to detailed logistics. Research neighborhoods in Saskatoon, understanding that areas like Nutana, City Park, and Riversdale offer different advantages. Arrange temporary accommodation for your first weeks – budget $800-1200 monthly for short-term rentals. Begin networking through LinkedIn, local Facebook groups, and professional associations in your field. Research winter essentials and plan to purchase heavy coats, boots, and car accessories locally rather than shipping them. Open a Canadian bank account if possible, and research mobile phone plans. Update your resume to Canadian standards and consider credential recognition processes if required for your profession. Start following local news, weather patterns, and community events to familiarize yourself with your new home. Most importantly, prepare mentally for culture shock and give yourself permission to feel overwhelmed initially – adjustment takes time, and that's completely normal.
