Yesterday was another milestone for us and it has hammered home again why we got ourselves off that rock that sits just off the coast of France and carved a new life for ourselves in Canada.
Ask most families why they come over here and the answer is the same "were doing it for the kids, so they can have a better life". This weekend really bought it home for us. Luke was 13 when we came over here and out of the 3 of us, he was the one who was reluctant to make the move. It was all the usual stuff..... apprehensive about starting a new school, leaving all his mates behind, having to make all new friends over here. On top of that we had to sell all of his prized posessions, ie, his gaming machines and games.
Well that was 3 years ago, and now he is a 16 year old Senior High School student with great buddies, achieving excellent grades and is well on track to earning a place in College or University. His English (Wiltshire) accent has gone and has been replaced by a Southern Alberta "twang".
And to top it all....... he can drive a car (at the age of 16), tomorrow we set up the insurance and buy the car. He has been saving hard... and has managed to buy the car himself, we always said that if he bought the car himself we would insure it for him.
For anyone who is dreading that first insurance quote, think about it like this:
At the moment we make 8 trips into Lethbridge every weekend to take him to work and bring him back, and on a Saturday night he always has $15 worth of KFC.
8 x 40 kms x 52 weeks =16640kms / 0.61=10150 miles.
Jans car does 30 mpg therefore 10150/30= 30 gallons= 340 gallons
There are 3.785 liters to the US Gallon
340 x 3.785 = 1286 liters
Pump prices are 92 cents per liter
1286 x .92 = $1183.12 in Gas.
KFC at $15 x 52 = $780 in food.
1183 + 780 = 1963
It costs us $1963 per year just to get Luke to work and back.
If the insurance costs me $1800 like i am expecting then i license his car too which is about $100 per year.... then i am still up on the deal and Jan and I have an extra 4 hours on the weekend.
Woo Hoo......... Congratulations Luke !!!!!!!!!
Ask most families why they come over here and the answer is the same "were doing it for the kids, so they can have a better life". This weekend really bought it home for us. Luke was 13 when we came over here and out of the 3 of us, he was the one who was reluctant to make the move. It was all the usual stuff..... apprehensive about starting a new school, leaving all his mates behind, having to make all new friends over here. On top of that we had to sell all of his prized posessions, ie, his gaming machines and games.
Well that was 3 years ago, and now he is a 16 year old Senior High School student with great buddies, achieving excellent grades and is well on track to earning a place in College or University. His English (Wiltshire) accent has gone and has been replaced by a Southern Alberta "twang".
And to top it all....... he can drive a car (at the age of 16), tomorrow we set up the insurance and buy the car. He has been saving hard... and has managed to buy the car himself, we always said that if he bought the car himself we would insure it for him.
For anyone who is dreading that first insurance quote, think about it like this:
At the moment we make 8 trips into Lethbridge every weekend to take him to work and bring him back, and on a Saturday night he always has $15 worth of KFC.
8 x 40 kms x 52 weeks =16640kms / 0.61=10150 miles.
Jans car does 30 mpg therefore 10150/30= 30 gallons= 340 gallons
There are 3.785 liters to the US Gallon
340 x 3.785 = 1286 liters
Pump prices are 92 cents per liter
1286 x .92 = $1183.12 in Gas.
KFC at $15 x 52 = $780 in food.
1183 + 780 = 1963
It costs us $1963 per year just to get Luke to work and back.
If the insurance costs me $1800 like i am expecting then i license his car too which is about $100 per year.... then i am still up on the deal and Jan and I have an extra 4 hours on the weekend.
Woo Hoo......... Congratulations Luke !!!!!!!!!
AFTER EDIT: The Insurance was less than $1400 because Luke has completed a Certified Driving Course..... way to go Luke !!!
